Let's think about this for a minute: God did not design our animals to eat pre-packaged, kibble or pellet-like food. In the wild, dogs don't tell each other, "Hey, I'm hungry, let's go to the pet food store and grab us some lunch." As if!
No, together, they go out and hunt down their food, then dig right in while it's still warm. Sorry about the graphic image, but well, that's nature for you! They also do not stoke up a campfire and sit around singing Kum Bi Ya while the meat gets cooked. Nope they just have at it in the natural raw form.
Now you might be thinking, "Yeah but that's wild animals, not our sweet kitties and dogs." Think again. They are and will always be carnivores. They need raw meat and bones to be healthy with a fully supported immune system. Also the raw, non-weight bearing bones such as the shoulders and backs give dogs and cats strong, clean white teeth eliminating the need for dentals done under anesthesia at a veterinarian's office, something that is not only much riskier but much more expensive than feeding your dogs and cats what they were designed to eat: meat.
Your other pets such as horses, guinea pigs, birds and rabbits also need natural raw food in order to thrive. They do not forage for pellets, let me tell you. Many birds are omnivorous so they'll eat fruits, veggies and meat. While our other furry and feathered friends need to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Kim Christopher states, "Proper diet is among the more important considerations in the health maintenance of your pet and essential in the management of many diseases. To feed correctly, a knowledge of dietary nutrients and their availability is important."
And Dr. Russell Swift,"Carbohydrates are not needed by dogs(or cats). Carnivores cannot maintain long term production of the quantity of amylase enzyme necessary to properly digest and utilize the carbohydrates. In addition, the proteins in grains are less digestive than animal proteins. As a result, the immune system becomes irritated and weakened by the invasion of foreign, non-nutritive protein and carbohydrate particles."
So just what do you think most packaged pet foods commonly know as premium kibble contain? Grains. Byproducts. Toxic preservatives.
The question would then arise, if pet food manufacturers know this (they must because they're in business to know) why are these things added to our pet food and why are we told that these packaged foods are so good? Even our mainstream veterinarians are selling these foods to us.
Good questions. Part of the reason is because it's cheaper to use grains and byproducts. Byproducts can be anything we'd normally throw out such as beaks, feathers, feet/hooves, euthanized animals, road kill, you name it. It all gets rendered and added into our packaged pet foods.
Oh but it gets better. These foods are then baked. Here is what Dr. Betty Lewis stated on her website, "What's wrong with commercial foods? The number one item which makes commercial foods inappropriate for pets is that these foods are cooked. No one has ever reported seeing wild animals routinely barbecuing their meals! Raising the temperature of food above 118?F destroys all the enzymes and many of the nutrients."
To top it all off, in order to be able to say that these commercial foods have all the needed nutrients in them, they SPRAY on the nutrients. To get more details on this pick up the book by Ann Martin, Foods Pets Die For.
One of the best things you can do if you're confused about how to get started feeding your pets a natural diet is to first find a holistic veterinarian in your area and then find out what is appropriate for your pet. Homeopathic and holistic vets really adhere and promote the complete natural lifestyle for your pets and can help you put together a diet that will give your pet what he/she needs for full nutritional support.
All the problems we're seeing in our pets: allergies, skin disorders, cancer, diabetes, feather plucking, pulling out furr, etc., can almost alway be attributed to poor nutrition AND to food allergies. Their immune systems are compromised because they are not getting enough nutrition to support themselves which then weakens their immune system. Then we see disease. If the immune system is not supported properly, disease gets a front door welcome into your pets bodies.
So if you want to start seeing your pets live healthier, longer lives and also greatly reduce your vet bills, then switch to a natural, raw food diet. Your pets will love you for it!
References:
http://home.earthlink.net/~pawsreflect/nutrition.html
http://www.raot.org/information/nutrition.htm
About the Author:
Kim Bloomer is a natural pet care educator helping pet owners learn to care for their pets through natural, holistic means. Disease prevention is her goal to help pet owners lower their pet care costs and extend the lives of their pets. Visit her website aspenbloom pet care and her dog's blog barkin' about natural pet care from a canine perspective aspenbloom pet care
Look for Kim's new book on natural dog health with Dr. Jill Elliot, DVM due for release spring 2006.
shuttle from O'Hare Orland Park .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareDog clicker training is so much fun for both dogs... Read More
Can cats and dogs live together without constantly being at... Read More
Last summer, we added a new pet to our family... Read More
Lemon TetraGlassily transparent, the lemon tetra (hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) could appear... Read More
Talk to the animals?Yes.And what's more, they talk to us!If... Read More
In compiling some information on achieving a proper fit to... Read More
Obesity in dogs is a growing problem, which can cause... Read More
Horse owners who are history buffs may recognize the name... Read More
If you are considering opening a dog day care, then... Read More
Maintaining your fish bowl can be difficult sometimes. However, your... Read More
When looking for the best dog food - consider Life's... Read More
Are there so many great dog breeds out there that... Read More
Have you ever dreamed of living with a bobcat or... Read More
Dog eye problems can occur at any time. You should... Read More
Anyone wanting a new kitten should be a cat lover.... Read More
Continued from part two.Epilepsy/seizure disorderWhen your Boxer is between 2... Read More
Understanding where horses come from has been a long road... Read More
Cockatiels are one of the most lovable pets in the... Read More
Annual Vaccinations for Your Dog?Are they really necessary? - In... Read More
Rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from... Read More
Throughout the course of my life, I've encountered my own... Read More
Mum, dad, can we get a puppy? Its a plea... Read More
What is Canine Bloat?Bloat refers to the bloating of the... Read More
Unfortunately, accidents can - and DO happen, so it's always... Read More
More and more folks are looking to the Internet to... Read More
Lincoln Town Car rentals Addison ..Puppies and dogs, as mentioned, are social creatures. When they... Read More
Let's face it ? everything is cute when it's small... Read More
One we must regrettably share with our children for they... Read More
Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays,... Read More
Even with the best care, cats can become ill. Sometimes... Read More
Dog fashions are all the rage and have become quite... Read More
Dog Travel SuppliesThe shopping part along for dog travel supplies... Read More
Piranhas are unique creatures that have gained popularity not just... Read More
Dogs make great loyal pets and are always pleased to... Read More
As overwhelming as picking out a pet bird can be,... Read More
You may be hearing more talk these days about "Essential... Read More
Part1: There is Actually a "Wrong" Way to Crate TrainCrate... Read More
What kind of materials should you use when constructing a... Read More
For most cat owners, training their cat to use the... Read More
1. What is heat?Heat is more properly called the estrous... Read More
Kittens are and have always been adorable creatures. Of course,... Read More
Are cats and children a good mix?So, you had a... Read More
When Lucky was starting to show signs of aging, we... Read More
Should you seriously consider buying a dog health insurance policy?... Read More
By Jeffrey Rolocopyright 2004 AlphaHorseIn the dating world many men... Read More
Losing your cat is a worrying experience, use these 'How... Read More
Almost without exception, breeders will advertise that their favorite terrier,... Read More
My two therapy dogs, Nikki and Benny, bring joy to... Read More
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More
This article discusses two foods in paticual. For the puppy... Read More
Pet |