dog food labels

[Guest guest]

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

 

 

Dog Food Labels

Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

 

 

Q. What do dog food labels mean?

 

A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine

the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the

guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber,

and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to

providing information about the amount and quality of protein and

fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and

give general feeding guidelines.

A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the

price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is

more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per

pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per

pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower

quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the

other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold

only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive

more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell

the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality

food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food

labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

 

Converting dry matter basis

 

This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of

moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry

foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The

first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog

food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So

the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The

other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you

compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and

dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it

would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of

food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them

accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.

 

If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry

matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that

reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry

matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry

matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare

this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80%

moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we

take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry

matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry

matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same

for fat, fiber, etc.

 

Guaranteed analysis

 

The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food

label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the

maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as

crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of

protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list

of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more

explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat

percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in

understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying

on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had

a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68%

moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels.

The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work

boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

 

Ingredient list

 

All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The

ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the

best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little

knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly

digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic

used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients.

Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients

and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable

ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product

list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat,

corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all

of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh

the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all

of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end,

to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I

have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

definitions.

 

Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken,

cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal

muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the

skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.

 

Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered

animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys,

brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their

contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

 

Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like

heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not

contain feathers.

 

Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed

whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.

 

Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

 

Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.

 

Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the

manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after

the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

 

Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels

that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

 

Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the

kernels have been removed.

 

Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of

soybean oil.

 

BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

 

Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to

prevent spoilage in dog food.

 

Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring

compounds used as natural preservatives.

 

The AAFCO standards

 

'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO

standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should

meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one

of two statements on their label.

 

The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's

nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein,

fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather,

used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

 

The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests

using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides

complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry

this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six

months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this

statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one

particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to

meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same

statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal

or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet

food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can

not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food

trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate

amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term

effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite

these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial

statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows

the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

 

Feeding instructions

 

Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag

and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended

amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind

owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a

different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental

temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental

stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these

guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or

hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is

obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients

that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being

questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended

amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an

area where common sense is much more important than science.

 

Summary

 

One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet

food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The

very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market

shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs

need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate

for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not

switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and

find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems

from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and

department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only

be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then

compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check

the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get

what you pay for.

 

The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell

you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and

rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium

brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my

cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and

free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered

in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their

separate articles.

 

 

References and Further Reading

 

 

Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of

Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

 

Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats.

St. Louis, MO; 1987.

 

 

 

 

Pam

[Guest guest]

Pam,

 

Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.

 

Love,,

Zeb

 

-

pam

herbal remedies

Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668Dog Food LabelsVeterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. Q. What do dog food labels mean? A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to providing information about the amount and quality of protein and fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and give general feeding guidelines. A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.Converting dry matter basisThis can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same for fat, fiber, etc.Guaranteed analysisThe guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!Ingredient listAll pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their definitions.Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not contain feathers.Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the kernels have been removed.Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of soybean oil.BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to prevent spoilage in dog food.Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring compounds used as natural preservatives.The AAFCO standards'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one of two statements on their label.The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.Feeding instructionsFeeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an area where common sense is much more important than science.SummaryOne of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get what you pay for.The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their separate articles.References and Further ReadingPalika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. St. Louis, MO; 1987. PamFederal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington

[Guest guest]

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

 

I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat,

so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

 

The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and

bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones

and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements

would be cool.

 

I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them

to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the

mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our

puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

 

Sylvia

 

In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Pam,

>

> Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to

come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only

what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let

me know.

>

> Love,,

> Zeb

> -

> pam

> herbal remedies

> Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

>

>

> http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

>

>

> Dog Food Labels

> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith,

Inc.

>

>

> Q. What do dog food labels mean?

>

> A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

determine

> the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the

> guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates,

fiber,

> and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition

to

> providing information about the amount and quality of protein and

> fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives

and

> give general feeding guidelines.

> A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the

> price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is

> more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per

> pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per

> pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower

> quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On

the

> other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods

sold

> only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

expensive

> more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will

tell

> the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just

quality

> food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food

> labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

>

> Converting dry matter basis

>

> This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of

> moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some

dry

> foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons.

The

> first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy

dog

> food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So

> the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The

> other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you

> compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned

and

> dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as

it

> would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands

of

> food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them

> accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.

>

> If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry

> matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that

> reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry

> matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry

> matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us

compare

> this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80%

> moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So

we

> take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry

> matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a

dry

> matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same

> for fat, fiber, etc.

>

> Guaranteed analysis

>

> The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food

> label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the

> maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed

as

> crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of

> protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The

list

> of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for

more

> explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and

fat

> percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

> discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in

> understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about

relying

> on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that

had

> a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and

68%

> moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels.

> The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work

> boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

>

> Ingredient list

>

> All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The

> ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the

> best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little

> knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is

highly

> digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one

tactic

> used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients.

> Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients

> and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable

> ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a

product

> list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground

wheat,

> corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group

all

> of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh

> the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read

all

> of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the

end,

> to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I

> have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> definitions.

>

> Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken,

> cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated

skeletal

> muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and

the

> skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that

flesh.

>

> Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered

> animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

kidneys,

> brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of

their

> contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

>

> Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

> slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs

(like

> heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does

not

> contain feathers.

>

> Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed

> whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.

>

> Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

>

> Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or

chopped.

>

> Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the

> manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue

after

> the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

>

> Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels

> that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

>

> Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the

> kernels have been removed.

>

> Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of

> soybean oil.

>

> BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

>

> Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to

> prevent spoilage in dog food.

>

> Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

occurring

> compounds used as natural preservatives.

>

> The AAFCO standards

>

> 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

> Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

> labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO

> standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods

should

> meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include

one

> of two statements on their label.

>

> The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's

> nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

> laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of

protein,

> fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

leather,

> used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

>

> The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests

> using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides

> complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to

carry

> this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for

six

> months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with

this

> statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one

> particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found

to

> meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same

> statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide

equal

> or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the

pet

> food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you

can

> not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food

> trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an

adequate

> amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term

> effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more.

Despite

> these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial

> statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least

shows

> the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

>

> Feeding instructions

>

> Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag

> and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended

> amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind

> owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a

> different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

environmental

> temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental

> stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use

these

> guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or

> hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet

is

> obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

clients

> that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after

being

> questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended

> amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an

> area where common sense is much more important than science.

>

> Summary

>

> One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best

pet

> food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The

> very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market

> shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs

> need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate

> for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do

not

> switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands

and

> find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems

> from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and

> department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can

only

> be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then

> compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then

check

> the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always

get

> what you pay for.

>

> The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell

> you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken

and

> rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a

premium

> brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

> problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my

> cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food

and

> free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

considered

> in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their

> separate articles.

>

>

> References and Further Reading

>

>

> Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of

> Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

>

> Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and

Cats.

> St. Louis, MO; 1987.

>

>

>

>

> Pam

>

>

>

>

>

> Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any

natural remedy.

> 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own

physician and to

> prescribe for your own health.

> We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here

as long as

> they behave themselves.

> Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and

any person

> following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own

risk.

> It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or

products from list members, you are agreeing to

> be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner

and members free of any liability.

>

> Dr. Ian Shillington

> Doctor of Naturopathy

> Dr.IanShillington@G...

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, vegetables are a very important part of a dogs diet...they just need to have the meat as well. I don't believe in putting a dog on a vegetarian diet because it is against their natural tendencies. I do like the idea of the dog food you are thinking about. One thing that is very good and important for their coat is fish oils. Maybe consider adding some type of dried fish to the mix.

 

Caroline

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

There would have to be dried fish for any mixture for cats.

 

Taurine is key for cat vision. Also, i am not sure what would help,

but cats (typically male cats) are prone to urinary infections, so

this should be considered as well as FUR BALLS!!!!!!!!! Oils would

address that issue though

 

Sylvia

 

herbal remedies , " Caroline "

<ladyguinevere@e...> wrote:

> Yes, vegetables are a very important part of a dogs diet...they

just need to have the meat as well. I don't believe in putting a dog

on a vegetarian diet because it is against their natural tendencies.

I do like the idea of the dog food you are thinking about. One thing

that is very good and important for their coat is fish oils. Maybe

consider adding some type of dried fish to the mix.

>

> Caroline

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to

the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and

only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please

let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and

the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of protein

and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out

the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food

is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price

per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much

per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper.

On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet

food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas,

some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you

buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive.

The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not

as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level

that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90%

dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with

80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein.

So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound

on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the

same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog

food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and

the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources.

The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat

for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein

and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start

in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product

that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber,

and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather

work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food.

The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of

the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-

weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed

of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after

the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production

of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able

to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every

bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has

a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin

or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your

pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is

an

> > area where common sense is much more important than science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one.

The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some

dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food.

Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store

and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that

can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and

then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can

tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using

any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post

here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that,

and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their

own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List

Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Wow, what a cool idea! Can't wait to see the recipe!

 

Kelli

 

 

zeb [zeb] Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:54 AMherbal remedies Subject: Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

Pam,

 

Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.

 

Love,,

Zeb

[Guest guest]

Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.

 

Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

 

That's what I'm gonna try at least.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

Sounds really interesting.

 

LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department as

they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip = ball, or

frisbee, or kisses, etc....

 

We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the puppy

some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it right

up. I like the idea of grasses.

 

Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally picky

and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly

dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more time as

i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can

share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?

 

Sylvia

 

herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some

different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler

if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is

actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some

beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all

up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of

the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like

that.

>

> Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has

to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have

two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed

with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

>

> That's what I'm gonna try at least.

>

> Zeb

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to

the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and

only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please

let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and

the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of protein

and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out

the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food

is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price

per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much

per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper.

On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet

food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas,

some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you

buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive.

The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not

as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level

that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90%

dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with

80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein.

So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound

on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the

same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog

food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and

the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources.

The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat

for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein

and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start

in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product

that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber,

and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather

work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food.

The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of

the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-

weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed

of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after

the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production

of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able

to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every

bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has

a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin

or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your

pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is

an

> > area where common sense is much more important than science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one.

The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some

dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food.

Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store

and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that

can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and

then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can

tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using

any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post

here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that,

and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their

own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List

Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Great Idea Caroline. Just remember though some fish is not good for dogs. I think Swordfish is dangerous. One of the fish similar or Swordfish are too rough on the dog. Anyone know what exact fish this is?

