Daniel Cruse asked:


Buying a puppy is wondrous occasion.  The memory will conjure up joy for decades to come.  When you first bring the pooch home there’s excitement in its exploration.  The name you give the dog needs to match its personality, and somehow you’ll know exactly what it should be.  You’ll have bought a leash, toys, a bed and vaccinations to keep it healthy in your first few months together.  To keep its healthy lifestyle, you’ll need to remember these three things: a proper diet, obedience school and exercise.

In a many ways, a dog is similar to person.  Each has a unique personality and tastes.  It’s important to try a few different brands of dog food to see exactly what your pooch will like.  As it grows, its taste will change.  What it liked is a puppy it might despise as an adult.  Several brands promote muscle growth and a shiny coat.  Other’s help with canine dental needs or allergies the animal may have.  It’s important to monitor your pup’s behavior to see if the food is working, digestively and actively, for it.  Keeping a dog on a proper diet will ensure it stays healthy.

Nobody likes school, but we can agree that it’s necessary.  The same goes for dogs.  Taking your pet to obedience school, while painful at first (both for the dog and you), will payoff down the line.  The dog will understand your commands to sit, heal, stay and other tricks.  Having a dog that listens and comprehends simple manners will make your relationship less antagonistic.  The delightful attitude between pet and master will make the memories tenfold and the years together more golden.

The first time you step off the couch to exercise it feels like the jog will never end.  But after a few weeks, you don’t know how you managed without it.  You’re dog’s outlook will be the same about walking and playing.  Taking it outside for a walk around the neighborhood makes the pooch friendlier and happier.  Playing with it in the park keeps the animal fit.  At the end of a long day nothing will bring a smile to your face faster than seeing your dog bound in the park or jog with you down the sidewalk.

If you keep these three rules, you’ll have loving memories of your pup forever.  The dog will live longer, with a healthier and robust lifestyle.



Michael

Gerry Restrivera asked:


Pet owners should realize the importance of dog food in their dog’s health and safety. Without a well balanced diet, your dog is prone to illnesses that may eventually cause his death. Food is the basic needs of dogs and you have to make sure that your dog is properly fed with nutritious food to keep him healthy. Preparing dog food at home is a good option to take control of your dog’s health and safety. Here are the amazing benefits of natural homemade dog food:

Your dog will live longer. Dogs properly fed with natural homemade dog food lives longer than those dogs whose owners feed them commercial dog food. With the absence of dangerous chemicals and preservatives in your homemade dog food, your dog will be healthier, happier and free from all kinds of life threatening diseases.

Your dog will have a perfect slim and attractive weight. Obesity is the number one health disorder of dogs. Commercial dog food is usually high in fat and sugar leading to obesity in dogs. You can prevent obesity and take control of the calorie intake of your dog by preparing natural homemade dog food.

Your dog is not prone to ear and skin infection, worms and fleas. He will look and feel much healthier. With natural homemade dog food, you will save a lot on vet bills with your dog free from all kinds of infections and allergies.

Your dog is well behaved. Chemicals in dog food are proven to cause behavior problems in dogs, including increased aggressiveness. This can be dangerous especially if your dog is around children. Feeding your dog with natural homemade dog food will result to a friendlier and well behaved dog.

Your dog is cleaner and smells better. With natural homemade dog food, you dog’s teeth is much cleaner and his breath smells much better. His poo is smaller and has much less stink. Cleaning up is no longer a stomach-turner chore for you.

Your dog will get closer to you and he will love you more. Making his own food is another way to bond with your loving pet. Your efforts to feed him with nutritious natural homemade dog food will be greatly appreciated by your dog and he will love you more for taking good care of him.

Natural homemade dog food will ensure the safety and health of your dog. Get some healthy, well-balanced dog food recipes and start feeding your dog with natural homemade dog food. Discover a proven survival-guide to a healthier, happier dog that lives up to 8.3 years longer than dogs whose owners feed them commercial dog food. Visit Dogs’ Corner



Brittany

Madeleine Innocent asked:


What’s on your mind when you consider an all natural dog food? Could it be a commercial dog food which has the word ‘natural’ on the packet? Could it be you think of cooking your own dog food from scratch? Do you consider table scraps to be the ideal diet?

Wrong! None of the above will address your dog’s health, Why not?

Well, the commercial dog food starts off with very low grade meat, mostly meat by-products (the better quality going for the higher priced human food), high fat and sometimes euthanased animals, which contain the chemical sodium pentobarbital. Then, to bulk out the already cheap ‘meat’, a non-nutritional filler is added. That can be sugar, as there’s a world glut of it at the moment, or melamine if you live in China.

