Are pulses safe for dogs: a powerhouse ingredient

As a pet food manufacturer, you may know already know that items like chickpeas, lentils, dried beans, and peas fall in the pulses categories. So, it should come as no surprise that they are invading into the market for human food and beverages, therefore their presence in pet food is also expanding.

Pet food companies now choose goods for pets based on the principles of human food and increasing the intake of plant-based foods like pulses is one way to do this. In this post, we will explore how pulses are a powerhouse ingredient for dogs.

Pulses Ingredients Explained in Detail

As a pet food company, you must first familiarize yourself with the pulses’ ingredients. Lentils, peas, chickpeas, field beans, and cowpeas are among the ingredients of pulses. These nutrients are utilized often in diets all across the world despite not belonging to the grains family.

They are used in many of the dishes humans eat today, including hummus and vegetarian burgers, and are known for their high protein and nutritional qualities. Due to their nutritional composition, pulses are used by many pet food manufacturers to make pet food, particularly grain-free dog foods. This is in addition to their use in human cuisine.

How They Are Associated with Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs?

The U.S. FDA recently published a research linking specific grain-free dog foods to a condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy in canines.

Dilated cardiomyopathy affects a dog's heart's capacity to produce enough pressure to push blood through the vascular system. This is more common in some dog breeds than others, and depending on the severity, it might result in pets passing away too soon.

Since pulses are an element in grain-free dog diets, researchers are looking into all of these foods' ingredients as well as the full nutritional profile of the dogs' food in an effort to identify the root of the problem. Although research is ongoing, no accidental mechanism has yet been found.

Do Dog Food Manufacturers Consider Pulses Ingredients?

According to recent studies, pulses are acceptable as additives in pet food. Large pet food producers closely collaborate with board-certified veterinary experts to provide safe, nutrient-balanced dog meals that may include ingredients from pulses.

Some experts have observed that not all dog food manufacturers make dog diets with the same level of care, though. Because of this, some veterinarians advise consumers to exercise caution when buying and feeding their dogs diets from specialized companies that might not be able to conduct in-depth nutritional study and might contain unusual substances that are under review.

What Exactly Causes Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs?

Although studies are being conducted, but veterinarians and researchers have not yet understood the exact cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Exotic meats (such kangaroo and duck), grain-free diets, and the potential for nutritional deficiencies like taurine are a few of the explanations given by the researchers.

Based on different research studies, dog food companies need not avoid pulses ingredients as credible pet food manufacturers work closely with board certified veterinary nutrition to ensure safety and nutrition in dog food.