Overall Talk
To The Paw Rating: 4-PAW
Website
address: www.thehonestkitchen.com
This is the first dog food review I am writing to help pet
parents make informed decisions regarding feeding “convenience” (commercial dog
food) to their dog with cancer. My personal first choice would be to home cook,
for obvious reasons, one being, it’s healthier.
I know that is not a do-able option for some, so that is why I will be
reviewing several brands of dog foods on the market to assist with selecting
the best available option for you. You can also consider a mix of home cooked
and commercial foods. There are many mix
and match options to improve your dog’s diet.
The bottom line is, there are no 100% guarantees in life
regarding anything! I cannot make a promise that feeding your dog the best diet
there is will keep him/her cancer free. We live in a broken world, so we have
consequences to deal with regarding that.
I cannot express enough, however, the importance of nutrition throughout
your dog’s lifespan. It is your first
line of defense, even more so when battling a disease (any disease, not just
cancer). My goal in these reviews is to make the information as simple and
understandable as possible. The amount
of information available can be overwhelming.
I’m doing the hard stuff…pouring over ingredient panels and figuring the
different nutrient percentages of protein, fat and carbohydrates from the
guaranteed analysis listed on the package.
This is not a quick task, but I’m all about research because I have a
curious mind, and believe me, I have a lot of questions that need answers, and
I take this seriously!
There are many factors that enter in to making decisions
regarding nutritional needs when your dog has cancer. Age, weight, health and even dog breed plays
an important role. Also, is your dog dealing with additional health concerns like
liver or kidney dysfunction? As your dog ages, you are likely to encounter more
than one thing going on, so that needs to be taken into consideration. Always check with your veterinarian when
adding supplements to your dog’s diet, as treatments like chemotherapy and prescription
medications could have an adverse interaction.
The guidelines I’m using in rating nutrient percentages are
as follows: protein – 30 to 40% of dry matter (DM), if liver and kidneys are
functioning normally. (Note: Don’t worry about what DM is…I’m doing that
figuring for you!) Fats – 25 to 40%, and carbohydrates no more than 25%.
Manufacturers are not required to include carbohydrate content in their
guaranteed analysis, but it is an important factor when feeding. Again, I’ve
done the figuring for you, so don’t worry! Depending on the type of cancer,
certain foods may not be recommended.
Example, for mammary cancer, red meat should be avoided. Chicken, especially is a safe choice…so
that’s a good ‘go to’.
So, with all that said, let’s get into this. The overall “Talk To The Paw” rating is my
personal opinion rating. (nothing scientific!)
Each specific dog food I review will get an individual paw rating from
1-PAW to 4-PAW (again, my personal opinion) for feeding to a dog with cancer.
One paw being the lowest, and four paws being the best rating. In reviewing ingredient panels, I have listed
some (not all) of the ingredients I consider a “plus” in the food, and those
will be marked with a “+”.
Let’s get started with The Honest Kitchen (THK) review. Off
the top, the food is made here in the United States, and it is human grade pet
food. What does that mean? You, as a
human could eat it…if you had to! (wink, wink!) What product types does THK
offer? Cluster dry food (kibble), dehydrated food (just add water), wet food,
treats, toppers, supplements and broths. (Side note: do not feed your dog broth
you buy from the grocery store, these usually have onion flavoring in them…a
no-no for our canine companions) Prices listed are from the company website.
Listed below is just a ‘sampling’ of what they offer.
Grain Free Chicken Clusters (dry) $7.99 for a 1 pound bag
“+” salmon oil, turmeric, rosemary extract
The protein (30%) falls within range, fat is a little low
(16%), but that’s ok, you can add some healthy fats at home. Carbohydrate is
high at 42%. That’s not uncommon in a
dry food.
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 2-PAW
Dehydrated Whole Grain Beef $14.99/1.5oz. x 10
“+” parsley, cranberries, spinach
The protein is on the low side (25%), and the fat is on the
low side (10%), but that’s ok, you can do some add-ins to boost that. Carbohydrates is high (57%).
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 2-PAW
Slow Cooked Chicken One Pot Stew (wet food) $25.74/10.5 oz x 6
“+” chicken bone broth, sweet potatoes, spinach, salmon oil,
dried kelp, cinnamon
Protein is high (53%), but that’s ok…occasional feeding in
higher protein foods can make up for a lack of protein somewhere else. (don’t
stress over it!) Fat is low (11%) and carbohydrates are within range at 6%.
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 3-PAW
Blueberry & Vanilla Goat’s Milk N’ Cookies $10.99/8 oz.
“+” honey, organic coconut oil
Protein 9%, Fat 1%, Carbohydrates 37%
In moderation, these are a healthy treat. This, and some of their other products (if
you read the ingredient panel) contain bacillus coagulans, which is a naturally
occurring probiotic which helps support a healthy digestive tract! That’s a
plus! Yay!
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 4-PAW
Functional Pour Overs: Skin & Coat – Salmon Stew $39.48/5.5 oz. x 12
“+” fish bone broth, butternut squash, salmon oil, flaxseed
oil
These are great “toppers” that you pour some over the top of
the food. Not intended to be a “meal”. I did not see a guaranteed analysis available
for this, but I use these and LOVE them!
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 4-PAW
Instant Beef Bone Broth with Turmeric $9.99 1.48 oz.
Turkey $12.99 3.6 oz.
I love adding bone broth to my dog’s food! If you just HAVE
to stick with dry dog food (kibble), pouring some of the doggie bone broth can
be a real boost!
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating:4-PAW
Goat’s Milk with Probiotics $12.99/2.12 oz
“+” bromelain (this is
a great enzyme derived from pineapples that can improve digestion, and also
contains chemicals that seem to interfere with tumor cells…a definite plus!)
Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer Rating: 4-PAW
Perfect Form Herbal Digestive Supplement $12.99 3.2 oz
I do not have a Talk To The Paw Canine Cancer rating for
this….sorry. I just wanted to include
it, so you know it is available on their website.
So, in wrapping this up, I’d also like to say, The Honest Kitchen is big on ‘NO’…
NO rendered meals
NO artificial flavors/preservatives
NO GMO ingredients
NO feed grade ingredients
NO feed grade by-products
NO fillers (corn, wheat or soy)
I urge you to check their website for further information and
to view their full line of foods available. You can also access a locator map
to see where you can purchase it at a store in your area. They have a 90-day
money back guarantee and a customer support team you can reach out to for
assistance.
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