In
a world of Dog food recalls we all have to wonder, "What dog
food is best for our dogs?" I have included the following
information to help everyone make educated decisions on their pets
nutrition.
I
fell into the dog food dilemma and after much research found that
feeding my dogs a holistic diet was better for my dogs health and saved
me money. I want what is best for my dogs but I also want to be
reasonable about the expense involved. I don't eat filet mignon every
night so obviously my dogs cant either.
I
think you will find the following information very helpful
How
to read dog food labels
Locate
the first fat source on the label. animal fat, chicken fat, turkey
fat, etc ( animal fat is vague. It does not tell you the source.
Animal fat can include the 5 D animals. Dead diseased, disabled, or
dying prior to slaughter.)
The
ingredients located prior to the first fat source generally make up
the majority of the food, the first ingredient
All
ingredients are required to be listed in order of predominance by
weight.
The
ingredients after the fat are important as well:
soy
flour, sugar, phosphoric acid, sugar, sorbitol, "animal
digest" and colorings are all BAD! These ingredients are
considered eye candy to make the food look nicer for humans and more
palatable for dogs. Just because they like it does not mean it is
good for them. My kids love sweets but they do not get them for
diner.
Definition
of commercial dog food ingredients?
THE GRAIN
Virtually all artificial diets are heavily based on grains and cereals.
But dogs are not cows. A dog has the large stomach and short straight
digestive tract required to digest meat. A cow has several small
stomachs and the long winding digestive tract required to digest fibrous
grain. The two are not interchangeable!
Even worse, many dogs are allergic to corn and soybean and wheat. They
develop chronic digestive problems (loose stools, spitting up,
gassiness) or itchy skin. You'll see them licking their feet or rubbing
their face against the carpet. You might never think to associate these
problems with the grain in your dog's diet, but that is often the case
Finally,
the quality of this grain is suspect.
The
good grain is reserved for the human market.
What
goes into the pet food bin is deemed unfit for human
consumption.
Mold, rancidity, contaminants
The
grain included in a lot of commercial pet food is not whole grain, but
grains not considered fit for human consumption, the sweepings from farm
silos. It can include disinfectants, metals and fungus. Grains that are
condemned for human consumption by the USDA due to chemical residue may
legally be used, without limitation, in pet food.
THE MEAT
By-product meals:
The "by-products" -- a
catch-all term, made up mainly of parts of the animal that are left over
after the meat is removed for human consumption. These parts include:
intestines, feet, heads, etc., which are ground together and rendered.
Chicken by-products are
cheap and generally less digestible than the muscle meat we eat.
Another source of meat
that isn't mentioned on pet food labels is pet byproducts, the bodies of
dogs and cats. In 1990 the San Francisco Chronicle reported that
euthanized companion animals were found in pet foods. Although pet food
company executives and the National Renderers Association vehemently
denied the report, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the
FDA confirmed the story. The pets serve a viable purpose by providing
foodstuff for the animal feed chain, said Lea McGovern, chief of the
FDA's animal feed safety branch. Because of the sheer volume of animals
rendered and the similarity in protein content between poultry
byproducts and processed dogs and cats, rendering plant workers say it
would be impossible for purchasers to know the exact contents of what
they buy. In fact, Sacramento Rendering cited by inspectors five times
in the past two years for product-labeling violations.
Animal
Fat:
Animal fat is made up
of The "5D" meat that didn't make the cut for the human
market, which means it came from livestock that was drugged,
diseased, disabled, dying, or already dead when it arrived at the
slaughterhouse.
Processing does not remove heavy chemicals, like sodium pentobarbital
that is used to euthanize animals.
THE GREASY FAT
Many dogs gobble up their kibble, because it's sprayed with greasy fat
to make it smell yummy.
"The relish with which a dog eats doesn't indicate whether
something is "good" for him."