 

Zeb

 

-

Caroline

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:45 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

Yes, vegetables are a very important part of a dogs diet...they just need to have the meat as well. I don't believe in putting a dog on a vegetarian diet because it is against their natural tendencies. I do like the idea of the dog food you are thinking about. One thing that is very good and important for their coat is fish oils. Maybe consider adding some type of dried fish to the mix.

 

Caroline

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

Sylvia,

 

Apparently Cats can get Taurine from animal proteins. So making a cat food that is abundant in animal proteins will help.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 2:00 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

There would have to be dried fish for any mixture for cats.Taurine is key for cat vision. Also, i am not sure what would help, but cats (typically male cats) are prone to urinary infections, so this should be considered as well as FUR BALLS!!!!!!!!! Oils would address that issue thoughSylviaherbal remedies , "Caroline" <ladyguinevere@e...> wrote:> Yes, vegetables are a very important part of a dogs diet...they just need to have the meat as well. I don't believe in putting a dog on a vegetarian diet because it is against their natural tendencies. I do like the idea of the dog food you are thinking about. One thing that is very good and important for their coat is fish oils. Maybe consider adding some type of dried fish to the mix. > > Caroline> - > Sylvia > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements > would be cool.> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea> > Sylvia> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > Pam,> > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only > what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let > me know.> > > > Love,,> > Zeb> > - > > pam > > herbal remedies > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > > > > Dog Food Labels> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, > Inc. > > > > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to > determine > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, > fiber, > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition > to > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives > and > > give general feeding guidelines. > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On > the > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods > sold > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less > expensive > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will > tell > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just > quality > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > > > Converting dry matter basis> > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some > dry > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. > The > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy > dog > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned > and > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as > it > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands > of > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us > compare > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So > we > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a > dry > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > > for fat, fiber, etc.> > > > Guaranteed analysis> > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed > as > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The > list > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for > more > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and > fat > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about > relying > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that > had > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and > 68% > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > > > Ingredient list> > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is > highly > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one > tactic > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a > product > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground > wheat, > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group > all > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read > all > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the > end, > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > > definitions.> > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated > skeletal > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and > the > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that > flesh.> > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, > kidneys, > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of > their > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs > (like > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does > not > > contain feathers.> > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or > chopped.> > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue > after > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > > kernels have been removed.> > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > > soybean oil.> > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally > occurring > > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > > > The AAFCO standards> > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods > should > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include > one > > of two statements on their label.> > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of > protein, > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe > leather, > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to > carry > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for > six > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with > this > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found > to > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide > equal > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the > pet > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you > can > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an > adequate > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. > Despite > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least > shows > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > > > Feeding instructions> > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient > environmental > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use > these > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet > is > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of > clients > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after > being > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > > > Summary> > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best > pet > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do > not > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands > and > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can > only > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then > check > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always > get > > what you pay for.> > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken > and > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a > premium > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food > and > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be > considered > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > > separate articles.> > > > > > References and Further Reading> > > > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and > Cats. > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > > > > > > Pam> > > > > > > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any > natural remedy. > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own > physician and to> > prescribe for your own health. > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here > as long as > > they behave themselves. > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and > any person > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own > risk. > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or > products from list members, you are agreeing to > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner > and members free of any liability. > > > > Dr. Ian Shillington> > Doctor of Naturopathy> > Dr.IanShillington@G... > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Totally Cool with me. I'll let you all know.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:51 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

Sounds really interesting. LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department as they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip = ball, or frisbee, or kisses, etc....We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the puppy some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it right up. I like the idea of grasses.Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally picky and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more time as i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?Sylviaherbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.> > Zeb> - > Sylvia > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements > would be cool.> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea> > Sylvia> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > Pam,> > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only > what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let > me know.> > > > Love,,> > Zeb> > - > > pam > > herbal remedies > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > > > > Dog Food Labels> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, > Inc. > > > > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to > determine > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, > fiber, > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition > to > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives > and > > give general feeding guidelines. > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On > the > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods > sold > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less > expensive > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will > tell > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just > quality > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > > > Converting dry matter basis> > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some > dry > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. > The > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy > dog > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned > and > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as > it > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands > of > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us > compare > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So > we > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a > dry > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > > for fat, fiber, etc.> > > > Guaranteed analysis> > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed > as > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The > list > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for > more > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and > fat > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about > relying > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that > had > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and > 68% > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > > > Ingredient list> > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is > highly > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one > tactic > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a > product > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground > wheat, > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group > all > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read > all > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the > end, > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > > definitions.> > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated > skeletal > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and > the > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that > flesh.> > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, > kidneys, > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of > their > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs > (like > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does > not > > contain feathers.> > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or > chopped.> > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue > after > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > > kernels have been removed.> > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > > soybean oil.> > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally > occurring > > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > > > The AAFCO standards> > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods > should > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include > one > > of two statements on their label.> > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of > protein, > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe > leather, > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to > carry > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for > six > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with > this > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found > to > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide > equal > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the > pet > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you > can > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an > adequate > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. > Despite > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least > shows > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > > > Feeding instructions> > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient > environmental > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use > these > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet > is > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of > clients > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after > being > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > > > Summary> > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best > pet > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do > not > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands > and > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can > only > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then > check > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always > get > > what you pay for.> > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken > and > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a > premium > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food > and > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be > considered > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > > separate articles.> > > > > > References and Further Reading> > > > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and > Cats. > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > > > > > > Pam> > > > > > > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any > natural remedy. > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own > physician and to> > prescribe for your own health. > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here > as long as > > they behave themselves. > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and > any person > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own > risk. > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or > products from list members, you are agreeing to > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner > and members free of any liability. > > > > Dr. Ian Shillington> > Doctor of Naturopathy> > Dr.IanShillington@G... > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Zeb,

 

Why not add some of the Total Tonic mash as well. And even a proportion to serving ratio of Total Nutrition. Those would be great for every day maintenance for dogs as well don't you think?

 

Also, don't forget eggs and even egg shells.

 

Caroline

 

-

zeb

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:43 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.

 

Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

 

That's what I'm gonna try at least.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

 

Good idea. Just throw in the entire egg. I had let the total tonic mash slip off my list. It's back. Good. The total Pet Nutrition is what I'd put in it. Exactly.

 

Zeb

 

-

Caroline

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 7:57 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

Zeb,

 

Why not add some of the Total Tonic mash as well. And even a proportion to serving ratio of Total Nutrition. Those would be great for every day maintenance for dogs as well don't you think?

 

Also, don't forget eggs and even egg shells.

 

Caroline

 

-

zeb

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:43 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.

 

Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

 

That's what I'm gonna try at least.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

Look into Buckwheat as the binder, it is classified as a fruit.

Freeze drying it would be better wouldn't it ??? and rehydrate as

fed ?

 

 

 

 

herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some

different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the

filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice

which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves,

carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then

grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees.

Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips.

Something like that.

>

> Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it

has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You

have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and

mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

>

> That's what I'm gonna try at least.

>

> Zeb

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added

to the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for

our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and

only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and

the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out

the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price

per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much

per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper. On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet

food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas,

some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you

buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive.

The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is,

not as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level

that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90%

dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with

80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein.

So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound

on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the

same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog

food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and

the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources.

The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat

for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein

and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start

in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product

that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber,

and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather

work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food.

The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one

of the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-

weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at

the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed

of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production

of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able

to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If

one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal

has a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin

or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your

pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This

is an

> > area where common sense is much more important than science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one. The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some

dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food. Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store

and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that

can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and

then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can

tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using

any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post

here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that,

and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their

own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List

Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I want to test drive some of these ideas too (Zeb) hmmmmm ??? I

play around w/ pet food/treats regularly, and I'm still trying to

iron down a good one for my pup. Dogs do love grass, as in the

lawn. They are looking for enzymes, so don't forget those. Perhaps

dousing/dusting the finished product w/ a enzyme powder.

Pam

BTW - cast will not or do not like to eat out of dishes w/ rims. If

you feed a cat put there food in/on a plate. Cats whiskers are very

sinsitive and if brushed by the feeding bowl they will seek other

sources of food like mice.(not that that is bad)

Pam

 

 

 

herbal remedies , " Sylvia " <h10feet>

wrote:

> Sounds really interesting.

>

> LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department

as

> they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip = ball,

or

> frisbee, or kisses, etc....

>

> We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the puppy

> some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it right

> up. I like the idea of grasses.

>

> Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally

picky

> and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly

> dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more time

as

> i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can

> share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?

>

> Sylvia

>

> herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some

> different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

> find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

> dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the

filler

> if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which

is

> actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots,

some

> beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it

all

> up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some

of

> the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something

like

> that.

> >

> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it

has

> to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have

> two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed

> with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

> >

> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.

> >

> > Zeb

> > -

> > Sylvia

> > herbal remedies

> > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> > (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

> >

> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

> wheat,

> > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

> >

> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

> and

> > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

> bones

> > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

> supplements

> > would be cool.

> >

> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

> them

> > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added

to

> the

> > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for

our

> > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

> >

> > Sylvia

> >

> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > > Pam,

> > >

> > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

> trying to

> > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic

and

> only

> > what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please

> let

> > me know.

> > >

> > > Love,,

> > > Zeb

> > > -

> > > pam

> > > herbal remedies

> > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> > cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> > >

> > >

> > > Dog Food Labels

> > > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

> Smith,

> > Inc.

> > >

> > >

> > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> > >

> > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> > determine

> > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients

and

> the

> > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

carbohydrates,

> > fiber,

> > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

> addition

> > to

> > > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein

> and

> > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

> preservatives

> > and

> > > give general feeding guidelines.

> > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate

out

> the

> > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food

> is

> > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the

price

> per

> > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as

much

> per

> > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

> lower

> > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper.

> On

> > the

> > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> > sold

> > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> > expensive

> > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> > tell

> > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods,

just

> > quality

> > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few

pet

> food

> > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> > >

> > > Converting dry matter basis

> > >

> > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

> levels of

> > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

whereas,

> some

> > dry

> > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

> reasons.

> > The

> > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when

you

> buy

> > dog

> > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

> water. So

> > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

expensive.

> The

> > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

> you

> > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

> canned

> > and

> > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is,

not

> as

> > it

> > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

> brands

> > of

> > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

> them

> > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

> complicated.

