Has the question, ” What is Ash in Dog Food ?”, made you wonder if you are feeding filler or some harmful ingredient to your dog?
If so then, our review post captures all insights into, Why Is There Ash in Your Dog’s Food? and how it is important.
Keeping it simple for now, Dear Dog parents, Ash in Dog Food is nothing to worry about!
Ash is just a technical term for bone content and minerals additives in a pet product.
The ash content of a dog food actually reflects the total mineral content, like iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and more.
Being a curious dog parent I am always on the mission of finding the best of the world for my dog.
Especially when it is about their food. Because we all know that, what they eat builds up their better health.
On one such visit to our local pet store, I went frightened seeing. By reading the “Ash % label on the dog food bag.
And I was taken aback for a while questioning myself, “Ash in my dog’s dry food?”
Most dog parents falsely assume that the ash in dog food is a pet-food filler. And it is added to reduce the overall cost of dog food.
Whereas others believe that it compromises the nutritional benefits.
It is just a general term. That refers to the range of minerals in certain pet foods, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, etc.
Contents
Pet Nutrition Insights: Knowing About Ash in Dog Food
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), develops general guidelines. And these guidelines serve as the basis for the nutritional content of commercial pet foods.
The daily diet requirements of a dog consist of six basic nutrients such as water, proteins, fats, carbs, minerals, and vitamins.
These important nutrients are necessary and are involved in all of the body’s basic functions.
The essential minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and more. Are cumulatively represented as “Ash” in the dog food.
What is Ash in Dog Food?
Ash is all the non-combustible minerals and other particles that are left. After the food is burnt at very high temperatures.
So a higher temperature burns away any organic components such as fat, protein, water, fiber, starch, sugar, and vitamins.
What’s left then are inorganic minerals. Like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc, etc.
These inorganic minerals are required in less amount but are equally important.
Where Does Ash in Dog Food Come From?
This mineral content, or ash, also comes from the amount of bone, cartilage, tendons. And it is ground into the meat meal (this does not include muscle, which has low ash levels).
What Essential Minerals Does Ash Contain?
Ash contains essential minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, calcium.
And even some essential micro minerals like Manganese and selenium.
Minerals play an important role in every vital process in the dog’s body. Here’s a list of the most important micro minerals and the roles they perform:
- Manganese: It is important for several Enzyme reactions; bone development; cartilage formation; it effectively regulates some important neurological functions and is a key enzyme of body metabolism.
- Selenium: It is important for the efficient working of the immune system. Protects against oxidative stress.
Ash includes sulfur, which is an important nutrient for both humans and animals.
Sulfur within the body helps to make up essential amino acids that form the building blocks” of proteins, including cysteine and methionine.
Ash Content in Dog Food
Dry dog foods usually have between 5 and 8% ash and wet foods have between 1 and 2% ash.
In certain dog foods, figures have also increased to the 10 percent mark.
The ash content also differs naturally. for example, red meats have a higher ash content, whereas chicken and fish will have lower ash content.
Why is Important to Know the Ash Content?
The ash content mentioned on the label, helps you get an understanding of the mineral content of the food.
And knowing the ash content of your dog’s food becomes important. Especially if your pet is suffering from any medical conditions.
It is useful if you are trying to restrict certain minerals in your diet. As a part of disease management.
For example, magnesium will contribute to urinary crystals in dogs with kidney disease. And higher levels of sodium can affect heart and renal conditions.
Why is Ash Important in dog food
The Ash added in any pet food is equally important as any other macronutrient such as protein, fat, or fiber.As per vetnutrition “When ash is used related to animal foods, it means minerals – calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, etc.“
Because it contains essential mineral elements ground into the meal, from bones.
Is Ash Bad for Dogs?
No, Ash mentioned in dog food is not bad for dogs. And no dog food can be made without it.
Ash in dog food is safe and natural for your dog. It ensures minerals are good for their health. These minerals play an important role in the development of your dog’s health.
Is Low Ash Content Good in Dog Food?
