ﾠWhat Should We Really Be Feeding our Pets?
by Dawn Price, R.D.

Today, consumers are immensely confused about what to feed their dogs and cats. Pet food manufacturers have overwhelmed the market with thousands of commercial products, each one claiming to be better than the next. The terms natural, organic, and holistic have been inaccurately and overused to the point that the true definition of these terms is no longer clear. This confusion and misinformation has resulted in heightened frustration when deciding what to feed our pets.

In order to fully comprehend the nutritional needs of our canine and feline companions, it is essential to briefly review their anatomy and digestive system.Dogs and cats are designed to eat and digest raw meat. They have sharp, jagged, blade shaped molars designed for slicing through meats. They do not have flat molars designed for grinding, which are found in animals that eat a diet high in vegetables and grains.Their mouths are hinged, allowing them to swallow large chunks of meat. They have short digestive tracts designed for the efficient digestion of meats,whereas large quantities of carbohydrates pass through undigested.

Food remains in the stomach of dogs and cats for a longer period of time than in humans. It is here where food is exposed to extremely low pH hydrochloric acid, killing any bacteria which may be present. Slowly, small amounts of food are released from the stomach, and then take a quick trip through the intestines. If any bacteria escape the industrial strength hydrochloric acid, there is very little time for it to colonize in the intestines due to the quick nature of which it passes through.ﾠ

Unfortunately, the pet food industry, largely compiled of cereal manufacturers, has saturated the market with mostly grain based products. Originally these diets, also referred to as kibble, were developed only to supplement fresh meats and provide consumers with a more convenient way to feed their pets. Today, these highly processed, grain-based diets are fed exclusively. However, dogs and cats thrive on meat based diets. Nutritionally, they do not even have a requirement for carbohydrates. If fed a predominately grain based diet, over time potential problems such as food sensitivities, dry skin, dull coat, and possibly diseases related to obesity such as diabetes may occur.ﾠ

Since dogs and cats are designed to digest meat, this is what they should be fed. If one decides to feed their pet a homemade diet, it is crucial to provide variety and nutrient balance. There are numerous books with formulated recipes available as references which can help in feeding a safe and well balanced diet. A homemade diet deficient in essential nutrients may cause more harm than good. To make it even easier for the consumer, there are plenty of commercial raw meat diets available at specialty pet retailers.

If only supplementing with meat, choose a premium kibble. It is important to avoid heavily grain-based products with excessive amounts of fillers such as rice bran, beet pulp, and tomato pomace. Choose a kibble with animal protein such as chicken, turkey or beef as the first ingredients. Dogs and cats digest and utilize animal protein better than plant protein. Carbohydrates should be limited and in their whole form. Choose products with ingredients such as whole brown rice rather than brewers rice or rice flour.

The addition of supplements to a diet is beneficial, but which ones to add will depend on the animals individual nutritional needs. A high quality, food-based multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, cold pressed fish oil, and digestive enzyme are often recommended. This is especially true if feeding a processed kibble or canned diet.

In order to provide optimal nutrition to our pets, itis essential to provide them with a meat-based diet, offer variety by rotating foods, and feed fresh, non-processed ingredients often. Unfortunately, some pet food manufacturers have changed and confused what is biologically appropriate for canines and felines. They should be fed what nature intended them to eat and thrive on. Their health depends upon it!