WellnessWholesome Indulgences Bacon, Oats & Maple Flavor

A cereal grain used as a slow-digesting carbohydrate. It is high in soluble fiber, especially beta-glucan, and has a lower glycemic effect than rice, which is why it turns up in weight-control and diabetic foods. Pearled barley has had the hull removed, which lowers the fiber somewhat. Barley grass is a different ingredient, a young green shoot used as a vegetable.

A whole grain used as a carbohydrate and fiber source. Oats are well digested, higher in protein than rice, and contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber linked to steadier blood sugar. They are a common choice in sensitive-stomach and weight-control foods. Oat fiber is the hull, which is mostly insoluble fiber; oat flour and oatmeal are the whole grain milled. Grain allergy is rare in pets.

A plant oil, low in saturated fat, added as a source of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid with some plant omega-3 as well. It is inexpensive and stable. The plant omega-3 in canola is not converted efficiently to the forms pets use, so it does not replace fish oil. Canola is often genetically modified, which some owners prefer to avoid; there is no evidence that matters for the pet.

A plant source of omega-3 fat (alpha-linolenic acid) and fiber, used in about a third of dog foods for coat and stool quality. Dogs and cats convert plant omega-3 to the useful forms inefficiently, so fish oil does the job better. Flax is not a documented common allergen, though some pets tolerate it poorly, most often as loose stool. Fine in a food; not a reason to prefer it over one using fish oil.

Almost always rosemary extract, used as a natural antioxidant to keep fats fresh, usually alongside mixed tocopherols. The amounts are tiny. A persistent internet claim links rosemary to seizures in dogs; there is no published evidence for it at food levels. If your dog has epilepsy, ask your neurologist rather than avoiding foods on this basis alone.

An extract added in tiny amounts for its antioxidant compounds, and in some dental treats for breath. The caffeine content is the only real question, since caffeine is toxic to pets in quantity; the extract is usually decaffeinated or used in amounts too small to matter. There is no evidence the levels in a pet food produce any health effect. It is a marketing ingredient, safe at food levels.