> > >

> > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

> dry

> > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein

level

> that

> > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the

90%

> dry

> > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

> dry

> > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let

us

> > compare

> > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that

with

> 80%

> > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

protein.

> So

> > we

> > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on

a

> dry

> > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per

pound

> on a

> > dry

> > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do

the

> same

> > > for fat, fiber, etc.

> > >

> > > Guaranteed analysis

> > >

> > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the

dog

> food

> > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat

and

> the

> > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

> listed

> > as

> > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

> digestibility of

> > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

sources.

> The

> > list

> > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and

fat

> for

> > more

> > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

protein

> and

> > fat

> > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food

as

> > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a

start

> in

> > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful

about

> > relying

> > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

product

> that

> > had

> > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

fiber,

> and

> > 68%

> > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

> labels.

> > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

leather

> work

> > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> > >

> > > Ingredient list

> > >

> > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the

food.

> The

> > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one

of

> the

> > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that

is

> > highly

> > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of

one

> > tactic

> > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

> ingredients

> > > and listing them individually is used to lower these

> undesirable

> > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example,

a

> > product

> > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten,

ground

> > wheat,

> > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

> group

> > all

> > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far

out-

> weigh

> > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

> read

> > all

> > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at

the

> > end,

> > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

> used. I

> > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > > definitions.

> > >

> > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

> (chicken,

> > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

striated

> > skeletal

> > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

> and

> > the

> > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

> that

> > flesh.

> > >

> > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

> slaughtered

> > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> > kidneys,

> > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines

freed

> of

> > their

> > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

hooves.

> > >

> > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts

of

> > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal

organs

> > (like

> > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

> does

> > not

> > > contain feathers.

> > >

> > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

> undecomposed

> > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

> extracted.

> > >

> > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> > >

> > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground

or

> > chopped.

> > >

> > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

> the

> > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> > after

> > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> > >

> > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

> kernels

> > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled

rice.

> > >

> > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after

> the

> > > kernels have been removed.

> > >

> > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

production

> of

> > > soybean oil.

> > >

> > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> > >

> > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

> used to

> > > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> > >

> > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> > occurring

> > > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> > >

> > > The AAFCO standards

> > >

> > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

Control

> > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

production,

> > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

> AAFCO

> > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet

foods

> > should

> > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

> include

> > one

> > > of two statements on their label.

> > >

> > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

> AAFCO's

> > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in

the

> > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts

of

> > protein,

> > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> > leather,

> > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> > >

> > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

> tests

> > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

> provides

> > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be

able

> to

> > carry

> > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

> for

> > six

> > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> > this

> > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If

one

> > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

> found

> > to

> > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

> same

> > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

> provide

> > equal

> > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

> the

> > pet

> > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

> you

> > can

> > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

> food

> > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not

an

> > adequate

> > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

> term

> > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or

more.

> > Despite

> > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

> trial

> > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at

least

> > shows

> > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every

> bag

> > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

> recommended

> > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

> remind

> > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal

has

> a

> > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> > environmental

> > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

> use

> > these

> > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is

thin

> or

> > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If

your

> pet

> > is

> > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> > clients

> > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

> after

> > being

> > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

> recommended

> > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This

is

> an

> > > area where common sense is much more important than

science.

> > >

> > > Summary

> > >

> > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

> best

> > pet

> > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one.

> The

> > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

> market

> > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions.

Some

> dogs

> > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

> appropriate

> > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food.

> Do

> > not

> > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

> brands

> > and

> > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

> problems

> > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm

store

> and

> > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food

that

> can

> > only

> > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely

and

> then

> > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market.

Then

> > check

> > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

> always

> > get

> > > what you pay for.

> > >

> > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I

can

> tell

> > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

> chicken

> > and

> > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats

a

> > premium

> > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

urinary

> > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

> but my

> > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

> food

> > and

> > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> > considered

> > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

> their

> > > separate articles.

> > >

> > >

> > > References and Further Reading

> > >

> > >

> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

> House of

> > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> > >

> > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs

and

> > Cats.

> > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Pam

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before

using

> any

> > natural remedy.

> > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your

own

> > physician and to

> > > prescribe for your own health.

> > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to

post

> here

> > as long as

> > > they behave themselves.

> > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly

that,

> and

> > any person

> > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at

their

> own

> > risk.

> > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice

or

> > products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the

List

> Owner

> > and members free of any liability.

> > >

> > > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Salmon is a controversial fish to feed dogs.

 

Pam

 

 

 

herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Great Idea Caroline. Just remember though some fish is not good

for dogs. I think Swordfish is dangerous. One of the fish similar

or Swordfish are too rough on the dog. Anyone know what exact fish

this is?

>

> Zeb

> -

> Caroline

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:45 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> Yes, vegetables are a very important part of a dogs diet...they

just need to have the meat as well. I don't believe in putting a

dog on a vegetarian diet because it is against their natural

tendencies. I do like the idea of the dog food you are thinking

about. One thing that is very good and important for their coat is

fish oils. Maybe consider adding some type of dried fish to the

mix.

>

> Caroline

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added

to the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for

our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic

and only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients

and the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate

out the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the

price per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as

much per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper. On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods,

just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few

pet food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

whereas, some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when

you buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

expensive. The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is,

not as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein

level that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the

90% dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let

us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that

with 80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

protein. So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on

a dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per

pound on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do

the same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the

dog food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat

and the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

sources. The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and

fat for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

protein and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food

as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a

start in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful

about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

product that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

fiber, and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

leather work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the

food. The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one

of the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that

is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of

one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example,

a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten,

ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far

out-weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at

the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines

freed of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts

of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal

organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground

or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled

rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

production of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet

foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in

the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts

of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be

able to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If

one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not

an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or

more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at

least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal

has a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is

thin or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If

your pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This

is an

> > area where common sense is much more important than

science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one. The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions.

Some dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food. Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm

store and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food

that can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely

and then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market.

Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I

can tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats

a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs

and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before

using any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your

own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to

post here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly

that, and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at

their own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice

or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the

List Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

What are the ingredients in the Pet Total Nutrition ???

Pam

 

 

 

 

herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Caroline,

>

> Good idea. Just throw in the entire egg. I had let the total

tonic mash slip off my list. It's back. Good. The total Pet

Nutrition is what I'd put in it. Exactly.

>

> Zeb

> -

> Caroline

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 7:57 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> Zeb,

>

> Why not add some of the Total Tonic mash as well. And even a

proportion to serving ratio of Total Nutrition. Those would be

great for every day maintenance for dogs as well don't you think?

>

> Also, don't forget eggs and even egg shells.

>

> Caroline

> -

> zeb@A...

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:43 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder,

some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the

wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or

whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as

the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild

rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic

cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like

that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below

105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of

rose hips. Something like that.

>

> Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats

it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You

have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and

mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

>

> That's what I'm gonna try at least.

>

> Zeb

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be

good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more

meat and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat

and bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we

give them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be

added to the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make

for our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic

and only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways

to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients

and the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate

out the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the

price per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as

much per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper. On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the

less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods,

just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few

pet food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your

pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

whereas, some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when

you buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

expensive. The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to

help you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it

is, not as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting

both brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to

compare them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has

90% dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein

level that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the

90% dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on

a dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let

us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that

with 80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

protein. So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein

on a dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per

pound on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do

the same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the

dog food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat

and the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat

are listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

sources. The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine

how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and

fat for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

protein and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the

food as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a

start in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful

about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

product that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

fiber, and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet

food labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

leather work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the

food. The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is

one of the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that

is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of

one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For

example, a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten,

ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were

to group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far

out-weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you

must read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients

at the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and

their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying

fat and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found

with that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs,

spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines

freed of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts

of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal

organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines).

It does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel

ground or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product

after the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of

rice kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled

rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

production of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that

is used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet

foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in

the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts

of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of

shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-

feeding tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be

able to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of

animals for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation.

If one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested

and found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include

this same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even

if the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its

label, you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in

a food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not

an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other

long term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or

more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO

food trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at

least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I

would remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every

animal has a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you

to use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is

thin or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If

your pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number

of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it.

This is an

> > area where common sense is much more important than

science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is

the best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one. The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions.

Some dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food. Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to

switch brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm

store and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food

that can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely

and then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market.

Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I

can tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my

cats a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food

costs, but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed

dry food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs

and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before

using any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your

own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to

post here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly

that, and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at

their own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting

advice or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the

List Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Yes, I have to look into freeze drying as it may kill enzymes. dehydrating at or below 105 will keep them alive.

 

Zeb

 

-

pam

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 8:40 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

Look into Buckwheat as the binder, it is classified as a fruit. Freeze drying it would be better wouldn't it ??? and rehydrate as fed ?herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.> > Zeb> - > Sylvia > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements > would be cool.> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea> > Sylvia> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > Pam,> > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only > what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let > me know.> > > > Love,,> > Zeb> > - > > pam > > herbal remedies > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > > > > Dog Food Labels> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, > Inc. > > > > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to > determine > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, > fiber, > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition > to > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives > and > > give general feeding guidelines. > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On > the > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods > sold > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less > expensive > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will > tell > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just > quality > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > > > Converting dry matter basis> > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some > dry > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. > The > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy > dog > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned > and > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as > it > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands > of > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us > compare > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So > we > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a > dry > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > > for fat, fiber, etc.> > > > Guaranteed analysis> > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed > as > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The > list > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for > more > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and > fat > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about > relying > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that > had > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and > 68% > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > > > Ingredient list> > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is > highly > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one > tactic > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a > product > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground > wheat, > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group > all > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read > all > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the > end, > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > > definitions.> > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated > skeletal > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and > the > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that > flesh.> > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, > kidneys, > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of > their > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs > (like > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does > not > > contain feathers.> > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or > chopped.> > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue > after > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > > kernels have been removed.> > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > > soybean oil.> > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally > occurring > > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > > > The AAFCO standards> > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods > should > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include > one > > of two statements on their label.> > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of > protein, > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe > leather, > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to > carry > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for > six > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with > this > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found > to > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide > equal > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the > pet > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you > can > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an > adequate > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. > Despite > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least > shows > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > > > Feeding instructions> > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient > environmental > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use > these > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet > is > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of > clients > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after > being > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > > > Summary> > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best > pet > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do > not > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands > and > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can > only > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then > check > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always > get > > what you pay for.> > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken > and > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a > premium > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food > and > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be > considered > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > > separate articles.> > > > > > References and Further Reading> > > > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and > Cats. > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > > > > > > Pam> > > > > > > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any > natural remedy. > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own > physician and to> > prescribe for your own health. > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here > as long as > > they behave themselves. > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and > any person > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own > risk. > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or > products from list members, you are agreeing to > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner > and members free of any liability. > > > > Dr. Ian Shillington> > Doctor of Naturopathy> > Dr.IanShillington@G... > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Pam,

 

Wow, I didn't know that about cats.

