Is canned dog food better than dry?

PureMutt · 03-25-2009, 09:03 PM

I thought it was the opposite, but now I am hearing that canned food is better?? What's the deal??

Binkalette · 03-25-2009, 09:34 PM

I believe the only reason it is seen as 'better' is because of the moisture content.. not because it necessarily has any better ingredients. You could probably get the same results just wetting down kibble, and it might cost less

FilleBelle · 03-25-2009, 09:37 PM

Canned food isn't cooked at high temperatures, which means it retains more of its nutrients.

Not so good for the teeth, though.

HersheyPup · 03-25-2009, 10:01 PM

Canned food also does not need to be preserved by chemicals or Vit.E, etc. because the canning process itself is the preservative.

I once worked with a woman from Germany and she was a Hollistic "vet" over there. She had a shop and cared for animals through natural methods. I saw her feeding canned food to her 5 dogs all the time and asked her about it.
She said she fed her dogs "meat" as she called it (canned dog food) and not "cereal" kibble. She NEVER fed her dogs kibble and I know she didn't cook for them or feed them raw. They were all healthy and beautiful, except for one very senior dog that became extremely uncharacteristically aggressive and she had to put him down. A very large mastiff looking type dog. The autopsy showed a brain tumor.
Her dogs were all large German Shepherds and GSD mixes, she had one Hovawart that she brought over from Germany. Wow, what an amazing dog! I could have one of those in a heartbeat!

I feed my dog lots of canned food, along with home cooked, some raw and some kibble. She only gets kibble once a day at the most. Sometimes, she doesn't get any kibble. She does like it though.

Kathyy · 03-26-2009, 10:27 AM

Iams® Chunks with Savory Chicken Marinated in Gravy
984 kcal/kg, 344 kcal/can
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken By-Products, Wheat gluten, Meat By-Products, Dried Beet Pulp, Salt, Flax meal, Guar Gum, Dextrose, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Carrageenan, Choline Chloride, Xylose, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Caramel.

Iams® ProActive Health™ Chunks 3,711 kcal/kg,
374 kcal/cup
Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Meal, Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Flax Meal, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Caramel, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), DL-Methionine, Rosemary Extract.

I know if I couldn't cook or feed raw I would feed canned. Even grocery store brands like Iams are better canned than kibble.

rosemaryninja · 03-26-2009, 11:18 AM

Kathyy, what would you say is the difference between feeding the canned version of a so-called poor brand (like the Iams Chunks you just posted) and the kibble version of a premium brand, with similar ingredients?

Kathyy · 03-26-2009, 04:59 PM

Water.
Big difference in the quality of ingredients. I would not like to feed my dogs 'meat', 'poultry', 'fish', or flavoring.
Tough choice.

I AM biased as Sassy has kidney disease which couldn't have been helped by her chronic dehydration over the years. I am also very glad I can feed her home cooked food and not have to pay for the script canned food.

flipgirl · 03-26-2009, 08:19 PM

Why is canned food bad for their teeth? Is it because kibble supposedly cleans their teeth or does canned food actually do something for their teeth?

Canned food contains more water and you have to feed more to get more nutrients I think. But to me, kibble is like cereal. (of course, my dog gets real raw meat while I eat Alpha-bits cereal)

FilleBelle · 03-26-2009, 09:47 PM

I didn't mean to imply it's bad for the teeth. I only meant dry can work as a tooth abrasive, which wet can't.

Willowy · 03-26-2009, 11:55 PM

Whole Dog Journal rates dog food in this order:
1st (best): raw
2nd: home-cooked
3rd: canned
4th: dry food (no matter how high quality the dry food is).

Of course for most people it's a matter of simple economics and convenience. If I had a smaller dog, I'd feed mostly canned food with raw added occasionally. For 3 huge dogs, it's not really an option right now.

With cats, a lower-quality canned food is better than a high-quality dry food. But they really need the added water. I'm not sure that's as big of an issue with dogs.

Kibble doesn't really do anything for the teeth. In Penny's case, it sticks to her teeth and makes them really yucky. I've never seen anything like it. Edible doggy chews do the same thing to her. If I didn't give her raw a few times a week, her teeth would be terrible.

flipgirl · 03-27-2009, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

I didn't mean to imply it's bad for the teeth. I only meant dry can work as a tooth abrasive, which wet can't.

Ok, thanks for clarifying. I don't know, I read somewhere that it can make their teeth soft but I don't think that's true.

rosemaryninja · 03-27-2009, 11:24 PM

I don't think kibble helps their teeth either. It's too soft for that.

4lilmunchkins · 03-28-2009, 10:53 AM

I was one of the people that always thought kibble was better too, not really sure even where I heard it from but I grew up thinking that canned food for dogs was bad. I'm not sure where the idea comes from that kibble helps their teeth. If you give your dog/dogs bones, bully sticks, other things to "chew" on, those are by far better for their teeth than crunching a tiny piece of kibble. My dogs haven't been on kibble for over a year now and their teeth are super white. I think canned food is better because of the moisture level and nutrients that are not "baked out" and put "back in". I occasionally supplement some of their meals with some Evangers canned food. If I wasn't able to feed them raw or home cook for them, I would feed them canned food before kibble. Not trying to say that kibble is "bad" necessarily, I know many dogs that thrive on it, I just feel that canned food, in my opinion is better given those two options.

PureMutt · 03-28-2009, 04:23 PM

Very valid points and opinions. I think I will feed RAW instead. lol.

Kyllobernese · 03-28-2009, 04:49 PM

I feed mostly kibble but the canned food I do feed has the following ingredients: Fresh ground lean red beef roast and steak meat, fresh beef liver and kidney, carrots, vegetable gums, onion powder, calcium, vitamin and mineral supplements, sodium nitrate and water sufficient for processing. NO cereals, grains, starches, artificial color or salt added. Moisture 84.5% Protein 10.4% Fibre .2% Ash .95 Fat 6.3% It is a product called Lean Cuts and the best place to buy it is at Costco. If I have a dog that needs extra weight on, this soon does the trick.

Jessieanne · 03-28-2009, 05:31 PM

I feed my dog both dry and canned. I read some where that caned food can help prevent urinary problem. Dont know if that true , but scared me enough to feed my dog a half a can a day. lol

PureMutt · 03-28-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyllobernese

I feed mostly kibble but the canned food I do feed has the following ingredients: Fresh ground lean red beef roast and steak meat, fresh beef liver and kidney, carrots, vegetable gums, onion powder, calcium, vitamin and mineral supplements, sodium nitrate and water sufficient for processing. NO cereals, grains, starches, artificial color or salt added. Moisture 84.5% Protein 10.4% Fibre .2% Ash .95 Fat 6.3% It is a product called Lean Cuts and the best place to buy it is at Costco. If I have a dog that needs extra weight on, this soon does the trick.

Be careful with onion powder. It can be toxic to some dogs.