The year of 2007 began a series of pet food recalls. Proteins contaminated, vegetation involved contaminated. It was horrific times for pet owners everywhere as many of them lost their cats and dogs to illnesses leading often to death.
Aside from the recalls, pets were not living as long as they could have. Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, NMD once said in a webinar I attended about animal nutrition that “there is a difference between getting by and thriving.” The jest of the lecture was that this lower vitality in our pets is due, in large, to diet. That fact is still true today.
So how do we change what we feed our pets? What is the right diet?
Well, even today there are pet food recalls but because pet owners have concerned themselves with their pets nutrition, things have gotten better. Owners have been researching the contents of the foods that go into their animals as well as the companies that produce those foods. They have questioned ingredients and have started feeding a more healthy, nutrition diet because of that.
Additionally, Veterinarians have begun hiring animal nutritionists to further educate their clients. They have always been involved with nutrition but, even they have stepped up their game plan.
Owners, here is what you need to do moving forward…
Look at the ingredients of the pet food you feed your animals
Manufacturers are required to list the ingredients of pet food in descending order. So pay close attention to the first 10 ingredients. You will see that the contents of some of our leading pet food brands contain by-products, poultry-meal, crude animal protein, and rendered animal products. Not to mention, the leading vegetable matter found in these products are corn, wheat and rice, three items that aid in food allergies and obesity.
Additionally, if we look at the top five pet food brands in the world, we see that they are not accepted for human consumption. Why are we feeding our animals these foods with low quality proteins, food we would never think of feeding ourselves? Go to the store with that in mind.
In fact, go to the store with all of it in mind. Look at the ingredients and when you do, look for at least two quality proteins in the first ten items. Beef, chicken, and fish. Not chicken meal or chicken by-products. Look for at least two fat sources and quality whole grains such as barley. Make sure natural preservatives are present such as Vitamin E (mixed tocopheros) and Vitamin E (ascorbafe).
No artificial colors or preservatives such as BHA. No beet pulp or sweeteners of any kind. No soybean or wheat gluten. Soy is hard for dogs and cats to digest. A lot of these products are inexpensive but cause hundreds of dollars in Veterinary bills due to chronic constipation, diabetes, and spleen, stomach, and liver cancers.
Talk to your Veterinarian
When you go to your doctor for health concerns, you ask questions. When you want to know the best nutrition for yourself, you speak to a doctor or a nutritionist. Why not do the same for your animals?
Your Veterinarian is there as both your animals healer and as an advocate for you pet. They can educate you on what your specific animal needs to be eating in order to maintain weight, lose weight, help with any ailments they may have such as diabetes or kidney disease. Trust them.
And lastly,
Trust Yourself
Your Veterinarian and their staff are absolutely there for you and your animals but your pets greatest advocate is you. Let the knowledge you have of your pet be their voice. When they are ill, you are the first to know and when they need you, be that first responder.
Conclusion
Society sets standards, a group of people give us a set of rules and we abide by those rules, we live to those standards. For the most part, this idea works but when it comes to our pets, the time for change has come. As new rules are being made for the way we treat animals, new standards are also being set for the way we feed our animals.
Our animals are counting on all of us to thrive, let us not let them down.
