pet food report

pet food report �

What do vets really learn about nutrition?

RepoRttop 10 liesyou’ve been told

Why do

recallshappen?

Diet &Diseasewhat’s the connection?

the evolutionof pet food

From the Publishers of Animal Wellness Magazine

www.AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

pet Food

Fast and easy

Recipes

$5.95 USA/Canada

ANNUAL 07

FRuits & Veggies:

what’s good, what’s bad

How to pick the

best FooDfrom its label

get to the truth about pet food annual report

Inside: Money $aving coupons

� pet food report

pet food report �

8

22

12

30

14

The evolution of pet foodHow did we go from feeding Fido and Fluffy table scraps to dishing out kibble-sized bits?

Top 14 fruits & veggies for your animalThese flavorful favorites are as good for him as they are for you!

Be a label detectiveHow to read and understand pet food labels.

What do vets learn about nutrition?If diet is the foundation of good health, why isn’t nutrition a priority at vet school?

Diet and disease - what’s the connection?Allergies, diabetes, obesity and arthritis are rampant in dogs and cats. The culprit can often be found in their food bowls.

What you should know about “Frankenfoods”Are GMO foods as safe as the experts say they are?

8

Index

Top 10 lies you’ve been toldOur favourite list of lies and myths.

28

Contents

page 14

page 12

page 32

page 52

20

� pet food report

Contents

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52

41

58

48

Why do recalls happen?You may be surprised to find out how few guidelines there are regulating pet food.

Good ol’ home cooking for dogs and catsCreating healthy, wholesome meals for your four-footed companion involves a little homework, but it’s well worth the effort.

It’s a dog’s lifeFrom puppyhood to the golden years…what you need to know about feeding your canine companion through the various stages of life.

Doing detoxJust like us, our animals are constantly exposed to toxic substances in their food and environment. Here’s how to help them back to wellness.

What a treat!Choosing the right goodies for your companion.

Coupons & discounts

“Grrrr…that’s mine!”What to do about food aggression.

56

page 48

page 8

page 58

� pet food report

As fresh as it getsMore and more people are discovering the benefits of feeding their pets a raw diet.

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pet food report �

� pet food report

Animal Wellness Magazine’s Pet Food Report (ISSN 1710-1190) is published annually by Redstone Media Group Inc. Publications Mail Agreement #40884047. Entire contents copyright© 2007. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher. Publication date: September, 2007

Editorial dEpartmEnt

Editor-in-ChiEf: Dana CoxManaging Editor: Ann BrightmanSEnior graphiC dESignEr: Stephanie WrightgraphiC dESignEr: Leanne Atin

Contributing WritErs

Kim BloomerSteve BrownAudi Donamor Autumn Drouin, DVMMichael W. Fox, DSc, PhD, B. Vet. Med., MRCVSMegan HobbieJean Hofve, DVMShawn Messonnier, DVMLisa S. Newman, ND, PhDPaul Owens Monica SegalBeth TaylorJeannie ThomasonCeleste Yarnall, PhD

administration & salEs

prESidEnt/C.E.o.: Tim HockleyoffiCE ManagEr: Lesia WrightCirCulation & CoMMuniCationS ManagEr: Jamie ConroyadMiniStrativE aSSiStant: Julie Poff

national SalES ManagEr: Lesley Nicholson (866) 764-1212 [email protected]

WEStErn rEgional ManagEr: Becky Starr (213) 793-1867 [email protected]

Canadian rEgional ManagEr: brEnda hoffMan

(647) 344-5567 [email protected]

ClaSSifiEd advErtiSing: Lesia [email protected]

to subsCribE to AnimAl Wellness magazinE: Subscription price is $19 in the U.S. and $24 in Canada, including taxes for six issues shipped via surface mail. Subscriptions can be processed by: Website: www.animalwellnessmagazine.com Phone: 1-866-764-1212 uS Mail: Animal Wellness Magazine, PMB 168, 8174 S. Holly St., Centennial, CO 80122 Cdn Mail: Animal Wellness Magazine, 164 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9H 2L2 Subscriptions are payable by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, check or money order.

The material in this magazine is not intended to replace the care of veterinary practitioners. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor, and different views may appear in other issues. Redstone Media Group Inc., publisher of Pet Food Report, does not promote any of the products or services advertised by a third party advertiser in this publication, nor does Redstone Media Group Inc. verify the accuracy of any claims made in connection with such advertisers. Refund policy: call or write our customer servicedepartment and we will refund unmailed issues.

dEalEr inquiriEs WElComE: Animal Wellness Magazine is available at a discount for resale in retail shops and through various organizations. Call 1-866-764-1212 and ask for dealer magazine sales, fax us at 705-742-4596 or e-mail at [email protected].

Whenthemassivepetfoodrecallunfoldedlastspring,peoplewerejustifiablyhorrified.Millionsweregluedtothenews,watchingnervouslytoseeiftheirbrandofpetfoodmadethegrowingrecalllist.Dozensofanimalsdiedandmanymorethanwe’lleverknowoffellsick.

Ironically,somegooddidcomefromthiscrisis.Petloversdiscoveredthatdietreallyisthecornerstoneoftheirpets’health.Theyrealized

thatthedecisionstheymakefortheiranimals’nutritionalneedscanmakethedifferencebetweenahealthy,happydogorcatandonewhoselifeisplaguedbymedicalproblems.

Butawarenessisonlythefirststep.Tomakeinformeddecisionsforthefour-leggedmembersofyourfamily,youneedadeeperlevelofunderstanding.Unfortunately,asDr.ShawnMessonnierexplainsinhisarticleonpage20,mostconventionalveterinarianslearnverylittleaboutnutrition,soyoucan’trelyontheseprofessionalsforadviceondiet.Clearly,theregulatorybodiesresponsibleforpetfoodareequallyineffectiveatguaranteeingpetfoodsafety(seeDr.JeanHofve’sarticleonpage38).Sohowdoyouknowwhattofeedyourcompanionanimal?Thetruthis,itdependsonanumberoffactors,includingyourlifestyleandbudget.ButthePetFoodReportwillgiveyoualltheguidanceyouneedtomakethebestdecisionsforyourfamily.Attheveryleast,you’llfindmuchfoodforthoughtinthearticles,writtenbynutritionalexpertsfromawidevarietyofbackgrounds.Anddon’tbesurprisedifyouranimal’shealthimprovesafterincorporatingsomeoftheadviceyoufindhere.

Morethanlikely,petfoodrecallswillcontinuetohappeninthefuture.AsIwritethis,Wal-Martisremovingtwolowerqualitypettreatsfromitsshelvesamidstreportsfromshoppersthatthe“cookies”arecausingdogdeaths.

Withdiligence,however,andpublicationssuchasthePetFoodReportandAnimalWellnessMagazine,you’llbebetterabletokeepyouranimalssafeandhappy.

Yoursinhealth,

DanaCoxEditor-in-Chief

Knowledge is power

Editorial

www.animalwellnessmagazine.com

pet food report �

What do vets really

learn about nutrition?

RepoRt

top 10 liesyou’ve been told

Why do

recallshappen?

Diet &Diseasewhat’s the connection?

the evolutionof pet food

From the Publishers of Animal Wellness Magazine


pet Food

Fast and easy

Recipes

$5.95 USA/Canada

ANNUAL 07

FRuits &Veggies:

what’s good, what’s bad

How to pick the

best FooDfrom its label

get to the truth about pet food 2007 annual report

Inside: Money $aving

coupons

OCTO

BER/NOVEM

BER 2007

VOLU

ME 9 ISSU

E 5

aNIM

aL W

ELLNESS M

agazIN

E

For a long, healthy life!


wellnessanimalHow to keep himbreathing easy

Top 5fasHionTrends

natural help forsHy animals

10 best dogsfor apartments

advice onbringing an

outdoor cat in

How muchsleepdoes she

really need?

smog alerT!

Display until November 19, 2007$5.95 USA/Canada

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 5

OCtOber/NOvember

http://www.animalwellnessmagazine.com

pet food report �

Mom, we can’t read ingredients , but you can.

Most pet foods contain animal by-products and things

you’d never feed your family.

Are you being fooled?Before you say “my pet’s food has no animal by-products,” take

a minute to read the ingredients. You’ll probably be surprised tolearn that you’re not feeding them as well as you thought you were.

BLUETM is True.BLUE has no animal by-products or artificial preservatives, just

the finest natural ingredients like high-quality protein, wholesomewhole grains, garden veggies and fruit. Plus, BLUE contains

unique LifeSource® Bits that are filled with nutrients and antioxidants for an extra measure of protection.

Be TRUE. Feed BLUE.™©2007 Blue Buffalo Co., Ltd.

Compare Your Brand to BLUE™

Deboned Chicken, Fish or Lambis the FIRST Ingredient

Wholesome Whole Grains

Garden Veggies & Fruit

LifeSource® Bits

All Natural*

NO ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS

NO CORN, WHEAT OR SOY PROTEIN

GLUTEN-FREE*With added vitamins and minerals.

YourBrandBLUE

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Compare the ingredients of your pet’s food to BLUE™

and get a free sample at www.TrueBluePetFood.com.

� pet food report

W hat we feed our companionanimals is probably the big-gestfactorinbuildinghealth,

long life, resistance to disease, and ahappy,eventemperament.Thepetfoodindustryprovidesuswithhundredsofchoices,somealotbetterthanothers.Butwhenandhowdiditallstart?Howdiddogsandcatsgofromhuntingandforagingtoeating“kibblesandbits”?

How it all beganLet’s travel back in time to the late1800swhenayoungAmericanelectri-cian, James Spratt, was in London forbusiness.Henoticedsomedogsbeingfed leftover ship’s biscuits. Ideal forlongtripsbysea,thesebone-hardflourpastebiscuitsyieldedanextraordinarilylongstoragelife.

Inspired, Spratt decided to create adog biscuit made from wheat meal,vegetables,beetrootandmeattosellto

English countrymen for their sportingdogs. His formulation was based moreonguessworkthannutritionalguidelines,butthissimplebiscuitwasundoubtedlymore nutritious than many of the pro-cessedcommercialfoodssoldtoday.

Spratt sold his company in 1890.Thenewownerstookthecompanyoverseasandestablishedthedogbiscuitconceptin the United States. It soon becamea household commodity, although itwould be nearly 30 more years beforepetfoodingeneralstartedtocatchon.

A century of change •AfterWorldWar I, canned horsemeatenteredthedogfoodmarket.

•Canned cat food and dry meat-mealbased dog foods made an appearanceduringthe1930s.

•By1941,canneddogfoodrepresented91% of the industry. This changed

during the Second World War, sincetinwas an important resource for thewareffort.

•By the end of the war, dry pet foodshadbecomethemostpopular.

•The 1950s saw the introduction of“nutritionally enhanced” dry pet foods;these were comparable to the cheapercommercialbrandsoftoday.

•Duringthe1960s,drykibble,semi-moist,

By MeGAn HoBBIe

THe eVoLUTIonoF peT FooD How did we go from feeding Fido and Fluffy table scraps to dishing out kibble-sized bits?

pet food report �

and canned pet foods were available.The general ingredients were meat,poultry, seafood and their by-products,feedgrain,meal,preservatives,additives,and flavorings. Some of the additivesincludeddyes,flavorenhancers,stabilizersandthickeners.Peoplewerediscouragedfromfeedingtheiranimalstablescraps,the claim being that they didn’t com-prisea“completeandbalanced”diet.

•By 1973, pet food overtook coffee asthe largest-selling category among drygrocery commodities.Americans werespendingfourtimesmoreonpetfoodthan on baby food. This $5 billion-a-year industry spent more than $160millionayearontelevision,newspaper,andmagazineadvertising.Inthemidstof the industry’s competition, qualityand good nutrition were being sacri-ficedtoprofit,andanimalsbegantosuf-ferfromhealthproblemstheyrarely,ifever,hadbefore,suchasdiabetes,kid-neydisease,obesity,cancer,allergies,etc.

•ItwasaroundthistimethatDr.RichardH. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, and otherslike him, started coming out withinformation and resources that pro-vided people with the facts aboutwhat they were actually feeding theirfurry friends. Their work triggered anew awareness among consumers aboutthe quality of pet food ingredientsandregulationstandards.

•Unhealthy commercial pet foodsstill flood the market today, butwe’re also seeing an increase in thenumber of companies offering higher

Before the advent of pet food, people

mainly fed their dogs and cats kitchen

scraps and leftovers.

�0 pet food report

quality canned, dry and raw frozendiets made from whole, natural in-gredients free of synthetic additivesand other chemicals. Not long ago, itwasn’t easy to source these premiumfoods, but they’re becoming morewidelyavailableandyoucannow findtheminmanypetfoodstores.

Things have changed beyond recog-nition since James Sprattbaked his first dogbiscuit, and when weconsider what goesinto today’s com-mercial pet foods, wemight wish ourselvesbackinsimplertimes.

Butwe’reactuallyluckytoliveintheagewedo.Wehaveaccesstoallkindsofinformationsourcesthatwould have been unknown in Spratt’sday. Books and magazines aboutholistic health, websites, natural petfood stores and manufacturers, healthfoodstores,andintegrativeveterinarianscan all provide the education youneed to choose the best possible dietforyourbelovedcompanion.

We also have a growing number andvariety of healthy high quality petfoodstochoosefrom(andit’sokaytoadd some table scraps!). In short, wehaveallthetoolsweneedtotakebackthehealthofourdogsandcats.

Megan Hobbie specializes in providing inforMation, resources, and services tHat create a HealtHy, peaceful, and fun environMent for people and aniMals. sHe Has written two HealtH guides for dogs and cats. part of tHe proceeds

froM tHese products goes to gulf

coast aniMal refuge. Having survived Hurricane cHarley witH Her dogs angel, zoe, and ginger, Megan is currently spearHeading a coMMunity effort to build a Multi-use facility tHat will provide sHelter for faMilies and tHeir aniMals during natural disasters, and assist otHer coMMunities affected by tHe saMe cHallenges. visit www.gcaniMalrefuge.coM or www.justrelaxwitHMegan.coM

A closer look atcommercial foodsKibbleFor many people, price is a consideration, so they purchase large bags of whatever food ison sale. Commercial dry kibbleis the easiest form for themanufacturers to blend; it’salso easier for them to hidethe questionable ingredients. The process begins by pressure-cooking the ingredients. Then the food is flavored, colored, and dehydrated. Kibble may seemcost-effective, but the consistent consumption of indigestible food creates healthchallenges in dogs and cats.