 

I was thinking of wheat grass and maybe purple Dulse to do the enzyme things. But dogs and cats get most of their enzymes from the animals they eat. thus when using raw chickens use it all (excepting feathers).

 

Oh... does anyone know if chicken feet are bad for dogs? I thought I heard this somewhere? I didn't think they could be personally.

 

Thank you.

 

Zeb

 

-

pam

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 8:45 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

I want to test drive some of these ideas too (Zeb) hmmmmm ??? I play around w/ pet food/treats regularly, and I'm still trying to iron down a good one for my pup. Dogs do love grass, as in the lawn. They are looking for enzymes, so don't forget those. Perhaps dousing/dusting the finished product w/ a enzyme powder.PamBTW - cast will not or do not like to eat out of dishes w/ rims. If you feed a cat put there food in/on a plate. Cats whiskers are very sinsitive and if brushed by the feeding bowl they will seek other sources of food like mice.(not that that is bad)Pamherbal remedies , "Sylvia" <h10feet> wrote:> Sounds really interesting. > > LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department as > they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip = ball, or > frisbee, or kisses, etc....> > We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the puppy > some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it right > up. I like the idea of grasses.> > Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally picky > and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly > dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more time as > i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can > share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?> > Sylvia> > herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some > different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. > find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever > dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler > if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is > actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some > beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all > up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of > the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like > that.> > > > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has > to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have > two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed > with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.> > > > That's what I'm gonna try at least.> > > > Zeb> > - > > Sylvia > > herbal remedies > > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????> > (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)> > > > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to > wheat, > > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, > > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.> > > > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat > and > > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and > bones > > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and > supplements > > would be cool.> > > > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give > them > > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to > the > > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our > > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea> > > > Sylvia> > > > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > > Pam,> > > > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in > trying to > > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and > only > > what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has > > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please > let > > me know.> > > > > > Love,,> > > Zeb> > > - > > > pam > > > herbal remedies > > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> > > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?> > cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > > > > > > > Dog Food Labels> > > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & > Smith, > > Inc. > > > > > > > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > > > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to > > determine > > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and > the > > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, > > fiber, > > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In > addition > > to > > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein > and > > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted > preservatives > > and > > > give general feeding guidelines. > > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out > the > > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food > is > > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price > per > > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much > per > > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with > lower > > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. > On > > the > > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods > > sold > > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less > > expensive > > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will > > tell > > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just > > quality > > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet > food > > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > > > > > Converting dry matter basis> > > > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different > levels of > > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, > some > > dry > > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 > reasons. > > The > > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you > buy > > dog > > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is > water. So > > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. > The > > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help > you > > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between > canned > > and > > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not > as > > it > > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both > brands > > of > > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare > them > > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that > complicated.> > > > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% > dry > > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level > that > > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% > dry > > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a > dry > > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us > > compare > > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with > 80% > > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. > So > > we > > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a > dry > > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound > on a > > dry > > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the > same > > > for fat, fiber, etc.> > > > > > Guaranteed analysis> > > > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog > food > > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and > the > > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are > listed > > as > > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The > digestibility of > > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. > The > > list > > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat > for > > more > > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein > and > > fat > > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start > in > > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about > > relying > > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product > that > > had > > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, > and > > 68% > > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food > labels. > > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather > work > > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > > > > > Ingredient list> > > > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. > The > > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of > the > > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is > > highly > > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one > > tactic > > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller > ingredients > > > and listing them individually is used to lower these > undesirable > > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a > > product > > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground > > wheat, > > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to > group > > all > > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-> weigh > > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must > read > > all > > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the > > end, > > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are > used. I > > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > > > definitions.> > > > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals > (chicken, > > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated > > skeletal > > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat > and > > the > > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with > that > > flesh.> > > > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered > > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, > > kidneys, > > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed > of > > their > > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > > > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs > > (like > > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It > does > > not > > > contain feathers.> > > > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of > undecomposed > > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil > extracted.> > > > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > > > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or > > chopped.> > > > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after > the > > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue > > after > > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > > > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice > kernels > > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > > > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after > the > > > kernels have been removed.> > > > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production > of > > > soybean oil.> > > > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > > > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is > used to > > > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > > > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally > > occurring > > > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > > > > > The AAFCO standards> > > > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the > AAFCO > > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods > > should > > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will > include > > one > > > of two statements on their label.> > > > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet > AAFCO's > > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of > > protein, > > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe > > leather, > > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > > > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding > tests > > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product > provides > > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able > to > > carry > > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals > for > > six > > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with > > this > > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and > found > > to > > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this > same > > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which > provide > > equal > > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if > the > > pet > > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, > you > > can > > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a > food > > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an > > adequate > > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long > term > > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. > > Despite > > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food > trial > > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least > > shows > > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > > > > > Feeding instructions> > > > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every > bag > > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the > recommended > > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would > remind > > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has > a > > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient > > environmental > > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to > use > > these > > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin > or > > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your > pet > > is > > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of > > clients > > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and > after > > being > > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the > recommended > > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is > an > > > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > > > > > Summary> > > > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the > best > > pet > > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. > The > > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the > market > > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some > dogs > > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is > appropriate > > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. > Do > > not > > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch > brands > > and > > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical > problems > > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store > and > > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that > can > > only > > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and > then > > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then > > check > > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not > always > > get > > > what you pay for.> > > > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can > tell > > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is > chicken > > and > > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a > > premium > > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, > but my > > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry > food > > and > > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be > > considered > > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in > their > > > separate articles.> > > > > > > > > References and Further Reading> > > > > > > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book > House of > > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > > > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and > > Cats. > > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Pam> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using > any > > natural remedy. > > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own > > physician and to> > > prescribe for your own health. > > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post > here > > as long as > > > they behave themselves. > > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, > and > > any person > > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their > own > > risk. > > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or > > products from list members, you are agreeing to > > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List > Owner > > and members free of any liability. > > > > > > Dr. Ian Shillington> > > Doctor of Naturopathy> > > Dr.IanShillington@G... > > > > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm.... There are 16 ingredients. I can't remember them all but I can tell you garlic is in it as well as everything you'd need as far as grasses and such go. Nutritional yeast, spirullina, chlorella, MSM, Purple Dulse, Beet Root, Astragalus, Wheat grass, Barley Grass, Alfalfa Grass, Rose hips, lemon, orange peel, Spinach Leaf and Garlic. I think that's it.

 

Zeb

 

-

pam

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 8:57 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

What are the ingredients in the Pet Total Nutrition ???Pamherbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Caroline,> > Good idea. Just throw in the entire egg. I had let the total tonic mash slip off my list. It's back. Good. The total Pet Nutrition is what I'd put in it. Exactly.> > Zeb> - > Caroline > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 7:57 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > Zeb,> > Why not add some of the Total Tonic mash as well. And even a proportion to serving ratio of Total Nutrition. Those would be great for every day maintenance for dogs as well don't you think?> > Also, don't forget eggs and even egg shells. > > Caroline> - > zeb@A... > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:43 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.> > Zeb> - > Sylvia > herbal remedies > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements > would be cool.> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea> > Sylvia> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> > Pam,> > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only > what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let > me know.> > > > Love,,> > Zeb> > - > > pam > > herbal remedies > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > > > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > > > > Dog Food Labels> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, > Inc. > > > > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to > determine > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, > fiber, > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition > to > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives > and > > give general feeding guidelines. > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On > the > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods > sold > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less > expensive > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will > tell > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just > quality > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > > > Converting dry matter basis> > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some > dry > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. > The > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy > dog > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned > and > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as > it > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands > of > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us > compare > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So > we > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a > dry > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > > for fat, fiber, etc.> > > > Guaranteed analysis> > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed > as > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The > list > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for > more > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and > fat > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about > relying > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that > had > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and > 68% > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > > > Ingredient list> > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is > highly > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one > tactic > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a > product > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground > wheat, > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group > all > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read > all > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the > end, > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > > definitions.> > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated > skeletal > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and > the > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that > flesh.> > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, > kidneys, > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of > their > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs > (like > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does > not > > contain feathers.> > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or > chopped.> > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue > after > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > > kernels have been removed.> > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > > soybean oil.> > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally > occurring > > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > > > The AAFCO standards> > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods > should > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include > one > > of two statements on their label.> > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of > protein, > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe > leather, > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to > carry > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for > six > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with > this > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found > to > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide > equal > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the > pet > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you > can > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an > adequate > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. > Despite > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least > shows > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > > > Feeding instructions> > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient > environmental > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use > these > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet > is > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of > clients > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after > being > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > > > Summary> > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best > pet > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do > not > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands > and > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can > only > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then > check > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always > get > > what you pay for.> > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken > and > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a > premium > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food > and > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be > considered > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > > separate articles.> > > > > > References and Further Reading> > > > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and > Cats. > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > > > > > > Pam> > > > > > > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any > natural remedy. > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own > physician and to> > prescribe for your own health. > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here > as long as > > they behave themselves. > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and > any person > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own > risk. > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or > products from list members, you are agreeing to > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner > and members free of any liability. > > > > Dr. Ian Shillington> > Doctor of Naturopathy> > Dr.IanShillington@G... > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

WOW how much do you guys pay to feed your animals, $350/month?

: O

 

-

zeb

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:43 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like that.

 

Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

 

That's what I'm gonna try at least.

