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You’ve all probably heard the popular adage, “You are what you eat,” and it’s true – not just for you, but also your four-legged companion. However, with the commercial pet food industry expanding (sadly) many pet owners are not aware of what is in their Pet’s food.
Over 60% of owners today, unknowingly feed their pets processed food. We are commonly lured by funny ads of dogs scarfing down a bowl of kibbles, or by packaging that gives us the impression of health and wellness.
A surprising 54% of dogs in the United States today are obese or overweight according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). An amazing 60% die of cancer, the number one cause of death in dogs. Processed foods with artificial dyes and flavors are a contributing factor.
Many studies have indicated that they contribute significantly to several other health issues among pets. Who can forget the events that led to The Great Pet Recall? Over 8000 pets were estimated to have died after consuming processed foods contaminated with melamine.
If your dog is indeed a beloved member of your family, you should take the time to learn the full truth about what you’re feeding him.
Here are 10 facts about dog food that will help your dog to live a longer healthier life:
1. Processed Pet Food Is “Junk Food”
The toxic junk food industry in the United States is the number one cause for the growing obesity epidemic and other health issues affecting all of us. The same is true for your dogs – except in this case it’s not the abundance of fast-food restaurants proliferating your neighborhood. It is the TONS of national pet food brands making their way onto supermarket shelves.
Just like fast food, many commercial pet foods are heavily processed to meet customer demands rather than the nutritional requirements of the consumer – your dog. The genetic makeup of dogs and humans are 75% similar. So if processed food is bad for YOUR health, how can it be good for your dog?
The principle behind the production of many of this unhealthy junk food for pets is primarily based on cutting manufacturing costs and increasing profits. So-called approved ingredients are, combined with the AAFCO minimum nutritional requirements for pet food.
Then, artificial coloring, added fats, emulsifiers, preservatives or whatsoever the manufacturing company deems necessary to make the food more palatable to your dog, are added to the recipe.
2. Foods That Are Good for You, Are Good for Your Dogs
Despite common marketing ploys used by many pet food manufacturers to convince you that “human foods are bad for dogs,” many of the foods you eat are good for your dog. These include:
• Oatmeal: this is rich in soluble fiber, which makes it significantly beneficial for older dogs with irregular bowel movements. Ensure that you cook the oatmeal properly before feeding to your dog and avoid adding any form of sweetening.
• Small Carrots: low in calorie but rich in fiber and Vitamin A. Carrots are also great for young dog’s teeth.
• Eggs: Eggs are rich source of protein and can be served to your dog cooked or raw. Always prepare cook eggs with sea salt or pepper and serve organic raw eggs along with the shell for full nutritional benefits. Organic Raw eggs provide selenium, biotin, riboflavin and protein.
• Sweet Potatoes: easily digestible and rich in vitamin A and fiber. Steam and serve without sea salt.
• Green Beans: these are low in calories but high in fiber which makes them quite filling. It’s great for dogs that are obese or overweight.
• Apple Slices: great for removing residue from your dog’s teeth and lessen bad breath. Feeding your dog apple slices is also a great way to provide them with vitamin A and C. Always remove the seeds before giving it to your dog.
• Brussel Sprouts: Definitely our Golden Doodle, Thomas’s favorite! Very rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber!
With a little research you’ll find that there is a lot of food in your cupboard that can reward your dogs with the nutrients they need.
3. Foods that could harm your Dog
This is a no brainier! Despite the aforementioned point that human foods are good for dogs, there are some foods that should never end up in your dog tummies. These include raisin, chocolate grapes and onions.
Rawhide and cooked bones can also lead to major health ideas that might result in an emergency visit to your veterinarian clinic. Be sure to do your independent research and question your vet about what foods are toxic to your dog.
4. The Pet Food Your Vet Recommend Is Not Superior
Believe it or not, veterinarians today do not learn a lot about animal nutrition. The majority of nutritional knowledge comes primarily from sales representatives, seminars, articles and veterinarians who represent commercial pet food manufacturers.
Unless your vet has done some nutritional research outside of formal training, he or she may not know if a raw or homemade diet is good for your dog. Many vets are compensated by pet food companies to recommend or sell their brand and in some cases are prohibited from advertising other brands in their practice. To be safe, the minimum you should do is add the Food Booster Juverin to his food so you can be guaranteed he is getting the nutrition he needs daily!