CannedTo make commercial canned foods, animal proteins (including by-products and other waste materials) are ground and mixed together. The meat mixture enters a “cooker” which is responsible for determining the texture of the food. The meat is then mixed with grains, vitamin/mineral supplements, and water, then cooked at a high temperature. The cans are filled, sterilized at a temperature high enough to kill bacteria, cooled, vacuum-sealed, and labeled. Although this process destroys nutrients, it isn’t as detrimental as dry food processing.

Semi-moistThe ultimate “junk food” of the pet foodindustry, semi-moist diets weredevised to remind people ofhamburger, chunks of meat, or cheese. They contain a large number of artificial flavorings, preservatives, fillers, and salt. Some contain up to 25% sugar and/or propylene glycol, an additive from the chemical family of anti-freeze, oils, and waxes. These chemicals are used to extend the shelf life and keep the food moist.

Hint: High quality premium canned and dryfoods are made with whole, clean, meat-based protein sources and contain a much higher meat-to-grain ratio than their commercial counterparts. They are free of questionable by-products and fillers, as well as chemical preservatives, coloring and other additives. As well, new processing and packaging technologies allow these foods to be produced in a way that preserves as many nutrients as possible.

pet food report ��

Leads the Way in naturaL

WhoLe Food diets For dogs

and Cats

n nature, dogs and cats are meat eating predators, what scientists call carnivores. When wild dogs or cats consume their prey they eat the entire animal, including hair, bones, entrails, blood, stomach contents, etc. Their prey is

often herbivores, or plant eating animals. Predators obtain essential trace nutrients available only from plants by consuming the stomach and intestinal contents, which are partially digested plant materials, of their prey. Cats are “obligate carnivores,” which means their diet must be made up primarily of meat. Nevertheless, even these meat eating animals still obtain essential nutrients from small amounts of plant derived foods.

For decades, most pet foods have been formulated with deficient by-product ingredients of mainly meat, poultry, and high percentages of cereal sources and then fortified with man-made chemically synthesized vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and glutens in order to meet adequacy levels established by The National Research Council and AAFCO. As history has shown, this approach has not been the best way to ensure health and longevity. Over the years, and as recently as this year, recalls of pet foods have occurred as a result of this type of insufficient formulating. Supplemental iron, copper1, zinc2, Vitamin D33,and grain glutens4 are recent examples of added ingredients that have been associated with incidences of toxicity and death of pets. These ingredients are typically added to meet adequacy levels for insufficient formulations.

Nature’s Logic has taken a different and innovative approach. It is the only line of pet food in which all product categories use 100% natural whole foods to safely derive all nutrients for adequacy. Industry ingredient experts have recently argued the positive benefits of deriving nutrients from functional foods rather than isolated single synthetics5. With this approach, there is no need to add as many as 26 chemically synthesized vitamins and minerals (known to have toxic levels and potential contaminants6) found in other foods. Also, there is no need to add additional synthesized amino acids such as taurine because adequate amounts are in the formulations naturally from the high meat and organ content. By formulating diets naturally from whole foods without the use of synthetic additives, Nature’s Logic can easily source ingredients from known USA and other safe country locations such as Canada, Norway, France, and New Zealand. It is a known fact that most of the synthetic vitamins and synthetic taurine used in both human and pet products are made in and sourced from China7.

Nature’s Logic is excited about the great results its products are producing in pets. The AAFCO Feeding Trial for substantiating the Nature’s Logic Dry Canine Diets for All Life Stages was no exception. The results in all areas of testing were well above the kennel historical averages and AAFCO requirements8.

For more information about this great new line of products that includes high meat or poultry content, low carbohydrates, no gluten, exceptional levels of probiotics and enzymes, and the only full line of pet products that uses no chemically synthesized vitamins or minerals, visit www.natureslogic.com.

I

1) http://www.fda.gov/cvm/Documents/HHEGoNatural.pdf 2) C.M. Gurnee, K.J. Drobatz and M.J. Ryan, 2007. Zinc intoxication in dogs: 19 cases (1991-2003). JAVMA 230(8):1174-1179. 3) http://www.natureslogic.com/news/showarticle.php?ArticleID=12 4) http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html 5) Aldrich, Greg, 2007. Popular Functional Ingredients; Proceedings Pet Food Forum 2007: 73-84 6) Balthrop, Jim, 2007. Official Guidelines for Contaminant Levels Permitted in Mineral Feed Ingredients; 2007 Officialt Publication AAFCO: 316-320 7) Petfood Industry E-News, June 5, 2007 8) http://www.natureslogic.com/news/showarticle.php?ArticleID=18

As a manufacturer it is our responsibility to make sure

pets get fed the safest & healthiest food!

w w w . n a t u r e s l o g i c . c o m1 - 8 8 8 - 5 4 6 - 0 6 3 6

�� pet food report

Top by Audi donAmor

for

Apples

FrUITs & VeGeTABLes HeALTH BeneFITs

Very rich in fiber and one of the most valuable sources of bio-available carotenoids.

Contain papain, an enzyme that supports digestion. A heart smart fruit.

Heart smart.

A valuable digestive aid. Also act as a glandular tonic, skin cleanser, and eye conditioner.

Contains a very high concentration of beta-carotene. Considered an especially safe fruit, because it’s not commonly allergenic, and does not contain measurable pesticide residues.

Packs more nutrients than any other vegetable. An important cancer-fighting vegetable.

blueberries

make a treat for your animals by combining 2 bananas, 1 large container of vanilla goat yogurt, and 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract, in a blender or food processor. Freeze in ice cube container trays.

Avocados

red delicious, northern Spy, and ida reds contain more antioxidants than other red apples.The pectin in apple skins is fermented in the intestines, producing short-chain fatty acids that help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. organic apples may contain one-third more antioxidants than regular apples.

A good source of potassium and vitamin A.

bananas

blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants. They help prevent urinary tract infections.

broccoli

Cantaloupe

Carrots

Green beans

Papayas

Pumpkin

fruits141.

2.

3.

4.5.

6.

7.8.

9.10.


All Natural Dog & Cat

Food

Spinach &Swiss chard

What to avoidonion-induced oxidation of canine red blood cells has caused severe reactions in some dogs. A sensitive dog may develop

Heinz-body anemia.

A bunch of grapes, or just a few raisins, can lead to acute renal failure.

Contain oxalic acid, a compound that can interfere with calcium absorption.

Serve with care.

onions

Grapes &raisins

Contains 40% more lycopene than tomatoes. Finicky felines often enjoy a nice crisp piece of seedless watermelon.

rich in lycopene, which may protect against some cancers and heart disease.

A rich source of beta-carotene and fiber. Help promote a healthy gastrointestinal tract. baked sweet potato “fries” with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt are something both people and animals can enjoy.

Sweetpotatoes

Tomatoes*

Watermelon

& veggiesyour animal

Cranberries Help prevent urinary tract infections.

11.

12.

13.14.

Peppers

Eggplant

*if your animal has arthritis, limit vegetables from the nightshade family, including eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes; they may aggravate

inflammatory conditions.

�� pet food report��


How to read and understand pet food labels

By KIM BLooMer AnD JeAnnIe THoMAson

hickenby-productmeal…wheat gluten…preservedwith BHA/BHT….” If

you’veevertakenacloselookatthelistofingredientsonacommercialpetfoodpackage, you’ve probably found your-self wondering what all these thingsreallyare.Ifyou’reseriouslyconcernedabout good nutrition for your dog orcat,however,youneedtolearnhowtoreadandinterpretpetfoodlabels.

Ingredients 101 Pet food manufacturers are required tolistall the ingredients in theirproducts.Eachingredientmustbelistedinorderofitsweight.Thisisoneofthebetterways to determine the actual qualityof the food. With a little knowledgeof the ingredients themselves, youcan then choose a food that is moreappropriate, more digestible and freeofunwantedproducts.

1. Grains Dogsandcatsarecarnivoresandneedraw meat and bones. They weren’tmeant to eat a grain-based diet, yetmanycommercialpetfoodshaveahighcontentofgrainsandgrainproducts.

Themostcommoninclude:

•barley•brownrice•corn

•cornbran•corngluten•cornglutenmeal•groundcorn•cornsyrup•grounddehulledoats•groundwheat•groundwholebrownrice•groundwholewheat•groundyellowcorn•kibbledcorn•soybeanmeal•wheatbran•wheatflour•wheatgermmeal•wheatgluten.

Choosing a product with the smallestpossible quantity of grains will helppreventeventualhealthproblems.

2. By-products

Meat by-products are refuse or left-overs from the human food industry.They include parts of the animal not

“

Hintbe aware of the tactics used by

commercial manufacturers to disguise

less desirable ingredients. For example,

if you were to group together all

the wheat ingredients on a pet food

label, the wheat would be the primary

ingredient, not the chicken touted

on the package.

Be a label detective


BHA

used for human consumption, such asheads, feet, bones, blood, intestines,lungs,spleens,livers,ligaments,andfattrimmings. Even unborn baby animalsareconsideredaby-product.

Noneoftheseingredientsinthemselvesarebadforacarnivorousanimal–afterall,wilddogs andcats eat themwhentheyconsumetheirprey–butthecon-dition of the by-products that go intopetfoodisquestionable.Theycanoftenbediseasedorspoiled,forinstance.

3. Meat meal, poultry meal, animal digest

These are very common ingredients inmost packaged pet foods. “Meal” couldbe translated as rendered-down “food”.It’s made by boiling down leftover partsfromcarcassestoremoveorseparatefats,takeoutthewaterandsoon.Theideaistokillanybacteria,viruses,andparasitestomakethefood“safe”forconsumption.

The problem is, the rendering pro-cessisdoneatsuchhightemperatures(270°F/130°C)thatthevaluableenzymesandproteinsintherawingredientsarealso “rendered” useless, or destroyed.Theseenzymesandproteinsarecriticaltogoodhealth.

4. Vegetable proteinand gluten

Think “glue” when you read “gluten”.Inpetfood,glutenisusedtoholddrykibbles together, and is also added tocannedfoods.

Soybeanmealproteinisanothernewlyfavored ingredient in commercial petfoods.Originalpetfoodshadalotmoremeatinthem,butthankstothedemandfor bigger profits, grains, vegetableproteins and other cheap ingredientshavereplacedthehighmeatcontentinmostcommercialpetfoods.Theresult?Severenutritionaldeficiencies.

5. preservatives andother additives Theseingredientsareinallcommercialpet foods, although the canned dietsareabitbetterthanthedryfoods.Because pet foods have been highlyovercooked and are now denatured,something has to be added back in toimprovetheirtasteandappearance.Theymustalsohavepreservativestolengthentheirshelf life fortheretailerandbuyer.While many of these ingredients fallundertheGRAS(GenerallyRecognizedasSafe)guidelines,thisdoesn’tnecessarilymeantheyaregoodforourpets.Ingredientstowatchoutforarebutylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hy-

droxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin.All are synthetic preservatives andpotentially cancer-causing. Another redflag additive is propylene glycol (alsoused as a less toxic version of auto-motive antifreeze). This ingredientlends a sweet taste to the food andis used for flavor enhancing, but it’snot something that should be part ofadogorcat’sdailydiet.

What is AAFCo and what does it do? AAFCO (Association of AmericanFeed Control Officials) develops guide-lines for the production, labeling, andsaleofanimalfoods.Theyhavedevel-opedtwostandardstheyfeelpetfoodsshouldmeet.AllpetfoodswhichmeetAAFCO requirements must includeoneoftwostatementsontheirlabels:

1. “Formulated to meet AAFCO’snutrient requirement.” This standardsimply means the food was testedin the laboratory and was found tohavethe“recommended”quantitiesofprotein,fat,etc.

2. “Animal-feeding testsusingAAFCO’sprocedures substantiate that this prod-uct provides complete and balancednutrition.” For a pet food to carrythis label, it has to be tested on apopulation of animals for six monthsand shown to provide adequate (notoptimal)nutrition.

Here’s the catch. If one particularproduct in a manufacturer’s line istestedandfoundtomeetthisstandard,thecompanyisnowallowedtoincludethesamestatementonotherproductsin the same “family” thatprovideequalor greater concentrations of all the

Hintdead, dying, diseased and disabled

(known as 4-d) animal protein sources

are banned in human food, but can

still be legally used for pet food.


High Quality Natural Pet Food

www.breeders-choice.com • (800) 255-4286Available at Quality Pet Stores Everywhere


nutrients. So even if the pet foodcarriesthisstatementonits label,youcannotbesurethatthespecificproductwas actually tested in a food trial. Inanycase,testingafoodforsixmonthsis not a long enough to determine ifdeficiencies or other adverse effectsmayoccurlongterm.

How does an AAFCo feeding trial work?Beforethetrialstarts,andafteritends,the participating animals must pass aveterinary examination.The veterinar-ianevaluates generalhealth,body andhair coat condition.At the end (butnot the beginning) of the trial, onlyfour blood values are measured andrecorded: hemoglobin, packed cellvolume, serum alkaline phosphatase,and serum albumin.The trials do nottake into consideration that differentbreeds have different needs, nor dotheydifferentiatebetweenbreed sizes(e.g., from a nutritional standpoint,largebreedsarestillpuppiesuptotwoyearsofage).

Rules for the feeding trial are veryloose.Thefoodbeingtestedmustmerelykeep six out of eight seemingly healthydogs/cats (two are allowed to dropout) alive for six months, without theirlosing more than 15% of their initialbody weight, and without the averageof the four blood values falling belowminimum levels.Yet most nutritionaldeficiencies or excesses will not be

apparent within a six-month period, astheytendtotakemuchlongertodevelop.

