REVIEW: Big Kibble

 Big Kibble:The Hidden Dangers of the Pet Food Industry
Author: Shawn Buckley, Oscar Chavez, Wendy Paris

Did you ever wonder what is in the big colorful bags of pet food lining the pet aisle of every major grocery store chain? I come home every two weeks with a big blue bag for my cats and a big yellow bag for my dogs. Happy looking pets adorn the fronts of both bags, with lovely charts about nutrition and wanting the best for fuzzy companion(s). My pets are set in their ways. I have tried multiple times to switch them to "better'' brands of food...and they won't eat it. I tried mixing it with their fav food.....I tried cold turkey. I tried everything. Nope. They want the blue bag and the yellow bag. So I bring home the same brands every time. 

But what is actually in the food? And how is it made? Is it really good for my pets?

When I saw the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it. And, I'm not going to lie -- this was a difficult read for me. The authors don't pull punches when they hit their message home -- pet food is often filled with less than savory ingredients that are not the best choice to feed our furry buddies. I already knew that basic premise...but this book filled in a lot of facts I was not aware of. 

The authors talk about the history of pet food, what goes into pet food, and that it's an industry that generates $75 billion in revenue. The pet food industry is poorly regulated and very brand driven, with a handful of companies pretty much running the show. The book focuses on dogs specifically, touching on basic nutrition for dogs, what foods can safely be eaten by dogs and the basics of cooking for dogs or otherwise supplementing or replacing their kibble-based diets with better choices. 

This book is interesting, although quite distressing in places. And the authors make sure to stress that their advice and information is not meant to replace the input of reader's local veterinarian. This is definitely a must read for anyone who owns dogs, especially when there are frequent reports about dogs dying from badly manufactured pet food, factory mistakes, dangerous ingredients in treats or other problems. Some of their recommendations are just not going to ever happen -- like tax deductions for pet owners -- but I do see where they are coming from. 

I'm glad I read this book, even though I found some of the information hard to read. It is amazingly distressing what goes into pet foods. Yuck.