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.
recurring cleaning service Mundelein ..OriginDo you know that the adorable little puppy you bought... Read More
Hamster breeding can sometimes be confusing for a hamster owner.... Read More
'Help, my cat is pregnant and I don't know what... Read More
At some time or another even the sweetest cat "misbehaves."... Read More
Is your cat talking to you?Many cat lovers claim that... Read More
Dog training is definitely not rocket science and is easier... Read More
After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for... Read More
Over the past 30 years we have learned so much... Read More
Did you know that more than one million north americans... Read More
Every month I am approached by dog owners of my... Read More
What should you feed your cat to make sure he... Read More
Much has been written about the Discus, or Symphysodon aequifasciatus,... Read More
It is hard to get an early diagnosis of lyme... Read More
Are there so many great dog breeds out there that... Read More
If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More
Introducing your puppy to the crate should be an easy... Read More
While your friends and family are amazed that you're raising... Read More
Taurine, a water-soluble amino acid, has recently become the topic... Read More
Like most dog owners, you probably take your dog with... Read More
I've been around many people who try to lead a... Read More
Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it... Read More
IntroductionA long time ago, before evolution turned the primate into... Read More
Showing off your dog in front of friends and family... Read More
Puppies need to go to the bathroom after they play,... Read More
When it comes to the art of giving, a gift... Read More
tidy up service Buffalo Grove ..Are you ready for a Boxer?The answer is "no" if... Read More
The 4th Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long... Read More
The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on... Read More
Whether you are searching for something to say "Happy Birthday"... Read More
The large animal organizations and the public money.It is said... Read More
Just like when you bring home a new baby, you... Read More
A puppy wanting to chew makes you want to scream!... Read More
Grocery Stores could use some larger Dog Food Isles. Not... Read More
Dogs are descendent of wolves. To study the psychology of... Read More
Last summer, we added a new pet to our family... Read More
The Discus fish has its habitat in the South American... Read More
If you're reading this I think it's safe to assume... Read More
You know what it's like. You see a cute curly... Read More
A family, including three dogs and a cat live happily... Read More
When Lucky was starting to show signs of aging, we... Read More
In the purebred West Highland Terrier puppy market, there are... Read More
An easier and more pleasant journey with your chosen Boxer... Read More
Good filtration is the prime priority in the discus tank.... Read More
Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More
It is important to choose a sugar glider breeder carefully.... Read More
Pregnant cats have to eat for two, three, four, five,... Read More
Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby,... Read More
Nervous cats hide from people, they do not readily present... Read More
Dog obedience training begins with the owner. There are several... Read More
1.) Versatility- A good dog trainer will use techniques and... Read More
Pet |