What R U Feeding Your Dog?

Cat & Dog food is an $11billion dollar+ industry in the United States and there are hundreds and hundreds of brands so it’s safe to say choosing ONE is overwhelming. What to feed you dog is a very personal choice. It’s often made via advice from a trusted veterinarian, fellow dog-lover, breeder or other animal professional. However, you need to do your homework! There are so many articles and Internet sites that discuss the controversial topic of what’s best to feed your dog. Read every single one of them!! I have included some links at the end to great sites that discuss pet nutrition and what’s really in commercial dog foods. You’d be horrified to know what’s in your favorite kibble at your local supermarket.

COMMERCIAL PET FOOD INDUSTRY:
The commercial pet food industry is a sub-industry of the human food/agricultural industry. Anything unfit for human consumption at slaughterhouses such as waste & grain remnants that end up on the floor ends up in our pet food. Think of a slaughterhouse; choice, high quality meats are cut away for human consumption as governed by the FDA. The left overs (bones, blood, pus, intestines, ligaments an all other bodyparts not fit for consumption by humans) is used to make pet food. These would be referred to as “by-products” on the ingredients list on your pet food. (Another source for protein that won’t be listed on your bag of dog food is actual dogs & cats! Commercial pet food manufactures deny these claims but the American Veterinary Medical Association confirmed the San Francisco Chronicles’ 1990 report that euthanized companion animals were being used in pet food)

Most commercial pet foods are made by multi-national food companies:
-Proctor & Gamble who make Joy dishwashing liquid, Crest toothpaste, Zest soap, Fabreze also make Iams and Eukanuba pet foods!
-Alpo, Fancy Feast, Friskies and Mighty Dog are produced by Nestle
-9-Lives, Amore, Gravy Train, Kibbles & Bits, Recipe, Vets are all from Heinz
-Colgate makes Hills Science Diet
-Mars makes Kal Kan, Mealtime, Pedigree, Sheba

Sadly, no commercial pet food maker is dedicated solely to pet food or pet nutrition. Their pet food line is secondary to a line of human food and speculated as quite possibly a source for disposing of waste unfit for human consumption while making money at it too. Just read the ingredients on a bag of Alpo or Purina Puppy Chow…what is all that garbage?


PREMIUM PET FOOD INDUSTRY: (sometimes referred to as holistic)
On the flip side, the premium pet food industry is dedicated to pet nutrition and pet health. Many of the premium foods were formulated by veterinarians and breeders out of necessity because they believed what was available did not offer the proper nutrition. Only high quality ingredients are used in premium pet foods that match with what is fit and balanced for canines & felines without over processing or the use of chemicals and preservatives or unnecessary plant based ingredients. The ingredients used in premium pet foods would be fit for human consumption. Price is often a good indicator of the quality of food inside the bag…Because there aren’t fillers, chemicals, preservatives and only high quality ingredients are used, premium dog foods are more expensive. But in the long run, you will need less of it. Since it meets or exceeds the nutritional needs of your pet, it will not only end up costing you less to feed your dog but your dog will be healthier with less trips to the vet and will live longer. For a medium to large size breed dog you might need 2-3 cups of commercial brands twice a day to make a meal for your dog where as a premium food will only require 1 ½ - 2 cups once a day. See the incredible value here. (An easy tell-tale to know if your food has chemicals and preservatives is in it’s texture or shape and smell…the more hardened or shaped the kibble/food is and the more pleasant smelling, means the more additives, chemicals and preservatives have been used to retain such an unnatural form.)

FDA:
The pet food industry is regulated by the FDA CVM (Food & Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine) and work in partnership with AAFCO (Association of American Feeds Control Officials) to determine safe pet food ingredients and testing protocols. Pet food labels are required to carry certain information on them such as ingredients listed in descending order of prevalence, life stage claims and manufacturers contact information. It is up to the consumer to decipher all the information on the label and deem it fit or unfit for their pet.

WHAT IS A DOG?
Although they are scavengers and will eat ANYTHING, the true nature of dogs is that of a carnivore (meat-eaters). Their primary source of nutrition is PROTEIN, not corn, barley, wheat, soy, etc. Be sure that the first and greatest-by-volume ingredient on your dogs’ food is an actual MEAT OR PROTEIN. Ingredients on pet food packaging are listed in order of largest volume. If your first ingredient listed is CORN then you can stop right there because that ingredient will make up the majority of the food from which the nutrients are found. OR if the first ingredient is beef but the second, third and fourth ingredients are various forms of wheat, then the volume of wheat over takes the beef as the majority ingredient. This will not satisfy the nutritional needs of your pet and their health, skin & coat will suffer. The first ingredient should be MEAT; chicken, beef, lamb, even fish, etc. (Not to mention, grains can harbor toxic molds. The FDA found widespread failure at Diamond Pet Food to test their corn last fall when nearly 80 dogs were seriously effected or died from mold contaminated pet food resulting in a nationwide warning and recall on their feed.)

