So what do I feed my pet?
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, check out our Bravo food
line and raw diet section.
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 provide
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. Review our Grain free kibble foods.
There are many myths and
controversies about pet nutrition. The subject is very complex and
many articles and books have been written about the subject. Below
is strictly a summary of some of the basic points.
First of all, There is not one
perfect dog/cat food for every pet! Every animal is an individual
and has specific needs and requirements. There are differences in
breed and lifestyle and medical conditions.
No one food OR brand or type of food is
BEST for everyone.
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.
Many commercial pet food 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/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 are 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, '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 it if it
was 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
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 shorter life spans than 20 years
ago.
If you are currently feeding commercial pet food to your dog or
cat, we hope that you reconsider. There are many articles and books
available if you would like more detailed information than what we
could address here.
Research shows that nutrition (or lack thereof) is directly
related to many medical conditions and diseases such as thyroid
dysfunction, diabetes mellitus and arthritis. Other problems
include 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 and cancer.
Remember the old saying, "You are
what you eat".
