Fillers in Dog Food: Why You Should Avoid Them

May 10, 2023   |   By David Jackson

Understanding the ingredients in your dog's food is a vital part of choosing the right food. One group of ingredients to keep an eye out for are so called "fillers". These are inexpensive ingredients that are added to increase the volume of dog food but provide little nutritional value for your dog.

What Are Fillers and Why Are They Used?

Common fillers include maize, wheat, soy, white potato and white rice. They are popular in lower end foods because they are cheap and allow manufacturers to reduce their ingredient costs.

On pet food labels, fillers may be listed as "maize flour", "rice flour", "wheat", "potato starch", "cereals", "derivatives of vegetable origin", or other similar terms.

It's always a good idea to read the label carefully and try to understand what each ingredient is before buying a dog food.

Why Are Fillers Harmful to Your Dog's Health?

Unfortunately, fillers don't really bring much to the table in terms of nutrition so you generally have to feed higher volumes of filler-rich foods to make up for it. This can cause unnecessary strain on the digestive system which can lead to digestive problems.

To make things worse, starchy fillers like white rice, maize starch, potato and so on, often don't keep dogs feeling full for very long despite providing lots of calories. This can lead to owners feeding their hungry dogs even more, further exasperating the issues and increasing the chances of their dog developing obesity and all of its associated health problems.

Furthermore, certain fillers like wheat, soy and maize can be difficult for some dogs to digest or may even cause dietary intolerance or allergic responses which can lead to more severe digestive issues and wide ranging secondary health problems over time.

How Can You Ensure Your Dog's Food Does Not Contain Fillers?

Try to find foods where every ingredient is easily identifiable and provides a clear benefit for the dog. A high proportion of meat and bio-appropriate vegetables and fruits is a great start. Any grains should be whole as they provide much more nutrients than refined forms.

If in doubt, drop by the dog food directory and look for foods with higher ratings as these will contain much less fillers than lower-rated foods.

By avoiding fillers, you can help your dog maintain a healthy weight, avoid health problems down the line, and live a happy life.