Then, to keep the product indefinitely at room temperature a preservative is added.

When you see a packet of dried dog food in the shop, with the slogan ‘preservative free’ ask yourself this question – how can dried ‘meat’ be kept indefinitely at room temperature without preservatives? Do you think you wouldn’t have heard of a new way to do this, if there was?

So either there is no ‘meat’ or there is preservative present. Trouble is, the preservatives used are very strong, cause huge health problems and aren’t allowed in human food.

So commercial dog food can be crossed off as an all natural dog food!.

I see quite a lot of ‘dog experts’ on the internet advocating you cook your own dog food. Whilst that is hugely better than commercial pet food, it’s still missing the nutrients that are lost in cooking. Typically these are vitamins and enzymes, both essential for a healthy dog. But other nutrients are altered by cooking. Fat changes during the cooking process from a beneficial food to a harmful one.

So you can cross though this one too, as an all natural dog food.

What about table scraps? That depends so much on the table scraps. If the human food is a good, natural one of lots of raw fruit and veg, with lightly cooked meat, then these table scraps have the potential of being the best dog food out of all three options, as long as there is enough left over to satisfy your dog’s nutritional needs.

If, however, your diet is typically fast food with a lot of processed food, then these table scraps will be little better than the commercial dog food.

Yet another cross through.

There is only one all natural dog food and that’s the one dogs evolved on. Nothing that mankind has done has improved one iota on that. And considerable decline has occurred.

Dogs have evolved over millions of years on an all natural dog food and it keeps them happy and healthy.

Once you get to grips with the idea of how dogs evolved, duplicating that diet within the constraints of what is available and the limits on your time, is not that difficult. However, there are a few important things you need to know such as:

what food should not be given more than once a week should bones be given what carbohydrates are the best ones and how much are there any fruit or vegetables that shouldn’t be given what amino acid is essential to a dog’s healthy skin should you supplement the diet how do you convert the diet of an elderly or sick dog safely

When you change the diet of your dog from a commercial pet food to an all natural dog food, there may initially be a de-toxing period. This is normal and natural, but can seem a bit scary to you if you don’t understand why it’s happening and the symptoms. It should be of short duration, depending on your dog’s age and level of health.

Dogs digestion is robust. They have evolved on eating raw meat and carrion. They can’t cope with preservatives, fillers, high fat or low grade protein, none of which occurs (at least in high proportions) in nature.

Once you have your dog on an all natural dog food, you’ll find fewer and fewer health problems. I’m sure you’d be as happy as anyone, to cut your dog’s professional health fees.



Hazel

John Nolan asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 John Nolan

With so much choice available in supermarkets, there is growing concern over what the best dog food is. Dog owners want to find a healthy option as well as saving money on their dog food. You may spend a lot of time researching the best deals, but do you ever think about what the standards are for them that is sold in this country?

Like anything else, they are regulated by legislation in most countries throughout the world. For example, in the USA all manufacturers must comply with the regulations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is careful to monitor manufacturing standards including the ingredients that go into all brands. In the UK, and some countries of Europe, the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) regulated all pet food. This includes guidelines on the manufacture of the food, its labeling and its advertising.

Whilst the ingredients are monitored, this does not mean that what being sold in the United States is monitored specifically on its nutritional value to our beloved pets. In fact many manufacturers are even able to add chemicals to their food which are known to contribute negatively to an animal’s health. Not only this, but different ages of animal suit different types of food. Advertising campaigns from the major manufacturers can aim their food at the wrong age of dog, meaning that your pet may not be getting the nutrition that it really needs.

Veterinary research shows that many ingredients of pet food, both in the US and in Europe, can be harmful to animals and call for a strengthening of standards to control the inclusion of additives. Until this is regulated, what can you do to ensure the health of your dog and to make sure that what you feed him is what he needs?

When purchasing them, always be sure to read the label carefully. This will include a list of ingredients, where the top food ingredients will be listed. If you notice that cereal is top of the list this means that what you are buying is mainly made up of ground cereals which are not great for nutritional value. You may also notice several chemicals on the ingredients list, so be wary if there are a large amount or do some research into the effects of these chemicals.

You can also do some research on the internet, reading about the development and manufacture of your favorite brands. Note if they were tested on other animals, what the results were and read any advice about safety to your dog.

