Rewards and fun The good side of treats There is nothing wrong with an occasional treat. They can be used to reward positive behavior, for training, enjoyment and fun.
Wellness care
Pet food: the basics
Nutrition is one of the biggest factors that contributes to a pet’s overall health and well-being.
Nutrition
Survive, or thrive?
Nutrition (or lack thereof) is directly related to many medical conditions and diseases.
Minimum requirements in a commercial dog food are just that… minimum requirements to survive, not optimum levels and quality of ingredients in order to thrive.
Your pet is not responsible for his health and nutrition – you are! With a poor diet (one that does not meet nutritional needs) we may live, but we will not live as long or as well.
Differences in pet food
Isn’t all pet food the same?
Pet food comes in all shapes and sizes, from very low quality, very cheap foods (such as Sprout) to average commercial pet food (such as Iams & Purina) to high-end, or natural pet foods.
Not all pet food is created equal and you generally get what you pay for: if the food is inexpensive it is generally because low cost, low quality ingredients were used to manufacture it.
We recommend all pets be fed natural, high quality pet food (or a raw or homemade diet). The higher cost of high quality pet food is easily outweighed by healthier pets with fewer medical problems.
What is “natural” pet food?
“Natural” pet food is defined as pet food that does not use artificial colors, additives or preservatives. Yet “natural” pet food should also include a diet that pets would have naturally eaten… foods that have higher quality protein (and human grade) ingredients.
Unfortunately many manufacturers use the word “natural” as an advertising tool when their product contains low quality ingredients such as “by-product meal” and grain fillers such as corn gluten. (Iams Healthy Naturals Dog Food is a prime example.)
Natural pet food is not really more expensive than “premium” commercial pet foods, but it has the highest quality of ingredients and no added chemicals. Natural pet foods are not generally found in pet stores or supermarkets because they do not have a long shelf life and are not produced in mass quantities.
Grain-free pet food
Carnivores by nature
Cats and dogs did not evolve to eat processed cereal grains (such as corn and wheat). They are carnivores (meat eaters) with a relatively short digestive system, which lacks the enzymes needed to efficiently digest carbohydrates.
Grains in pet food allow manufacturers to reduce costs because grains cost less, are readily available and have a long shelf life. The problem is that the high carbohydrate content of these foods contributes to obesity, diabetes, kidney stones/crystals, behavior problems, allergies, skin problems and a host of other problems in our pets. Also, corn and wheat are the most common food allergies in pets.
We recommend
- Avoid all wheat and corn products in all pets.
- Grain-free foods not only promote proper weight, but help their overall health.
The pet food industry
No one food is best for everyone
There is not one perfect dog or cat food for every pet! Every animal is an individual and has specific needs and requirements: there are differences in breed, lifestyle and medical conditions. The subject is very complex; below is strictly a summary of some of the basic points.
Commercial pet food
The commercial pet food industry is a multi-billion dollar market created by our need for convenience (i.e. scoop it out of a bag or can) and the ability to recycle all of the leftovers that are not “fit for human consumption.” There are two big concerns with commercial pet food. The first issue is the lack of quality ingredients. The other problem involves the use of potentially harmful chemicals in the food.
Inferior quality of ingredients
Many commercial pet foods are deficient in key nutrients. Labeling laws only require that the manufacturer show the protein, carbohydrate and fat content, not a breakdown of the quality of the ingredients used. Advertising claims of “complete and balanced” nutrition are based on minimum requirements by the government, not optimum ingredients for health. You can make a food that passes NRC (National Research Council) standards with a gallon of oil, a bucket of coal and a pair of used work boots… not very digestible or usable sources to qualify as nutritious.
Commercial pet food companies use mostly grains instead of meats because grains are cheaper ingredients. Dogs and cats are carnivores (meat-eaters). The grain ingredients in commercial pet food are often the leftovers or by-products after processing the grains for humans. They have nice names like “corn gluten meal” (the dried residue after removal of the bran, germ and starch). Although they make good fillers, they do not qualify as high-quality or complete nutrients. The quality of “meat” ingredients is often inferior also. They are the by-products. For example, “meat-by-product” equals the parts of the carcass except for the meat/muscle, i.e. organs such as brain, kidney, intestinal contents, hooves, blood, fatty tissue, bone, etc. Read the ingredient list on your pet food label.
Chemical residues
The meat ingredients in commercial pet food are generally purchased from rendering plants. The meat sources are known as the “4-D’s”: “Diseased, Disabled, Dead and Dying” (the 5th “D” is “Drugged”: hormones, pesticides, antibiotic residues, etc.). This includes road kill, euthanized animals, and “recycled” animals that were condemned because they were full of cancer or disease.
They will argue that these chemicals and diseases are inactivated during processing and therefore do not pose a risk when used in pet food. If these ingredients are so safe, then why are they still considered unfit for human consumption? And remember that your pet eats these same inferior and contaminated ingredients day after day, month after month, year after year… “insignificant contaminants” build up in the body over time to affect health.
Additives and preservatives
The purpose of food additives is to provide or maintain desirable attributes to food, such as color, flavor, texture, stability and resistance to spoilage (and allows food to last on the supermarket shelf for years).
