The many years that we have been feeding our dogs commercial packaged food must have made us all feel that “quality” dog food are associated only with those dog foods which come in expensive packages.

Now, we might feel that giving our dogs food that is made from scratch from our own kitchen can be harmful to dogs. Many vets even make this suggestion in favor of feeding the so-called “complete nutrition” that can supposedly be served up from a can or bag.

Funny … Since when are the organic or other quality foods found in our own kitchen harmful?

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CHOCOLATE
Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is closely related to caffeine and causes your dog’s heart to race. In small dosages, it will cause hyperactivity and possibly diarrhea. If your dog has ingested too much chocolate “…vomiting, excessive thirst, diarrhea, restlessness, and agitation typically develop in six to eight hours. Kidney damage, seizures, heart rhythm irregularities, and death may result in severe cases. There is no real antidote for a theobromine overdose. Supportive care can be given, and vomiting can be induced if the case is caught early enough.”*

Chocolately things like ordinary brownies, cake, cookies, and so on really do not contain all that much chocolate but should still be kept away from your dog and out of reach. Gourmet chocolate goodies, however, often contain more chocolate. Baking chocolate and chocolate used in candy-making are very concentrated and much more dangerous (as would be a box of chocolates or a candy bar, but keep in mind that the more expensive chocolates tend to contain more theobromine). Do yourself and your dog(s) a favor and keep your chocolate treats in a completely dog-proof place.

This is not good for your dog, because a dog’s body cannot process excess salt. Salt can accumulate and cause kidney disease in old age. At any time in a dog’s life, if salt is given in extreme excess, it could cause your dog’s kidneys to react and swell. Your dog would have to be totally without water for a period of days if this happens, before the kidneys could function normally again (just think about how serious that is), if the dog survived.

If your dog gets any leftovers from your table, make absolutely certain that there is no salt in these foods. Things that have a high salt content are bullion, soups, hamburger/chicken/noodle/rice mixes that come in a box, and almost any already prepared foods (including sauces and gravies) that come in a can, bottle, box, or packet. Most cheese has a high salt content, but dogs love it! Frozen veggies with no salt added when you cook them, fresh cooked meat (i.e. beef or chicken) that has nothing added to it, rice or pasta that has nothing added to it as you cook it, etc. are relatively safe foods to feed your dog. Remember that butter has salt in it, too. Read the labels on the food products you use in your home and the dog food and treats you buy for your dog.

I occasionally give my dogs very small pieces of things that I know are safe for them to eat. We don’t get carried away with table scraps at our house, and that way we minimize any potential problem.

It’s my understanding that dogs in very hot climates would need more salt in their diet, but ask your Vet!

ONIONS, GARLIC, AND ANYTHING ELSE IN THE ONION FAMILY
Raw onions can cause liver damage in your dog. In addition, there is also a rare form of anemia, Heinz-body hemolytic anemia, that dogs can get from eating cooked or raw onions or other members of the onion family. Because it is so rare, it can be misdiagnosed. This was thought to affect only dogs 40 lbs. and under, but in 1999, an Australian Shepherd was diagnosed with it and barely pulled through.

Make sure onion or garlic powder or any other form of the onion family are not listed as ingredients in anything you’re feeding your dog or cat (this includes dog or cat food). Onion powder is very bad for cats, too.

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FINALLY SOME ANSWERS… maybe!
In the summer of 2001 the Pet Food Committee of the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) obtained approval for suggested guidelines for manufacturers of pet foods to follow when referring to the term NATURAL.  When it comes to labeling commercial feeds, pet foods, and specialty pet foods the use of the term “natural” is only acceptable in reference to the product as a whole when all of the ingredients and components of ingredients meet the definition.  The use of the term “natural” on the label is false and misleading if any chemically synthesized ingredients are present in the product.  Prophylene Glycol and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) are two common examples of chemically synthesized ingredients found in some pet foods. The committee suggested that an exception be made for synthetic vitamin and mineral additives as long as the product is not used as a dietary supplement.