 

Zeb

 

-

Sylvia

herbal remedies

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????(and maybe some vitamins tossed in)I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to wheat, so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good, although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat and bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and bones and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and supplements would be cool.I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give them to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to the mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this ideaSylviaIn herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:> Pam,> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in trying to come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and only what dogs need not what we "think" they need. If anyone has suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please let me know.> > Love,,> Zeb> - > pam > herbal remedies > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM> Herbal Remedies - dog food labels> > > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668> > > Dog Food Labels> Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to determine > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and the > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In addition to > providing information about the amount and quality of protein and > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted preservatives and > give general feeding guidelines. > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out the > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food is > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price per > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much per > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with lower > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper. On the > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods sold > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less expensive > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will tell > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just quality > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet food > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.> > Converting dry matter basis> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different levels of > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas, some dry > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2 reasons. The > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you buy dog > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is water. So > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive. The > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help you > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between canned and > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not as it > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both brands of > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare them > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that complicated.> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90% dry > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level that > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90% dry > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a dry > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us compare > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with 80% > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein. So we > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a dry > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound on a dry > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the same > for fat, fiber, etc.> > Guaranteed analysis> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog food > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and the > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are listed as > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The digestibility of > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources. The list > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat for more > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein and fat > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start in > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about relying > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product that had > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber, and 68% > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food labels. > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather work > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!> > Ingredient list> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food. The > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of the > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is highly > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one tactic > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients. > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller ingredients > and listing them individually is used to lower these undesirable > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a product > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground wheat, > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to group all > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-weigh > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must read all > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the end, > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are used. I > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their > definitions.> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals (chicken, > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated skeletal > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with that flesh.> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of slaughtered > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen, kidneys, > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed of their > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs (like > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It does not > contain feathers.> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of undecomposed > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil extracted.> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or chopped.> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after the > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue after > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice kernels > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after the > kernels have been removed.> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production of > soybean oil.> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is used to > prevent spoilage in dog food.> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally occurring > compounds used as natural preservatives.> > The AAFCO standards> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production, > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the AAFCO > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods should > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will include one > of two statements on their label.> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet AAFCO's > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of protein, > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe leather, > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding tests > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product provides > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able to carry > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals for six > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with this > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and found to > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this same > statement on other products in the same 'family' which provide equal > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if the pet > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label, you can > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a food > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an adequate > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long term > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more. Despite > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food trial > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least shows > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.> > Feeding instructions> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every bag > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the recommended > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would remind > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has a > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient environmental > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to use these > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin or > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your pet is > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of clients > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and after being > questioned about it found that they were feeding the recommended > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is an > area where common sense is much more important than science.> > Summary> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the best pet > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one. The > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the market > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some dogs > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is appropriate > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food. Do not > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch brands and > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical problems > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store and > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that can only > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and then > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then check > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not always get > what you pay for.> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can tell > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is chicken and > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a premium > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs, but my > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry food and > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be considered > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in their > separate articles.> > > References and Further Reading> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book House of > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats. > St. Louis, MO; 1987.> > > > > Pam> > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to> prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington> Doctor of Naturopathy> Dr.IanShillington@G... > > >

[Guest guest]

You're right, I've TRIED giving my cats various things and they won't touch

it...even raw meat!!!

I don't have the first clue what you'd feed a cat if not for cat food.

 

-

" Sylvia " <h10feet

<herbal remedies >

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:51 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

 

 

> Sounds really interesting.

>

> LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department as

> they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip = ball, or

> frisbee, or kisses, etc....

>

> We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the puppy

> some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it right

> up. I like the idea of grasses.

>

> Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally picky

> and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly

> dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more time as

> i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can

> share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?

>

> Sylvia

>

> herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some

> different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

> find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

> dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the filler

> if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice which is

> actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots, some

> beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it all

> up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some of

> the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something like

> that.

> >

> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it has

> to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You have

> two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and mixed

> with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

> >

> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.

> >

> > Zeb

> > -

> > Sylvia

> > herbal remedies

> > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> > (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

> >

> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

> wheat,

> > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

> >

> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

> and

> > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

> bones

> > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

> supplements

> > would be cool.

> >

> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

> them

> > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added to

> the

> > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for our

> > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

> >

> > Sylvia

> >

> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > > Pam,

> > >

> > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

> trying to

> > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic and

> only

> > what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods please

> let

> > me know.

> > >

> > > Love,,

> > > Zeb

> > > -

> > > pam

> > > herbal remedies

> > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> > cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> > >

> > >

> > > Dog Food Labels

> > > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

> Smith,

> > Inc.

> > >

> > >

> > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> > >

> > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> > determine

> > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients and

> the

> > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates,

> > fiber,

> > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

> addition

> > to

> > > providing information about the amount and quality of protein

> and

> > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

> preservatives

> > and

> > > give general feeding guidelines.

> > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate out

> the

> > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry food

> is

> > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the price

> per

> > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as much

> per

> > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

> lower

> > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be cheaper.

> On

> > the

> > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially foods

> > sold

> > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> > expensive

> > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they will

> > tell

> > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods, just

> > quality

> > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few pet

> food

> > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> > >

> > > Converting dry matter basis

> > >

> > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

> levels of

> > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture whereas,

> some

> > dry

> > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

> reasons.

> > The

> > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when you

> buy

> > dog

> > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

> water. So

> > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and expensive.

> The

> > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

> you

> > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

> canned

> > and

> > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is, not

> as

> > it

> > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

> brands

> > of

> > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

> them

> > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

> complicated.

> > >

> > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

> dry

> > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein level

> that

> > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the 90%

> dry

> > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

> dry

> > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let us

> > compare

> > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that with

> 80%

> > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5% protein.

> So

> > we

> > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on a

> dry

> > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per pound

> on a

> > dry

> > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do the

> same

> > > for fat, fiber, etc.

> > >

> > > Guaranteed analysis

> > >

> > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the dog

> food

> > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat and

> the

> > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

> listed

> > as

> > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

> digestibility of

> > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their sources.

> The

> > list

> > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and fat

> for

> > more

> > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual protein

> and

> > fat

> > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food as

> > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a start

> in

> > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful about

> > relying

> > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock product

> that

> > had

> > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4% fiber,

> and

> > 68%

> > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

> labels.

> > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old leather

> work

> > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> > >

> > > Ingredient list

> > >

> > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the food.

> The

> > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one of

> the

> > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a little

> > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that is

> > highly

> > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of one

> > tactic

> > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable ingredients.

> > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

> ingredients

> > > and listing them individually is used to lower these

> undesirable

> > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example, a

> > product

> > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten, ground

> > wheat,

> > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

> group

> > all

> > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far out-

> weigh

> > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

> read

> > all

> > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at the

> > end,

> > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

> used. I

> > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > > definitions.

> > >

> > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

> (chicken,

> > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include striated

> > skeletal

> > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

> and

> > the

> > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

> that

> > flesh.

> > >

> > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

> slaughtered

> > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> > kidneys,

> > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines freed

> of

> > their

> > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.

> > >

> > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts of

> > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal organs

> > (like

> > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

> does

> > not

> > > contain feathers.

> > >

> > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

> undecomposed

> > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

> extracted.

> > >

> > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> > >

> > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground or

> > chopped.

> > >

> > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

> the

> > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried residue

> > after

> > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> > >

> > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

> kernels

> > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled rice.

> > >

> > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over after

> the

> > > kernels have been removed.

> > >

> > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the production

> of

> > > soybean oil.

> > >

> > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> > >

> > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

> used to

> > > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> > >

> > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> > occurring

> > > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> > >

> > > The AAFCO standards

> > >

> > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed Control

> > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the production,

> > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

> AAFCO

> > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet foods

> > should

> > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

> include

> > one

> > > of two statements on their label.

> > >

> > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

> AAFCO's

> > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in the

> > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts of

> > protein,

> > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> > leather,

> > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> > >

> > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

> tests

> > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

> provides

> > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be able

> to

> > carry

> > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

> for

> > six

> > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even with

> > this

> > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If one

> > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

> found

> > to

> > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

> same

> > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

> provide

> > equal

> > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

> the

> > pet

> > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

> you

> > can

> > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

> food

> > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not an

> > adequate

> > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

> term

> > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or more.

> > Despite

> > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

> trial

> > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at least

> > shows

> > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most every

> bag

> > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

> recommended

> > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

> remind

> > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal has

> a

> > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> > environmental

> > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other environmental

> > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

> use

> > these

> > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is thin

> or

> > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If your

> pet

> > is

> > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> > clients

> > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

> after

> > being

> > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

> recommended

> > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This is

> an

> > > area where common sense is much more important than science.

> > >

> > > Summary

> > >

> > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

> best

> > pet

> > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not one.

> The

> > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

> market

> > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions. Some

> dogs

> > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

> appropriate

> > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat food.

> Do

> > not

> > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

> brands

> > and

> > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

> problems

> > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm store

> and

> > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food that

> can

> > only

> > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely and

> then

> > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market. Then

> > check

> > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

> always

> > get

> > > what you pay for.

> > >

> > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I can

> tell

> > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

> chicken

> > and

> > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats a

> > premium

> > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and urinary

> > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

> but my

> > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

> food

> > and

> > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> > considered

> > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

> their

> > > separate articles.

> > >

> > >

> > > References and Further Reading

> > >

> > >

> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

> House of

> > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> > >

> > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs and

> > Cats.

> > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Pam

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using

> any

> > natural remedy.

> > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own

> > physician and to

> > > prescribe for your own health.

> > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post

> here

> > as long as

> > > they behave themselves.

> > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that,

> and

> > any person

> > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their

> own

> > risk.

> > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or

> > products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List

> Owner

> > and members free of any liability.

> > >

> > > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

So basically it is the same as TN except for the garlic?

Pam

 

 

herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> Hmmmm.... There are 16 ingredients. I can't remember them all

but I can tell you garlic is in it as well as everything you'd need

as far as grasses and such go. Nutritional yeast, spirullina,

chlorella, MSM, Purple Dulse, Beet Root, Astragalus, Wheat grass,

Barley Grass, Alfalfa Grass, Rose hips, lemon, orange peel, Spinach

Leaf and Garlic. I think that's it.

>

> Zeb

> -

> pam

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 8:57 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

>

> What are the ingredients in the Pet Total Nutrition ???

> Pam

>

>

>

>

> herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Caroline,

> >

> > Good idea. Just throw in the entire egg. I had let the

total

> tonic mash slip off my list. It's back. Good. The total Pet

> Nutrition is what I'd put in it. Exactly.

> >

> > Zeb

> > -

> > Caroline

> > herbal remedies

> > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 7:57 PM

> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> > Zeb,

> >

> > Why not add some of the Total Tonic mash as well. And even

a

> proportion to serving ratio of Total Nutrition. Those would be

> great for every day maintenance for dogs as well don't you think?

> >

> > Also, don't forget eggs and even egg shells.

> >

> > Caroline

> > -

> > zeb@A...

> > herbal remedies

> > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:43 PM

> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a

grinder,

> some different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the

> wild. find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or

> whatever dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice

as

> the filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some

wild

> rice which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic

> cloves, carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like

> that. Then grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or

below

> 105 degrees. Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny

bit of

> rose hips. Something like that.

