What is Pate Dog Food?
Are you considering adding pate to your dog’s diet but are not quite sure what it is and if it is worth it?
Simply put, pate is a style of wet canned food that comes in a paste-like form and is typically soft in texture. Its softness makes it easy for dogs to eat, and it can help with hydration and bloating.
Like any other pet food, it is also important to consider the ingredients, calorie count, and quality of different brands of pate. Adding pate to your dog’s diet can also affect various aspects of their health.
In this article, I will be looking at the health benefits of pate, the differences between pate and kibble, and how to pick out a good pate for your dog.
Is Pate Good For Dogs?
The ultimate question about dog food is whether or not it is good for the dog to eat. There are quite a few dietary benefits when it comes to pate pet food.
First and foremost, pate is typically more appetizing for dogs to eat, as it more closely resembles the type of fresh meat that dogs crave. Additionally, pate can be particularly good for picky eaters and senior dogs as an alternative or addition to dry kibble.
Health Benefits of Pate
Beyond just being tasty and easy to eat, pate dog food can provide several health benefits for your dog.
Here’s a list of some of the health benefits of adding pate to your dog’s diet:
- Supports the urinary system and kidneys
- Adds moisture to your dog’s diet
- Helps maintain hydration
- Can help lower the risk of bloat and weight gain
Whether you use pate as an alternative to kibble in meals or just as a supplement, pate can be a healthy addition to your dog’s diet. Most dogs love the taste too, so they can get the extra health benefits without your worrying if they will eat their food.
How Pate Dog Food Helps Your Dog’s Health
Pate can be especially great if you live in a hot or dry climate or if your dog is not drinking enough water. It helps keep them hydrated, which in turn helps keep their urinary system healthy.
The moisture content in pate can also help your dog lose weight. Pate can make the same amount of nutrients found in dry food, such as kibble, occupy more volume, so your dog can feel fuller without eating more food.
Pate can help lower bloat risk, which can be deadly for dogs. When a dog is bloated, its stomach becomes filled with gas, putting pressure on its organs.
This can cut off blood flow to the heart and make your dog go into shock. Feeding your dog wet food, like pate, can lower the risk of these issues.
Canned Dog Food Safety
One of the most significant drawbacks of feeding your dog canned food, such as pate, is the lining used for canned foods.
Most canned foods are lined with plastic, which may contain a chemical called Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA can leech into your dog’s food and potentially contribute to health issues.
Here’s a list of different types of health issues BPA can cause:
- Neurological
- Endocrine
- Cardiovascular
- Reproductive
- Increased risk of breast and prostate cancer
The best thing you can do is simply avoid BPA-lined cans if possible.
Unfortunately, not all canned dog foods will contain information about BPA on their labeling, in which case you will need to consult the website of that particular brand. You can also give the company a phone call or look it up online.
If you cannot fully confirm that a brand of pate dog food does not have BPA-lined cans, then it is safest to use the pate dog food within a few weeks of buying it.
This can help lower the chances of BPA seeping into your dog’s food, as the food will not be sitting in storage for significant durations of time.
Pate vs. Kibble
Both kibble and pate contain three essential types of nutrition for your dog: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Pate will have more protein and fewer carbohydrates.
However, kibble is more cost-effective and requires no refrigeration. Both types of food come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks, which, when compared, can help you decide what diet is best for your dog.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Pate
Generally speaking, pate will have higher-quality nutrition and no indigestible fillers. It is also less likely to have synthetic vitamins and minerals. Pate comes in a can with air-tight packaging, so there will not be any added artificial preservatives.
However, canned dog foods like pate may contain other additives used to thicken the food.
Here’s a list of some common pate food additives to watch out for and their side effects:
- Guar gum – may cause weight loss or low blood sugar
- Xanthan gum – can cause loose stool
- Carrageenan – contributes to gastrointestinal inflammation
Additionally, wet dog food often contains more fat than kibble. Pate might contain too much fat for dogs that are sensitive to fatty foods. Pate can also increase tartar buildup on your dog’s teeth and does not help prevent tartar like kibble does.
Last but not least, pate can spoil quickly if left out too long. If your dog is more inclined to graze on their food over the course of a few hours, then pate will likely go bad in their bowl before they can finish it.
Combined with the fact that wet pet food is typically more expensive, this could result in quite a lot of culinary and financial waste.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Kibble
Kibble is a popular choice for dog owners because of its cost and convenience. Wet food, such as pate dog food, always seems like the best option until the price comes into play.
Kibble is also generally more convenient, as it requires no refrigeration and will not spoil if left out in the food bowl for hours on end.
When it comes to dental health, kibble will not cause tartar and plaque buildup as quickly as pate dog food. Additionally, kibble can help remove plaque as your dog is chewing on its food.
The biggest issue with kibble is the ingredients. Wet foods like pate typically have better quality ingredients and fewer additives and synthetics than kibble.
Here’s a list of ingredients that kibble contains that are not present in pate dog food:
- Rendered ingredients – heated and pressurized meat by-products
- Higher starch content – dogs struggle to digest starch
- Synthetic vitamins, minerals, and preservatives – can be harmful long term
- Fillers such as beet pulp or cellulose – little to no nutritional value
Additionally, kibble can be higher in calories, partially due to its higher starch content. Kibble can also contribute to dehydration, especially if your dog does not drink enough water to compensate.
The process in which kibble is made requires high pressure and heat, which denatures the proteins present in the food and can contribute to food allergies.
Both styles of food have their benefits. Depending on your dog’s needs and metabolism and your financial bandwidth, kibble and pate can be great options.
You can also combine the two types of food, which can lower the overall cost of your dog’s food while still giving them the health benefits of both foods.
How to Pick a Good Pate For Your Dog
Whether you are mixing pate into your dog’s diet or just using it as a supplement, there are so many options that it can be daunting.
When it comes to picking out food for your pet, the most important thing to do is check the ingredients.
Some pate dog foods may contain additives, which you should avoid if you can. Look for foods that do not have synthetic vitamins and minerals. There should be very little grain, meat, and vegetable by-products in your dog’s food.
Good quality wet dog foods will come with a “complete and balanced” label from AAFCO. A specific meat source should be listed as the first ingredient in your dog’s pate. If the pate you are considering buying fits most of these things, it is probably a good choice.
When in doubt, you can always ask your vet for a recommendation. They will also be able to discuss your dog’s specific dietary needs more in-depth and help you narrow down your choices to best suit your dog.
Lastly, it is good to consult people’s reviews on dog food brands before buying. It can help give you some personal perspective as to how specific dietary changes may affect your dog and food quality and cost-efficiency.
Conclusion
Overall, pate has higher quality ingredients than kibble and can provide health benefits for your dog. However, it is more expensive and can produce a lot of waste if not properly stored and served.
Whether you are thinking about switching your dog to a wet diet or just want a healthy supplement, be sure to take your dog’s dietary and health needs to heart.