It’sclearthattheprotocolforAAFCOfeeding trials and the standards bywhichpetfoodismadearenotperfect.Indeed,thesestandardscanlullusintoafalsesenseofsecurityaboutthefoodwearegivingourpets.

Many AAFCO officials have close tiestothepetfoodindustry,whichislikethefoxguardingthehenhouse.It’simportanttorealizethatAAFCOisanassociation,not a government agency, which meansthepetfoodindustryisself-regulating.

Is it really “completeand balanced”?

AAFCO states that a pet food mustcontainwhattheyhavedeclaredtobethe minimum requirements of eachingredient or nutrient. This meansthat any pet food company can claim“complete and balanced” if their foodmeetsthestandardbasedonthesesetamounts, and not the actual require-mentsof thevarious animals thatwilleatthefood.

The concept of “complete and bal-anced” is reallyonlyamyth. It’s actu-ally a marketing concept rather thanscience. For example, a box of cerealmay state “complete and balanced”.That doesn’t mean for every single

meal, but just for one bowl of cereal.Youwouldn’twanttohavetoeatthatsamebowlofcerealeverymealfortherestofyourlifebecauseitwouldn’tgiveyour body all the nutrients it needs.Thesameholdstrueforourpets.

Thestandardsfor“balanced”petfoodareapproximated.Truebalancecomeswith giving dogs and cats a variety offoods,suchasanimalseat inthewild.Theneedsofourdogsandcatsarethesameasthoseoftheirwildcousins.

What is “natural”?

The term “natural” does not have anofficial definition, although you willoften see it on commercial pet foodpackagesthesedays.Forthemostpart,“natural”canbeconstruedasmeaningthattheproductlacksartificialflavors,colors or preservatives. Be discerningwhenreadingaboutAAFCOstandardsandingredientsallowableinpetfoods,especiallytheword“natural”–arsenicisnatural.

AAFCo standardsirrelevant to raw diets

The AAFCO standards were basedon the belief that dogs are omnivoresand can be properly maintained on agrain-based diet. They are thereforeirrelevant to raw diets. If a dog is fedasanomnivore,mostof thenutrients

Hint dogs and cats do not require a lot

of carbohydrates – something

typically found and allowed in high

quantities by AAFCo standards.

Hint“natural” is not the same as

“organic.” The term “organic” refers

to the conditions under which

feed animals and plants are raised.


in processed food are unavailable tohim because they are contained inthe indigestibleplantmatter.AAFCOstandards are based on cooked orprocessed foods which already havea decreased nutritional value sincecooking denatures proteins and col-lagen, destroys important nutrients,and generally makes the food lessdigestible and less bio-available (theexceptionbeinggrainsandvegetables,which we have already determinedshouldnotbegiventodogsanyway).

These “complete and balanced” petfoods can actually destroy long-termhealth and cause disease, yet still bemarketed as a healthy food for yourpet. An example would be the lambandricecommercialdietsthat“metorexceeded” the nutrient profiles ofAAFCO and passed their feedingprotocol, but created a taurine defi-ciencyinthedogsthatatethem.*

Youhavearighttoknowwhatyouarefeeding your dog or cat. That meansbeingproactive inknowingwhatyouranimalneedstothrive.Ifyoudoyour

homework, and learn how to readlabels before buying a food, you canensure your best friend receives thenutritionalcarehedeserves.

*Torres,C.L.;Backus,R.C.;Fascetti,A.J.;andRogers,Q.R.“Taurinestatusinnormaldogsfedacommercialdietassociatedwithtaurinedeficiencyanddilatedcardiomyopathy.”Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition,87,2003.pp.359-372.

Hintin nature, carnivores thrive on

fresh, raw prey. Their diets offer the

exact proportion of fat, protein,

vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.

they need. if wild animals suffer a

nutritional deficiency, it’s not because

the food is insufficient but because

they just aren’t getting enough to eat.

KiM blooMer is a natural pet care educator, Host of tHe online radio sHow aniMal talK naturally (www.aniMaltalKnaturally.coM) and a writer on natural pet HealtH. sHe is also co-autHor of tHe booK Whole health for happy Dogs. KiM worKed in tHe veterinary field for Many years and continues to do extensive researcH into natural HealtH care for dogs and cats. sHe is currently enrolled at tHe clayton college of natural HealtH studying for a bacHelor of science in Holistic nutrition/doctor of naturo-patHy. sHe is a MeMber of tHe aMerican veterinary naturopatHic association (avna) and co-founder of natural aniMal world. jeannie tHoMason is a forMer licensed veterinarian tecHnician and worKed in tHe veterinary field for Many years. sHe is now a natural pet care educator and continues to study aniMal nutrition and Holistic aniMal Husbandry. jeannie Has been breeding and sHowing dogs for over 20 years. Her love for aniMals and passion for natural HealtH led Her to create Her website tHe wHole dog (www.tHewHoledog.org). jeannie is co-Host of tHe online radio sHow aniMal talK naturally, a MeMber of avna, and co-founder of natural aniMal world.


saholisticveterinarian,I understand the im-portance of propernutrition for my pa-tients. No matter what

therapies I use to treat my patients -conventional medications, herbs, hom-eopathics or nutritional supplements-unlesstheyareeatingtheproperdietmy treatment plan will never achieveits maximum results. How much doveterinarianslearnaboutnutrition?Thesad answer is not a lot, and often our

informationisbiased.Iactuallylearnedmuch more about nutrition in myundergraduate studies as an animalscience major, and on my own aftergraduatingwithmydegreeinveterinarymedicine, than I ever learned inveterinaryschool.Ivaguelyrememberadiscussionaboutbalancingdiets(whichIneverdointherealworldofpractice),butnotmuchelse.

THe BIG CoMpAny BIAsAs a veterinary student, I was given a

really wonderful book on small animalnutrition.Itcontainedalotofgreatbasicnutritioninformation,buttherewasabiasin the writing. While the medical factsthemselveswerefactual,correctandun-biased,theauthorswereresearchersfromHill’s (the makers of Science Diets andPrescriptionDiets),sotheywerequicktopromotetheirownlineofpetfood.

In addition to providing course ma-terials for veterinary students, Hill’s,

What do vets learn about nutrition?

By sHAWn MessonnIer, DVM

A

If diet is the foundation of good health, why isn’t nutrition a priority at vet school?


IAMS, Purina, and other well-knownmanufacturers offer additional perks for students. Purina, for example, pro-vides several wonderful monographsonavarietyof topics, including radiol-ogy, cytology, bone marrow disorders,and urinary problems. These pet foodcompanies provide the diets used inveterinary hospitals to feed patients,and also offer these products free or at a greatly reduced price to studentsand staff.

A More BALAnCeD ApproACHWhile I’m certainly not opposed togood marketing, there is no questionthatwithoutabalancedapproachfromthe companies that market themselvesasmakersof“natural”foods,thedoctorsgraduating from veterinary schools arebiased at best.At worst, they are very“anti-natural” and rabid fans of thesenationalbrands.

Doctorsmuststrikeoutontheirowntoseekamorebalancedapproach todietand nutrition. But they’re are not in-clinedtodothisunlesstheyaredriventoexpand beyond conventional medicine.Since most are satisfied with the status quo, it is hard to find a veterinarian who is not afraid to challenge his long-heldbeliefsandactuallylookatotherdietaryandnutritionaloptionsforhispatients.

THe presCrIpTIon DIeT ConneCTIon

Oneoftheconcernsmanydoctorsandtheirclientsfaceishowtofeedanimalswithmedicalproblems.Aretheso-called“prescriptiondiets”ofanyvalue?

Again, these diets are typically madebythewellknownpetfoodcompanies,including IAMS, Hill’s, Purina, andWaltham.Theconceptbehindthedietsis medically sound. Since the animalhas a medical problem, such as kidney,liver, heart, or gastrointestinal disease,it makes sense that feeding the properdietshouldhelphimimproveduringthetreatmentforthedisorder.

The first prescription diet was made backinthegoodolddaysbyDr.Mark

Morris (the founder of Hill’s) for catswithkidneydisease.Dr.Morriswasyearsaheadofhiscolleaguesandappreciatedthe fact that diet can have positive ornegative effects on animals with disease. Unfortunately, thequalityofthesepre-scription foods has declined drasticallysince Dr. Morris first prepared his diets many years ago. Most well known petfoodcompanieshavebeensoldtomegaconglomerates like Colgate-Palmolive,whooftenaddplantandanimalby-prod-uctsandvariouschemicalpreservatives,additives, flavorings, and colorings to theproducts.Whilethesciencebehindthedietsremainsvalid(lessproteinforanimalswithkidneydisease,lessfatandmoreeasilydigestiblecarbohydratesandproteinsforthosewithGIdisease,etc.),using by-products and chemicals doesnothingtoimprovethehealthofthepa-tientandcanevencontributetoillness.

Having said all this, I will occasionallyuse aprescription-typediet for anani-malwithachronicillnessifhiscaregivercannot prepare a similar diet at home.For some animals, I think the benefits ofthesedietsdooutweighthenegatives.Wheneverpossible,though,Iprefertouse them for a short period only, ulti-matelyswitchingtoamorenaturaldietforlongertermcontroloftheproblem.

I would love to see a manufacturer ofnatural foods make diets for animalswithhealthconditionsandmarketthemto veterinarians and consumers. Untilthen, read up on good nutrition fordogsandcatsand searchoutaholisticvetwhocanhelpyoumakewholesomedietarychoicesforyourcompanion.

veterinarian dr. sHawn Messonnier is tHe autHor of tHe award-winning the Natural health BiBle for Dogs aND Cats, the Natural Vet’s guiDe to preVeNtiNg and treatiNg CaNCer iN Dogs, and 8 Weeks to a healthy Dog. He is also tHe pet care expert for MartHa stewart living’s prograM, “dr. sHawn – tHe natural vet”, on sirius satellite radio. His veterinary practice, paws & claws aniMal Hospital (www.petcarenaturally.coM), is located in plano, texas.

Things to remember when a diet is

recommended to you:

•Mostveterinarians(andfewpetstoreemployees)donothave any significant training in petnutrition.

•Veterinariansoftenknownothingmoreaboutnutritionthanthesmallamounttheyweretaughtinveterinaryschool.Thetextbooksandothernutritionalinformationprovidedtostudentsandveterinariansatcontinuingeducationseminarsusuallycomefrompetfoodcom-paniesthatdonotmake“natural”diets.

•Themajorityofpetfoodsonthemarketcontainanimalandplantby-products,chemicalpreservatives,additives,andmany artificial ingredients. Thesearenotashealthyasthosethatcontainwholesomemeats,vegetables,andmorenaturalpreservatives.

•Prescriptiondietsareusuallynobetterthannon-prescriptiondietswhenitcomestothequalityofingredients.Wheneverpossible,homemadedietsarepreferredforanimalswithvariousailments.Ifnecessary,prescriptiondiets(plusalotofnutritionalsupplements)maybegiventosomepatients,butarebestusedforashorttimewhiletheanimalheals.


What a scare we had lastspringwhencontaminatedpetfoodingredientsfromChina caused kidney

failure in thousands of dogs and cats.Butwhataboutthethousandsofothercases of kidney failure or disease in gen-eral thatwe’re seeing inourcompanionanimals these days? Could even “safe”petfoodbeaculprit?

Commondiseasesandconditionssuchasobesity,diabetes,allergies,FLUTD,arthritisandcancerarerampantamongdogs and cats these days. They mayall be different, but they all share thesamepath fromwellness to symptom.Regardless of the diagnosis, each iscreated the same way. It starts withdiet!Whatyoufeedyourdogorcatiscrucialtohishealthandlongevity.

By LIsA s. neWMAn, nD, pHD

what’s the connection?

The Animal Protection institute of

Washington, d.C., reported that the

average dog lives 12 years and costs

$13,000 in care. only $3,000 goes to

the food bill! The rest is spent

mostly on medical costs for easily

preventable conditions.

Diet diseaseAllergies, diabetes, obesity and arthritis are rampant in dogs and cats. The culprit can often be found in their food bowls.


Cheap pet foods

don’t save money

Poorqualitypetfoodsmaycostlessattheregister,butmoreinveterinarycarein the long run.Whenyougiveadogorcatacheapfood,theresultisalwaysthesame:youcreateatoxicanimal.Atoxic animal becomes a prematurelyaging, diseased animal. Without food

that’seasytodigestandassimilate,thebodycannothealwell.Itmaysurvive,butdoesnotthrive.Foodreally isthedifferencebetweenlifeanddeath!

Cheap pet food not only containsless nutrition, it’s also harder for thebodytobreakthatnutritiondownandabsorb it. The commercial pet foodindustry is based on the remnants ofhuman foodmanufacturing industries.What is considered unfit for humanconsumptionisferriedtopetfoodmillsforfurtherprocessing.Thisway,human

HintJust like a car burning gas and

creating exhaust, the body digests

food and produces waste.


theirwasteandpet foodmanufacturershaveinexpensiveingredientstouse.Evenrestaurants recycle their cooking greasewhichisthenusedas“tallow”inpetfood.Theseingredientsareunwholesomeandunhealthy,andnoteasilydigested.

Food as fuel

Food is the fuel the body needs toconduct its many functions such asweightmaintenance,hormoneproduc-tion, fighting allergens and buildingskintissue.

When we think of our dog or cat’swaste,wethinkofhisstool,butitgoesmuch deeper than that. We need toconsider metabolism, the process oftakinginfood,convertingittouseandeliminating the resulting waste on acellularlevel.Thecleanerthefood,theeasier it is to burn and the less wastethereiscirculatingintheblood.

early warning signs Wastesortoxinsareprocessedthroughtheorgansofelimination(theskin,liverandkidneys).Whenoverloaded, theseorgans become burdened. They mal-

function and symptoms appear.Thesemayinclude:

•pimples•hotspots•allergies•arthritis•constipation/diarrhea•vomiting•gas•stoneformation•pancreatitis•behavioralissues

There’s a simple explanation for this:once the eliminatory organs becomeburdened, the built-up toxins in thebody begin to affect other organsystems.Thesecanincludetheskeletalsystem (creating inflammation in thejoints)andthenervoussystem(affectingthe brain and mood). The more tox-ins thatbuilduparoundthecells, theharder it is for those cells to take innutrients and eliminate that waste.Thecellsprematurelyageandweaken,whichcausesamalfunctionintheorgansystemthecellsbelongto.Thisprocessistherootofallsymptoms.

