Introduction
You may be surprised to learn that dog food is a popular snack choice for many humans. In fact, up to 7% of Americans have admitted to tasting dog food at least once. While sampling a piece may seem harmless, regularly consuming dog food can have serious health implications.
Dog food contains many of the same ingredients as human food, like chicken, beef, and grains. The prospect of a tasty snack may tempt some dog owners to sneak a bite. However, dog food is specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of dogs, which have different requirements than humans.
Eating dog food can pose significant gastrointestinal, nutritional, and bacterial risks. Still, some people seek out dog food for reasons other than hunger or curiosity. Understanding what motivates this behavior is key to addressing this concerning practice.
Reasons Humans Consume Dog Food
While the idea of humans eating pet food may seem strange, there are a number of reasons why someone might try canine cuisine. One of the most common reasons is simple curiosity or a dare from friends. Young adults in particular may eat dog food on a dare just to see what it tastes like. Eating something “taboo” can also be seen as a way to rebel or prove one’s adventurous spirit. Peer pressure plays a large role here, as people may consume dog food just to impress others with a gross-out stunt. Of course, those who try dog food as a dare likely spit it out quickly rather than eating an entire meal. But even a small taste satisfies curiosity about a quirky or eccentric experience.
Nutritional Value
On the surface, dog food may seem to provide adequate nutrition for humans, as it contains protein from meat sources along with carbohydrates and fats. However, dog food lacks many of the vitamins and minerals that are essential for human health.
While the protein in dog food provides amino acids, dog food is deficient in crucial vitamins like vitamin A, C, and D. Vitamin A supports immune function and eye health. Vitamin C aids collagen production, immune function, and iron absorption. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and promotes bone health. Dog food is also low in vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells.
In addition to vitamins, dog food is lacking in key minerals important for people. This includes iodine for thyroid hormone production, magnesium for muscle and nerve function, and calcium for bone health. Dog food also provides insufficient amounts of choline, fiber, and healthy fatty acids that humans require.
Overall, dog food may contain protein but lacks the recommended vitamin, mineral, and other nutrients needed for humans to thrive. Relying on dog food long-term can lead to nutritional deficiencies and health complications.
Health Risks
The consumption of dog food poses several health risks to humans that should not be taken lightly. The most concerning risk is the potential exposure to pathogenic bacteria that can lead to foodborne illness.
Dog food, particularly raw dog food, may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli, and Campylobacter. These bacteria are not adequately killed during processing of raw food. Humans can become infected through direct contact with contaminated pet food or surfaces where preparation occurred.
Salmonella is one of the most common culprits of foodborne illness from raw meat pet food. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Salmonella infection can be life-threatening in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
The danger of pathogenic bacterial contamination means special care must be taken when handling and preparing raw dog food. However, risks may still exist even with cooked dog food depending on processing standards. Consuming any pet food can potentially expose humans to these harmful pathogens.
Dog Food Design
Dog food is designed for canine digestion and nutritional needs, not for human consumption. The ingredients, formulations, and processing methods make most dog foods unsuitable as a dietary staple for people.
While some dog foods may be made from grain, meat, and vegetables that humans also eat, the proportions, combinations, and preparation are tailored specifically for dogs. Dog food contains much higher quantities of protein than most human foods, which can tax the kidneys if eaten regularly. The meat and fat quality also tend to be lower than premium cuts used for human consumption.
Dog food lacks many nutrients required in a balanced human diet. For example, dog foods do not contain anywhere near the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals needed for people. Calcium in particular is found at very high levels in dog foods to meet canine skeletal needs. Excessive calcium is dangerous for humans.
The hardest, least digestible portions of ingredients are used for dog food to help clean dogs’ teeth. The high fiber content common in dog food can cause gastrointestinal issues in humans not accustomed to it. Overall, dog food is made for dogs, and people’s nutritional needs differ greatly.
Notable Cases
There have been several high-profile cases of people consuming dog food over the years:
College Student Lives on Dog Food Diet: In 2007, a college student named Morgan Spurlock spent 30 days eating nothing but dog food to see if he could survive on it. He lost 25 pounds during the experiment and reported feeling depressed and sick from the lack of nutrients.