Once you have carefully checked the available information you can also ask your vet any specific questions that you are still unsure of. Those this may take a little time, it is extremely important to ensure that your pet lives healthily for as many years as possible. Be diligent when it comes to shopping for dog food and you will soon learn what is best for your pet.



Ramon

Andrew Johnson asked:


After starting a business focused on healthy dog products Distinctive Dog (www.distinctivedog.com), a new world opened up regarding the state of dog nutrition and what manufacturers do not tell consumers.

There is much debate when it comes to dog food, treats and pet nutrition. In the wild, dogs inherently hunted and consumed animals and plants. Their digestive systems were designed to break down raw meat while the enzymes present in the meat aided the digestion process.

Today, most domesticated dogs eat processed kibble containing primarily grains and refined protein sources. Once the meat source is removed, the remaining ingredients are mostly unnatural for the pet. Wheat, barley, rice, corn and oats are all man-raised crops that a dog would never eat in the wild. So how have dogs adapted to a diet consisting mostly of grains and processed protein sources?

To begin with, dogs are highly allergy prone animals. Wheat, corn, soy and barley are common culprits of allergies in dogs. The most interesting factor here is that most of these substances are not contained in the dog’s natural food chain.

Corn is an inferior protein source and some experts contend that the dog’s liver must work overtime to extract useable protein, which in the process produces excess nitrates. These nitrates place extra strain on the liver and as some veterinarians will say, is one cause of premature aging.

Wheat, soy, barley and white rice have very little nutritional value and are used by manufacturers to squeeze more profit out of their products. As a fun experiment, place your dog’s dry food in water for about 10 minutes.  If it swells dramatically, it probably contains high amounts of these grains.

There are a variety of theories on the affects of processed dog food and dog treats on our pets. Veterinarian John B. Symes writes and speaks on the affects of gluten, casin from cow’s milk, corn and soy on otherwise healthy dogs. He is a “recovered” celiac and believes these substances are blocking nutrient absorption during the dog’s digestion process.

Many of these ingredients are used as filler in commercial dog food and when mixed with water, create a sticky substance. Symes points out that the dog’s digestive tract is not designed to break down these materials and the resulting partially-digested sticky material coats the intestines, blocking absorption of essential nutrients.

“Imagine that a German shepherd puppy begins eating a wheat, barley, corn, or soy-based diet from the moment it is weaned. If inadequate levels of calcium and vitamin C are absorbed, what are the chances that its hips, elbows, spine, and other cartilaginous structures are going to form properly? I would say "Not good". Most people familiar with dogs know that this breed has a reputation for horrible hip dysplasia. But, they also have serious allergies and other immune-related disorders. This, of course, is no coincidence. Once it is understood that the allergies form in the area of the gut that is being damaged or coated by the ‘glue’, it is easy to see why the trouble breeds like the German Shepherd, Cocker Spaniel, Shih Tzu, and others have their ‘genetic’ tendencies such as allergic skin and ear problems, orthopedic abnormalities, intervertebral disc ruptures, and cancers,” contends Symes.

Another way dog food and treat manufacturers cut costs is through the protein sources. Most dog foods contain protein sources labeled as “meal”, “digest” or “by-product”. These ingredients contain meat sources that are deemed unsuitable for human consumption. Rendering plants process dead animal and other matter for animal feed, and yes pet food. With virtually no government regulation, these often contaminated protein sources pass as our dog’s dinner.

One regulation on the books was written in the National Research Council’s 1974 publication, The Nutrient Requirement of Dogs. It states that all mammals (except humans) are legally allowable “meat” for rendering as long as they are not decayed. Some states have passed an additional standard excluding dying, dead, disabled, or diseased tissues.

Deborah Lynn Dadd in her book The Nontoxic Home and Office: Protecting Yourself and Your Family form Everyday Toxins and Hazards states, “Each year about 116,000 mammals and nearly 15 million birds are condemned before slaughter. After killing, another 325,000 carcasses are discarded and more than 5.5 million major parts are cut away because they are determined to be diseased. Shockingly, 140,000 tons of poultry is condemned annually, mainly from cancer. The diseased animals that cannot be sold are processed into animal feed.

Now, there is no way to substantiate the claims but I do know that there is no real way to truly know what these ingredients actually contain. In addition, the food is processed at extremely high temperatures during the rendering process which kills much of the nutritional value that may have been present.

