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These Foods Can Kill A Dog
Unfortunately not all dog food is created equal. If most of us actually new what went into commercial pet food we would be horrified! Dogs seems to be getting sicker more often, with higher incidences of cancers, heart disease, obesity and other illnesses, including allergies. Could it be that it is what we are feeding them that is one of the main contributing factors? Learn what is safe to feed your dog and what is not!
Foods Never To Feed Your Dog.
You may like to give your dogs treats in the way of human foods but this is not a wise practice to get into. Many foods we eat are so toxic to dogs that they can even cause death.
Avoid at all costs feeding your dog the following
- Garlic, Onion and Chives.
- Chocolate, Alcohol and Caffeine
- Macadamia Nuts.
- Potato Peelings
- The following foods – Raisins, Grapes, Avocados, Apple Seeds, Peach, Plum and Apricot Stones, Cherry Pips
- Unbaked Bread Dough – as it can rise in the stomach and be fatal.
- Anything sweetened with Xylitol
The Pet Food Industry Does Not Always Have The Health Of Our Pets In-Mind.
The pet food industry is big BIG business, with multi-billions of dollars involved and unfortunately it is not always our beloved pets health that is the manufacturers no.1 priority. Our pets are basically eating the massive amount of waste product from the meat and poultry industries and very little ‘real’ meat (animal flesh), which is the one ingredient they actually need. Read
Feeding Dogs Raw Meat – Not So Safe!
Yes dogs are descendants from wolves, but they have evolved into what they are today, which is beloved pets who live in suburbia with us.
A wolf hunts and eats fresh prey, straight after it kills it. Whereas feeding your dog raw meat can be dangerous for both your dog and also your entire family. There are risks of your dog getting seriously, or even fatally sick from the following pathogens which are found in raw meat. These are the same pathogens that affect humans; e.g. Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium botulinium, and Staphylococcus aureus.
To find out more about the pros and cons of a raw diet read, The Raw Debate by Modern Dog.
The Ethical Issue Of Feeding Dogs Other Animals
Another issue many animal lovers face is that if we choose to have dogs as pets and as they are predominately carnivores, we will be indirectly perpetuating the slaughtering cycle of other animals for pet food.
Domesticated dogs are the direct descendants of wild animals and it humans who chose to domesticate and breed them for their own interests. Therefore the best we can do as a dog owners is to act as ethically as we possibly can and source the most humanely reared animals for our pets meals; e.g organic meats and free-range meats etc..
Healthy Diet Equals Healthy Dogs – What To Feed Your Dog
Many pet health nutritionists believe if pet food is not made using ‘human food grade’ ingredients, then it is not fit for your pet either. The trouble with this term ‘human food grade’ is that it is not an officially, legalized and recognized term, therefore pet manufacturers can easily write this on their packaging. Also in the US organic pet food labeling has yet to be regulated, so many companies claim organic and may have none, or a very small percentage of organic ingredients. Read this interesting article on labeling pet foods by The Bark.com
Thankfully in Australia, we do have one pet food manufacturer that produces a small range of ‘certified organic’ dry dog food, which is officially certified by Biological Farmers of Australia and has obtained the official Australian Certified Organics logo and that brand is BiOpet. There are also various companies producing organic wet food for dogs and cats.
An organic, high protein diet full of dog safe organic vegetables and is the best you can give your pet. Take a look at this 10 minute video, ‘How to Choose a Good Dog Food’ from veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker. She also addresses cat food in this video.
If you can’t get organic, then at least a free-range meat, diet is healthier and a little more humane, than animals that are produced for food in battery style farms.
The Dog Food Project is an amazing site that has loads of information all about pet foods and they have also compiled this informative page of ingredients commonly found in pet food and what they actually are.
Another helpful site in the US is the Dog Food Advisor, here is a link to his extensive index page on articles about dog food, which you may find helpful.
It is important to understand that dogs and cats diets are quite different. Dogs diets while predominately should be made up of protein, can contain some carbohydrates in the forms of high-quality grains e.g rice and some vegetables. Cats, on the other hand, need a diet primarily of just protein. While yes there are some vegan dog foods on the market and these are an alternative for vegans who truly struggle with feeding dogs meat products, it pays to remember that while yes dogs have adapted to be able to eat all manner of foods, there systems are tuned in for meat and high quality meat. So while a vegan diet can be given, it is not, according to experts, the optimal diet for good canine health.
Be careful when choosing to make your dog’s food from scratch, as you may be missing out on including some very valuable nutrients that your pet needs.
Cooking some meals for your pet is fine, but you need a high quality pet food that includes all the vitamins and minerals they need as the main part of their daily diet.When buying pre-prepared food for your pets, it is in the best interest of your pets health to always know where the ingredients came from and what they actually are.
Organic is always going to be the healthiest option, but a little more costly. Pre-packaged and dry foods can also be healthy if made with only completely natural, high quality ingredients.