5. Commercial Pet Foods Are Not Made from Quality Ingredients
Pet foods claiming to offer “quality ingredients at a cheap price” mainly contain the cheapest ingredients that are lacking in nutrients.
Legally, manufactures are allowed to sell products containing 4-D meat (meat from dead, diseased, disable or dying animals).
Consequently, slaughter house rejects, road kill and cattle treated with growth hormones, steroids and insecticide patches (Yes! You read right) are the ingredients in many pet foods. Pesticide contaminated mill sweepings and expired meat from grocery stores are also often added to the mix.
6. Kibble Does Not Equal Clean Teeth
8 out of 10 dogs today develop oral health issues at some point in their lives. The fact that majority of these dogs eat Kibble, should tell you all you need to know. Blindly relying on kibble’s unsubstantiated claims about the oral health, does not erase the need to brush your dog’s teeth. Although some past research had suggested that kibble may help to remove some food particles, plaque and tartar are a different. Plaque tends to adhere tightly to dogs’ teeth, hence it always best to physically with a toothbrush. Depending solely on kibble’s magical cleansing powers might only lead to more severe dental health issues.
7. Pet Foods Are Not “100% Complete and Balanced”
Many Processed pet foods claim to fame is that they offer 100% Complete and Balanced meals for your pet. Yet, in reality, they only meet the minimum nutrient requirements from AAFCO. For example, many an adult dog food contain only 18% protein, which is the minimum requirement by AAFCO.
In addition, often times the research is flawed when studying different pet foods and how they affect the health of your pet. Sometimes only well established brands are used to conduct nutritional monitoring test. Test periods may be often short and only involve limited breeds of dogs.
8. Giving Your Dogs the Same Pet Food Daily Limits Their Nutrition
Imagine if you whole grains, rancid beef and small carrots (possible with pesticide residue) for breakfast lunch and dinner, with same added minerals and vitamins. Sound like a nightmare right? After all, the human body needs a variety of nutrient rich foods to avoid allergies and other health issues. The same is true for your dog. Of course feeding your dog a variety of foods can cause stomach upset in dogs, in the short run. However, ironically in most cases this is a sign that your dog needs more variety of nutrients.
Once your dog receives the right amount of nutrients, he or she will have a healthy digestive system and can freely eat a variety of foods – just like you. Try to introduce new food gradually to your pet over a few weeks to reduce stomach upset.
9. Kibble is NOT Nutritional and inferior to canned foods
Canned foods are preserved through the canning process, while a lot of artificial preservative are added to kibble to prevent spoilage, at the risk of your pet’s health. Dehydration, and severe conditions such as kidney and bladder failure have occurred in pets that feed on kibble.
Worse yet, kibble lacks nutrients in comparison to canned foods. Most foods are canned fresh to prevent nutrient loss, whereas kibble is prepared through the process of extrusion which place ingredients under extreme pressure and high temperatures (destroying heat sensitive nutrients). Sure canned foods have it faults, but fresh trumps overcooked ingredients any day!
10. Corn in Pet Food Can Be Hazardous
A lot of the dry dog food you find in you in your supermarket is loaded with corn. Corn is a cheap filler, and as the popular saying goes, “cheap is not always best.” Majority of the corn used in pet food are corn strove, cattle feed scrapings and corn meal dust, quite the opposite of the delectable ingredients you love to feed your dogs. In some cases, manufacturers use GMO with high pesticide residues deemed unsuitable for human consumption. Worse yet, corn is very fattening. And we wonder why 58% of dogs are obese today.
Closing Note
Providing your four legged companion with a healthy well researched diet is the only way to ensure that you’ll have many happy years together. It doesn’t require a lot of work or money. It requires your attentiveness and willingness to learn more about your pet’s nutritional needs. Check out all the food labels and stay away from processed 4-D meats, preservatives, colored dyes and GMO Corn especially! Plus add Juverin Food Booster daily!
You can learn more by visiting the following links: Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007, How Are Dry Pet Foods Made, Pet Food (What You Need to Know) for Your Pet’s Sake