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The Benefits of Organic Food for Your Dog:

1) Lower vet bills-this is a major expense for pet owners into the thousands of dollars even for simple treatments.

2) Your dog will be healthier, happier and more energetic during its lifetime.

3) Your dog will definitely live longer and with fewer ailments.

4) You will be able to enjoy your pet more when it is not sick or diseased.

5) You wills save your dog from pain and suffering from poor food nutrition.

Symptoms of Dog Food Allergies:

1) Scratching

2)Vomiting

3) Hives

4) Fatigue

5) Diarrhea

To save yourself and your dog much of the grief you may wish to do the following:

1) Stop feeding your dog what you are feeding it.

2) Switch to an organic only brand and make sure it is certified organic from a reputable company.

3) Give your dog a probiotic supplement to get rid of the chemicals in the gut.

4) Give your dog “unflavored-low calorie” yogurt. A couple of tablespoons daily to 1/2 cup for large dogs.

5) Give your dog clean, purified water -not tap water-it is full of chemicals and drugs.

The best probiotics is either yogurt or lactobacillus acidophilus tablet -same as what people take -can be given to a dog that is suffering from diarrhea, which depletes the dog’s body of the friendly bacteria which digests food. Friendly bacteria in probiotics is the beneficial part of the dog’s flora and fauna or intestinal environment that helps the dog digest and remove waste.

The best probiotics are the organics of course with no chemical additives that are harmful. The probiotic advantage is that it will balance the dog’s gut and digestive system and bring it back to normal while replenishing the friendly bacteria which is so important to a healthy dog. A probiotic bacteria yogurt can refresh the gut, reduce symptoms and pain and clean out the bad stuff so to speak.

Pet probiotics works for cats too as cats get feline vomiting and also have food allergies when throwing up their food. Today’s pet foods contain Genetically Modified Foods or GMO’s including corn, soy and some other ingredients in the commercial pet food industry -anything goes into pet foods. Since there are no regulations against harmful ingredients, you will stress out your pet feeding these foods to them. Especially the dog liver which functions as the garbage cleaner as it cleanses the blood of harmful chemicals. When the dog consistently digests bad dog food the dog’s liver is overtaxed and overburdened which in the lifetime of a dog is difficult to repair.

Perhaps many of us have been given to believe that our dogs can’t live without those packed commercial dog foods. The many years that we’ve been feeding our dogs commercial packed food must have made us all feel that “quality” dog food are associated only with those dog foods which come in pricey packages.

Now, we may believe that giving our dogs food that is made of scratch from our own kitchen can be damaging to dogs. Many vets even make this idea in favor of feeding the supposed “complete nutrition” that may apparently be served up from a can or bag.

Funny, since when are the organic or other quality foods found in our own kitchen harmful? Home-made dog food isn’t dangerous for dogs. To the contrary, overprocessed “food” that contains small if any nutritive worth can seriously harm your dog’s health. Dogs are suffering from more degenerative illnesses as time goes on, and dying at much younger ages from these sorts of conditions than ever. And many nutritive mavens believe this is the results of feeding our dogs commercial dog food. Ingredients for home made pet food can be taken from our own kitchen so we are able to be certain that they are safe for our dogs. You can make your own natural dog food recipes from these ingredients and you may be certain that the food is safe because you made it yourself.

Many animal owners are now turning to home-made dog food with superb results re their dogs’ overall health. There are several benefits to feeding your dog with home made dog food recipes. By feeding your dog home-made recipes, you may be certain that your dog is eating fresh food. You don’t have to fret about the food being tarnished and you don’t have to fret about it being expired. And if the make of dog food you are purchasing is especially inexpensive, question the way in which the manufacturer can most likely use quality food and keep the price so low.

