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 Bark 'N' Blog
Look for Kim's new book on natural dog health with Dr. Jill Elliot, DVM due for release spring 2006.
limousine chicago serviceBackgroundSilkworms are the larva of a moth (Bombyx mori) native... Read More
Just like when you bring home a new baby, you... Read More
Once though of as a mere harmless but annoying pest,... Read More
If you're reading this I think it's safe to assume... Read More
Before you decide to give your dog canine arthritis medicine... Read More
Before we talk about using the essential oils, we first... Read More
Should you seriously consider buying a dog health insurance policy?... Read More
Every day we are looking for ways to make our... Read More
Presently, and throughout the 1990s a phenomena swept through the... Read More
Now that my services have expanded into the "matchmaking" business,... 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
Dog SupplementsA good nutritional program of dog supplements is just... Read More
Over the last 15 years, I have raised nine orphaned... Read More
Owning a dog is a serious responsibility, one that should... Read More
"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury... Read More
This mysterious cat is originally from the country of Siam,... Read More
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More
Here are 5 things to do to put the odds... Read More
Training CollarsTraining collars are a tool many pet owners utilize... Read More
Of the thirty-three terrier breeds (most of which were first... Read More
Over the past decade, breed rescue groups have become a... Read More
Over the last 20 years, vaccinations have generally been started... Read More
On the surface playing Frisbee with your dog may seem... Read More
The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise... Read More
discounted street lights everlast induction lighting Pete's produce ..Attempting to train your dog to walk on a leash... Read More
On the surface playing Frisbee with your dog may seem... Read More
The proper selection of a training collar can have a... Read More
Over the last 20 years, vaccinations have generally been started... Read More
Fleas belong to the insect order Siphonaptera. They are common... Read More
In compiling some information on achieving a proper fit to... Read More
According to the American Humane Society, just 15% of dogs... Read More
Vaccinations play an important part in the preventive healthcare of... Read More
A crate is a valuable and useful training tool. Its... Read More
Last summer, we added a new pet to our family... Read More
Unfortunately, there are a number of household items which we... Read More
Do you make a lot of trips to the vet's... Read More
My dad was an avid animal lover. We grew up... Read More
This is a very controversial topic which has a lot... Read More
Almost all communities in the U.S. require at least one... Read More
Pets can enjoy the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as much... Read More
HistoryThroughout the US and in many parts of the world,... Read More
Everybody loves puppies. Who can resist those cute little faces... Read More
You've made up your mind, it's the American Pit Bull... Read More
The term applehead Chihuahua refers to the shape of a... Read More
These days, it's hard to know what decisions are the... Read More
Giving your dog a bath is important, but not as... Read More
If your feline friend could speak your language, here a... Read More
Talk to the animals?Yes.And what's more, they talk to us!If... Read More
BackgroundSilkworms are the larva of a moth (Bombyx mori) native... Read More
Pet Pet |