Whentheimmunesystemisburdened,thewholebodysuffers.Itistheprimarydefensesystem,protectinghealthycellsfrom invading organisms such as viruses,bacteria and parasites. The immunesystemworksespeciallyhardtoridthebody of dying or mutant cells and to

maintainandbuildhealth.Withoutaproperlyfunctioningimmune

system,theseinvadingorganismsattackthehealthycellsofothersystems.Theimmunesystemneedshealthy,vibrant,well-fedcellstofunction.

Clean food = clean cells The quality of a cell’s “food” dependsonthequalityofthebody’sfoodintakeandhowwellitisdigested.Theeasierthe food is to digest, the more thor-oughly nutrients such as vitamins andminerals will be assimilated into thebloodstreamtofeedtheindividualcellsthatmakeupthevariousorgansystems.Andthecleaner thediet (noby-prod-ucts, rancid meats or fats, chemicals,whiterice,etc.),theeasieritistodigestandmetabolize.

Whenafoodisdifficulttometabolize,notonlyisitrobbingthebodyofvitalnutrients,itisrobbingthebodyofen-ergyaswell.Energyiswastedwhenthebody works harder to digest food, as-similatenutrientsandeliminatetoxins.This is the energy needed to preventorreverseallsymptoms,andtoruntheimmunesystem.

Toxins negatively affect the immune

system, and that stops the production of

healthy cells to fight aging and disease.

As you can see, it’s a vicious cycle.

1

2

3

4

5

6

A viciouscycle

Poor quality foods

always compromise

the animal’s health.

And so on until symp-

toms of illness arise. He begins to lack

vital nutrients.

The organs

of elimination

become even

further weakened

and burdened.

His immune system

begins to malfunction.

This causes his

elimination system to

weaken and become

overburdened.


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It doesn’t happen suddenly Toxicbuild-uppoisonsthebodyalittleat a time, so it sometimes takes yearsfor symptoms to appear. This is whypeopleoftenexclaimthattheiranimal’scondition “suddenly”appearedaroundages fivetosevenandwhythe impor-tance of diet is so often overlooked:theyjustdon’tmaketheconnection.

Duringthefirstfewyears,thebodyisrunningonitsyouthfulnessanddealingwiththefood’stoxiceffects.Eventually,though, these effects overwhelm thebody as its natural defenses start toweakenwithage.Mostdiseaseisyearsinthemaking!

Invest in quality pet food

A good quality premium diet, prefer-ably canned or raw, can help preventhealth conditions by providing thebody with the clean fuel needed tothrive. Easy-to-digest pet foods aremade with the highest human-gradeingredientsandarefreeofby-products,sugar, salt, yeast, chemicals, artificialflavorsandcolors.Thesedietsprovideanimal protein as the first ingredient,as well as whole ground grains, freshfruits and vegetables. They includesuperior supplementation, such asproteinatedminerals,andinthecaseofdrydiets,barrierpackagingtomaintainthefood’sfreshness.

Rancidpetfoodisdifficulttodigestnomatterhowgreatitstartedout,soavoidplastic-linedpaperbags.Dryfoodalsolosesitsnutritionalvalueasitages,soneverbuymorethanamonth’ssupply.

Consider a vitamin/mineral supplement

Myresearchconfirmsthatthemajorityof dogs and cats do not get enoughnutrients from the pet food they eat.Thisproblemisnotalwaysoneofpoorquality ingredientsordigestibility,butof a general lack of nutrients in theingredient itself.This is especially true

HintFor maximum nutrient

assimilation, your animal’s food

should be as fresh as possible.


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of vitamins and minerals, vital to allbiological functions. I have found thattoday’s fruit, vegetables, grains and evenmeats are not raised to their fullestnutritional potential and that additionalsupplementation is most beneficial whenaskingthebodytorecoverandstaywell.

No matter how pet food is advertised,itcannot,basedontoday’s industrystan-dards, optimally support each and everyindividual animal’s specific needs. If thatwere the case, the food would be tooexpensive for the general market.There-fore, aswithhumans, it ishelpful to adda quality daily multiple vitamin andmineralsupplementeventotheverybestdiets. This assures that a good potencyandmorecompletecombinationofnutri-ents(premiumfuel)aremadeavailabletothebody,especiallytheimmunesystem.

All animalswillbenefit fromachange toabetterbrandof food.Highlydigestible,human-grade quality food is assimilatedmore thoroughly, yielding greater nutri-tional support for thebody’sneedswhileproducinglesswasteinthebloodtohurthealthy cells. The more obvious resultscanbeseenwithinsixweeksasold,wornout skin and coat cells are replaced withmuchhealthierones.

dr. lisa newMan Holds doctorate degrees in naturopatHy and Holistic nutrition and Has spent tHe last 25 years applying wHat sHe Has researcHed to pets. sHe is tHe autHor of nine booKs including three simple steps to healthy pets: the holistiC aNimal Care lifestyle™. dr. newMan is also tHe forMulator of award-winning azMira® Holistic pet foods and suppleMents. Her coMMents in tHis article are Meant as a support to, not in lieu of, proper veterinary care. contact www.azMira.coM or 1-800-497-5665.

HintLook for a multiple that includes

vitamins A,C, E and b12 and the minerals

selenium and chromium. These nutrients

help rid the body of toxins and

stimulate the immune system.


youcan’talwaysbelievewhatyouhear”.Whenitcomestothepetfood industry, truer words were

neverspoken.Inanefforttosellprod-uct, some conglomerates have madesomeprettyoutlandishclaims intheiradvertising.Thentherearetherumorsthat circulate, becoming more like“fact” with each new generation thatrepeats them. So how do you knowwhat to believe? You’ll have a prettygoodideaafterreadingthroughthePetFoodReport.But just tomake it fun,we’ve compiled our favorite Top TenLiesandMythslist.Seeifanyofthesearefamiliartoyou.

Table scraps are bad for him.

If it’sgoodforyou,howcanitbebadfor him? Leftovers of lean meat, veg-gies,eggs,oralittlecheesemakegreatcomplements to your animal’s diet,addingextravarietyandnutrition.Butdo avoid cooked bones, rich gravies,sweetsandtheveggiesonp.13

Dry kibble and treats are good for his teeth.

Isn’tthatlikesayingadietofcroutonswillsaveyouatriptothedentist?Com-mercial dry diets and treats containingredients that can actually contributeto dental problems; as well, carni-vorestendtobreakupthesefoodsandswallowtheminchunks,sotheydon’treallydomuchtohelpremoveplaque.

raw meat causes aggression.There is no evidence that raw meat

makes dogs and cats more ornery orprotective of their food. Food aggres-sion is usually a behavioral issue, andnotrelatedtothetypeofdiet.

stick to one diet;it’s better for him.

Feeding the same food or flavor dayafterdaycanleadtonutrientdeficien-cies or excesses, allergies and otherproblems. Variety is the spice of life,sorotateproteinsourcesoften!

If it’s at my vet clinic, it must be a top quality food.

Prescription foods are usually madeby large commercial pet food manu-facturers that use questionable ingre-dients.Theymaybehelpfulshorttermfor dealing with acute health issues,but not as a replacement for a morenaturaldiet.

All bones are dangerous.

It’sonlycookingthatmakesbonesbrittleand prone to splintering. A suitably-sized raw meaty bone or raw chickenneckisperfectlysafe.

semi-moist food is more like meat.

It only looks like meat. Sometimesreferred to as the “junk food” of thepetfoodindustry,semi-moistdietsarefilled with artificial colors and flavorsto make them resemble hamburgeror chicken, and preservatives to keepthemsoft.

Cats should have food 24/7.Inthewild,catsdon’thaveconstantac-cesstofood;likedogs,theyonlyeatwhentheyhunt.Freefeedingisactuallyamajorcauseofobesityindomesticfelines.

Cheap food saves money.

It might seem the most economicalchoice, but poor quality food oftenleads to health issues down the road,andthatmeanscostlyvetbills.

raw diets will make myanimal sick.

Dogs and cats have a shorter diges-tive tract than we do, so raw meatpasses through their systemsbefore itcan cause parasitic illness. If you’repreparing your own raw diet, buyfrom a reputable source. If you useprepared frozen raw diets, rememberto thaw them out in the fridge, keepthawed meat for a maximum of threedays, and as you would when youprepare meat for yourself, thoroughlyclean utensils, bowls, and countertopsafterpreparation.

Top 10 lies you’ve been told

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ast spring’s pet food recall –thelargestintheindustry’shistory – not only raisedmanyquestionsbutalsoleftmany serious concerns un-

addressed. One involves the use ofgeneticallyengineered(GE)ingredientsin foods consumed by both animalsandhumans.

What does GE mean?

Genetically engineered or geneticallymodified (GMO) plants – sometimes dubbed “Frankenfoods” - contain arti-ficially inserted genes from viruses and other living organisms. This producesentirelynovelchemicalsthatwereneverin our foods before, or in such quanti-ties,andisdoneprimarilytomakecropsresistanttoherbicidesandinsectpests.

in 2006, an estimated 136

million acres of u.S. cropland

was used to grow Gm crops–

89% of soybeans, 83% of cotton,

and 61% of corn crops were

genetically engineered.

Canola is also genetically engineered,and vegetable oils (cotton, canola andcorn)alongwithsoyproteinandlecithinareusedwidelyinavarietyofpreparedfoods.(Seewww.non-gmoreport.comformoredetails.)

TheFDAhasawhollycavalierattitudetoward feeding both livestock andcompanionanimalsthenewGEvarietiesofcorn,soy,canola,cotton(cottonseedcake) and the other commodity cropsand crop by-products that are nowdominating the agricultural landscape,regardless of documented adverse en-vironmentalconsequences.

The FDA offers some restrictions where human consumption is involved, yetthey refuse appropriate food labeling,includingcountryoforigin.Theyclaim,as their industry sponsors insist,that these crops and food productsare “substantially equivalent” to con-ventionallybredvarieties.Thisistotallyincorrect. No scientifically valid, peer-reviewedfoodsafetyandqualitystudieswereeverconductedorpublishedbeforethebiotechnology“LifeScience”industrysought to monopolize world agriculturewithpatentedvarietiesofGMseeds.

What are the risks?

Numerous issues and unanswered ques-tionssurroundthe“safety”ofGEfoods.

• The insecticidal poison Bt (Bacillusthuringiensisis) is present in mostgenetically engineered U.S. commoditycrops that go into animal feedandpetfoods. High levels of Bt toxin in GMcropshavemadefarmersillandpoisonedfarmanimalseatingcropresidues.• So called “overexpression” can occurwhen spliced genes that synthesizechemicalssuchasBtbecomehyperactiveinsidetheplantandresultinpotentiallytoxicplanttissues.Thesearelethalnotjusttomealwormsandothercroppests,but to cats, dogs, birds, butterflies, other wildlife,andhumans.

•Researchershavealsofoundthatunlikeconventionally bred crops, geneticallyengineered varieties are intrinsicallyunstableandpronetospontaneousmuta-tions.Theinsertedgenescanhavewhatare called multiple pleiotropic effects. The unpredictable consequences ofintroducinganewgenetictraitorqual-ity include alterations in existing gene

Whatyoushouldknowabout“Frankenfoods”By Dr. MICHAeL W. Fox, DsC, pHD, B. VeT. MeD., MrCVs

lAre Gmo foods as safe as some experts say they are?


expression,function,relationships,reg-ulationofmetabolicpathways,synthesisofproteinsandchemicals,andalterationofenzymaticandothermolecular,cellu-larandorganismicprocesses.

make your opinions

heard. Contact your state

representatives, mPs, senators,

food manufacturers and local

grocery stores and tell them that

you want to know what’s in your

food, and your animal’s, and that

you want labels on all GE foods

and food products.

• The herbicides glufosinate and gly-phosate are liberally applied acrossthe U.S. to millions of acres of cropsgenetically engineered to be herbicide-resistant. These poisons are actuallyabsorbed by the crops, while all elsegrowing in the fields, and much of the surrounding aquatic life in rivers and

lakes, is wiped out.These widely usedherbicides have caused kidney damageandotherhealthproblemsinanimals.

• These herbicides and other agri-chemicals, along with the insecticideBt,arefoundinpetfoodsandthecropsandcropby-productsfedtocattle,pigs,poultry, and dairy cows. Many nu-tritionistsandhealthexpertsarelinkingthe rise in human food allergies to theincreased consumption of GM foodsandfoodadditives,especiallygeneticallyengineered soy products that containnovelproteins.Ihavealsoreceivedmoreand more letters in recent years frompeoplewhosedogsandcatshavevariousskinproblems,immunesystemdisordersand inflammatory bowel disease, and whoseveterinarianshavenotsucceededin treating these problems until theanimals were taken off all commercial, processedfoodsandtreats.

What you can do

Industrial agribusiness is indifferent towardthepotentialrisksofGMcropsand foods. Since pet foods show no

labelstothecontrary,andtheFDAdoesnot even permit the labeling of foodswhentheycontainGMingredients,wereallyhavenowayofknowingwhatweareeatingorfeedingourdogsorcats.

