Our Ingredients & Benefits

At Q Holistic, we pride ourselves on using locally sourced ingredients. Many of our ingredients are sourced in Ontario. We’ve developed close bonds with the farmer’s in our area in order to ensure the highest & freshest quality ingredients go into our blend’s so you can be sure your pet is getting the best!

When we developed Q we considered every ingredient, consciously omitting fillers and byproducts with your pet in mind.

We are so confident in our ingredients we can explain the use of each and every one!

Chicken Meal – Hormone free dried chicken 60% protein – Excellent protein source, very digestible.
Whole Barley – Whole grain, good carbohydrate source, includes the hull for a natural fibre source.
Ground Brown Rice – Great carbohydrate source that includes the bran and the germ.
Chicken Fat – Good natural fat source that is both highly digestible and palatable. Our fat comes from a human grade processing plant.
Our fat is preserved with mixed tocopherols which is actually just Vitamins E and C. A natural preservative that keeps the fat from going bad.
Dehulled Oats – Like it sounds, oats with the hulls removed. Oats are a great source of carbohydrates and protein. Slower to digest they make your pet feel full longer.
Pork Meal – Dried pork meat a great protein source that adds a slightly different amino acid profile to the food and complements the Chicken.
Herring meal – Dried fish meal that is a source of protein and omega fatty acids. Our Herring Meal is Ethoxyquin free.
Liver digest – clean undecomposed liver that has been broken down by enzymes. Used as a flavour enhancer. We use a liquid form which is why it is higher on the list.
Potassium Chloride – Source of Potassium. Potassium plays various roles in metabolism and body functions. It assists in the regulation of the acid-base balance and water balance in the blood and the body tissue. It assists in protein synthesis from amino acids and in carbohydrate metabolism.
Salt – Salt is a natural mineral, necessary for life and good health. Salt provides several essential nutrients, such as sodium and chloride, as well as important trace minerals.
Yeast – A source of Protein and B vitamins
Flaxseed – Flaxseed is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Together these fibers aid in digestion and help to maintain good stool consistency. Flaxseed is also an excellent source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (such as alpha-linolenic acid).
Dried Carrots – Natural source of beta carotene and fibre. Using dried allows us to add more of the product without affecting the extrusion of the food.
Dried Apples – Source of fibre, beta carotene and vitamin C.
Dried Cranberries – Rich in vitamin C, cranberries contain different types of flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals in the body and thus prevent urinary tract infections.
Dried Blueberries – High in antioxidants and vitamin C, blueberries are considered a superfood.
Choline Chloride – An essential nutrient that is necessary for nerve function and fat metabolism.
Yucca Extract – Used widely in the pet food industry it works to naturally reduce stool odour.
Bacillus Subtilis – A Probiotic naturally occurring bacteria that resides in the digestive tract and helps break down foods, important for optimum digestion. One of 2 Probiotics that we use.
Bacillus Licheniformis – A Probiotic, naturally occurring bacteria that resides in the digestive tract and helps break down foods. One of 2 Probiotics that we use. Our Pro Biotics are applied after the food is cooked as no probiotic can survive the heat of cooking. Other companies add probiotics in small amounts as label dressing only. Licheniformis and Subtilis can survive temperatures of up to 90 degrees C. Lactobacillus, a popular probiotic used by other companies, does not survive above 50 C. We add our probiotics to the 60 C heated liquid fat approx that is added after the food is cooked. Other probiotics will not survive these temperatures. In short Q Holistic contains probiotics that are actually able to do their job not just more label dressing.
Glucosamine – Used by the body to build cartilage, aids in joint health. This is not added at what would be considered theraputic levels as not all dogs require this level.
Chicory Root Extract – A source of Insulin, Prebiotics are added to help maintain digestive tract health and function.
L Carnitine – Often called the fat bus this product is used in the transport of fat to the muscles to be used for energy. Added to pet foods it can help enhance and maintain lean muscle mass. L- Carnitine is often prescribed to combat fatty deposits that accumulate around the dogs liver and heart. Science Diet actually makes a food for this condition with higher levels of L-Carnitine.
Iron Sulphate – Source of Iron essential for many bodily functions most importantly the production of Hemoglobin.
Zinc Oxide – Source of Zinc, provides mineralization of bone, digestion of protein and the conversion of calorie-containing nutrients into energy. Zinc also functions in the production of proteins, the proper functioning of insulin,and the maintenance of normal blood levels of vitamin A. Zinc plays a major role in the maintenance of the immune system.
Vitamin E – an antioxidant. It protects fat and vitamin A in the body’s tissues from destruction by oxygen fragments called free radicals. As an antioxidant, vitamin E stabilizes cell membranes and helps maintain the health of tissues of the eyes, skin and liver and helps form normal red blood cells and muscle.
Copper – necessary for normal absorption and transport of dietary iron. Along with iron, copper is essential for the normal formation of hemoglobin.
Folic Acid – a B complex vitamin that is essential to metabolism. Its main function is to maintain the cells’ genetic code and regulate cell division.
Vitamin B-12 – used by the body to process fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Vitamin A – helps maintain healthy eyesight, essential for the health and maintenance of the mucous membranes, the urinary, reproductive and digestive tracts.
Niacin – Also known as Vitamin B3, used in more than 50 body processes the most important is it’s function in the release of energy from carbohydrates. Niacin cannot be stored in the body so must be replenished regularly.
Selenium – essential trace mineral that helps preserve tissues, protects cell membranes and prevent the generation of harmful free radicals.
Manganese Oxide – necessary for bone development and reproduction.
Calcium Pantothenate – also known as Vitamin B5, used in the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates for energy.
Riboflavin – also known as Vitamin B2 used in the extraction of energy from food.
Vitamin K – Dogs produce Vitamin K in their intestines so healthy dogs have no need for this. However if a dog is sick or has been on antibiotics they may not be able to produce enough of this important Vitamin. Vitamin K is essentially for blood clotting. Due to limited requirements this has been added at very low levels.
Biotin – another one of the B Vitamins essential for growth and general well being of the animal.
Vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin, important in the formation of bones and teeth, also regulates the level of calcium in the blood.
Calcium Iodate – source of Iodine necessary for proper thyroid function.
Oregano Extract – naturally improves digestion. Used for centuries for stomach ailments. Improves the health of the Villi in the digestive tract. Competitively excludes negative bacteria improving digestive tract health.
Cinnamon Extract – the touted benefits of cinnamon are numerous and include, improves mucous layer in intestinal tract, aids in digestion, blood circulation, and may help with diabetes.
Red pepper extract – increases enzyme production, increases blood flow, is beneficial to the mucous membranes, improves digestion.
Zinc Amino Acid Complex – Zinc bonded to the protein Methionine. Proven to improve condition of skin, coat, and nails.
Manganese Amino Acid Complex – a Chelated form of Manganese that is very easy for the body to absorb. Has the same functions as Manganese above.
Copper Amino Acid Complex – a Chelated form of Copper that is very easy for the body to absorb. Has the same functions as the copper above.
Cobalt Glucophenate – a Chelated form of Cobalt that is very easy for the body to absorb. Cobalt is a component of Vitamin B12 and is necessary for the formation of red blood cells.

Where can you get Q Holistic pet foods?