> >

> > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For

cats

> it has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it.

You

> have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed

and

> mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

> >

> > That's what I'm gonna try at least.

> >

> > Zeb

> > -

> > Sylvia

> > herbal remedies

> > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> > (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

> >

> > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being

allergic to

> wheat,

> > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be

> good,

> > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

> >

> > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and

more

> meat and

> > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw

meat

> and bones

> > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

> supplements

> > would be cool.

> >

> > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so

we

> give them

> > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be

> added to the

> > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could

make

> for our

> > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this

idea

> >

> > Sylvia

> >

> > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > > Pam,

> > >

> > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc

in

> trying to

> > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL

organic

> and only

> > what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone

has

> > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat

foods

> please let

> > me know.

> > >

> > > Love,,

> > > Zeb

> > > -

> > > pam

> > > herbal remedies

> > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> > cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> > >

> > >

> > > Dog Food Labels

> > > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs.

Foster &

> Smith,

> > Inc.

> > >

> > >

> > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> > >

> > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best

ways

> to

> > determine

> > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The

ingredients

> and the

> > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

> carbohydrates,

> > fiber,

> > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label.

In

> addition

> > to

> > > providing information about the amount and quality

of

> protein and

> > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

> preservatives

> > and

> > > give general feeding guidelines.

> > > A few other things to consider are the price.

Calculate

> out the

> > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always,

dry

> food is

> > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower

the

> price per

> > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half

as

> much per

> > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that

with

> lower

> > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

> cheaper. On

> > the

> > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods,

especially

> foods

> > sold

> > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as

the

> less

> > expensive

> > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients,

they

> will

> > tell

> > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty

foods,

> just

> > quality

> > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a

few

> pet food

> > > labels you will be able to find the best food for

your

> pet.

> > >

> > > Converting dry matter basis

> > >

> > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have

different

> levels of

> > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

> whereas, some

> > dry

> > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important

for 2

> reasons.

> > The

> > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and

when

> you buy

> > dog

> > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest

is

> water. So

> > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

> expensive. The

> > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is

to

> help you

> > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and

between

> canned

> > and

> > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as

it

> is, not as

> > it

> > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without

converting

> both brands

> > of

> > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to

> compare them

> > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

> complicated.

> > >

> > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it

has

> 90% dry

> > > matter. So we look at the label and check the

protein

> level that

> > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by

the

> 90% dry

> > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of

protein on

> a dry

> > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now

let

> us

> > compare

> > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know

that

> with 80%

> > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

> protein. So

> > we

> > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25%

protein

> on a dry

> > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein

per

> pound on a

> > dry

> > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We

can do

> the same

> > > for fat, fiber, etc.

> > >

> > > Guaranteed analysis

> > >

> > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of

the

> dog food

> > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and

fat

> and the

> > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and

fat

> are listed

> > as

> > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

> digestibility of

> > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

> sources. The

> > list

> > > of ingredients should be examined closely to

determine

> how

> > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein

and

> fat for

> > more

> > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

> protein and

> > fat

> > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the

> food as

> > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is

a

> start in

> > > understanding the quality of the food, be very

careful

> about

> > relying

> > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

> product that

> > had

> > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

> fiber, and

> > 68%

> > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet

> food labels.

> > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

> leather work

> > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> > >

> > > Ingredient list

> > >

> > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in

the

> food. The

> > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This

is

> one of the

> > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With

a

> little

> > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food

that

> is

> > highly

> > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful

of

> one

> > tactic

> > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

> ingredients.

> > > Breaking an ingredient into several different

smaller

> ingredients

> > > and listing them individually is used to lower these

> undesirable

> > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For

> example, a

> > product

> > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn

gluten,

> ground

> > wheat,

> > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we

were

> to group

> > all

> > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably

far

> out-weigh

> > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you

> must read

> > all

> > > of the ingredients carefully including the

ingredients

> at the

> > end,

> > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that

are

> used. I

> > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and

> their

> > > definitions.

> > >

> > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

> (chicken,

> > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

> striated

> > skeletal

> > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus,

overlying

> fat and

> > the

> > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found

> with that

> > flesh.

> > >

> > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts

of

> slaughtered

> > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs,

> spleen,

> > kidneys,

> > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and

intestines

> freed of

> > their

> > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

> hooves.

> > >

> > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean

parts

> of

> > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and

internal

> organs

> > (like

> > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and

intestines).

> It does

> > not

> > > contain feathers.

> > >

> > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

> undecomposed

> > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

> extracted.

> > >

> > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> > >

> > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel

> ground or

> > chopped.

> > >

> > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product

> after the

> > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the

dried

> residue

> > after

> > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> > >

> > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of

> rice kernels

> > > that have been separated from larger kernels of

milled

> rice.

> > >

> > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left

over

> after the

> > > kernels have been removed.

> > >

> > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

> production of

> > > soybean oil.

> > >

> > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat

preservative.

> > >

> > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative

that

> is used to

> > > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> > >

> > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are

naturally

> > occurring

> > > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> > >

> > > The AAFCO standards

> > >

> > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

> Control

> > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

> production,

> > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called

the

> AAFCO

> > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which

pet

> foods

> > should

> > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements

will

> include

> > one

> > > of two statements on their label.

> > >

> > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to

meet

> AAFCO's

> > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was

tested in

> the

> > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended

amounts

> of

> > protein,

> > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of

> shoe

> > leather,

> > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> > >

> > > The second standard states something like 'animal-

> feeding tests

> > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this

product

> provides

> > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to

be

> able to

> > carry

> > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of

> animals for

> > six

> > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But

even

> with

> > this

> > > statement, there are problems with its

interpretation.

> If one

> > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was

tested

> and found

> > to

> > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to

include

> this same

> > > statement on other products in the same 'family'

which

> provide

> > equal

> > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So

even

> if the

> > pet

> > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its

> label, you

> > can

> > > not be sure that specific product was actually

tested in

> a food

> > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is

not

> an

> > adequate

> > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other

> long term

> > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year

or

> more.

> > Despite

> > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO

> food trial

> > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label

at

> least

> > shows

> > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good

food.

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions

> > >

> > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on

most

> every bag

> > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give

the

> recommended

> > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I

> would remind

> > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every

> animal has a

> > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> > environmental

> > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

> environmental

> > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage

you

> to use

> > these

> > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal

is

> thin or

> > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity.

If

> your pet

> > is

> > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the

number

> of

> > clients

> > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog

and

> after

> > being

> > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

> recommended

> > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from

it.

> This is an

> > > area where common sense is much more important than

> science.

> > >

> > > Summary

> > >

> > > One of the most common questions that I get is what

is

> the best

> > pet

> > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is

not

> one. The

> > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on

the

> market

> > > shows that there are hundreds of options and

opinions.

> Some dogs

> > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what

is

> appropriate

> > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need

cat

> food. Do

> > not

> > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to

> switch brands

> > and

> > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen

medical

> problems

> > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some

farm

> store and

> > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet

food

> that can

> > only

> > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label

closely

> and then

> > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the

market.

> Then

> > check

> > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do

not

> always

> > get

> > > what you pay for.

> > >

> > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my

pets?' I

> can tell

> > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that

is

> chicken

> > and

> > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed

my

> cats a

> > premium

> > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

> urinary

> > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food

> costs, but my

> > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always

feed

> dry food

> > and

> > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to

be

> > considered

> > > in the overall diet and are discussed more

thoroughly in

> their

> > > separate articles.

> > >

> > >

> > > References and Further Reading

> > >

> > >

> > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell

Book

> House of

> > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY;

1996.

> > >

> > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of

Dogs

> and

> > Cats.

> > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Pam

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the

following:

> > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician

before

> using any

> > natural remedy.

> > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be

your

> own

> > physician and to

> > > prescribe for your own health.

> > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome

to

> post here

> > as long as

> > > they behave themselves.

> > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are

exactly

> that, and

> > any person

> > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so

at

> their own

> > risk.

> > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting

> advice or

> > products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold

the

> List Owner

> > and members free of any liability.

> > >

> > > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Cat's have to be transitiioned into raw, which can take a couple of

weeks. They rarely will switch right over.

Pam

 

 

herbal remedies , " Candace Podratz "

<CandaceAndBrock@w...> wrote:

> You're right, I've TRIED giving my cats various things and they

won't touch

> it...even raw meat!!!

> I don't have the first clue what you'd feed a cat if not for cat

food.

>

> -

> " Sylvia " <h10feet>

> <herbal remedies >

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:51 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> > Sounds really interesting.

> >

> > LOL @ Dognip. Dogs dont need any anhancement in that department

as

> > they are usually in a good mood! Dognip = rope, or dognip =

ball, or

> > frisbee, or kisses, etc....

> >

> > We thought sprouted rice would be good too since we gave the

puppy

> > some leftover sprouted rice from dinner one time, scarfed it

right

> > up. I like the idea of grasses.

> >

> > Cat food is going to be tough as cats tend to be exceptionally

picky

> > and mine are no expection, although with a food that is mostly

> > dehydrated protein that could be a winner. I wish i had more

time as

> > i would be willing to experiment along with you. Perhaps you can

> > share your recipes and i can try/test them as i get time?

> >

> > Sylvia

> >

> > herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > > Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder,

some

> > different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

> > find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

> > dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the

filler

> > if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice

which is

> > actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves, carrots,

some

> > beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then grind it

all

> > up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees. Add some

of

> > the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips. Something

like

> > that.

> > >

> > > Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats

it has

> > to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You

have

> > two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and

mixed

> > with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

> > >

> > > That's what I'm gonna try at least.

> > >

> > > Zeb

> > > -

> > > Sylvia

> > > herbal remedies

> > > Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> > > Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> > >

> > >

> > > So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> > > (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

> > >

> > > I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

> > wheat,

> > > so having a product that does not contain wheat might be

good,

> > > although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

> > >

> > > The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more

meat

> > and

> > > bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

> > bones

> > > and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

> > supplements

> > > would be cool.

> > >

> > > I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we

give

> > them

> > > to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be

added to

> > the

> > > mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make

for our

> > > puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

> > >

> > > Sylvia

> > >

> > > In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > > > Pam,

> > > >

> > > > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

> > trying to

> > > come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic

and

> > only

> > > what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> > > suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please

> > let

> > > me know.