Look for the Certified Organic label when buying pet food, read the list ofingredients, or prepare organic foodsfrom scratch. Until our governingbodies change their attitude, it’s up tous to make sure we’re protecting ourhealth,andthatofourdogsandcats,bybecomingeducatedconsumers.

dr. MicHael w. fox writes tHe syndicated newspaper coluMn “aniMal doctor”, witH united features, new yorK, and is tHe autHor of two fortHcoMing booKs on aniMal care, Dog BoDy, Dog miND: exploriNg CaNiNe CoNsCiousNess aND total Well-BeiNg, and Cat BoDy, Cat miND: exploriNg feliNe CoNsCiousNess aND total Well-BeiNg, publisHed by tHe lyons press. for More inforMation on ge foods, see dr. fox’s booK killer fooDs: What sCieNtists Do to make Better is Not alWays Best, also publisHed by tHe lyons press. His website is www.doctorMwfox.org.


As fresh as

�� animal wellness


Many people balk when theyfirst think about feeding rawmeat to their dogs and cats.

Maybe you’re one of them. But whenyou consider the significant healthbenefits a rawdietcanofferyourani-mal, and learn that many of the fearssurroundingrawmeatareexaggerated,youmaychangeyourmind.

Why feed raw?Between 1932 and 1942, Dr. FrancisM. Pottenger, Jr. conducted a feedingexperiment to determine the effects,over several generations, of differentdiets on cats. When a group of catswas fed a diet of 2/3 raw meat, 1/3 rawmilk,andcodliveroil,generationaftergeneration enjoyed incredible health.No degenerative changes were noted.There was very little shedding. Guminflammation was seldom seen. Allinternal organs were fully developedand functioned normally. The catsproved to be resistant to infections,fleas, parasites, and showed no signsof allergies. They were gregarious,friendly,andhadpredictablebehavior.Miscarriages were rare, and mothersdeliveredandnursedwithoutdifficulty.

Isn’t raw meat risky? We’veallheardthatrawmeatisdanger-ous, but carnivores have been eatingtheirpreyrawfor40millionyearswithnoilleffects.I’vebeenfeedingmyownversionofarawmeatdiettomyanimalsfor15yearsandhaveraisedtengenera-tionsofsuperhealthyTonkinesecats.

• One reason raw meat doesn’t makecarnivores sick is because their diges-tivetractsaremuchshorterthanoursandfoodmovesthroughtheirsystemsquickly. In addition, their stomachacidsdestroymostunfriendlybacteria.

•Buycleanmeat.Itshouldbepasture-raised or free range, if possible. (Forsources of pasture-raised meat, visitthe Weston A. Price Foundation’swebsite at www.westonaprice.org.)If there is nothing available in yourarea, regular meats from the grocerystorearestillfarbetterthanprocessedcommercial pet foods. Always useUSDA meats and poultry graded forhumanconsumption.

• If you’re still in doubt, you can pre-treat raw meat using grapefruit seedextract (GSE), which is a well-researchedantimicrobialagent(seerecipefor details). I have always used andtrustedGSEasapre-treatmentforrawmeatandhavenothadanyproblems.

•Finally,justasyouwouldwhenpreparingandhandlingmeatforyourhumanfamily,be sure to thoroughly clean your hands,sink,countertopsandutensilsafterwards.

Building a recipe When creating my raw recipe, I usedthe prey animal as a model. In thewild,dogsandcatseat thewholeani-mal, including feathers, fur, bones,stomachcontents, etc.To rebuild thiskindofmeal,weneedapproximately:

•80%meat(muscle)•10%glandsandorgans(viscera)•10%ediblebones(groundbonemealalsobeused)

As a vitamin/mineral-packed substitutefor feathers/fur/stomach content, wecan use a few raw veggies preparedin a food processor (I use zucchini).Vegetablesprovidesolublefiber,whichprevents constipation. In the wild,dogs and cats obtain some vegetablematter by nibbling on wild grasses.This is usually done to purge theirsystems. If you prefer not to use rawveggies, try growing organic wheatgrassinpotsorflats.

Manypeoplefeedtheirpetschunksofrawmeat.Thisisfine,butIpersonallyprefer ground meat and chunks oforgan meat. I find that my supple-ments (which contain bone meal) mix

Moreandmorepeoplearediscoveringtheamazinghealthbenefitsoffeedingtheirpetsarawdiet.

By CeLesTe yArnALL, pHD

As fresh as it gets...

We started seeing degenerative health conditions in dogs

and cats when commercial pet food companies became mainstream in the 1960s.

HintFind a meat supplier you can trust

and stick with them. Support local

farms whenever possible.


beautifully with ground meat, yet myanimals still have the excitement oforganchunkstochewon.Ifeedasmallamount of organ meat daily (everyprey animal comes with a full set oforgans and glands). My cats especiallylove lambliverandkidneysandwholechickenhearts.Mediumandlarge-sizeddogsrelishwholeturkeyhearts.

A bone to pick Bones or ground bone meal are vitalforcalcium.Rawwholebonesarealsoagreatwaytohelpkeepyouranimal’steeth clean. Raw chicken necks canbecut to size forcatsandsmalldogs,andturkeynecksandwingsleftwholefor medium to large dogs. Large andgiant breed dogs enjoy meaty beefknucklebones.RockCornishgamehenscanbequarteredforcatsandsmalldogsalreadyaccustomedtoeatingrawmeatand bones. I recommend raw bonesonlyonafullstomach,asthisiswhentheyareeateninthewild.

Whenfirstintroducingyourdogorcatto raw bones, allow him to have onefor just ten to 15 minutes every fewdays and observe digestive function As he adapts, you can let him haveit for longer periods. Initially, pleasesupervisebonegnawing.Catsanddogsare designed to crush, shred, and teartheirprey.Theydonotchewtheirfood,as their jawsarenotdesigned tomas-ticate.They swallow most food wholeandlettheirstomachacidsdothework.Forthisreason,nevergiveyouranimalcookedbones–theysplintereasilyandcancausechokingorinjury.

Quick and easy raw Food recipe for Dogs and Cats

ingredients:

• 1 pound raw ground or minced/chopped chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef (not too lean; raw fat is great.)

• 1 ounce cut or sliced liver, heart, kidney, or gizzard.

• Pretreat raw meat (and bones, if used) in 8 ounces of purified water to which 4 drops of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) have been dissolved. (do not use straight GSE internally or topically.) marinate for 45 minutes in the fridge, then drain off excess water.

• 2 level tablespoons of feline or canine vitamin/mineral powder, which includes bone meal (if bones are used on a regular basis, reduce to 11/2 teaspoons), super greens, gland and organ powder, lecithin, and additional nutrients.

• 1 dash Kyolic aged liquid garlic.

• 1 to 2 tablespoons of a feline or canine essential fatty acid (EFA) blend, which includes olive oil, borage oil, salmon oil, and vitamin E oil.

instructions:

Combine all the above, and at feeding time, top-dress with a high qualitydigestive enzyme. i prefer enzymes formulated specifically for each species, as both dogs and cats have their own unique requirements.

HintHealthy animals love to try new foods.

my barometer in gauging the health of

dogs and cats new to raw food is to see

how quickly they take to it. The more

difficult the transition, the more they

really need to make the change. Finicky

eaters are usually exhibiting subtle

signs of underlying illness.

While cats need taurine, it is not necessary to supplement

with it when feeding a raw diet. raw meat, especially heart,

is high in taurine; it’s only when meat is cooked that this

nutrient is destroyed and must be added back in.


®

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Nature’s Variety is passionate about pet health and well-being. We believe better ingredients make better food, which means better overall health and happiness for your beloved pet.

Our Kibble, Canned, and Raw Diets are all complete and balanced for dogs and cats of every life stage. Available in a variety of �avors including Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Rabbit, Duck, Venison, Salmon, and Organic Chicken.


Feeding guidelines Dogs: Base feeding requirements onbreed,weight,andactivitylevels.Givinga dog approximately 2% of his totalbody weight is a good rule of thumb.For example, a 50-pound dog can eatapproximately 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of therecipeperday,dividedintotwoservings.

Cats: Feed adults two heaping table-spoonsmorning andeveningona flatplate (they don’t like their whiskers

touching the sidesof abowl).Kittenscan eat approximately one heapingtablespoonseveraltimesperday.

Youdohavetotakecarewhenprepar-ingandhandlinga rawmeatdiet,butin my opinion you’re putting youranimal’s health at far greater risk byfeedinghimaprocessedcommercialpetfood.Arawdiet ismuchmorewhole-some and natural.And if you includeloveintherecipe,you’llbewellontheway to providing optimum health foryourdogorcat!

celeste yarnall, pHd, is a renowned aniMal nutritionist and Holistic

HealtH care advocate. sHe specializes in dogs and cats and is tHe autHor of Natural Cat Care aND Natural Dog Care. celeste Has successfully raised ten generations of cHaMpionsHip cats on Her version of tHe raw food diet. for More inforMation and recipes, contact celestial pets® 818-707-6331 or visit www.celestialpets.coM.

Hintit’s wise to consult with a holistic

vet when changing your animal’s diet,

especially if his health is compromised.

if his digestive system is sensitive

to dietary changes, start with small

amounts of raw food and increase

slowly. Always have fresh,

purified water available.

A time- saving tip

Feeding a raw diet doesn’t

have to be time-consuming

or inconvenient. one of the

easiest ways to do it is to make

up big batches and freeze it

in serving-sized portions.

you can make enough to last

several weeks if you wish. Some

experts feel that freezing the

meat for at least 72 hours also

kills most harmful bacteria.

defrost the meat in the fridge;

store in a tightly-covered glass

Pyrex bowl and keep for no

more than three days you

can refreeze the meat once

after defrosting it.


Another Healthy Pet Systems success Life for me has certainly changed since adopting my six daschunds. Each required something different as they were abandoned, neglected and/or abused. What is universal is their need for love and proper nutrition. I firmly believe wellness is achieved with a natural and holistic approach to life. I feed them the way they are designed to eat and provide them with supplements in their daily food to insure the quality of nutrition they require to be and stay healthy. As far as I am concerned, food today just does not meet the requirements demanded by the body for the health of our pets. Providing them with quality nutrients is displayed in their shinny soft coats, their energy levels and their bright eyes. Taking this extra necessary step hopefully will offer them longevity and improved quality of life. Fortunately, I provide them with supplements that I formulate and manufacture. I take them myself. As host of Let’s Talk Healthy Pets-a local TV show- I stress proper nutrition for good health and this is often reflected in the coat. What is going on inside shows on the outside. With Gods grace and proper nutrition, I expect good health and wellness.

Dr. Ed SulkowskiFor more information, ask your veterinarian or to order today, contactHealthy Pet Systems at:

1-877-838-7015 or www.vithealth.com

Pawsetively Pawfect! ™

BACON OR APPLE FLAVOR!

My Family: Back row: Sugar, Tucker, Zak, and Abbie. Bottom: Zoie and Meg Ryan


you probably believe that“someone” is in charge ofregulating pet food, thoughyoumaynotknowwhothat

mysteriousofficialoragencymightbe.But someone’s gotta be making surepet food doesn’t contain any harmfulingredients and does contain whatanimalsneedtosurvive,right?

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as clear-cutas,“Yes,it’salltakencareof.”Thereare government agencies that overseevarious aspects of pet food production,

but nearly all the regulation is post-market. There are few guidelines con-cerningthemanufactureofpetfood.

Soisthereanyonemakingsurea“duckand potato” food is really made withduckandpotatoes?Orthat itactuallycontainstheminimum20%proteinitsGuaranteed Analysis claims? Maybe,depending on where you live. As therecent recallhas shownall tooclearly,there are many opportunities for petfoods to fall between the cracks oftestingandenforcement.

Federal andstate regulations

1The Food and Drug Administra-tion (FDA) enforces the Federal

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. ThisActrequiresthatpetfoodscontainnoharmful substances, and be truthfullylabeled.However,themostmeaningfulday-to-day regulation of pet foodsactuallyoccursatthestatelevel.

2Each individual state adopts itsownlawsaboutpetfood.Theselaws

are implemented by the Department

By JeAn HoFVe, DVM

WHy Do reCALLs HAppen?


of Agriculture or similar agency,which oversees the sale of pet foodwithin its borders. The state’s feedcontrol officials are responsible forexamining the food’s label claims andoftenthefooditself.

Most states at least have a programto examine pet food labels. Many alsorandomly testpet foods: i.e., chemicaltestsfortheGuaranteedAnalysis(GA),which theFDArequires tobeprintedon every container of pet food. ThefouritemsrequiredtobeintheGAareminimumpercentagesofcrudeproteinandcrudefat,maximumpercentageofcrudefiberandthetotalpercentageofmoistureinthefood.

State feed control officials can anddoenforceviolationsoftheirstatereg-ulations. Depending on the nature oftheproblem,therearenumerouslevelsof notification and correction. In theinterim,however,tonsofnon-compliantfood can be sold and consumed bydogsandcats.

3TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture(USDA) is another body indirectly

involvedinpetfood.Itregulatesmeatproduction (including the foods thatare fed to meat-producing animals)and slaughterhouses. USDA’s regulationsareintendedtopreventcontaminationof meat products with nasty bacteriasuch as Salmonella, a culprit in manyrecallsofhumanfoodandoccasionallypetfood.

enforcement is weakWhen there’s a serious problem, suchasreportsofillnessordeath,FDAmayget involved. However, you might besurprisedtolearnthatpetfoodmanu-facturers have no legal obligation toreport anything to FDA, nor doesFDAhavethepowertoordera recall.

It’s up to the manufacturer to vol-untarily recall a food if they feel it iswarranted,or ifFDAsuggests it.FDAalsotakescomplaintsfromconsumers.In theMenuFoods recall, chancesarethat FDA would have been alertedeventually had the company not doneso,butmanymoreanimalswouldhavediedinthemeantime.

