by Tina Valant

Created on: April 25, 2008

Think about your car. If you put crappy gas in it, how does it run? And after a while, what happens? The engine gets clogged and it stops working. Before you spend hundreds (at least two) getting your dog allergy tested, or another night listening to your dog biting at his feet or ripping out his fur, and feeling like a bad pet parent.

Every day, we enjoy a wide array of food choices and styles, from fast food to elegant multi-course feasts. But, our pets have to eat what we serve, when we serve it. As a pet mom who cooks (and bakes) for her pets, I thought I was very knowledgeable about their nutrition. Evidenced by extra ribcage padding, our vet kindly suggested Mack and Jackpot needed to drop some weight. Rudy had a chronic problem with itchy feet; which kept me up nights with his gnawing and licking. We assumed it was a grass allergy. I know a lot of dogs with skin and ear problems. I wondered if it could all be food-related. I had to discover how my pets' food was affecting their health. Was I feeding them fast food or solid nutrition which could improve health and vitality, and possibly increase their life spans?

Gently look in your dog or cat's mouth. Those four long pointy teeth are canines and indicate a meat-eater. They were NEVER meant to be vegetarians! Review your pet's food label. The first five ingredients are fundamental. Ground yellow corn was the first ingredient, in the food I had (from the health food store)! Did you ever see a dog, wolf, coyote, or fox chomping down on an ear of corn? Do zoo care-givers offer wheat or soybeans to the tigers, lions, or cougars? After all, our domestic pets are tiny replicas of their wild cousins.

So, then why do pet food manufacturers use corn and wheat? A little research yielded that shortly after World War II, there was a grain surplus. Unfit for human consumption, it was directed to the pet food industry. Cheap, readily available, with a long shelf life; add a colorful label, clever advertising, and grocery store convenience, for a now multi-billion dollar industry (which surpassed toys and candy). The second ingredient was chicken by-products (what remains after choice cuts). By-products can include unappealing items (beaks, butts, feet, intestines)... No wonder they can be difficult to digest. I learned an optimum food would first list a "meal", (ie: chicken meal) a human grade, concentrated source of protein with water extracted. Along with a meat meal, what else should your dog's food contain? Vegetables, an animal based fat source, beet fiber, antioxidants, bacterial cultures and proteinated minerals.

What to avoid in your pet's food? By-products, grains (soy, corn, wheat, corn gluten or wheat gluten), chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT,ethoxoquin), refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colors. I found the right foods, complete nutritional systems; and my pets are thriving. Rudy no longer keeps me awake. His feet are fine, it was an allergy to corn. Mack and Jackpot achieved their target weights. I got asked at the park, "What do you spray your dogs' coats with?" (because they are so shiny).

Our cat, Chance's coat is more gorgeous than ever. The little bumps she had vanished after about a month of being on the holistic food and supplement. Yes, holistic foods usually cost more, but since they are more digestible, you feed less (the bag lasts longer). Bonus: less to pick up! Factor in, less trips to the vet (we miss him) for allergy relief.

By taking an active interest in my pets' nutrition, and not just popping pills and giving shots, I believe I have increased and enhanced their lives. Our pets deserve to be healthy and happy, as long as we are entrusted with them

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