> > > >

> > > > Love,,

> > > > Zeb

> > > > -

> > > > pam

> > > > herbal remedies

> > > > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > > > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> > > cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Dog Food Labels

> > > > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

> > Smith,

> > > Inc.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> > > >

> > > > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> > > determine

> > > > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients

and

> > the

> > > > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

carbohydrates,

> > > fiber,

> > > > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

> > addition

> > > to

> > > > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein

> > and

> > > > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

> > preservatives

> > > and

> > > > give general feeding guidelines.

> > > > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate

out

> > the

> > > > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food

> > is

> > > > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the

price

> > per

> > > > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as

much

> > per

> > > > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

> > lower

> > > > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper.

> > On

> > > the

> > > > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> > > sold

> > > > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the

less

> > > expensive

> > > > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> > > tell

> > > > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods,

just

> > > quality

> > > > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few

pet

> > food

> > > > labels you will be able to find the best food for your

pet.

> > > >

> > > > Converting dry matter basis

> > > >

> > > > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

> > levels of

> > > > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

whereas,

> > some

> > > dry

> > > > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

> > reasons.

> > > The

> > > > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when

you

> > buy

> > > dog

> > > > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

> > water. So

> > > > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

expensive.

> > The

> > > > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to

help

> > you

> > > > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

> > canned

> > > and

> > > > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it

is, not

> > as

> > > it

> > > > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting

both

> > brands

> > > of

> > > > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to

compare

> > them

> > > > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

> > complicated.

> > > >

> > > > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has

90%

> > dry

> > > > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein

level

> > that

> > > > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the

90%

> > dry

> > > > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on

a

> > dry

> > > > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let

us

> > > compare

> > > > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that

with

> > 80%

> > > > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

protein.

> > So

> > > we

> > > > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein

on a

> > dry

> > > > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per

pound

> > on a

> > > dry

> > > > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do

the

> > same

> > > > for fat, fiber, etc.

> > > >

> > > > Guaranteed analysis

> > > >

> > > > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the

dog

> > food

> > > > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat

and

> > the

> > > > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat

are

> > listed

> > > as

> > > > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

> > digestibility of

> > > > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

sources.

> > The

> > > list

> > > > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine

how

> > > > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and

fat

> > for

> > > more

> > > > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

protein

> > and

> > > fat

> > > > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the

food as

> > > > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a

start

> > in

> > > > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful

about

> > > relying

> > > > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

product

> > that

> > > had

> > > > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

fiber,

> > and

> > > 68%

> > > > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

> > labels.

> > > > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

leather

> > work

> > > > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> > > >

> > > > Ingredient list

> > > >

> > > > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the

food.

> > The

> > > > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is

one of

> > the

> > > > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > > > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that

is

> > > highly

> > > > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of

one

> > > tactic

> > > > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > > > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

> > ingredients

> > > > and listing them individually is used to lower these

> > undesirable

> > > > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For

example, a

> > > product

> > > > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten,

ground

> > > wheat,

> > > > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were

to

> > group

> > > all

> > > > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far

out-

> > weigh

> > > > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

> > read

> > > all

> > > > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients

at the

> > > end,

> > > > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

> > used. I

> > > > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and

their

> > > > definitions.

> > > >

> > > > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

> > (chicken,

> > > > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

striated

> > > skeletal

> > > > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying

fat

> > and

> > > the

> > > > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

> > that

> > > flesh.

> > > >

> > > > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

> > slaughtered

> > > > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> > > kidneys,

> > > > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines

freed

> > of

> > > their

> > > > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

hooves.

> > > >

> > > > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts

of

> > > > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal

organs

> > > (like

> > > > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines).

It

> > does

> > > not

> > > > contain feathers.

> > > >

> > > > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

> > undecomposed

> > > > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

> > extracted.

> > > >

> > > > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> > > >

> > > > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel

ground or

> > > chopped.

> > > >

> > > > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product

after

> > the

> > > > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> > > after

> > > > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> > > >

> > > > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

> > kernels

> > > > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled

rice.

> > > >

> > > > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after

> > the

> > > > kernels have been removed.

> > > >

> > > > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

production

> > of

> > > > soybean oil.

> > > >

> > > > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> > > >

> > > > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

> > used to

> > > > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> > > >

> > > > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> > > occurring

> > > > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> > > >

> > > > The AAFCO standards

> > > >

> > > > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

Control

> > > > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

production,

> > > > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

> > AAFCO

> > > > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet

foods

> > > should

> > > > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

> > include

> > > one

> > > > of two statements on their label.

> > > >

> > > > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

> > AAFCO's

> > > > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in

the

> > > > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts

of

> > > protein,

> > > > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> > > leather,

> > > > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> > > >

> > > > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

> > tests

> > > > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

> > provides

> > > > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be

able

> > to

> > > carry

> > > > this label, it had to be tested on a population of

animals

> > for

> > > six

> > > > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> > > this

> > > > statement, there are problems with its interpretation.

If one

> > > > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested

and

> > found

> > > to

> > > > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include

this

> > same

> > > > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

> > provide

> > > equal

> > > > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even

if

> > the

> > > pet

> > > > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its

label,

> > you

> > > can

> > > > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in

a

> > food

> > > > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not

an

> > > adequate

> > > > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

> > term

> > > > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or

more.

> > > Despite

> > > > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

> > trial

> > > > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at

least

> > > shows

> > > > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> > > >

> > > > Feeding instructions

> > > >

> > > > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every

> > bag

> > > > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

> > recommended

> > > > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I

would

> > remind

> > > > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every

animal has

> > a

> > > > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> > > environmental

> > > > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > > > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you

to

> > use

> > > these

> > > > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is

thin

> > or

> > > > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If

your

> > pet

> > > is

> > > > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number

of

> > > clients

> > > > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

> > after

> > > being

> > > > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

> > recommended

> > > > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it.

This is

> > an

> > > > area where common sense is much more important than

science.

> > > >

> > > > Summary

> > > >

> > > > One of the most common questions that I get is what is

the

> > best

> > > pet

> > > > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one.

> > The

> > > > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

> > market

> > > > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions.

Some

> > dogs

> > > > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

> > appropriate

> > > > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food.

> > Do

> > > not

> > > > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

> > brands

> > > and

> > > > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

> > problems

> > > > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm

store

> > and

> > > > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food

that

> > can

> > > only

> > > > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely

and

> > then

> > > > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market.

Then

> > > check

> > > > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

> > always

> > > get

> > > > what you pay for.

> > > >

> > > > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I

can

> > tell

> > > > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

> > chicken

> > > and

> > > > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my

cats a

> > > premium

> > > > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

urinary

> > > > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food

costs,

> > but my

> > > > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed

dry

> > food

> > > and

> > > > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> > > considered

> > > > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

> > their

> > > > separate articles.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > References and Further Reading

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

> > House of

> > > > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> > > >

> > > > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs

and

> > > Cats.

> > > > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Pam

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > > > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > > > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before

using

> > any

> > > natural remedy.

> > > > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your

own

> > > physician and to

> > > > prescribe for your own health.

> > > > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to

post

> > here

> > > as long as

> > > > they behave themselves.

> > > > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly

that,

> > and

> > > any person

> > > > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at

their

> > own

> > > risk.

> > > > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting

advice or

> > > products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > > > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the

List

> > Owner

> > > and members free of any liability.

> > > >

> > > > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > > > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > > > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

[Guest guest]

I've never stopped to figure that out. I love my pooch dearly and I

don't care about the cost. On the other hand she isn't quite five

pounds so I spend far less than a big dog mom.

Pam

 

herbal remedies , " Candace Podratz "

<CandaceAndBrock@w...> wrote:

> WOW how much do you guys pay to feed your animals, $350/month?

> : O

> -

> zeb@A...

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:43 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> Exactly. Something like a whole chicken through a grinder, some

different grasses and herbs that dogs naturally eat in the wild.

find the most common ones. Maybe some kind of catnip or whatever

dogs use for dognip (ha ha ha). Sprout some brown rice as the

filler if anything rather than wheat. Or better yet some wild rice

which is actually in the grass family. Add fresh garlic cloves,

carrots, some beets, spinach leaf maybe etc. Stuff like that. Then

grind it all up. All Raw. Then dehydrate at or below 105 degrees.

Add some of the UDO's Pet Oil. Throw in a tiny bit of rose hips.

Something like that.

>

> Mix some eggs in as well and you have your thingy. For cats it

has to be far more protein based. I think this would do it. You

have two choices. Freeze it on packets so they can be thawed and

mixed with a bit of hot water or dehydrate and vacuum seal.

>

> That's what I'm gonna try at least.

>

> Zeb

> -

> Sylvia

> herbal remedies

> Wednesday, May 05, 2004 1:39 PM

> Re: Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

>

>

> So it would be dehydrated meat then LOL?????

> (and maybe some vitamins tossed in)

>

> I have read much recently on dogs and cats being allergic to

wheat,

> so having a product that does not contain wheat might be good,

> although perhaps sprouted wheat might work.

>

> The pet food we switched to has less grain in it and more meat

and

> bone meals. Last week there was much talk about raw meat and

bones

> and so something dehydrated with ground meat, bone and

supplements

> would be cool.

>

> I have found that my dog really enjoys veggies, and so we give

them

> to him often (both cooked and raw) Perhaps that could be added

to the

> mix. We had recently been discussing a mix we could make for

our

> puppy and dehyrating or baking, so i really like this idea

>

> Sylvia

>

> In herbal remedies , <zeb@A...> wrote:

> > Pam,

> >

> > Thank you very much. I have been working with Doc in

trying to

> come up with a Raw dehydrated pet food that was ALL organic

and only

> what dogs need not what we " think " they need. If anyone has

> suggestions or know of studies regarding dog and cat foods

please let

> me know.

> >

> > Love,,

> > Zeb

> > -

> > pam

> > herbal remedies

> > Tuesday, May 04, 2004 12:10 AM

> > Herbal Remedies - dog food labels

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?

> cls=2 & cat=1661 & articleid=668

> >

> >

> > Dog Food Labels

> > Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster &

Smith,

> Inc.

> >

> >

> > Q. What do dog food labels mean?

> >

> > A. Reading your pet food label is one of the best ways to

> determine

> > the quality of the food you are feeding. The ingredients

and the

> > guaranteed analysis (amounts of protein, fat,

carbohydrates,

> fiber,

> > and other nutrients) are included on the food label. In

addition

> to

> > providing information about the amount and quality of

protein and

> > fat, the label will also alert you of any unwanted

preservatives

> and

> > give general feeding guidelines.