When we begin to examine our dog’s diet, one only wonders why dogs are prone to allergies and health issues. William D. Cusick, author of Canine Nutrition & Choosing the Best Food for Your Dog states that nations with generations of dogs raised on commercial pet food have experienced canine longevity decreases up to 50 percent. In addition they have recorded increases in cancers, reproductive complications and other health issues. Hypothesized reasons include environmental pollution, pesticides, vaccinations, urbanization, fluoridated water and commercial pet food.

Cusick furthers his point by stating that in identical environments, humans have increased life expectancy while dogs have decreased. Moreover, in countries where commercial dog food is unavailable these decreases have not been documented. This point cannot be overstated. It points to the dire need for structured research to substantiate the empirical evidence and governmental regulation within the pet food industry.

Today there is no way to concretely determine the health consequences of commercial dog food and grain based diets. As a result of these concerns, many people choose to feed their dogs a Bones and Raw Food diet (BARF). These holistic diets provide a diet closest to what dogs eat in the wild. Our pet’s stomachs are designed to process raw meat and they receive live enzymes not present in cooked food.

Another option is home cooked meals. This can be a tricky option because some human food can be toxic for our pets. A good book on the subject is Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative by Dr. Donald Strombeck. Dog nutrition is different than human nutrition, so I recommend you check with your veterinarian before considering either a BARF or home-prepared diet.

At the very minimum, read and understand pet food labels and ingredients. Ingredient labels are listed in order of quantity. Locate products with minimal levels of wheat or wheat by-products, corn, soy or barley. These are fillers that can adversely affect your dog’s digestive system and if your dog is allergic, they can cause itchy and flakey skin, dull coat and hair loss. These grains should never be listed as the primary ingredient in your dog’s food. Also, understand protein sources and ensure that the protein sources you are providing your pet are high quality and not from rendered sources.

As a general rule of thumb, do not look for quality pet food at your local grocery store or pet store chain.  Specialty pet stores often have greater expertise and can help you find the right food for your pet. If you are looking for healthy dog treats, many companies including Distinctive Dog Bakery (www.distinctivedog.com), offer home baked dog treats free from wheat gluten, soy, corn and other harmful ingredients.

Lastly, consider supplementing your dog’s diet with enzymes and probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help in digestion and the absorption of nutrients. They prevent harmful bacteria from growing and causing problems including gas, diarrhea and vomiting. Enzymes help complement probiotics during the digestion process. Adding an enzyme-probiotic mix to your dog’s diet can improve digestion, create better hair coats and increase immune function.



Jonathan

Peter Nagy asked:


The shocking truth about commercial dog food and dog health. Do you know that the dog food you are feeding your pet could be a cause of early death? The number one cause of dog illness can be accredited to commercial dog food. Your loveable best friend may already be on the road to suffering a slow and excruciating death!

The information contained inside “Dog Food Secrets” eBook is very graphic and disturbing. But, it may be the only information that could save and extend the life of your pet by over 100%! Learn which dog foods still contain up to 6 deadly chemicals that have been banned from human foods because of causing cancer an many other diseases.

Discover the dog food secrets that major dog food companies don’t want you to know. The fact is that the life span of your dog can be increased by up to 8 years just by changing the food. Also, many unwanted dog behavior problems can be solved simply by changing the diet of your dog.

Leading veterinarians and dog health experts agree that many dog foods are deficient in key nutrients. Feeding such foods to your dog causes it to be overly sensitive to its environment. By not eating enough natural foods your dogs adrenal glands become unable to produce enough cortisol. This is a vital hormone needed for a dog to be healthy and to be able to resist disease.

If you want your dog to live a long and happy life, you should do the following three things starting today:

1. Stop feeding your dog with commercial dog food until you learn which ones are not harmful to your dog.

2. Learn how to interpret the nutritional labels on commercial dog foods.

3. Start feeding your dog with well-balanced, healthy home made foods.

The way your dog performs everyday tasks, how he/she feels and acts are the best measurements of the quality of the food. “Dog Food Secrets” educates you about how to keep your dog healthy and happy. Any questions you may have about dog health are answered in this amazing eBook. You also get a free mini-course that contains dog health tips and gourmet recipes so that you may provide your dog with a well-balanced, healthy diet.

Ultimately, you are the one responsible for giving the best care you know how. Remember just because your dog isn’t complaining, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing the right thing.



