Ask Dr. Fling

Q: I've been trying to buy pet food for my dog Rush that doesn't have preservatives, but the latest I found ended up smelling weird and had little bugs in it. Should I really be worried about avoiding preservatives?

A: Preservative-free pet food is not necessarily better, as you have found. Preservatives help prevent oxidation, or breakdown of fat, which is a necessary ingredient in pet food.

When fats in the diet break down, the food develops an odor and can cause toxicity. Vitamin E is an example of a preservative that prevents oxidation of fat in the body and in pet foods. Don't be overly afraid of preservatives in pet food, and stick with better-known pet nutrition companies that do the extra work in research and development to make the healthiest diets for your pets.