> > A few other things to consider are the price. Calculate

out the

> > price per pound or the price per day. Almost always, dry

food is

> > more economical, and the larger the bag the lower the

price per

> > pound. Many times, a 40-pound bag is less than half as

much per

> > pound than an equivalent 5-pound bag. Remember that with

lower

> > quality foods you feed more and it may not always be

cheaper. On

> the

> > other hand, some of the higher priced foods, especially

foods

> sold

> > only through veterinarians, may not be as good as the less

> expensive

> > more easily obtainable food. Check the ingredients, they

will

> tell

> > the real story. Most pets do not need specialty foods,

just

> quality

> > food. By understanding this article and looking at a few

pet food

> > labels you will be able to find the best food for your pet.

> >

> > Converting dry matter basis

> >

> > This can be the hard part. All pet foods have different

levels of

> > moisture. Canned foods can have up to 80% moisture

whereas, some

> dry

> > foods can have as little as 6%. This is important for 2

reasons.

> The

> > first is that the food is priced by the pound, and when

you buy

> dog

> > food that is 80% water you get 20% food and the rest is

water. So

> > the amount of food your pet consumes is small and

expensive. The

> > other reason for understanding percent moisture is to help

you

> > compare crude protein and fat between brands and between

canned

> and

> > dry. The listings on the label are for the food as it is,

not as

> it

> > would be on a dry matter basis. So without converting both

brands

> of

> > food to a dry matter basis you will not be able to compare

them

> > accurately. Fortunately, the conversion is not that

complicated.

> >

> > If a dry dog food has 10% moisture we know that it has 90%

dry

> > matter. So we look at the label and check the protein

level that

> > reads 20%. Next, we divide the 20 percent protein by the

90% dry

> > matter and we get 22%, which is the amount of protein on a

dry

> > matter basis. Does this make sense so far? Good. Now let

us

> compare

> > this to canned food that has 80% moisture. We know that

with 80%

> > moisture we have 20% dry matter. The label shows 5%

protein. So

> we

> > take the 5% and divide it by 20% and we get 25% protein on

a dry

> > matter basis. So the canned food has more protein per

pound on a

> dry

> > matter basis after all the water is taken out. We can do

the same

> > for fat, fiber, etc.

> >

> > Guaranteed analysis

> >

> > The guaranteed analysis on the information panel of the

dog food

> > label lists the minimum levels of crude protein and fat

and the

> > maximum levels of fiber and water. The protein and fat are

listed

> as

> > crude sources and not as digestible sources. The

digestibility of

> > protein and fat can vary widely depending on their

sources. The

> list

> > of ingredients should be examined closely to determine how

> > digestible the sources are (see articles on protein and

fat for

> more

> > explanation). The other factor in determining actual

protein and

> fat

> > percentages is the amount of moisture present in the food

as

> > discussed earlier. While the guaranteed analysis is a

start in

> > understanding the quality of the food, be very careful

about

> relying

> > on it too much. A pet food manufacturer made a mock

product that

> had

> > a guaranteed analysis of 10% protein, 6.5% fat, 2.4%

fiber, and

> 68%

> > moisture, similar to what you see on many canned pet food

labels.

> > The only problem, was that the ingredients were old

leather work

> > boots, used motor oil, crushed coal, and water!

> >

> > Ingredient list

> >

> > All pet foods must list the ingredients present in the

food. The

> > ingredients must be listed in order of weight. This is one

of the

> > best ways to determine the quality of the food. With a

little

> > knowledge of the ingredients, you can choose a food that

is

> highly

> > digestible and free of unwanted products. Be careful of

one

> tactic

> > used by manufacturers to disguise less desirable

ingredients.

> > Breaking an ingredient into several different smaller

ingredients

> > and listing them individually is used to lower these

undesirable

> > ingredients farther down the ingredient list. For example,

a

> product

> > list could contain chicken, ground corn, corn gluten,

ground

> wheat,

> > corn bran, wheat flour, wheat middling, etc. If we were to

group

> all

> > of the corn ingredients as one, they would probably far

out-weigh

> > the amount of chicken, and wheat. As a consumer, you must

read

> all

> > of the ingredients carefully including the ingredients at

the

> end,

> > to know the type of preservatives and colorings that are

used. I

> > have listed a few of the more common ingredients and their

> > definitions.

> >

> > Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals

(chicken,

> > cattle, lamb, turkey, etc.). The flesh can include

striated

> skeletal

> > muscle, tongue, diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat

and

> the

> > skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found with

that

> flesh.

> >

> > Meat By-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of

slaughtered

> > animals, not including meat. These include lungs, spleen,

> kidneys,

> > brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines

freed of

> their

> > contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, or

hooves.

> >

> > Poultry By-products: Poultry by-products are clean parts

of

> > slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and internal

organs

> (like

> > heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, abdomen, and intestines). It

does

> not

> > contain feathers.

> >

> > Fish Meal: Fish meal is the clean ground tissue of

undecomposed

> > whole fish or fish cuttings, with or without the oil

extracted.

> >

> > Beef Tallow: Beef tallow is fat derived from beef.

> >

> > Ground Corn: Ground corn is the entire corn kernel ground

or

> chopped.

> >

> > Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is the by-product after

the

> > manufacture of corn syrup or starch, and is the dried

residue

> after

> > the removal of the bran, germ, and starch.

> >

> > Brewers Rice: Brewers rice is the small fragments of rice

kernels

> > that have been separated from larger kernels of milled

rice.

> >

> > Brown Rice: Brown rice is the unpolished rice left over

after the

> > kernels have been removed.

> >

> > Soybean Meal: Soybean meal is a by-product of the

production of

> > soybean oil.

> >

> > BHA: BHA is butylated hydroxyanisole, a fat preservative.

> >

> > Ethoxyquin: Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative that is

used to

> > prevent spoilage in dog food.

> >

> > Tocopherols: Tocopherols (e.g., vitamin E) are naturally

> occurring

> > compounds used as natural preservatives.

> >

> > The AAFCO standards

> >

> > 'AAFCO' stands for the Association of American Feed

Control

> > Officials. The AAFCO develops guidelines for the

production,

> > labeling, and sale of animal foods. These are called the

AAFCO

> > standards. AAFCO has developed two standards which pet

foods

> should

> > meet. Pet foods which meet the AAFCO's requirements will

include

> one

> > of two statements on their label.

> >

> > The first and lower standard states 'formulated to meet

AAFCO's

> > nutrient requirement.' This means the food was tested in

the

> > laboratory and was found to have the recommended amounts

of

> protein,

> > fat, etc. But as mentioned above, the combination of shoe

> leather,

> > used motor oil, and coal would meet this standard.

> >

> > The second standard states something like 'animal-feeding

tests

> > using AAFCO's procedures substantiate that this product

provides

> > complete and balanced nutrition.' For a pet food to be

able to

> carry

> > this label, it had to be tested on a population of animals

for

> six

> > months and shown to provide adequate nutrition. But even

with

> this

> > statement, there are problems with its interpretation. If

one

> > particular product in a manufacturer's line was tested and

found

> to

> > meet this standard, the company is allowed to include this

same

> > statement on other products in the same 'family' which

provide

> equal

> > or greater concentrations of all the nutrients. So even if

the

> pet

> > food carries this AAFCO food trial statement on its label,

you

> can

> > not be sure that specific product was actually tested in a

food

> > trial. In addition, testing a food for six months is not

an

> adequate

> > amount of time to determine if deficiencies or other long

term

> > effects may occur after feeding the product a year or

more.

> Despite

> > these problems with the interpretation of this AAFCO food

trial

> > statement, having the statement on a pet food label at

least

> shows

> > the company has made some attempt to develop a good food.

> >

> > Feeding instructions

> >

> > Feeding instructions or guidelines are included on most

every bag

> > and most cans of pet foods. These guidelines give the

recommended

> > amount to be fed based on growth level and weight. I would

remind

> > owners that these are very rough guidelines. Every animal

has a

> > different level of activity, metabolism, and ambient

> environmental

> > temperature. In addition, breed, age, and other

environmental

> > stresses all impact daily requirements. I encourage you to

use

> these

> > guidelines as rough starting points. If your animal is

thin or

> > hungry, feed it more often and in greater quantity. If

your pet

> is

> > obese, feed it less. I cannot begin to count the number of

> clients

> > that have complained of a hungry, thin, or obese dog and

after

> being

> > questioned about it found that they were feeding the

recommended

> > amount on the bag and were afraid to deviate from it. This

is an

> > area where common sense is much more important than

science.

> >

> > Summary

> >

> > One of the most common questions that I get is what is the

best

> pet

> > food on the market? I can honestly say that there is not

one. The

> > very fact that there are so many types and brands on the

market

> > shows that there are hundreds of options and opinions.

Some dogs

> > need higher fat and protein than others. Feed what is

appropriate

> > for your pet: puppies need puppy food and cats need cat

food. Do

> not

> > switch brands every month, but do not be afraid to switch

brands

> and

> > find one that your pet does well on. I have seen medical

problems

> > from dogs fed the cheaper generic foods, and some farm

store and

> > department store brands. If you are feeding a pet food

that can

> only

> > be purchased from a veterinarian, read the label closely

and then

> > compare it to some of the premium brands on the market.

Then

> check

> > the price. You may be in for a big surprise! You do not

always

> get

> > what you pay for.

> >

> > The other question I get is, 'what do I feed my pets?' I

can tell

> > you that I feed my dog a premium national brand that is

chicken

> and

> > rice and sells for around 73 cents a pound. I feed my cats

a

> premium

> > brand that is formulated to help reduce cystitis and

urinary

> > problems, which sells for twice of what my dog food costs,

but my

> > cats eat very little and do great on it. I always feed dry

food

> and

> > free choice. Feeding table scraps and treats have to be

> considered

> > in the overall diet and are discussed more thoroughly in

their

> > separate articles.

> >

> >

> > References and Further Reading

> >

> >

> > Palika, L. The Consumer's Guide To Dog Food. Howell Book

House of

> > Simon & Schuster/Macmillan Company. New York, NY; 1996.

> >

> > Ralston Purina Company. Nutrition and Management of Dogs

and

> Cats.

> > St. Louis, MO; 1987.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Pam

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:

> > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.

> > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before

using any

> natural remedy.

> > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your

own

> physician and to

> > prescribe for your own health.

> > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to

post here

> as long as

> > they behave themselves.

> > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly

that, and

> any person

> > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at

their own

> risk.

> > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice

or

> products from list members, you are agreeing to

> > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the

List Owner

> and members free of any liability.

> >

> > Dr. Ian Shillington

> > Doctor of Naturopathy

> > Dr.IanShillington@G...

> >

> >

> >