 |
Healthy Dog Food May Be More Difficult To Find Than You Think Natural Diets Are Your Best ChoiceThe Resource for Everything About Dogs |
|
|
|
Healthy Dog Food May Be More Difficult To Find Than You Think Natural Diets Are Your Best Choiceby Nicholas Stephen
Many brands of commercial dog food contain an excessive amount of preservatives that can ultimately lead to liver disease and liver failure. If your dog has unexplained symptoms you should first look at the food they are eating. Symptoms of liver disease from toxic dog food include vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, orange colored urine and jaundice. Toxic commercial dog food has recently come into the media spotlight and it is currently being investigated by the scientific community. Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine is currently conducting studies on the liver and blood of sick dogs believed to have consumed toxic dog food. Scientists at Cornell are analyzing commercial dog food suspected to be contaminated and analyzing the liver of dead dogs that have passed due to premature liver failure. Aflatoxin is the toxin found in many dog foods. This toxin is believed to cause liver failure. Aflatoxin blocks the production of cholesterol and proteins. Protein tests have been developed to determine if a dog has aflatoxin poisoining. The test checks levels of protein C produced by the liver. Any sudden drop in protein C levels is an indicator of liver problems induced by aflatoxin. Recently 19 varieties of Diamond Pet Food has been recalled. Country value and professional dog food brands have been recalled as well. At least 100 dog deaths have been linked to one of these three brands. It has also been reported that some rendering plants, where dog food is made and processed, actually process dead dogs and cats at their plants. These dogs and cats are processed whole without stripping off any of their fur. The dead carcasses are cooked at high temperatures for twenty minutes. Many of these dead dogs and cats already have sodium pentobarbital in their system. Sodium pentobarbital is used to euthanize pets. This is not to mention a cocktail of other toxic chemicals found in commercial dog foods. Propylene glycol has been found in wet dog foods. Propylene glycol kills red blood cells. One MIT study found that a nine pound cat feed commercial cat food ingested considerable amounts of lead. Many of the slaughter houses that deem meats unfit for human consumption are often sold to pet food companies for processing. Besides the toxic chemicals found in commercial dog foods many of these dog foods are lacking nutritional value. Many do not contain the necessary proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to keep your dog healthy. Many of the proteins derived from plants at rendering facilities have been stripped of essential fats acids, vitamins and proteins before they are even processed. Dogs are omnivores so it is easy to create a natural diet for them from food you would buy at the grocery store. The key is to understand the nutritional requirements of your dog. They require almost the same proportions of carbohydrates and proteins that we do but some of their vitamin and mineral requirements are a bit different than ours. Dogs can eat a healthy diet of eggs, chicken, beef, skim milk, oatmeal, turkey, vegetables, rice, pasta, lamb, bacon and cheese. There are quite a few creative recipes out there such as turkey cookies, cheesy bacon biscuits, canine corn bread, doggie bread pudding and doggie quiche. You never want to feed your dog only meat. This can result in an imbalance of calcium and phosphorous. An all meat diet can ultimately result in weight loss, weak bones, and joint disease. Vegetables are a critical part of a dog?s diet. When dogs in the wild attack and kill their prey they often eat the stomach of their prey first which usually contains vegetation. Your dog needs fiber in their diet. You should always include fresh crunchy vegetables in their diet. The protein requirements for your dog may fluctuate due to their external environment. If your dog is exposed to extreme temperatures, or exceptionally cold winters you should give them more protein. Vitamins and minerals are a crucial part of your dog?s diet. Although dogs can produce their own vitamin C some of the larger breeds have a difficult time producing enough Vitamin C on their own. Since vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin it is not a problem to give your dog vitamin C supplements. If your dog has too much vitamin C in their system they will simply excrete the excess out of their system. Your dog also needs certain minerals in their diet. Some of the most important minerals your dog needs are zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
Return to Index |
|
|
|
Cannot find it here? Search the internet with the power of Google: |
 |
