06/20/2026
Your dog's kibble label does not show you the carbohydrate content. You have to calculate it yourself.
Most owners use the protein percentage as the quality indicator. Higher protein, better food. The problem is that carbohydrates, which directly affect blood glucose, gut microbiome composition, and the bacterial populations available to drive dysbiosis, are not listed on the label at all.
The calculation is subtraction. Take 100 and subtract the crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture, and ash percentages. What remains is the carbohydrate content. For most dry kibbles, that number lands between 30 and 60 percent. A diet that is more than half fermentable starch is feeding the wrong bacterial populations in your dog's gut.
Pull up your current bag right now and run it. If ash is not listed, use 8 as your estimate.
Drop CARBS in the comments and I will send you the kibble carbohydrate calculator guide, including a comparison table showing typical carb ranges across diet categories and what the research connects to microbiome dysbiosis.