How Many Carbs Are In My Pets Food?

How Many Carbs Are In My Pets’ Food?

Ever Wonder… How much carbohydrates are in your pet’s food?

Well, here is how to figure it out for yourself!

The amount of carbohydrates (SUGAR) in pet foods is not listed anywhere on the bag because neither dogs nor cats need them in their diet.  Since they are both carnivores, they have NO dietary requirement for carbohydrates (sugar).  This is why the pet food manufacturers aren’t required to put it on the label, and as you will see they do not want you to know how much sugar is in their foods.  Sugar is cheap, and many foods are close to 50% or greater sugar!  Below is how to calculate how much of your pet’s food is carbohydrates (sugar).

Knowing that everything in the food adds up to 100%, all you need do is subtract what is known from the Guaranteed Analysis Statement on the bag, plus the average value of ash found in quality foods (6-8%), use 7% as a middle value, and what you have left is the carbs - SUGAR.  Fiber is a type of sugar so it is NOT subtracted!

100 - % protein - % Fat - 8% ash - % Moisture = % Carbs 

From an actual Guaranteed Analysis of an expensive food.

24% Protein

15% Fat

10% Moisture

~ 8% Ash (not listed on the label)

100 - 24% protein - 15% Fat - 8% Ash - 10% moisture = 43 % Carbs (SUGAR)  

That means 4.3 pounds of sugar in a 10 pound bag of food! 

Sugar isn’t necessary in our pet’s diet nor is it good for our pets.  With diabetes up 32% in dogs since 2006 and 16% in cats* isn’t it time we start looking more carefully at our pet’s foods and paying for what they need in their diet like meat and not sugar!

*Source: Analysis from 770 Banfield Animal Hospitals medical data on 2.2 million dogs and 450,00 cats!