SPECIAL DIETS:
If you have a pet that requires special diets due to allergies, auto-immune disease or digestive problems, tread lightly and carefully to determine what combination of ingredients is best going to satisfy the nutritional balance while meeting the needs of a special diet. For example my 16 yr. old Yorkshire Terrier has developed IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in his later years and meat upsets his system terribly. Even chicken or lamb & rice results in constant vomiting several times a day. So I was reluctantly forced to use a commercial brand (Science Diet Sensitive stomach) that uses egg as its protein source instead of meat. It’s the only thing that stays down. I still use a little of the premium lamb & rice brand mixed in to bolster the nutritional value of the SD. Perhaps if I had used a premium diet with him from puppyhood (I only discovered premiums when he was about 10 yrs. old), he might have never developed IBS.

STOOL SAMPLE:
Beet pulp and soybeans are very common fiber fillers in dog food. Beet pulp should be avoided at all costs. It causes a vicious cycle of devastating effects on a dogs intestinal system. Your veterinarian usually requires an annual stool sample check for your dog. The main reason is to look for microscopic parasites and worms. But they will also check the consistency or hardness of the stool to determine nutritional sufficiency; a hard stool means a healthy dog, right? Wrong! Here’s the catch; beet pulp has enormous fluid absorbing capacity and expansive properties. Meaning it holds up to 7 times it’s weight in water and can increase in volume by as much as 250%…this swollen mass in the intestines will draw IN more and more fluid from the surrounding tissue to re-hydrate the beet pulp and continue to expand until it becomes so large that it’s digestion through the colon comes to a screeching crawl. Now the colon’s job is to draw OUT the moisture and create a stool.

This job becomes slowed and labored and forms a very hard dry stool that is uncomfortable to pass and damages the intestinal lining. Because of this “artificially created hard stool” many digestive problems are masked because all seems right, right? WRONG…the intestinal tracts’ natural response to irritants is to try to eliminate them via diarrhea. Diarrhea is the body’s natural way to expel irritants by the intestinal tract drawing in water through osmosis (through the tissue) in an attempt to flush the system as rapidly as possible. So what’s really happening here? If your pet has eaten something it shouldn’t or has an infection, or just the mere fact of intestinal damage from these huge stools trying to pass every day, the body’s natural reaction is to create diarrhea to get rid of it and it’s that diarrhea that warns us something is wrong.

BUT if beet pulp is present in the diet, a hard stool will always be produced …no matter how hard the body tries to produce diarrhea to flush out irritants, the stool just becomes harder and harder as long as beet pulp is in the diet. (although at some point, the body’s natural defense mechanism should win out and perhaps intermittent diarrhea will appear but because it goes away, you will think everything is fine) So next you switch your dog food to try to correct the problem. Perhaps you pick one that does not have beet pulp and all is right, right? WRONG…if intestinal problems were present, they were only masked before and now will present as diarrhea, bloody stools, etc. These symptoms are often blamed on the new diet when that is not the case at all. Your dogs stool should never be rock hard or be difficult to pass. Nor should they be runny or puddle. They should contain moisture and some soft shape; somewhere between rock hard and runny.


BLOAT:
There are MANY theories on what causes bloat (a fatal gastrointestinal disorder where gas/bubbles form and are trapped in the stomach causing expansion and twisting cutting off circulation to it and other organs). It has been speculated that it’s genetic or breed specific. It’s been speculated that it’s from too much exercise right after eating or drinking. It’s also been speculated that it’s from gulping too much air when eating or drinking. There is however, a more scientific theory out there. Beet pulp and soybeans contain Saponins (glycosides that have the ability to act as emulsifying agents). Saponins are like soap; when mixed with water and shaken make dense, foam-like bubbles with high surface tension, which makes them hard to rupture or dissipate. So put the Saponin theory together with the heavy exercise after eating or drinking theory and you have a recipe for disaster. Do not allow your dog to run, jump or play for several hours after eating regardless of what diet they are on. Feed them smaller meals spaced out rather than one large meal.