You can give your dog a selection of recipes each day if you decide to do so. You may be sure that your dog is eating food that is healthy for him / her, and that his / her health will improve as a consequence. These advantages can’t be found in processed and packed dog foods. When we make the food ourselves, we will be able to be certain that our home made dog food and natural dog food recipes are indeed healthy and beneficial to our dogs. Next time you hear the words “homemade dog food” and you believe it is weird or pointless, think again. Making your own pet food may turn out to be a life saver for your dog.

]]> http://www.dog-hospital.com/dog-nutrition/home-made-dog-food-works-wonders-for-your-dog.htm/feed 0 http://www.dog-hospital.com/uncategorized/should-you-feed-your-dog-premium-dog-food.htm http://www.dog-hospital.com/uncategorized/should-you-feed-your-dog-premium-dog-food.htm#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:11:18 +0000 Christine http://www.dog-hospital.com/?p=264 We have a large, diverse and very confusing pet food market. This presents a dilemma in choosing the healthiest food for your dog. Are generic or store brands suitable for a dog? What about familiar name brands like Purina and Alpo? Are the pricier brands that advertise specially formulated ingredients (Science Diet, Eukanuba) really living up to their claims and worth the extra money? All of these are valid questions that loving dog owners deserve to have answered.

Dog Food Considerations

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right food for your dog. Dogs thrive on a mostly raw diet. This is a dog’s natural diet, and is the best food you can give your dog – plenty of raw meat, with some bones, and a little raw (or lightly steamed) vegetables, and perhaps some fruit and occasional cooked rice.

But many people do prefer the convenience of a pre-prepared food for their dogs. That’s why it’s so very important to understand the difference between almost all commercial dog foods, and a very select few that really are healthy. Dogs have different nutritional needs at different stages in their lives. Some things to consider when selecting the food you’ll give your dog follow.

· Your Dog’s Age

Puppies have different nutritional requirements to adult dogs, just as human babies and very young children have different needs to their adult counterparts. Senior dogs also have different requirements than younger adult dogs. So ensure that you select a food that is appropriate for your dog’s stage in life.

· Your Dog’s Health

Does your dog have a specific medical condition? If so, the food you choose may need to be partially dictated by that condition. Diabetic dogs need low-glucose foods and dogs with specific allergies (yes dogs can be allergic to all sorts of things, just like people) may require certain foods as well. Your veterinarian can help you choose foods that are appropriate for a dog with a specific medical condition, although be very wary of any recommendations for commercially prepared foods.

The fact is that the majority of vets are not adequately trained in correct nutrition for dogs (it’s not taught in veterinary school, believe it or not), and most of their information comes from the commercial dog food companies who want them to peddle their food.

· Your Dog’s Size or Body Type

Some dogs are overweight. Some dogs are underweight. Some have a natural tendency to get lots of exercise while others tend to prefer to lie around a lot. There are, of course, small, medium, and large dogs as well as the miniature and toy breeds. All of these different types of dogs may have different requirements for the type of food they need as well as how much of it. A mostly raw diet will suit almost all dogs without exception. If a dog has always been fed on such a diet, he or she is unlikely to be overweight or underweight to any significant degree. But dogs who have been fed commercial pet food may well have weight (and other health) problems, which need to be monitored.

· Your Budget

Dog food can be expensive, there’s no doubt about it. And where dog food is concerned, the rule really is “you get what you pay for.” Low cost generics and store brands will lighten the burden on your wallet, but are definitely not a healthy choice for your dog, as they are made with cheap ingredients and lots of fillers. Indeed, they contain much that is positively bad for your dog’s long term health.

The so-called “premium” brands available at your supermarket, your pet store, and even from your vet, are not much better (if at all). And the thing about real quality, healthy, pet food is that although it may seem more expensive, you actually need to feed less. So in the end result, these ultra healthy foods compare very favorably pricewise, with the rubbish which is passed off as dog food.

BARF.
It’s what’s for dinner. Your dog’s dinner, that is. The acronym stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which is not so much a diet as it is a movement among pet owners who believe their pets will benefit from eating the same kinds of food their furry ancestors gobbled: bones, raw meats and veggies. Just as a raw food trend has turned more mainstream among people, a small but vocal community of pet owners is using the same quality ingredients they buy for themselves to create homemade raw meals for their critters.

