The most problematic ingredient in meat-based dog food is the meat itself. There have been over 180 recalls in pet food since 2009 and almost all of them are from the meat ingredients. Toxic chemicals, euthanasia drugs, animal growth hormones, and harmful bacteria are just some of the things found in the meat in dog food today. Read our series on the state of dog food here.
Furthermore, an allergy to meat is one of the most common food sensitivities found in dogs. A 2016 study found 236 dogs with allergies to animal-based ingredients versus only 77 with allergies to plant-based ingredients.