MY RECOMMENDATION:
Personally, I HIGHLY recommend Abady dog food. It was created by Dr. Robert Abady, a veterinarian. It comes in 10 formulas for different breed sizes, stages of life and textures (the granular formulas have the consistency of dirt but they also have two kibble formulas and canned). Abady’s formulas are made up of fish & real meat proteins and essential fatty acids. The Robert Abady Dog Food Company focuses it’s research on the fact that dogs are carnivores (meat-eaters) and believe many commercial dog food manufacturers are misleading the public into thinking that dogs are omnivores (meat and plant eaters) in order to justify the use of inexpensive plant based ingredients in the foods to save on manufacturing costs. The formulation of the Abady food is scientifically designed taking into account that dogs don’t require plant or carbohydrate based food, that their digestive system is designed to process meat/protein and they lack certain enzymes needed to breakdown plant matter.

To further support the carnivore nature of dogs, their dental set up is also designed for meat/protein; to rip flesh, cut tendon and crush bone. Canines don’t possess a single tooth suited for grinding grain. Abady’s research has also made a connection between these plant-based foods consumed over time and digestive tract corrosion and bloat. In fact Abady’s research found reports of an alarming rise in Gastric Dilation (bloat) in the 70’s through the 90’s and could be directly correlated to the introduction of new ingredients in dog foods such as beet pulp and other highly expandable fiber ingredients that reek havoc on a dogs digestive system. I’ve been feeding Abady to my 7 year old Doberman since she was a puppy and in 7 years I’ve only had to take her to the vet ONCE outside of regular vaccination visits. She’s never sick, her coat gleams and she is strong, lean & healthy. I feed her 1 ½ to 2 cups a day.

There are several other amazing premium brands out there (you need to find the one you believe in):
-Wysong
-Flint River
-Wysong Missing Link supplement
-Solid Gold
-California Natural
-Canidae
-BillJak
-Wellness

IF NOTHING ELSE, PLEASE DON’T BUY ALPO, OLD ROY, PURINA PUPPY CHOW OR DOG CHOW OR JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER BRAND YOU CAN GET AT YOUR LOCAL SUPERMARKET. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE INGREDIENTS!! THEY ALL CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF THE INGREDIENTS I HAVE URGED YOU TO AVOID!

If you were in a pinch and you absolutely HAD to buy dog food at the grocery store, something new has popped up! It’s Entrée for Dogs by Three Dog Bakery. Three Dog Bakery describe themselves as Ultra-Premium. This dog food is made from 100% Human quality ingredients in a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) inspected plan. YOU could even eat this food. Although they do use vegetables in their recipes, which we have discussed the questionable necessity of, their dedication to high quality ingredients and the absence of grains such as corn and wheat as well as the absence of beet pulp and soy beans, I would consider this the only pet food fit for dogs at the supermarket.
There are hundreds and hundreds of pet food brands out there. Not all the manufacturers use poor quality ingredients but as a responsible pet owner, it’s up to you to educate yourself on what’s out there and what’s best for your pet.

WHERE TO BUY:
I purchase my dog food at Waggintails in Spencer, Mass. OR 800-946-8245. They sell high quality, natural premium pet foods. I have my order within two days of calling it in. Skipton Kennels at 70 Southhampton Street, Boston also carries almost every premium brand. You can place phone orders also (800) 738-6368 but their shipping time is not always reliable so order well in advance of running out of food. Once you pick a brand, you can find it anywhere on the Internet.

MYTHS:
1) Dogs need vegetables and grains in their diet…not true! They are carnivores and need protein. Their entire makeup is designed to tear-into and digest meat and bone. Raw vegetables make a great alternative to processed treats but are not a requirement in the canine diet.

2) Dogs can’t eat raw meat…not true! Dogs can fully digest raw meat, fish and eggs and are unaffected by the bacteria that might otherwise debilitate a human due to certain enzymes in their digestive system. They have a harder time digesting cooked meat than raw. However, raw diets should be introduced early and avoid being introduced to seniors.

3) Beet pulp, soybeans and other fibers are beneficial to a dogs’ digestive health…not true! Abady’s research goes into a long litany of how the opposite is true. Soybeans and Beet pulp have adverse effects on a dogs’ digestive system.

4) The FDA oversees dog food manufactures procedures…true yes, but even the FDA’s website states “Neither the FDA nor state feed control officials have the number of employees required to monitor every supplement and food manufacturer and prevent those using unapproved ingredients from selling their products…It's a matter of profit incentive versus likelihood of getting caught. The same forces apply for why police cannot write speeding tickets to everyone driving over the speed limit. That doesn't make speeding legal."

BOTTOM LINE
Their entire lives, our pets rely solely upon us to provide for them. It is our responsibility to make sure what we are feeding them is safe, healthy, nutritionally balanced and appropriate for their species.