Peas in Hills dog food ?

[lyndafry]

Could someone be so kind as to educate me on why there is peas in Hills dog food and if it's okay? I try to avoid ingredients like peas due to the hype about them not being suitable but I also stay within the top 5 brands backed by science. I am maybe just being too cautious but some helpful advice or explanation would be nice. Thanks guys!

EDIT - My senior is going on the Hills mobility J/D and the formula contains 'pea bran meal' so it just got me thinking!

 

[birdiie]

@lyndafry It’s my understanding that the “science” behind it is that it’s a perfect amount for the recipe to be helpful and not harmful!

 

[lyndafry]

@birdiie Ahh get you! That makes perfect sense, thank you

 

[savedgirl10]

@lyndafry My dog hates them. She spits them all out on the floor in front of her bowl

 

[wrshamblinjr]

@lyndafry Hills has trademarked the words "science diet" as a marketing term. It doesn't actually mean anything. Just a heads up because it is intentionally misleading marketing. I haven't tried it, and I am sure it's a great for many dogs! But it isn't more scientific than other diets.

 

[ilin59]

@lyndafry Personally, I also prefer no peas & no sweet potato. I buy hill's science diet perfect digestion salmon for my guy, which has neither (https://www.hillspet.ca/en-ca/dog-food/sd-canine-adult-perfect-digestion-salmon-oats-brown-rice-dry)

 

[okinge]

@ilin59 Our dog also eats a Hill's Diet Adult Perfect Digestion kibble, but hers is Chicken, Brown Rice & Whole Oats. Has no peas and she's been enjoying this food for the past 4 years. Our vet says she's in great shape for a 9 year old dog and should continue with this food.

 

[smorey]

@lyndafry My dog has a valve issue, and the cardiologist advised us to avoid foods that include pulses (peas, green beans, chickpeas, other beans) and potatoes in the first 10 ingredients. My understanding is that the research into the grain-free diets and cardiac disease has shown possible links to these ingredients specifically but a lot is still unknown. This article is pretty good at explaining it:

https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2023...ause-is-not-yet-known-but-it-hasnt-gone-away/

Probably not a major issue if your dog is healthy and without heart problems, but could be worth asking your vet about if you’re worried!

 

[acatholic]

@lyndafry They are a great protein source. One of the best things about WSAVA foods is that they have a ton of peer-reviewed research behind them.

Personally I stay away from any of the hyped up or fad diets. For example, they have started to link grain-free diets with a specific form of heart disease.

My vet recommended Hills, Purina Pro Plan, Eukanuba, or Royal Canin because they all have a lot of history and research.

 

[joseph_widner]

@acatholic A vast majority of grain-free food has peas and other legumes to up the protein though. Legumes specifically is whats's the suspected cause of dietary DCM.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@joseph_widner But the WSAVA brands don't have any nutrition-linked cases of DCM. None. Soooo.

 

[debtinfo]

@acatholic Can you link any of this ton of peer reviewed research?

 

[seekingthetruth217]

@debtinfo Have you tried to search yourself and can’t find it?

 

[kawaiilover22]

@lyndafry But doesn't hill's use meat byproducts? Maybe I'm misrembering.

 

[sevilodorf]

@kawaiilover22 https://www.reddit.com/r/DogFood/wiki/index/byproducts/

 

[petermg49]

@lyndafry It’s ok when a wsava compliant brand like hills , RC or Purina does it . They have the science and trials to make the formula for the dog food safe

 

[melvinamyron]

@lyndafry even the good brands have formulas that I won't support but they have grain free also, since a fair amount of customers look for that now. hopefully a passing trend.

wouldn't feed mine the grain free or peas formulas, even by purina, hills. supposed to be safe and i'm sure it's a ton safer than the no tested brands but still a nope from me.

 

[myjesus777]

@melvinamyron Me neither. Grain free has been around for over 20 years so it’s not a passing trend but it seems most people are OK with rice and oatmeal though…even though they are grains. I just don’t get it. They don’t want wheat or corn as far as I can tell but other grains are ok.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@lyndafry If it's hill's it's fine. They have a handle on nutrition. Any of the non-WSAVA brands, nope. Not worth feeding.

 

[ainex]

@lyndafry It is not specifically the peas but recommended to not have any legumes in the first 5 ingredients of the main diet due to documented links with the inhibition of taurine absorption which is important for heart health.