The most common synthetic preservatives used to prevent spoilage in commercial pet food are BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin. BHA and BHT are suspected of causing cancer and may cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Pet food manufacturers must list preservatives that they added during processing, but do not have to list them if they were already part of the “original by-product” added during previous steps of processing. Currently, there is research on lab animals linking artificial flavors to nervousness, allergic reactions and behavioral problems. Artificial colors may be linked to cancer, epilepsy and birth defects.
Disease prevention
You are what you eat
As veterinarians, our main goal is to promote the health and well-being of animals. We are frustrated with the high incidence of chronic conditions and diseases today. Our pets should be healthier and living longer these days, not living shorter lives than 20 years ago.
If you are currently feeding commercial pet food to your dog or cat, we hope that you reconsider. Research shows that nutrition (or lack thereof) is directly related to many medical conditions and diseases:
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Diabetes mellitus
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- Chronic ear and skin infections
- Recurring urinary infections
- Chronic diarrhea and gas
- Dental disease
- Excessive shedding and dull hair coat
- Behavioral problems
- Poor immune systems
- Epilepsy
- Cancer
So what do I feed my pet?
Raw, or a truly natural kibble
Mounting evidence indicates that the best food for your dog or cat is a raw food diet. If you are interested in feeding this type of diet, contact us and we can help you get started.
In the kibble world there are several small companies who make natural, human-grade dog and cat food that you can still “scoop out of a bag or can” but that provide a much higher level of nutrition and health.
Beware: many companies like to use the word “natural” on their packaging, but the ingredient list will tell you otherwise.
B.A.R.F. – feeding raw
What is B.A.R.F.?
B.A.R.F. stands for Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. It is about supplying a natural diet appropriate for carnivores: dogs and cats.
It involves feeding whole raw healthy foods (meat, bones, vegetables and organ meats) that mimic the diet of a carnivore’s natural environment.
Why feed B.A.R.F.?
Simply stated, feeding a raw diet promotes wellness. Nutrition is one of the most important factors that determines your pet’s health and quality of life. Yes, your pet may survive on poor quality nutrition, but they will not thrive. The list below shows common benefits of switching to a raw diet.
Reasons to feed B.A.R.F.
- Increased energy
- More lean body mass
- Loss of unwanted fat
- Improved dental health
- Fewer skin problems
- Fewer ear infections
- Strengthened immune system
- Fewer anal sac problems
- Greater mobility
- Hormonal balancing
- Reduction of dry eye syndrome
- Increased resistance to parasites
- Fewer reproductive problems
- Decreased risk of cancer
- Fewer degenerative diseases
- A longer, healthier life!
Prepackaged B.A.R.F.
One of the hardest parts of preparing a B.A.R.F. type diet on your own is the time that it takes to gather all of the ingredients and prepare the food. It can be a very daunting and time-consuming task. With a prepackaged B.A.R.F. product, you can still have the benefits of a B.A.R.F. diet without losing the convenience.
Prepackaged B.A.R.F. is already in the correct proportions of meat, bone, organ and vegetables, so that you do not have to worry about feeding an unbalanced diet. Concern over swallowing large chunks of bone is eliminated with a prepackaged formula: the bones are ground up into the mix for you. Large chewing knuckle bones can be supplemented to help keep their teeth clean.
We are proud to provide the PRIMAL family of raw diets: they provide a combination of a top quality raw food at a reasonable price. For more information about Primal, visit primalpetfoods.com.
The cost of high quality nutrition
There is no doubt that holistic food and B.A.R.F. diets are more expensive than a generic brand of dog or cat food. Let’s take into consideration what the nutrition gives your pet over their lifetime:
- Your pet will generally have fewer medical problems, which saves money.
- Your pet has the potential to live longer with a higher quality of life… can you put a price tag on that?
Treats
Treat calories add up
Size and ingredients But watch the calories Overindulgence of treats can create a pet who is overweight. Sometimes we don’t realize how all those treats add up every day. Be careful about the size of the treat as well as the ingredients. Some commercial treats are very high in calories and fat.
From the table Human foods Leftover, high fat, high calorie table food should be avoided. Not only does it contribute to weight gain, but it may cause pancreatitis or upset stomach and diarrhea. If you do feed human food, put it in their dog bowl to discourage begging.
An average day Keep track Keep track of what you give in an average day and make sure treats do not make up more than 10% of your pet’s daily diet. Otherwise they are not getting the appropriate ratio of vitamins and minerals.
10%
The most of your pet’s daily diet that treats should make up
Beyond that, your pet is not getting the appropriate ratio of vitamins and minerals.
Guess how many treats your pet gets in one day, then actually count them and see how far off you were… you might be surprised!
From our blog
Reading on food and nutrition
Not All Grain-Free Pet Foods Are Created Equal It can truly be overwhelming! You walk into your local pet store, and you see hundreds of different types of pet food. Some foods say they are… Read more 
Grain-Free Diets and Heart Disease in Dogs The FDA has been investigating a possible connection between some grain-free dog foods containing high levels of lentils, peas, and other legumes and… Read more 
To share or not to share...8 foods that are toxic to your pet! I have a confession to make… I sometimes give in and give my dog the last bite of my pizza crust. Gasp! I am sure we may have all been there at one… Read more In their words
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