Good nutrition is crucial to your pet's
good health and feeding your pet a quality diet is one of the best things
you can do for him or her. Unfortunately, many of the larger pet food
companies put more money into marketing than into producing a quality
food. There are virtually no regulations on pet food and it is not
uncommon for supermarket brands to be made from cancerous tissue, meat
from diseased animals, rancid or moldy meat, hooves, sawdust from the
slaughterhouse floor and so on. This is what is meant by meat-
by-products. Further, the food is processed at such high temperatures that
whatever nutrients it may have contained are killed. Chemical additives
make the food more palatable — or in some cases, addictive — to your
pet.
But, take heart. While a homemade diet is
still the best opinion, a number of high quality packaged foods do exist
The trick lies in learning what the labels mean. A general rule of thumb
is to look for ingredients that are as close to being whole as possible.
For instance, instead of meat by-products, look for food that contains
meat. Other examples include: brown rice, barley, oats and wheat as
opposed to brewers rice or wheat middlings; soybean as opposed to soybean
meal or flour; and corn as opposed to ground yellow corn.
Other ingredients to look for include
vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, eggs and supplemental vitamins and
minerals. Some premium foods are now available in pet supply stores.
Others can be ordered for home delivery. Waggin' Tails is a company that
delivers premium foods to your door. Call them at 1-800-946-8245 for a
free catalog. Some foods can also be ordered directly from the
manufacturer.
Even the highest-quality packaged foods are
processed to a degree and, inevitably, some nutrients are lost. It's a
good idea, therefore, to supplement your pet's diet to be sure that he's
getting the vitamins and minerals he needs. For variety and added
nutrients, I recommend supplementing your pets food with raw, natural
foods such as fruits and vegetables. Carrots, for instance, make great
snacks, are filled with vitamins and help keep the teeth clean. Try giving
your pet a share of whatever vegetables you prepare for your own dinner,
raw or slightly steamed; asparagus, peas, broccoli, squash, etc. She may
not like vegetables immediately, so you might need to chop them up and mix
with her food until she gets used to them.
What about vitamin pills? More and more,
research is showing us the huge benefits of vitamins C, E, A, B-complex
and others. Vitamin C, for instance, keeps the immune system strong and
can be useful in helping to prevent disorders ranging from arthritis to
skin and coat conditions. Because cats and dogs both produce this vitamin
on their own, even the premium foods typically do not add it. But they
need more than what their bodies produce. Vitamin/mineral supplements made
for cats and dogs help fill the gaps created by living in the modern
world. Look for the natural variety (derived from natural sources) as
opposed to synthetic.
Enzymes are other diet essentials that get
destroyed through processing. Enzymes improve the assimilation of
nutrients so that then they're lacking in a diet, the body does not fully
absorb vitamins and minerals. Enzymes exist only in whole, unprocessed and
uncooked foods. Herbs, grasses, and sprouts contain enzymes and different
enzyme supplements are available in health stores and some pet stores.
These are dehydrated plants in the form of a powder that you sprinkle on
your pet's food.
Earlier, I mentioned that a homemade diet
is still the best option. By this I mean a diet of raw meat, vegetables
and grains. Think about what animals in the wild have survived on for
thousands of years. These animals have not, by and large, suffered from
the same ailments that too many of our pets suffer from today — joint
problems, allergies, cancer, urinary tract infections, and so on. If you
choose to go this route, you'll want to read a book on natural animal care
so that you can find appropriate recipes. Several excellent books are
available in most bookstores, one being Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to
Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.
I cannot stress enough the importance of a
good diet in maintaining your pet's health. No living thing is meant to
subsist on completely manufactured food and it's only logical that after
years of doing so, an animal would not be in the best of health. Even if
your pet does not exhibit serious health problems, the chemicals and lack
of nutrients are robbing the body of its natural state. For instance, an
animal that is assumed to be healthy will look completely different when
put on a diet rich in nutrients. The difference in the coat alone is often
astounding.
In addition to being an important part of
homemade meals, this powder can be added to commercial food for a boost in
nutrients.
Healthy Powder
2c. nutritional (torula) yeast
1c. lecithin granules
1/4c. bonemeal (or 9000 milligrams
calcium or 5 t. eggshell powder)
1000 milligrams vitamin C (ground) or 1/4
t. sodium ascorbate (optional)
Mix all ingredients together in 1 qt
container and refrigerate. Add to recipes in Dr. Pitcairn's Complete
Guide to Natural Health or Dogs and Cats or to commercial food as
follows: 1-2 teaspoons a day for cats or small dogs, 2-3 teaspoons for
medium sized dogs, 1-2 tablespoons for large dogs.
Reprinted from Dr. Pitcairn's Complete
Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, 1995 by Richard. H.
Pitcairn and Susan H. Pitcairn. Permission granted by Rodale Press, Inc;
Emmaus, PA 19098
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