does anyone REALLY know optimum diet?

[fostermom]

I was recently surfing the net for info on canine diabetes (secretary's dog was just diagnosed) and found a website that listed ratios of carbohydrates and fiber by brand of dog food:
http://www.caninediabetes.org/qualitydogfoods.pdf
The difference in brands (especially high protein vs. regular diets) was mind-blowing...and then we add in the differences in protein levels in high protein vs. regular protein diets (which is significant!) and the differences in what all the manufacturers' claim is a "complete" diet is staggering.
If I decided to feed my dog solely Evo canned, he'd be getting only 0.19% fiber and 1.01% carbohydrates....if I fed only Innova Reduced Fat kibble, he'd be eating 4.91% fiber and 55.38% carbohydrates. And then most dog food companies/vets tell us not to supplement our dogs diets with human food so (if we listen!) we're not even "filling in the gaps" in nutrition from other sources. So how can they be so different and have a dog still thrive on each of these diets? What is the RIGHT diet? Can we only guage how complete a particular food is by how our dogs' coats and poop looks?
I tried doing a search to see if any research had been done on optimum diets and came up with NOTHING! In a multimillion dollar business (the dog food industry) how can there be NO reputable studies done? Can anyone offer anything? Thanks.

[Ayoka]

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/...uppl/2535S.pdf

Also the NRC puts out a big book which costs over 200$ on pet nutrition,my understanding is that this profile is what AAFCO uses.

As far as how can all foods be healthy, I think you might have to look at the moisture content in wet food and calculate the nutrient profile accordingly..

AND since the pet food industry basically grew out of our human food industry (a way to use what we won't eat) I wonder about the studies and wether they show what is BEST for a dog or what maintains a dog...they currently also are ding the same thing with all animal feeds and we know where THAT is getting us.

[fostermom]

Thanks...but am still confused. It mentioned what is complete is determined either by a feeding trial (which could be only eight animals with 25% being allowed to drop out and I read somewhere that these feeding trials only have to be maintained for what I believe was a month) or by having it fall within a certain nutrient profile. So in looking at the chart for dogs, it lists 180 g/kg protein requirement...do I divide 180 by 1000 (number of grams in a kilogram) to get 0.18 or 18%???? Not sure how to interpret. And this really only tests whether the animal stays alive (without a significant change in blood values) for a short period of time...not OPTIMUM levels that should be in an animals diet, right????

[Ayoka]

I think your math is correct and I believe that these feeding profiles are based on minimum values.

For people, all we get here in canada regarding diet is the food guide (I think the US gets a pyramid), individuals need varying amounts of certain nutrients depending on their metabolism, activity etc. There are lots of "diets" claiming to be "optimum" for weight loss by reducing calories but it would be interesting to see if the nutrient profile of these human diets is so different.