Archive for the ‘pet food’ Category
Choosing a Proper Pet Food
It should be very important to all pet lovers that they get the best nutrition for their pets. In order to understand how to find the best pet food, let us go back to the very beginning and see how pet food began.
Pet food, being introduced around the time of World War II, were originally made from left-over grains and cereals. The reason for this was not for the nutritional value, but because crops had been rejected for human consumption. There was a movement against waste during this time, so these products were saved for pet food. This was also the beginning of a completely new industry. Soon it became obvious to many the these left-over grains and cereals were not enough to provide proper nutrition. This is why extra protein in the form of meats was added. This provided that beloved pets could grow up without being malnourished.
Although meat was added, it was not prime meat, but meat that had been rejected for human consumption. This meat is commonly known as meat that was either dead, diseased, dying, disabled or drugged, which is a very appetizing combination. Even though this began a long time ago, rejected animals of all kinds are still used in commercial pet food. Ground up bones, feathers and heads are still commonly used as sources of protein. Fillers that are hard to digest are still used as well as harmful chemicals.
For these reasons our pets are suffering from shortened life-spans and shortened life-spans. It is sad because dogs and cats have the genetic potential to live well into their twenties or thirties, but because of poor nutrition, they only live until their teens.
Poor Pet Digestion
It might sound silly, but pets can be affected by digestive issues just like humans. There are several factors that will contribute to poor digestions, and some things you can incorporate to help remedy pet digestion problems should you see them developing.
Eating too much too quickly:
It is known that some dogs eat very quickly. Some of them devour their food without even tasting it, but that’s just their instinct. However, if they ingest too much food at a time and too quickly, it can be hard on the digestive system. The stomach and intestines have a harder time working on the food. It can be hard to teach your dog how to eat more slowly, but it can be done if you introduce them to smaller portions of food at a time. You may also need to provide them with food that they do not enjoy as much so they won’t eat it as fast. It might not make them happy at the moment, but it will make them happy in the long-run when they feel healthy and energized. Cats generally do not eat as fast as dogs, but if you have one that devours its food, you can follow these tips as well.
Eating food from the human table:
We all are guilty of feeding our dogs from the table, especially when they look at us with those cute “puppy dog” eyes. However, this habit needs to go away if your pet’s digestion is being compromised. Not all dogs digest human food the same way…in fact, some dogs can’t even start to digest certain compounds in human food and should never consume certain foods at all. Many humans are unaware of this, leading to unfortunate consequences. To avoid problems, it is best to prohibit all “people foods” from your pets, no matter how much they beg. Also, if you have a dog and a cat, keep them away from each others food. Cat food can compromise dog digestion and vice versa.
Commercial Pet Food
Most people are unfamiliar with the facts about commercial pet food for dogs and cats. Brands that can be found at your local grocery offer a minimum quality that is barely above edible. Even Hills and other veterinarian recommended brands are made with grain and corn typically have listed as their number one ingredient.
As far as nutrition, these foods are fillers and supplements at best, but the real shocker is the amount of toxins and “animal byproduct” in each bag. These foods do much more harm than good, causing your pet’s health to decline early in life and ultimately leading to untimely death at. Consumption on an ordinary basis, commercial dog food manufacturers use meats that are far below the quality allowed by the FDA for human. This will not surprise most people. However, these meats are not only chicken by products, sick cow parts, feathers, and other unmentionable parts, but are often dead cats and dogs have been gassed and Which are received from shelters, zoo animals euthanized, and sometimes even roadkill. On top of the potential risk of infection and illnesses associated with eating such poor quality meat, the toxins used to euthanize these animals are clearly lethal. Levels of these chemicals can build up in your pet’s body and over time and sometimes acutely cause organ failure and death.