Guest guest Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 The junk being sold as pet food today is also hurting our beloved animals. Someone who cares has sent the following article to me and I pass it on to all you dog lovers, especially! Not surprisingly, over carbing our DOG FOOD is killing them, just as it's killing US! Linda Title: Do you know what's in your Dog Food?by Aaron WilmotAccording to holistic veterinarian Dr. Jane Bicks, themaximum life span of dogs is estimated to be around 25to 30 years, yet the average dog generally lives nolonger than about 13 to 14 years. She says that thisdeficit is due largely to poor nutrition. For example, canned food is about 75 to 78 percentmoisture, which leaves very little room for nutrition.In addition to containing what is generally consideredthe bottom of the barrel ingredients in terms ofnutritional density, most conventional dog foodproducts contain especially large amounts of sodium tomake them palatable, (Linda's note: palatable to WHOM?) as well as dairy, by-products,chemical preservatives, artificial colors and otherpotentially harmful ingredients. The carbohydrate ratio is too high in some dog food brands as well,eventually leading to obesity, which is increasinglybecoming a serious problem with dogs. In fact, obesityis one of the greatest health concerns facing ourdogs; it can cause unnecessary suffering and ashortened lifespan. Renowned research scientist Dr.Barry Sears believes that dog food should have aboutthe same 30-30-40 ratio as the human Zone diet. Thismeans a relatively small amount of carbohydrates. Notonly do many dog food brands have a particularly largeamount of carbohydrates, they are mostly grain-based,which are exactly the ones the Zone diet tries tominimize. Another problem, according to the USDA Agriculturalservice, is that mites often get into dog foodpellets, which can cause a number of problems such asdisease. They recommend keeping dog food cool and dry,and vacuuming in the places where the food is storedthe food is stored a least once a week. In addition,keep the area around the dish where the dog food isserved clean. Also, do not leave any dog food in yourpet's bowl on warm, humid days. It should be notedthat harder working dogs require more protein and fatin their diet to maintain stamina and good body form.A dog food that is complete and balanced and includesat least 26 percent protein and 1650 kilocalories ofmetabolizable energy per pound is ideal. During theseasons when dogs are not working, their energyrequirements decrease. Feed less of the high caloriefood or change to a less nutrient-dense dog food. Dr. Jane Bicks has been honored on many occasions bythe veternary profession and is the author of severalbooks inlcluding 'Thirty days to a healthier, happierdog' and 'Dr. Jane's Natural guide to a healthier,happier dog'. She has been involved in many advisoryboards including Canine Companions for independenceand has served as the President of the VeterinaryMedical association of New York City. For more information, go tohttp://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/ DIABETIC? CHECK US OUT!www.ayurvedicherbsforhealth.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.