Onthe federal level,budget issuesaretoblame.Since2003,FDA’sinspectionbudget has decreased by nearly 25%.Given their many critical duties, petfood is low on their list of priorities.FDAadmitsthatthey’veinspectedlessthanathirdofmorethan600petfoodmanufacturing plants in the last threeyears,despitelawsrequiringmanymorefrequentvisits.Manyplantshaveneverbeeninspected.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.FDA also says they inspect barely 1%of all food imports. As we discoveredduring the recent recall, imported in-gredients are becoming more commoninpetfoodsduetotheirlowcost.FDAtends to inspect items thatareknownto be problematic, such as fresh fish;“safer” items like wheat gluten thatwereneveranissueinthepastwouldn’tbeflaggedforinspection.

recalls and the barn door Most recalls are equivalent to “closingthebarndoorafterthehorseisgone.”It’s uncommon for a problem to bediscovered before a product has hitstore shelves. In the case of pet food,itoftenisn’tuntilanimalsfallsickandconsumerscomplainthatrecallsoccur.Occasionally, a bacterial contaminant like Salmonella is discovered earlier inthe process because it is extensivelytested for. A good thing too, sinceFDA has found Salmonella in two foodssofarthisyear;bothwererecalled.

Some states have very proactive feed control officials, who aggressively

examine and test a wide selection of pet foods. other states do little

or nothing, sometimes because the laws are not well written, or because

there may not be a sufficient budget for enforcement.

The problem isn’t really that the regulations are inadequate, but that

inspection and enforcement are deficient. This is partly due simply

to volume – the number of pet foods on the market is overwhelming

and no one has the resources to check them all.


Several large pet food recalls haveinvolvedmoldygrain,particularlycorn.Molds can produce many types oftoxins.Ina1995recall,dozensofdogsweresickenedbyamoldappropriatelycalled “vomitoxin.” A fungal poisoncalled aflatoxin was responsible forabout 25 dog deaths in 1998, and 100morein2006.Petfoodcompaniesnowroutinelytestforthesetoxins.

In the Menu Foods recall, the cul-prits were melamine and relatedcompounds, none of which had everbefore been discovered in pet food.

Therewasnoreasontolookforthemor test for them. But since FDA andanalytical laboratories around thecoun-trystartedlookingformelamine,theyfound it in many unexpected places.From here on in, pet food companiesarelikelytotestforthesechemicals.Until early June, itwas anyone’s guesswhat the next contaminant might be.Thenacetominophen(Tylenol)wasdis-covered in at least five pet foods bylaboratoriesthatreceivedsamplesfromprivate consumers or veterinarians.Again, because it was an unexpectedsubstance that shouldn’t have been in

petfood,ithadn’tbeenroutinelytestedfor.Thiswillprobablychangenow.

The bottom lineThe more you learn about the petfood industry, the more you probablyworry about your dog or cat’s food.Thekindofregulationthatmanyofusassume is present across the industryreally doesn’t exist. Instead, currentregulations and the market itself tendto promote the better products, andweedout the “badplayers”over time.It really is amazing that the industryisas“clean”asitis.

The chances of a recall will never bezero. Pet food makers can’t possiblytest for themillionsofchemicals thatmight get into a food. And with theindustry’s emphasis on profit, thetemptation to use cheaper, riskieringredientswon’tgoaway.Butasgov-ernment and the industry learn more,testing abilities improve, and con-sumers demand better standards andquality, pet food will hopefully becomesafer. In the meantime, you can takecontrol of your animal’s well beingby exploring healthier alternativessuchashome-preparedraworcookeddiets, or premium pet foods madefromhighqualityingredients.

veterinarian dr. jean Hofve is tHe forMer editor-in-cHief of tHe journal of tHe aMerican Holistic veterinary Medical association, and Has researcHed pet food and nutrition for More tHan 12 years. during two years as a full-tiMe aniMal advocate for tHe aniMal protection institute, sHe was a liaison to aafco, tHe organization tHat sets standards for tHe pet food industry. Having also served as a practicing veterinarian and four-terM president of tHe rocKy Mountain Holistic veterinary Medical association, jean Has a unique perspective on tHe pet food industry and pet nutrition. sHe Has written extensively on nutrition for a variety of publications over tHe past ten years.

north of the border

in Canada, pet foods are regulated at three federal levels. The Canadian Food inspection Agency regulates imported products in an effort to prevent the intro-duction of animal diseases; in the wake of the recall, the organization is currently in the process of reviewing its regulations and programs with a view to implementing some improvements. industry Canada is responsible for the regulation of basic pet food labeling requirements, while Health Canada’s Veterinary drugs directorate authorizes therapeutic claims for pet foods under the Food and drug regulations.

topics incluDe:

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disease prevention

natural alternative treatments

natural diets and nutrition

latest trends in integrative therapies

product recommendations

gentle training techniques, and so much more!


Good ol’ home cooking for dogs and cats Creating healthy, wholesome meals for your four-legged companion involves a little homework, but it’s well worth the effort.

earsago,IbelievedtheverybestdietIcouldfeedmy animals was the commercial stuff from the pet foodstore.Afterall,howcouldIpossiblycreatea diet that was as nutritious, delicious, and bal-

ancedasthosemadebythebigpetfoodcompanies,orsotheiradvertisingtoldme?

Oneday,everythingchanged.Mygoldenretrieverbecameill,andevenafteratriptothevettheredidn’tseemtobea“label”wecouldpinonhisgastrointestinalupset.Iconcludedhemusthave consumed some “tasty” morsel while roaming aroundoutside,orperhapsitwasarancidingredientinthefoodhewaseating.Eitherway,Idecidedtochangehisdiet.Ibecamealmost fanatical about studying pet food labels labels, andfinally made the decision to get out my pots and pans and makehisfoodmyself.

Manypeoplefeelthatcreatingahomecookeddietfortheirdogor cat is just too time-consuming and difficult. “I’ve got enough todowithoutcookingmealsformypets!”theysay.True,itdoes

By AUDI DonAMor


take moretime than

just openingacanorbag,

butasidefromthat,preparinga whole food

home cookeddiet is not rock-et science. Andthe more youdo it, theeasierit’llget.

Doyourhomework

You do need to understandsomething about dog and cat nutri-

tionbeforestartingtohomecookyouranimal’smeals,soit’simportanttodoabitofreadingandresearch.Hereafewresourcestohelpyouout:

•Two books that are front and centre on my bookshelf are Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats (Third Edition, Revisedand Updated) by Richard H. Pitcairn,DVM,PhDandSusanHubblePitcairn;and Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Recipes: The Healthful Alternative by Dr. Don-ald R. Strombeck DVM, PhD.They’reeasytoreadandunderstand,andpackedwith valuable information and lots ofeasyrecipes.

•TheUSDAdatabaseatwww.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/andwww.nu-tritiondata.comaresimpletouse,evenfor first timers. You can get an analysis of countless foods, including caloriccontent,andthepercentageofprotein,carbohydrates,fats,vitaminsandminer-als, based on serving size.TheWorld’sHealthiestFoodsatwww.whfoods.orgisalsoanexcellentresource.

• The National Research Council ofthe National Academies offers two free online booklets: Your Dog’s Nutrition-

al Needs: A Science Based Guide for Pet Owners and Your Cat’s Nutritional Needs: A Science Based Guide for Pet Owners(http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/dog_nutrition_final.pdf and http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/cat_nutrition_final.pdf).They contain information about proteins and amino acids, fatsand fatty acids, energy needs, vit-amins, minerals, feeding practices, andfoodchoices.Chartsprovideyouwithaframeworkfordesigningdietsthatmeetthe individual needs of your animal.There’s also guidance from veterin-ariansandnutritionists:

Let’sgetstarted

Once you’ve learned something abouthome cooked food for dogs and cats,youcanbegin.

When creating a diet, you need to dotwobasicthings:1. Be sure to include the right propor-tionsofprotein,fat,digestiblecarbohy-dratesandothernutrients.2.Determinehowmuchfoodyourdogorcatwillneedonadailybasis.

HowmuchdoIfeed?

Let’stakealookatamoderatelyactive50-pound dog. According to the NRCguidelines,aninactive50-pounddogre-quiresanaverageof989caloriesperday,whileanactivedogofthesameweightneeds approximately 1,353 calories perday. A moderately active dog wouldtherefore require around 1,200calories(add1,353and989anddivideby2).

The quantities provided in the menuwith this articlemakeenough food foradog likethis foroneday.Ifyouwanttoknowhowmuchfoodyou’llneed inaweek,justmultiplybyseven.Keepnomore than twoor threedays’worthoffoodinthefridge,andfreezetherestinservingsizecontainers.

For a nine-pound adult cat, NRCguidelines recommend 250 calories aday. For a cat then, you would makeup one day’s worth of food, as listedin the menu, and divide it into five portions for five days.

The basics of a good diet

When you’re home preparing food for your furry friends, it helps to understand the foundations of a balanced meal. Three ingredients for the most basic of home cooked diets are:

1. Ground meat, without the bone2. An orange and a green vegetable3. A good carbohydrate source, for sustained energy

The photo above shows a wholesome selection of these ingredients, including ground chicken thigh, a fruit and vegetable mash containing carrots, green beans, cranberries, blueberries and a Red Delicious apple, and stone ground whole oats.



ThemenuWhen making a meal for your animal,pick one ingredient from each of thethreecategoriesofprotein,fatandcarbs.Theratioforthisdietisapproximately30% protein,30% fat,and40% carbo-hydrates.Alltheamountsarebasedoncookedvolume.

Trytouseorganicfoodswheneverpos-sible, including meat. Choose seasonalfruits and vegetables and whole grains,properlypreparedfordigestibility.

If your dog or cat has a health condi-tion,youcanprepareadietthattargetsthat specific concern; the books by Dr. PitcairnandDr.Strombeckcanhelp,orconsultaholisticvetwhoiswell-versedinnutrition.

Protein

Proteins are the building blocks ofan animal’s diet. Choose one proteinfromthelistbelow,rememberingthatthisisjustastartingpointandyoucanstartcombiningthemwhenyouhavesomefoodprepmilesunderyourbelt.Keep in mind that some proteins are

higherinfatthanothers.Themeatscanbegroundorwhole.

1-1/2cupschicken 1-1/2cupsturkey 1-1/2cupsduck 1-1/2cupsleanbeef 1-1/2 cups bison/buffalo 1-1/2cupslamb(leancuts) 1-1/2cupsvenison 1-1/2cupsemu 1-1/2cupsostrich 1-1/2cupsrabbit 1-1/2cupssalmon 1-1/2cupstuna 1-1/2cupspollock 1-1/2cupsmackerel 4hardboiledeggs

Fat

Fatsarethemostconcentratedsourceofenergyinthedietplan.Addatablespoonofoneofthefollowingoilstothediet.Usecoldpressedoilswhereverpossible.

• safflower • sunflower •canola •grapeseed •hempseed •avocado •olive •ricebran

Carbohydrates

Wholegrainsandfruitsandvegetablesprovide the most complete source ofcarbohydrates and provide sustainedenergyforyouranimalcompanion.

Chooseonecarbohydratefromthelist.Onecupofadrywholegrainiscookedin three cups of filtered water.

3cupsofwholebrownrice3cupsofpearlbarley4-1/2cupsofoatmeal,madefromwholeoats3cupsofsweetpotatoes

Alsoadd1/4cupto1/2cupofavegetableandfruitmashthatincludesorangeand

Healthy diets start with whole foods

Cats are obligate

carnivores, which

means they must eat

meat in order to survive.

Be sure to include meat,

poultry or fish in

every meal.


“because the intestinal tracts of dogs and cats are much shorter than those of cereal-eating animals, like cows and horses, grains fed to dogs and cats need some pre-digestion, in the form of cooking.” - dr. richard Pitcairn.


green vegetables and brightly coloredfruits.Sincedogsandcatsdonothavethe necessary enzymes to break downcellulose walls, indigestible carbohy-dratesfoundintheouterlayersoffruitsandvegetables,wehave tobreak themdownsothesepower-packedfoodscanbemadeasbio-availableaspossible.

Cookingandsteamingvegetableswilldothetrick.Alternatively,afoodprocessor,blender, juicer or grinder can quicklycreate a wonderful pureé. Most fruitsjustneedafastspininaprocessor.

Foralistofthetop14fruitsandveggiesfordogsandcats,turntopage12.

Whatelseyouneedtoknow

•Youranimalcompanionwillalsoneedacompletevitamin/mineralcomplex.

•Ifyouhaveacat,ataurinesupplementisessential.

•Youmustalsoincludeacalciumsource.Itmaytaketheformofrawbones,hu-man grade bone meal, available fromhealth food stores, pharmaceuticalgradedicalciumphosphate,orvegetablebased calcium. Read labels carefully,

because each product isdifferent. A 50-pound dog requires a minimum of 1,350 mgof calcium per day, while a nine-poundadultcatrequiresaminimumof750mg.

Donotgiveyouranimalcookedbones–theycansplinterandcauseinjury.

Switch over to the new diet gradually.

both dogs and cats can experience

digestive upsets if you change their

food too abruptly. make the change

over a period of a few weeks by

adding slowly-increasing amounts

of the new food to his regular diet,

while cutting back on the latter.

•Asyougetmorecomfortablewiththeabove diet plan, you can start addingsome cooked or steamed organ meattotheproteinsources.Itcanbemixedinwith regular meat, but shouldn’t com-prisemorethan10%ofthediet.

•Ensure that fresh filtered water is avail-abletoyourdogorcatatalltimes.

•It’salwaysagoodidea,whenembarkingonanynewdietforyourdogorcat,toworkwithaholisticvet,especiallyifyouranimalhasahealthissue.Heorshecanhelp youwith an individually-tailoreddiet plan, and also provide you withadditional advice about home cooking.

Home cooking food for your animalmight seem daunting at first, but the moreyoudoitandthemoreyoulearn,the more you’ll get into it. Best of all,your dog or cat will reward you withbetterhealth,moreenergy,andalonger,happierlife.

(continuedonnextpage)

Feline Flatbread with Liver

Pureé and organic Catnip

don’t stick to the same ingredients all the time. mix and match, and choose from a variety of protein sources.