THE CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES
Preservatives are used in artificial diets so the bags and cans
last longer. That's convenient for the manufacturer, yes, who can leave
it sitting in his warehouse for a long time. Convenient for the retailer
who can leave it sitting on his shelf for a long time. Convenient for
the owner who can dish it out for a long time. Many Holistic diets do
not have a long shelf life or are vacuum packed for this reason.
The most common pet
food preservatives are:
Ethoxyquin -- which
is actually manufactured by the giant chemical corporation Monsanto
as a rubber preservative. The containers are marked POISON. The
Department of Agriculture lists it as a pesticide. OSHA lists it as
a hazardous chemical.
BHA and BHT -- both
of which cause liver and kidney dysfunction, and bladder and stomach
cancer.
These
chemicals are all banned in Europe.
Most pet foods list these preservatives right on the bag or can, but
even when it doesn't say so, it's usually in there, anyway
A legal
loophole allows manufacturers to only list what THEY themselves put
into the bag. Some buy their ingredients from a supplier who has
already added the chemical to those ingredients, the pet food company
does not have to disclose that information on the bag.
Every day, pets are taken to the vet by unsuspecting owners for ailments
including:
itching
hot spots
dandruff
excessive shedding
foot-licking
face-rubbing
loose stools
gassiness
In Many cases the food
is the cause of these and so many more deadly ailments over the life of
our pets.
The best dog foods:
contain pure meat as
the TOP ingredients
contain MINIMAL
grain (preferably brown rice) and NO corn or soybeans (difficult to
digest and cause allergies in many dogs)
contain NO
"by-products" or "animal digest" whatsoever
contain NO
artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin)
contain NO
"fillers" such as rice flour, or brewer's rice
HOLISTIC
DOG FOODS ARE BETTER
Holistic
food expense:
Some of
you may be saying, "This food is much more expensive."
What the majority of pet owners fail to understand is that by feeding an
all natural & holistic food to their dog they will actually be
saving money in the long run. You feed much less food (20% to 40%) You
feed less because the food is all natural with no fillers and
by-products.
Second,
there are enormous savings to be made by not having all those vet visits
and harmful medications to fix your pets' allergies (the #1 reason why
pets are seen in the vet's office) and immune disorders (which can lead
to chronic and serious conditions that require careful treatment.)
YOUR PET
WILL LIVE A HEALTHIER LONGER LIFE!!!
Home-Prepared
diet:
I have had
many emails about feeding home prepared diets and have decided to
address this here. I believe a home-prepared diet is probably the best
way to go as long as your pet is getting all the required vitamins it
needs. I strongly caution anyone who is considering this option to do a
lot of research and ask a veterinarian. I found a link that might be
helpful to anyone considering this path, click below.
Foods I
use or have used with success. This is only a small list of great foods.
There are many wonderful grain free foods on the market now.
I feed
Grain free. I have tried many dog foods over the years.
My
requirements for a staple dog food is a quality food for a good price.
It is paramount my dogs get proper nutrition to provide longevity as
well as keep them in top condition for the ring and whelping box.
For the
last three years, I have been feeding Pure Balance "Salmon &
Pea", "Superfood, Trout & Lentil", & Bison,
pea & venison (this food is too rich for puppies) The fish
foods are my favorite for the Tzu to keep faces white and skin
nourished.
Merrick
grain Free puppy is awseome for growing puppies.
Zignature
Trout and salmon
Natural
Balance Fish and sweet potato grain free
I have
used Taste Of The Wild Pacific Stream with great luck. It is a little
more pricy but a great food.
Natural
Balance roll food is great for adding weight and dogs LOVE it. Great for
finiky eaters.
Nutro
Ultra is a good food for adding weight. It does have grain but is a
decent all around dog food I will use temporarily for weight gain.
For picky
dogs or elderly dogs that are difficult to please, Stella and Chewy have
a great freeze dried food.
Bailley's
Blog - Bailley was diagnosed with Cushing's
in November of 2014. We lost Bailley 8/15/17
This
is a record of our journey and how I chose to treat her. It is my hope
others will find comfort and answers.
