Maev Raw Food Dog Food Reviews

IS MAEV A GOOD DOG FOOD?

Maev produces a single line of raw dog food. There are 3 recipes. They are low risk by our criteria. Maev has average protein of 43%. This is good to see in raw dog food. It also has lower fat content compared to most raw diets. However, the average carbohydrates are 27%. This is high for raw dog food. It leads to a loss of points for ingredient quality. 

These recipes have potato and sweet potato. This increases the carbohydrate levels. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates. Starch is required for extrusion in dry foods. These are raw foods so starch isn’t needed. Foods high in carbohydrate can raise insulin. They can cause obesity. Studies show that dogs fed high carbohydrates can have changes to their gut bacteria.

Maev uses whole food ingredients to make its dog food. They get their ingredients from local sources. They also use meats that are USDA-approved. However, it’s not known where they make these foods. They include supplements like glucosamine. It’s preferred nutrients come from whole foods.

There don’t appear to be any added vitamins and minerals. The website states foods contain “scientifically studied supplements.” At this point, it’s not clear if these are vitamins or minerals. Additionally, foods are minimally processed. Nutrients aren’t diminished by heat. There is no loss of points in these areas. 

There are 2 concerns that cost points. There are high pesticide and GMO ingredients. Kale is a high herbicide/pesticide ingredient. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk. This affects plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest amount of residue will be penalized. This includes crops spray-dried with glyphosate.

Recipes have GMO crops are in the top 5 ingredients. There are few safety studies on GMO and Roundup Ready crops. They are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. GMO crops also strip nutrients from soils. Crops require increased pesticide use. This affects bees and can lead to die-off. 

Maev states that it uses human-grade ingredients. There are 2 things to note. Raw meat cannot be human grade. It isn’t human edible. That aside, human grade hasn’t been a recognized term by AAFCO. AAFCO is the regulatory body for pet food. They establish guidelines for the industry. It was strictly a marketing term. AAFCO has new guidelines for facilities producing human-grade pet foods. Among them, companies must have documentation. They must show that every ingredient and process is human grade. There is a break-in period of several years.  

Maev doesn’t provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. This is true of most companies. It’s a concern because AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1. Diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation.

Maev is a well-thought-out brand of raw dog food. It would score better if they used organic produce. This lessens the risk of pesticides and herbicides. It would also eliminate GMO ingredients. There are less starchy ingredients they could use. That would lower the carbohydrate content.