But most veterinarians are wary about the trend toward raw food, or even meals that are cooked, but homemade. The idea of feeding pets raw meat, which has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella or E. coli bacteria, or a home-cooked meal that may not be properly balanced, gives them the shudders. “So many of these people are just trying to make their pets happy and have no concept of nutrition,” says Dr. Patty Khuly, who practices in Miami.

Although no studies have been conducted to assess the benefits of a raw food diet for cats and dogs, believers in the raw pet food movement say the evidence speaks for itself: Their pets have shinier coats, stronger teeth, fewer ear infections and improved weight control.

Bob Kurtz, who was already feeding his retrievers a high-quality dry food, recently turned to a commercial raw diet to solve a young Labrador’s skin allergies.

“Since switching to raw, we have found several major benefits,” he says. “Our dogs’ weights have stabilized perfectly. They now rarely change weight by more than a pound between checkups. They are lean and muscular, with coats that are even more beautiful and glossy than before. The ground bone in the diet does a great job of scouring their teeth, and all signs of plaque and tartar buildup have disappeared.”

You know, if you really want your dog to be as healthy as s/he can be, you should stop feeding ANY of the widely available commercial dog foods.

These are the types of dog food commonly found in supermarkets, and even about most of the supposedly superior brands sold in some supermarkets, pet food shops, and even by many vets.

The cheaper the brand, then generally the more full of garbage it is, but even many of the more expensive brands leave much to  be desired.

What do you think is an ideal diet for your dog?

- plump chickens?
- choice cuts of juicy beef and lamb?
- maybe a few healthy fresh grains for variety?
- the odd fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit?

You’d be right.

But how many of the above ingredients do you think go into commercial pet food?

A lot?  Only a little?  If you said yes to either of these, you’d be dead wrong.

The average commercial dog food bears NO relation to the above list of choice ingredients, despite what pet food manufacturers display in some of their marketing, and despite what the list of ingredients on the pack or can might tend to indicate.

There is very, very little (if any) of the above ingredients in the average commercial dog food, and by the time it’s been overcooked at sustained high temperatures, and sprayed with preservative agents, the resultant “food” can be very harmful to your dog’s health and wellbeing indeed.

Suffice to say that if you’re feeding your dog ANY commercially available dog food, you’re exposing your dog to a source of chemically enhanced, overprocessed, garbage, the meat source for which includes diseased carcasses which have been left for up to 5 days before being processed.

I should say that SOME of the expensive pet foods which are readily available ARE better than the cheaper brands.  BUT, most are still far from an ideal diet for your dog, so query whether the extra money is money well spent.

If the product says it’s “with real chicken”, did you know that it only needs to contain 3% of chicken?

If the first item listed is meat or chicken, did you know that this doesn’t mean that’s the main ingredient?

Take a close look at the label.  It’s likely to list a meat first, and then 2, 3, 4 or 5 types of grains.  This is a very misleading tactic used by the commercial pet food manufacturers.  Each of the grains individually may be slightly less in quantity than the meat.  But added together?  They’re probably nearly 2, 3, 4 or 5 times the quantity of the meat ingredient.

After having looked into this issue in a great deal of detail,  the most healthy diet for your dog is mainly fresh meat, with some fresh veges and a little grain thrown in.  And this alone is NOT enough.  You need to give your dog a vitamin supplement always, for optimal health.

And for the very best health, there ARE some reputable HEALTHY, wholesome, holistic dog food manufacturers, which really DO provide wonderfully healthy food for our dogs.

If you decide that the BARF diet is right for your dog please take caution. Dogs that have weakened immune systems will be much more likely to become ill when eating raw meat. Try to find raw meat that is fresh and comes from a source that you can trust. Also small fragments of bone can be swallowed and their sharp ends can pierce the stomach or intestinal walls. Too much bone may also cause constipation.