Calvin

Brigitte Smith asked:


Did you know that most food that is fed to dogs today has extremely low nutritional content? If you feed your dog commercial dog food, you may be slowly killing your dog. Perhaps you think this is a little dramatic? Think again. If humans are fed a diet of unhealthy foods, they probably won’t show any adverse signs for quite some time. But fed over many years, people will become sluggish, sick, and eventually die from degenerative diseases much earlier than they would otherwise pass from this life.

The same goes for dogs.

All commercial dog food which is extruded (cooked) at very high temperatures cannot be anything but bad for our dogs, whose natural diet in the wild is mainly fresh, raw meat. Even after dogs became domesticated, and then kept as pets, for decades they were fed home cooked food and table scraps, before anyone thought of commercialising dog food and selling cans of mush, or pieces of highly questionable biscuit-looking food called “kibble”.

Dogs used to live longer than they do now.

Examine baked and kibbled foods for the presence of burned spots on the biscuits. The presence of large numbers of burned biscuits indicates that the food has been cooked at such high temperatures that the nutritients are likely to be almost non-existent.

On the other hand, if dry products are damp, soft or stale, it means that they have been improperly processed, become damp in transit, become damp during storage, or that they are old.

Dry products that become damp quickly deteriorate from the action of mold and eventually bacteria. Sometimes the only indication that mold is beginning to attack a dry food is the musty odor smelled when a bag is opened. At other times it may be seen as a white, hairy beard or a bluish-green or black velvety coating over the food. Any food found to be moldy should be destroyed immediately and never fed to dogs.

Does any of this sound like food you would eat yourself???

If not, then even though it’s labelled as “dog food” and could possibly have some form of nutritional content (if you’re lucky), why feed such substandard rubbish to your dog? It really can be harmful over the long term. Why else do you think so many dogs suffer from degenerative diseases like heart disease, cancer, kidney failure, and more? These diseases were previously unknown in companion animals. Now they’re commonplace. And the increase in incidence of these degenerative diseases in dogs and other animals has occurred in direct proportion to the practise of giving pets raw food or table scraps, to giving them commercial pet food.

The answer?

Feed your dog a raw, or primarily raw, fresh food diet. The large part of the food should, of course, be meat. If you’re not a fan of raw food, then by all means give your dog home cooked food, made from premium ingredients which you would use for your own food. Of course, you can give your dog all the fat and offcuts from the meat that you don’t want. Dogs need some fat (unlike us!)

And if you really need the convenience of a pre-prepared dog food, then go for a top quality dog food – NOT one of the commercial brands found on your supermarket, or even pet store shelves. Even many vets have no idea about correct animal nutrition, believe it or not, and promote commercial dog foods that are peddled to them as “premium” food, when they’re nothing of the kind.

How do you know what a superior quality dog food is? Check for both the ingredients and the method of cooking. The ingredients should be primarily meat – not meat byproducts, a small proportion only of grains of all types, and preferably some fresh vegetables, fruit or herbs. As for the cooking method – the lower the heat, the better. Don’t go for anything that has been extruded (which is most kibble), or canned at high temperatures. If the method of cooking is not stated, then make further enquiries of the manufacturer, or go for one that does state the cooking method – freeze dried or baked are acceptable.



Matthew

Darren Craddock asked:


Believe it or not, most commercial dog food isn’t really healthy for your dog. Most commercially made dog foods contain animal parts that were never meant to be included in food. They also contain a host of preservatives and chemicals that are there to increase the food’s shelf life, not help your dog stay healthy. Keeping your dog fed with healthy dog food is not as hard as it sounds. Sometimes all it takes is reading the label. Sometimes, if you want to be one hundred percent sure that your dog’s food is safe, you can make it yourself!

Make your own dog food recipe

If you are thinking of making your own dog food here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Meat is the most important ingredient. Make sure the meat is fresh – the best kind to use is meat from a meat processor or butcher. They can grind the meat up for you if you would like them to. The meat can be beef, lamb or chicken (some people also use fish).

2. Vegetables need to be added to every meal. The best vegetables to use are broccoli, yams, beets, sweet potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, cucumber and squash. Stay away from beans, spinach, chard, garlic, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, beet greens and spinach as these have been known to lead to digestive problems and red blood cell damage.

3. The best way to figure out how much food to feed your dog is to take its body weight and then multiply it by 0.4. This will give you the number of ounces your dog needs to eat every day and from there you can decide how those ounces should be served.

Natural dog food

You can feed natural ingredients to your dog in cooked or raw form. The most important thing is to make sure that they get the nutrients they need in the amounts they need.