Low ash chicken meal consists more of chicken meat and some accompanying bone.
This ash percentage of this meal is prepared by the amount of bone ground into the meal.
Due to more protein included and less bone, a low ash content indicates a higher grade meal.
Lesser ash percentage would mean a higher quality of meat that will have less bone than other low-grade meat.
Depending on the form of meat meal used to make dog food, the level of ash content may also differ.
High levels of ash in pet food could suggest that the meat protein sources are of lower quality with more bone content.
What Happens When a Dog Eats Foods High in Ash?
The nutrients in our pet foods must be adequately balanced. With adequate proportions of each of the essential components in their diet. According to vetnutrition “Majority of the minerals in a pet food are calcium and phosphorus, the % ash roughly parallels the amount of calcium and phosphorus in a diet.”
Feeding a diet with high ash content can lead to these concerns:
Low nutrient absorption:
High levels of ash with high levels of calcium will decrease the digestibility of nutrients. Thus decreasing the supply of nutrients for your pet’s health. The size of your dog’s feces can also increase if nutrients are not absorbed well.
Poor balance of nutrition: Higher levels of ash which usually comes from meat sources suggest high bone levels.
The bone is extremely rich in calcium.
The absorption of other main minerals such as zinc will decrease when calcium gets too heavy.
And a sufficient level of Zinc is essential to support the growth of the skin and hair coat.
Other Relevant FAQs
How to determine ash content in dog food?
You can find ash content on the back of our dog food bag. Under the heading “Analytical Constituents”.
It is a mandatory requirement and all pet food needs to declare the % of ash food it has.
So don’t be frightened to read about ash! In your pet food. It only tells you the minerals that are within the food.
What does crude ash mean?
Crude ash is the same word for ash referred to on the back label of the dog food. The word crude emphasizes more on being the natural source of these inorganic minerals like meat bones, tendons, and cartilage.
Therefore the word “crude ash” or also called “burned residue” or “inorganic matter” on the label refers to the number of minerals found in the pet food product.
Are there any low ash dog food brand?
Dr. Tim’s is a brand of dog food that uses low-ash meat meal in their pet food, with an average of 7.5% ash level across their products.
For active dogs, there’s Dr. Tim’s Active Dog Pursuit Formula Dry Dog Food, which has an ash level of only 6.5%.
What is normal ash level in dog food?
In their daily diet, it is commonly thought that dogs need about 2 % ash. In the dog, food container, or bags, the labeled average values of ash vary between 5-8%.
The % of ash per bag is based on a couple of variables; one being the quality of proteins used and what processing procedures take place in the preparation of meals.
How to determine ash content in dog food if not listed?
The ash percentage mentioned on the labels of your dog food is determined by food scientists in labs by using specific instruments.
This ash percentage is added to the dog food as per the guidelines by AAFCO.
So, it is not possible to determine ash content in dog food by own and needs to be mentioned in the guaranteed analysis.
On Final Note
To provide the best of love and care to our adorable furry buddies and getting worried about their health and safety is every dog parent’s priority.
But now no need to freak out. By the label “Ash in dog food,”.
As it is just a technical term used to denote the inorganic essential minerals required for optimal body function.
So, dear dog parents, calm it down. And buy that dog food. As Ash in dog food does not literally mean the ash from the fire!
Footnotes
- To Understand How to Read a Dog or Cat Food Label — [1]
- Understanding Pet Food Labels — General [2]
- What is “crude ash” that appears on the label’s ingredient list? — [3]
REFERNCE:
- John, J. D. (2023, March 3). What is Ash in Dog Food? And Its Importance. DogLikesBest. Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.doglikesbest.com/what-is-ash-in-dog-food
Julia is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, practicing veterinarian in a non-profit animal hospital and feline sanctuary located in Rochester, NY. She is also a full-time veterinary advisor at DogLikesBest. She focuses on writing healthcare-related topics including dog foods, treats, veterinary diets, food for specific healthcare features, etc. Moreover, any article on DogNeedsBest that has to concern feline health in any way, goes under her scrutiny before being published.