Theverybestchickenstock

24 cups filtered water3poundschickenbacksandnecks2carrots,inpieces2celerystalks,inpieces3Shitakemushrooms,driedorfresh2garliccloves1pieceoffreshginger12whitepeppercorns1to2tablespoonskoshersalt,totastehandfuloffreshparsley(Italianorcurly)otherfreshherbstotaste,e.g.thyme,oregano,sage,rosemary

Putall ingredients ina largestockpot.Bring to a rolling boil, skim off the foam, turntheheatdowntosimmer,andleavethe pot to sit and stew all day long.Re-frigerate overnight. Next morning,skim off the fat, remove the meat and vegetables, strain the stock into stor-agecontainersandfreeze.Thiswillgiveyou a nutrient-packed broth to add toanyofyourdogorcatrecipes,includingbiscuitsandothertreats.

Feline flatbread

2 cups organic whole oat flour3/4cupchickenstock,orliquidfroma can of fish1/4cuppurecranberryjuice1teaspoonseasalt(optional)2 tablespoons pureéd liver or fish, e.g.,

salmon,tuna,mackerel1tablespoonsfreshorganiccatnipor1-1/2tspdriedorganiccatnip

Preheatovento325ºF.Combineallingredientsinafoodprocessoror blender, and blend well until

thedoughispullingawayfromthesidesofthebowl.Turndoughout

onto a clean, floured surface. Knead for two minutes, adding more flour as

neededsodoughisnotsticky.

Line a cookie sheet with parchmentpaper. Roll out dough to about 1/4”thick. Lightly brush the top of theflatbread with cold pressed oil (e.g., olive, safflower or sunflower). Score the surface with a knife or pizza cutter.Sprinkle with chopped cranberries orcatnip,orboth.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn ovendown to 175ºF, and bake for one hourmore. Let the flatbread cool completely before breaking into bite-sized piecesand storing in an airtight container orZiplockbag.

If you would like a softer flatbread for your finicky feline, bake for a shorter time. For a real treat, sprinkle the flat-bread with freshly grated Parmesancheese.Purrfect!

Carrotcake

2freerangeeggs1/2cupunpastuerizedlocalhoney1/4 cup cold pressed oil, e.g., saff-lower, sunflower1/2cupapplesauce1 cup finely grated carrots1-1/4 cups whole oat flour1-1/2teaspoonsbakingpowder1/2teaspoonbakingsoda1/2teaspoonseasalt1heapingteaspoonofSaigoncinnamon1teaspooncarobpowder1/2cupfreshorsundriedunsulphuredcranberries.Blueberriescanalsobeusedforthisrecipe.Preheatoverto350ºF.Combineallingredients,exceptcranberries,in

a food processor or blender. Combinewell, then fold in cranberries. Lightlygreasean8”cakepan,andspooninbatter.Bakefor35to40minutes,checkingfor“doneness”bytestingwithatoothpick.

Cool the cake completely before stor-inginanairtightcontainerinthefridge.It also freezes well.You can also makemuffins instead of a cake; shorten baking timeto15to20minutes.

Boosterbarsfordogs4cupslargeoats2cupsoatmeal1tablespooncarobpowder(optional;cinnamoncanalsobeused)1cupapplesauceorpureédbanana1/4 cup cold pressed safflower oil or otheroilofyourchoice1/4cupunpasteurizedhoney4freerangeeggs1cupsundriedunsulphuredcranberriesorblueberries

Preheatovento350ºF.Combineall in-gredients in large bowl. Spoon batterintoawellgreasedbakingpanorPyrexbaking dish. Bake for 45 minutes andcheck for “doneness” by testing with atoothpick.Removepan fromovenandscore into squares. Cool completelybefore storing in airtight container orZiplockbags.Thisisaveryeasyrecipetodouble,andthebarsfreezewell.

audi donaMor Has been creating special needs diets for dogs and cats for over ten years. following tHe loss of Her beloved golden retriever, blues, sHe founded tHe sMiling blue sKies ® cancer fund tHrougH tHe university of guelpH’s pet trust. audi is a recipient of tHe golden retriever club of canada silMaril Kennel tropHy for tHe HuMan/aniMal bond.

booster bars

Carrot muffins

More savory recipes to try


It’sadog’slifeBy MonICA seGAL

patty’s golden retriever, saM,recentlyturnedtwelve.She’salsojust adopted a six-month-old

puppyfromthelocalshelter.“Myques-tion is, should I feed them both thesame, or does the pup’s needs differ from Sam’s?”Pattywonders.

Age-appropriate nutrition can be acontroversial subject. Like Patty, manypeople aren’t sure if they should feed

puppies,adultsandseniordogsthesamediet,and/oriftheyshouldbuytheage-specific commercial pet foods so widely availabletoday.

Here’swhatyouneedtoconsider.puppy powerThe body of a growing puppy is likea house under construction. It has a

greater need for minerals and vitaminsbecause it is experiencing new cellformationatanacceleratedrate.

Puppyhood is the foundation stagewhen bones and organs are not onlygrowing, but serve as storehouses forsome vitamins and minerals.The liver,for example, stores copper, a mineralnecessaryforboneformation,pigmenta-tion,immunefunction,ironmetabolism

From puppyhood to the golden years...what you need to know about feeding your canine companion during the various stages of life.


and blood formation. The bones andteeth,meanwhile,storecalcium.Whena diet is deficient in calcium, the bones andteethwillreleaseitintotheblood-stream. Every dog will have days whenhedoesn’teatwell,sostrongbonesrichin calcium are an advantage. Further-more,growingbonesneedextracalciumin order to support their strength anddensity. Otherwise, they will releasetheircalciumintothebloodstreamandbecomeweakerovertime.

Thatsaid,puppiesaren’tabletoexcreteexcess calcium as efficiently as adult dogs do. For this reason, it’s important thattheyarenotfeedtoomuch.Giantbreeddogscandevelopseriousskeletalprob-lemswhencalciumisfedincorrectly.

All foods contain some protein. Eggs, milk, fish and meat, in that order, provide the highest quality. Although grains also contain protein, the quality is inferior. Think of a diet that provides 32% protein: it might

sound good, but if most of the protein is coming from grains, the dog would actually be better off with a lower percentage of better quality meat protein.

The importance of protein

Everycellinthebodyrequiresprotein,and a rapid growth rate demands evenmore.Forthisreason,commercialpup-py diets tend to include more proteinthanadultdiets.However,thequalityofprotein,whichtranslatestohowwellthebodyactuallyutilizesit,isakeyfactorindetermininghowmuchthepuppyreallyneeds.Ifthefoodisalowendbrand,itprobably contains poor quality proteinandisthereforenotthebestchoiceforyournewcompanion.

If you’re buying a packaged food foryourpuppy,avoidthelow-endcommer-cialdietsandchooseapremiumcannedor frozen raw product that has wholenamed meat as its primary proteinsource. Home-prepared diets also hold

anadvantageoverpoorqualitycommer-cial foods because you can control thefood sources, know where the proteiniscomingfrom,andadjusttheamountsasneeded.

Factoring in fat

Healthygrowthcomesfromgoodnutri-tion.Alongwithprotein,thepuppyalsoneedsfat.Aswithprotein,thepercent-ageoffatneededtosupportgrowthandappropriateweightgaincanvarybasedon thequalityof the food.Apremiumdietforpuppiesisusuallybasedonmoreprotein and fat with less focus on car-bohydrates, which is how it should be.Ingeneral,highqualitypuppydietscanprovideasmuchas80%oftheircaloriesfromacombinationofproteinandfat.

The nutritional requirements of puppies also depend on the size the adults are expected to be. Great danes and Chihua-huas are examples of just how great the differences can be.


All grown up

Tothenakedeye, theadultdog’sbodydoesnotseemtoalterverymuchasidefrom some changes in weight. How-ever,theadultbodycanbelikenedtoahouseunderconstantrenovation.Cellsdie and new ones are manufacturedon a continual basis. Blood cells, skin,muscletissuesandmoreallrequirepropernutritiontokeepadoghealthy.

Adultdogsdonotneedthehighquan-tities of vitamins and minerals thatpuppiesdo,buttheycontinuetorequirea healthy diet that includes all thenecessarynutrientsaswellashighqualityproteinandfat.

NoticeIdidn’tmentioncarbohydrates.Whiledogsarecertainlyabletousethenutrients provided by carbohydrates,theydonotactuallyneedthecarbohy-dratesthemselves.Whencarbsareusedin a low-end commercial diet, they arethereforonereason:toaddcaloriessothe manufacturer can save money byusinglessproteinand/orfat.Sometimesthere’s a valid reason to feed carbohy-drates - in the case of dogs that don’ttoleratehigh-fatdiets,forexample-butfortheaveragehealthydog,thisrequire-mentdoesnotexist.

How much protein does an adult dogactuallyneed?Ifit’sofhighquality,muchlessthanmanypeoplethink.Thebodyistheoriginalrecyclingmachine.Itcanutilizesomeofthematterthatoldcellsleavebehind,andcreatesomeproteinofitsown.Thisisoneofthereasonsthattheproteincontentindietscanvarysowidely; one might be only 18% whileanother has 43% protein. Both are fine, butwhilefeedingmoreproteinthanthehealthybodyneedsdoesnoharm,nei-therdoesitserveapurposebecauseitissimplyexcreted.

diets that provide 25% to 35% protein are healthy for an adult dog, as long as the source is of good quality.

The golden years

Oneimportantchangethatoccurswithage is that leanskeletalmassdecreases

whilebodyfatincreases.Ourdogsmaylookandevenweighthesameasinthepast, but the body mass compositionhaschanged.Bodystrengthdependsona combination of muscle mass, muscletone and the integrity of the skeletalsystem. Physical strength decreaseswhen muscle mass is lost. As a result,dogsmaybemorelethargicorunabletodowhattheyoncedidforaslongastheyusedto.Mostofthetime,thismakesforacceleratedweightgain.

Females tend to accumulate more body fat than males do. breeds may also differ in their body fat-to-lean ratio.

More weight and less muscle masscompromise the animal’s ability tomove easily. Stress may be added tothejoints,heartandgeneralbodyfunc-tion. Digestive changes can also occur.Forexample,whenexercise is reduced,someolderdogsbegintohaveproblemswithconstipation.

Manydogownersworryaboutprevent-ing kidney disease, and this is whatmotivatesthemtodecreasetheproteinin an older dog’s diet. Do not let feardriveyourdecisions.AstudyconductedbyPurinanotesthatafterthreeyears,ahighermortality ratewas seen inolderdogs on a low protein diet (16.5%)compared to thoseonahigherproteindiet (34%).* The mechanism of thiseffect is not fully understood, and there issuspicionthatthattheolderanimal’sgastrointestinal tract becomes lessefficient at digesting and absorbing pro-teinandothernutrients.Butit’shardtoargue the results since there is no finan-cialgainforadogfoodcompanytostatethatanolderdogneedsmoreprotein.

Inthecaseofolderdogs,feedthepet,not the age. A healthy older dog doesnotneedtohavehisproteinrestricted.Remember that easily digested, highquality protein benefits dogs of all ages, from pups like Patty’s to golden oldiessuchasSam.

*Kealy,R.D.(1999)“ProteininLifeStage Nutrition – Factors Influencing leanBodyMassinAgingDogs.”Com-

pendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian;21:34-37.

Monica segal received certification in aniMal HealtH care tHrougH tHe uni-versity of guelpH. sHe writes feature articles for publications tHrougHout nortH aMerica and conducts worKsHops and seMinars by invitation. sHe also autHored k9kitCheN, your Dog’s Diet: the truth BhiND the hype and optimal NutritioN, raW aND CookeD CaNiNe Diets: the Next leVel.


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ystie is a sweet six-year-oldspayedfemaleborder collie/springerspaniel cross. She first came toourcliniconMay 26, 2006. Hermedical history was

routine:puppyvaccines,spay,parasiteprevention medication, annual boos-ters for rabies, distemper, hepatitisand kennel cough, with leptospirosisaddedinthepastthreeyears.Shewason a medical weight-reducing diet.She had no illness, other than twoear infections that were treated with

amedicatedointment.ButMystiewasslowingdown.Sheshowedless interestinherFrisbee,wasmorealoof,andherdaily runs were becoming walks. Herownersputthechangedowntoherage.

On examination, Mystie was found tohave a mild doggy body odor despitegood grooming. She also had a smallamount of mucus and crusty dischargein the corners of her eyes, tartar accu-mulation on her upper molars, a littlewax in both ears, and a soft, painless,easily moveable growth under the skinonherrightthigh.Hercoatwasluster-

less with mild dandruff on her back, and shewas15%overweight.Herbloodtestswerewithinnormallim-itsandherheartwormandstoolparasitetests were negative. We did distemperand parvovirus vaccine titers and theycame back positive, indicating an anti-bodyresponsetothosevaccines.Mystiepresented the typical picture of the“basically healthy but toxic dog” – inother words, declining health withoutovertpathology.

Mystie’sguardians,whohadalwaysdonewhattheybelievedbestfortheircanine

Doing Detox

By AUTUMn DroUIn, DVM

Just like us, our animals are constantly exposed

to toxins in their food and environment. Here’s

how to help them back to wellness.

M


companion, felt guilty that she showedsignsoftoxicity.Iassuredthemwecouldbegintoimmediatelyreversethesituation.

WhywasMystietoxic?

Diet: Mystie was eating a food thatcontained low quality ingredients aswell asadditives,hormones,pesticides,etc. The nutrition she was receivingwasinadequateandunabletomeetthe

demandsofenergyexpenditure,healingand detoxification.

Environmental exposure: Mystie’s familylives in a new housing developmentadjacenttoagriculturalland.Newhousesarehighlypollutedwhilethechemicalsin new building materials outgas.Pesticides on lawns and surroundingagricultural land are also a problem, asisairpollution.

Vaccines:Toomany.

Drugs: Antibiotics, dewormers, heart-worm and flea prevention products.

Detoxification to the rescueDetoxification is how the body rids itself ofpoison,andisaprocessthat’salwaystakingplace.Duetopoorquality food,over-vaccination and other factors, thedetoxification organs (the liver is the mainone)becomestressed.Theprocessconsequently becomes less efficient and needs assistance. In alternativemedicine, detoxification is the extra supportwegivethebodytohelpitcarryout itsnaturaldetoxingprocess.Italsohelps with the breakdown of someof the toxins that the body can’t get

Toxins are also normally produced in the body as byproducts of digestion and metabolism.

it’s best to work directly with a holistic vet when starting your own dog or cat on a detox program.


rid of on its own. It’s important to dothisbecauseillnesscanresultfromacc-umulatedtoxinsinthebody.