Naturally made healthy dog food is far more convenient than commercially made dog food. While most people prefer commercially bagged or canned dog food because of its ease, the dog food you make yourself will save you time and money in the long run. The ingredients for your dogs food do not have to be expensive – they are basically the same foods that you are buying for your family. Another reason home made or natural food is better is that, in the long run, it saves you time and money on trips to the veterinarian and gives you more time with your pet (dogs who eat natural food live longer).

Homemade dog food is healthy

While it is certainly easy to run out to the store and grab a bag of the cheapest doggie kibble available, this is not what is best for the four legged member of your family. Dogs have dietary needs just like humans do and often, the commercially made dog food does not cater to these needs. By paying attention to your dogs nutrition and the ingredients of his food, you are making sure that your dog leads a long and healthy life. Isn’t your best friend worth it?



Michelle

Organicpetfood asked:


Most pet owners refer to it as “dry food”, but whatever you choose to call it, dehydrated dog food can and should be part of your pet puppy or adult canine’s healthy and balanced diet. Unlike the generic mediocre kinds of dog food many consumers are accustomed to, there is now a wide variety of excellent products that are specially formulated with your pet’s nutritional needs in mind.

Many of the better kinds of dehydrated dog food you can find these days are made with very health conscious recipes. A perfect blend of meats and vegetables can make a happier and stronger dog, because just like we need a variety in our diet, so do canines. Pet health experts recommend that you shop for those brands of dog food that specialize in ingredients that are especially good sources of not just calories, but also the proteins, vitamins, and various minerals that every dog needs. By paying extra attention to the pet food that you buy, you help to ensure that your dog develops dense bones, healthy teeth, lean muscle, and a shiny, healthy coat of fur.

A good meal plan for your dog will depend up the dog’s age, of course, because young pups have different dietary needs than older dogs. But when selecting your dehydrated dog food you can also look for blends or recipes that are for canines of a certain age range. Some may, for example, have higher percentages of iron or calcium in them, depending upon what the recommended diet is for a dog in a specific age group. When in doubt always consult your pet’s veterinarian, who can help you customize a nutritional program ideally suited for your beloved pet.



Herman

Lynn Halladay asked:


What you don’t know could turn out to be bad for your dog!

While most of us don’t pay a lot of attention to what we’re feeding out pets, we really shouldn’t be trusting manufacturers to label things accurately and follow regulations. There aren’t many rules about what can be used in dog food, and what you don’t know could make your dog VERY sick.

Not Fit To Eat

Did you know that many different brands of dog food could contain unpleasant substances like hair, ligaments, organs, skin, nervous tissue, and meat from diseased animals? Or that spoiled meat and the bodies of euthanized zoo animals and pets could be used?

Even the good meat that ends up in cat and dog food has undergone heavy processing, losing most of the value it once had. Ingredients like “poultry broth” and “animal meal” are far removed from the meat we imagine.

Animal meal, for instance, is what’s left after fat and meat have been processed out of a carcass. What’s left is dried and ground, resulting in a meal similar in texture to cornmeal. Broths are made up of processed carcasses from many different animal types, in just about any condition.

It’s Not Illegal!

You might think this sort of thing would be against the law. After all, there are strict rules about what can be used in human food and those laws are fairly well enforced. Unfortunately, pet food regulations are a lot looser and are rarely well enforced.

Just about anything could end up in your pet’s food, and the labels mean almost noting, even if they claim the food is balanced and healthy. Those words just indicate that the food has a particular percentage of protein, fat, and artificial minerals and vitamins.

Toxic Additives

All of us have probably heard of the recent pet food recalls created by contaminated wheat gluten from China. However, melamine isn’t the only dangerous additive that can be found in pet food. There are a lot of preservatives that aren’t allowed in human food, and which cause illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, liver failure and more.

Expensive Brands, Too

Unfortunately, it’s not just the cheap brands that are causing the problem. High end and organic foods are also poorly regulated. They might be higher quality, but there’s no good way to tell what ingredients they’re using. That can make it extremely hard to find foods that are appropriate for your dog, since even those recommended by the vet could be dangerous.

Solutions

There are a number of things you can do to protect your dog. First, learn to read the label – ingredients higher on the label are in larger percentages. That means you should look for named meats instead of generic terms, broths or meals.

You can also learn about the additives and preservatives that can hurt your pets, and look for the foods with the lowest percentage of grains. There are also a number of excellent recipes out there that can help dedicated pet owners make their own foods. Just be sure to do something, since most foods are actually dangerous.



Joan