Fugitive Subsists on Dog Food: In 2012, a fugitive named Troy James Knapp survived for years living in the Utah wilderness by eating dog food. He would break into seasonal cabins and steal supplies, including multiple cans of dog food which became a dietary staple.
Senior Citizen Addicted to Dog Food: In 2008, a 66-year-old woman named Mary was featured on My Strange Addiction for being addicted to eating dog food, which she had been consuming for over 40 years after trying it as a child. Despite negative health effects, she was unable to stop eating canned dog food daily.
Man Dines on Gourmet Dog Food: Food critic Ryan Sutton made headlines in 2015 when he taste-tested a 13-course dog food tasting menu created by celebrity chef Eddie Huang. The dishes included Gourmet Beef Tartare and Salmon Pâté with Protein Powder Quinoa Crisps, showing the artisanal side of modern dog cuisine.
Psychological Factors
There is some evidence linking the consumption of dog food by humans to underlying psychological conditions. Most notably, the disorder known as pica has been associated with cravings for non-food substances like dog food. Pica is characterized by the persistent eating of non-nutritive substances for at least one month.
In some cases, pica can be related to nutritional deficiencies like iron or zinc deficiency. However, it is also thought to occur more frequently in people with psychological conditions like mental retardation, schizophrenia, dementia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and pregnancy-related conditions.
The underlying causes of pica are still unclear. However, it seems to be associated with mental illness, developmental disorders, and stress/anxiety. Some researchers believe it could be the body’s attempt to correct a nutritional deficiency. Others view it as a type of obsessive-compulsive behavior or form of self-soothing.
Regardless of the cause, pica is a serious condition that requires medical and psychological treatment. The consumption of dog food by those suffering from pica poses significant health risks. Treatment focuses on addressing any nutritional deficiencies while also providing psychotherapy and behavior modification techniques to stop the pica behaviors.
Regulations
There are currently no laws in the United States that explicitly prohibit or restrict humans from eating pet food. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regulates pet food, including dog food, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). However, the CVM’s regulation of pet food focuses on ensuring the food is safe for consumption by dogs and cats, not humans.
Some key aspects of the CVM’s oversight of pet food include:
- Requiring proper labeling of pet food ingredients
- Monitoring pet food manufacturing processes
- Establishing allowable levels of contaminants
- Requiring pet food nutrient profiles meet established standards
- Monitoring and addressing pet food safety issues
While the CVM’s authority extends to setting standards for pet food, they do not have direct oversight over what humans choose to eat. There are no legal restrictions that would prohibit a person from purchasing and consuming dog food. However, there are ethical concerns and health risks that should be strongly considered.
Ethical Concerns
The ethics surrounding humans consuming dog food are complex and multifaceted. Some of the key considerations in the debate include:
- Animal welfare – There are concerns that increased human consumption of dog food could lead to food shortages for pets. This raises questions about prioritizing human needs over animal welfare.
- Food safety – Dog food is produced to different standards than human food. It contains ingredients that may be unsafe for regular human consumption.
- Dignity – Some view eating pet food as undignified or demeaning for human beings.
- Desperation – People who rely on dog food for sustenance are often living in poverty or facing food insecurity. This raises issues of social justice and inequality.
- Normalizing behavior – If eating dog food becomes more socially acceptable, it could lead to the behavior spreading and being seen as normal rather than a last resort.
On the other hand, some argue that people should be free to eat whatever food they choose, including dog food, provided it does not harm others. There are also concerns that overly restricting or judging those who rely on pet food could further marginalize vulnerable groups.
There are reasonable ethical points on both sides of this issue. In the end, the morality of humans eating dog food depends much on the specific context and motivations involved in each case.
Conclusion
In summary, while some humans do consume dog food, this practice comes with considerable health risks. Dog food lacks proper nutritional balance for human health needs. The high mineral content can put humans at risk for conditions like skeletal fluorisis. In addition, the unsanitary conditions of dog food production and high bacterial loads can cause illness. From a psychological perspective, pica and starvation are sometimes underlying causes for human consumption of dog food. However, in most cases, dog food simply does not meet human nutritional requirements.
Consuming dog food can lead to malnutrition, foodborne illnesses, and toxicity. The FDA regulates pet food for animal consumption, not human usage or safety standards. While unusual, eating dog food fails to provide complete nutrition and can result in deficiencies over time. Hence, dog food should be avoided as part of the human diet.