Natural remedies such as homeopathicpreparations,herbs,andnutritionalsup-plementscanbeusedtohelpananimaldetox. Equally important is reducingtoxicexposure;improvingthedietisanessentialpartoftheequation,asislim-itingvaccines,drugsandenvironmentaltoxins. For Mystie, I used a basic pro-tocolthatI’veutilizedwithhundredsofcompanionanimals.

Generaldetoxprotocol1.Agrain-freehome-prepareddiet.Thenewdietbeginswitha“wateronly”fast(12 to 36 hours for dogs, maximum 12hoursforcats.)

2.Nutritionalsupplements:

• fish oil

•probiotic(Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria)•highqualityvitamin/mineralsupplementformulatedfordogs(orcatsifthepatientisacat)

•digestiveenzymes

3. HEEL Detox Kit, to start afterthe diet is completely switched.The kit contains three homeopathicremedies, each of which supportscleansinganddrainage:

•Nux-vomicaHomaccordfortheliverandgut

•BerberisHomaccordforkidneysandgallbladder•Lyphosotforthelymphaticsystem

Igenerallyrecommendtwototendropsofeachremedydaily;thedosageisbasedonweight.Addeachtowaterbowldailyforthreeweeks,stopforoneweek,andrepeatforanotherthreeweeks.Ifapetwon’t drink water with the remedies,they can be dropped on food or insalmonjuice.

4.Other:

•Weeklylocalapplicationofdiato- maceous earth for flea prevention

•Stooltestforparasitesratherthantreatunnecessarily

•Limitexposuretovaccines,drugsandotherchemicals

Whatifthere’sareaction?It’snotuncommonforananimaltohaveareactionwhiledetoxing.Itmayincludean aggravation of existing symptoms, arecurrenceofoldonesand/orthedevelop-mentofnewones.Someexamplesare:

•Loosestoolsand/ormucusinstoolsforafewdaystoafewweeks(ifwat-eryorbloodyconsultaveterinarian)

•Dischargefromtheeyes

•Increasedbodyodorand/oritchiness

RevisitingMystieByJuly15,Mystie’sweighthaddroppedfour pounds. Her coat was shiny andfree of dandruff and odor. The growth, earwaxanddentaltartarhadimproved20% to25%. Bestofall, shewas likeapuppyagain!

Like ourselves, animals are constantlyexposed to toxic substances in theirfoodandenvironment.Feedingyourdogorcatahighqualitypremiumdietmadewith whole, fresh ingredients and freeof artificial preservatives, coloring and other chemicals, is an excellent start.Along with that, minimizing vaccinesand exposure to toxins, along with aregular detoxification program (spring andfall)canhelpmaintainorrestoreyourcompanion’shealthandzestforlife.

dr. autuMn drouin is a graduate of tHe ontario veterinary college, tHe canadian college of naturopatHic Medicine and tHe canadian acadeMy of HoMeopatHy. sHe is passionately dedicated to Helping aniMals by using a Holistic approacH. sHe can be reacHed at nortH-east newMarKet veterinary services, 905-830-1030, www.Holistic-vet.ca.

Hint:it’s difficult to predict which reactions may appear and for how long, although animals often detoxify through their weakest system. For example, an animal with skin problems will often detoxify through his skin.

These reactions occur as toxins drain out of the animal’s body, so they aren’t something to worry about unless they’re severe. in that case, always consult your veterinarian, since this is not a normal part of detoxification.

if your animal is gener-ally well, just give the detoxification process time; the dose can be reduced if necessary.

if your animal has an existing illness, how-ever, consult a holistic veterinarian, as her/his ability to detoxify may be compromised and a different protocol may be required.


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you’ve adopted a sweet dogfrom the shelter and every-thing is wonderful.You playwithher,petandcuddleher,

teach her the basics of sit, down andstay, and marvel at how smart she is.Sheseemstoloveplayingwithyou,thekidsandhertoys.

Atdinner,youputfoodinherbowlandshehappilystartseating.Youthinkshemight like a little special “homecom-ing”treatofgrilledchicken.Butasyoureachtoaddittoherbowl,shefreezes,snarls, then lunges and snaps.All of asudden your sweet little adoptee hasturnedintoMrs.Hyde.Whatgives?

It’s a natural reaction Dogshaveaninnateproclivitytoguardtheirresources,includingfood,people,toys and whatever else they think is“theirs.”MotherNaturehashardwiredthis trait into each and every dog tohelpensuresurvivalandreproduction.Left to fend for himself, a dog whosuccessfully guards his food has anedgeoveranotheranimal.

Although every dog has this guardinginstinct, therearedegreesofmanifes-tation. Early puppy socialization andtrainingcantremendouslyinfluencehisbehavior by teaching bite inhibition.Howmuchofarolegeneticsplayscan’treally be measured, but the problemof guarding can certainly be amelio-ratedorexacerbatedbywhatwedoordon’tdototeachourdogsappropriatebehaviorandtopreventmishaps.

Therearedegreesofaggression,rangingfromdogswhofreezeandgrowlwhensomeone approaches while they areeating,todogswhocanandwillinflictsevere injuries if you come within six

feetoftheirbowl.Smalldogsmightnotinflict as much damage, but blood isblood.Safetyisyourfirstandforemostconcern,especiallyiftherearechildreninthefamily.

A three-step programIf your dog guards her food, whetherfrom you or another animal in yourhouse, consult a professional trainer.Heorshewillsetyouupwithabehav-iormodificationprogramthatemploysallthreeofthefollowingmethods:

1. Preventionand managementSet up your environment so the dog’sbehavior isn’t triggered. For example,don’tleavefoodoutbetweenmeals.

2. Systematicdesensitization andCounterconditioningSystematic Desensitization beginsby introducing the stimulus that nor-mally triggers the behavior (like you

WhattodoaboutfoodaggressionBy pAUL oWens

“Grrrr... that’s mine!”

Hintresource aggression can lead

to serious injury so i cannot stress

strongly enough the need to call

in a professional dog trainer (positive

training only of course) to nip this

problem in the bud.


approachingthedogwhileshe’seating)at a distance and intensity that isn’tthreatening. Then you gradually in-creasetheintensity,contingentonherfeeling okay with your progression.Eventually you work up to a pointwhere you can touch your dog andhandle her all over her body whileshe’s eating, and even take her bowlaway or put your hands in her bowlwithouttriggeringaggression.

Counterconditioning is used in con-junction with systematic desensitiza-tion. πIt’s a process that changes the wayyourdogfeelsaboutthesituation.We counter a dog’s negative feelingsabout someone approaching her foodbowlbyassociatingtheapproachwithsomething pleasant, like highly-valuedchickenorcheesetreats.

3. operant Conditioning Teachingyourdogasubstitutebehaviorisagreatwaytohelpresolvetheprob-lem because it establishes leadershipandalso teachesa specificalternative.If, for example, you teach your dogto “drop it” or “leave it” or to backawayfromthebowlwheneversomeoneapproaches,he learnswhat todoratherthanhavingtobecorrected.

Usecommonsenseanderronthesideof safety. I knew of one woman who

decidedtoshowherdogshewas“boss”.She tried to force him away from hisfoodbystickingherfacenearthebowl.Dozensofstitcheslater…

Resource guarding won’t be resolvedovernight, but if you consistently andpreciselyfollowthestep-by-stepprogramthatatrainersetsupforyou,youshouldenjoyverygoodtoexcellentsuccess.

paul owens is tHe autHor of The Dog Whisperer, a coMpassionate nonviolent approacH to dog training, now also available on dvd (www.dogwHispererdvd.coM). certified by tHe association of pet

dog trainers and endorsed by tHe national association of dog obedience instructors, paul is tHe director of raise witH praise, inc., based in burbanK, california.

Hintdon’t compete with your

dog, challenge her, or try to

“show her who’s boss” by using

physical correction.


Choosing the right goodies for your companion

By sTeVe BroWn AnD BeTH TAyLor

What a treat!



T hink of pet treats and manyof us envision those highly-processed,highly-flavoredmorsels

in theshapeof fishormailmen.Theymight be fun to buy and give to yourdog and cat, and your animal mightlove eating them, but at best all theydo is add empty calories to his diet.Most also contain all kinds of riskyingredients, including artificial color-ings,sugarsandfillers.Justlikepeoplewhoarealwayssnackingoncandyandcookies, animals that eat too manytreats can become prone to obesity,diabetesandotherhealthissues.

Here’sa lookatthedifferenttypesofpettreatsyoucanbuyandtheprosandconsofeach.

Biscuits

Theseareanoldstandby,sofamiliarwedon’t thinkaboutwhat’s in them.Butthey are what they look like: cookies!Theaveragedogbiscuitcontainsmoregrain than most dry foods, as well asflavoringsofallsorts.

Here’s an example. Yodel is a heavy30-poundbeagle.Hegetstwomedium-sizedbiscuits in themorning, two for“lunch,” and two after he goes outbefore bed. Each biscuit contains 35calories. Yodel’s ration for the day isabout 550 calories; with six biscuitsa day, 210 of those calories are beingprovided by treats, on top of whathe’s already eating. His owners didn’tdo their arithmetic, and Yodel gotfat. Because of this, his life may beshortened, and he may be more likelytodeveloparthritis andotherchronichealthproblems.

Whenbuyingbiscuits,chooseorganic,naturalproductsmadewithonlywholegrainsandthatcontainas fewsynthetic

ingredients and additives as possible.Keepinmindthatevennaturalbiscuitswill add to the carbohydrate level ofyour animal’s diet, making it harderfor him to maintain a proper weight.Break the treats up into small pieces,or buy the smallest size you can find,so you’re not giving your animal asmuchatatime.

Meat-based treats These come in all shapes and forms,from jerky to tiny freeze-dried cubes.Look for whole food products. Brandsthatbear“meat-sounding”namesmaybefullofartificialcoloringtomakethetreatlooklikebacon,beeforothermeats.

Meat-only treats include freeze-driedor dehydrated meat such as liver,turkey breast strips, lamb lungs andother body parts. These treats aremostly protein, but they still addcalories.A20-pounddogwhoconsumesafullpieceof lamblungisgettingmostof his calories for the day, and not ina balanced way. Again, break thesetreatsintosmallpieces.

Freeze-dried meat and vegetable dietsmake excellent, often “complete andbalanced” treats. They contain bothprotein and fat, though, so they addmorecaloriesthanmeat-onlytreatsofthesamesize.

Allmeat-basedtreatsshouldbeboughtin small packages and used promptly.Store them in the freezer to preservethefatsandkeepthetreatsdry.

People-food treatsIt’snotsurprisingthateverytimeyou

open the fridge door, Fido shows up,wondering if there’s something insideforhim!Infact,humanfoodcanmakefresh, nutritious treats for dogs andcats, so long as you choose the rightthings. Blueberries, carrots, apples,melon,eggs,orbitsofcheeseormeatareall tasty tidbits.Aswithanytreat,size and quantity are important, butsince many of these foods still havetheirwatercontent, theyaren’tas fat-tening.A piece of apple has far fewercaloriesthanevenasmallbiscuit.

Peanut butter and celery is an enter-taining dog treat, but it does have anextremely high caloric content, andshouldbesavedforspecialoccasions.Chew treats Chew treats can promote mental,dentalandoverallphysicalhealth,andmay also help prevent a growing puppyfrom gnawing on your furniture orshoes. Here’s what you need to knowaboutthem:

•Arawmeatybone(notcooked)isthebestandhealthiestchewtreat.

• Food-stuffed toys provide lots ofphysical and mental stimulation. ArubberKongfilledwithafewcrunchytreats, a piece of cheese, or a bit ofpeanutbutterwillkeepadogworkingforalongtime.Treatballsstuffedwith

Choosing the right goodies for your companion

HintCats love meat and fish-based treats.

read labels carefully: attractively

packaged, smelly treats may contain

low quality ingredients.

Treats to Avoid

Avoid giving your animal raisins,

grapes, onions, and chocolate;

these can all have toxic effects.

Also, don’t feed him junk food like

potato chips or hot dogs.


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smallcrunchytreatsaddanelementofplayas thedogthrowsandbounces itaroundtogetthegoodiesout.

•Avoid rawhide treats. Notonly do they contain nonutrient value, but dogstend to swallow largechunks which can causelife-threatening blockagesin the digestive system.Even small pieces can beirritating to the GI tract and maycausediarrhea.

•Thegreenchewspromotedfordentalhealth are often made with a glutenbase. Gluten is one of the most com-mon causes of allergies in dogs andshouldbeavoided.

•Othercookedor smokedbodypartsalso need to be carefully evaluated.Pigs’ears,forexample,arenotrecom-mended because they are high in fat.Tracheasandtendonsareeasytodigestand add cartilage to the diet, but canposeachokinghazard.

Treattimeisan importantpartoftheday foreverybody.Themosthealthfulgoodiesyoucangiveyourdogorcatarethose made from fresh, whole foods.It’sallrighttobuythosecutelittlefishandmailmenonce inawhile,butsticktorealfoodormeattreatsmostofthetime.You’llhelpyouranimalmaintainahealthyweightandlivelonger.

steve brown and betH taylor are tHe autHors of see spot live longer, How to Help your dog live a longer and HealtHier life! steve is also tHe creator of cHarlee bear® dog treats, steve’s real food® for pets, and see spot live longer

HoMeMade dinner Mixes.visit www.seespotlivelonger.coM.

pAss THe GrAss“Cat grass”, available as a kit or already

growing, is an excellent kitty treat,

providing entertainment and live green

nutrients for indoor felines. Some dogs

also enjoy nibbling on fresh greens.

Look for an organic product.

HintAlways supervise your dog when

he has a chew treat.


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