Carrots are found in a wide array of products including dry extruded, canned and baked foods, as well as treats. They are added mostly as a minor accent or feature. There are also many pet enthusiasts that encourage the use of carrots — presumably peeled raw carrots — as a low-calorie, tasty treat for dogs. This is mostly a “dog matter” with very few, if any, items noted for cats. Interestingly, criticism of carrots is almost nonexistent. Yet given their current status as a very low-inclusion visual highlight or an incidental treat, perhaps there is value to adding more carrots to pet diets. A deeper look into their nutritional properties, handling characteristics and availability might be merited, especially as we continue collectively to look for more alternative ingredients to fill the void in dwindling options.
