Choosing Dog Food Brands Without Long-term Health Risks
29785
Home & Family > Pets and Animals
Jun 20, 2007
nica
Choosing Dog Food Brands Without Long-term Health Risks
I do not advocate for commercially prepared dried pet food diet even if it is premium quality. From the pet food recall incident, we know that dogs today get sick from cancer, diheabetes, liver and kidney diseases at a young age and most died suffering from the onset of the illness. The pet food recall event has confirmed my thoughts that a pet diet does contribute and play a major role in their health condition today. Today, we cannot ignore the fact that commercially prepared food is a cause of these recent pet health issues. Cooking for your pet seems like the best choice today with the pet food recall incident. If you are unable to provide for homemade dog food, here are my suggestions on selecting a commercially prepared dog food and doing the best you can with choices you can make in minimizing long term health risks. 1) Select from specialty shop like your local pet shop rather then buy from supermarket. This option is most convenient for busy a busy pet owner. However, much consideration must be placed into selecting premium dog foods to ensure quality food source goes into preparing the food. 2) Read the labels of any food you buy. Avoid products containing unnamed animal and vegetable byproducts, wheat gluten and rice protein. 3) Check the FDA website regularly to see if the pet food brand choice you select is in the recall list. 4) Select brands that have meat sources listed as first two ingredients in the list. Look out for words like human-grade food source or organic. Avoid brands that list grains as their main source of protein, meat meals and by-products, dyes, artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin and propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is known to cause bloat and anemia in dogs. 5) Do your research on dog food brands that you are feeding. Talk to dog owners who purchase the same brand as you and observe if their dogs are healthy and coat is looking good. 6) Choose premium brands from specialty store and perform some basic research on the source of meats and food source of the brand you choose. 7) Consider cooking and making a little extra fresh foods for in their daily meal and let this little extra be about 30% of your pet diet. Very simply, just include in your dog food some cooked meats with pulp vegetables and eggs instead of just dried food or canned foods. This will not throw the diet out of balance and your dog will have a more palatable and healthier meals. 8) Add enzymes to their meals. Most commercially prepared foods do not contain sufficient enzymes which is responsible for breaking down the food properly. Purchase enzymes supplement or you can give your pet fresh raw foods daily as there are enzymes and essential nutrients in fresh fruits and berries (just a little portion a day (AVOID all citrus fruits, avocados, grapes and raisins). Feed your dog raw fruits (at least 4 hours apart) separately from their main meal for better absorption of the nutrients. Canned Dog Food Vs Home Cooked Meats I found that most canned dog food usually contain some preservatives and/or salt. Though some preservatives are natural, but we have to ask ourselves. If eating canned food daily is not a good for us humans, logically, it is unhealthy for your dog as well. Canned food is a very convenient option and can be used occasionally when you are in a rush or your dog is in boarding. But on a regular basis, avoid giving your dog canned food everyday. If you would like to make their meals more palatable, cook a pot of minced/chopped meats with olive oil, add some minced vegetables and eggs. Freeze up to a week worth of cooked food and defreeze as and when you need for mixing with your pet commercially produced food. It will save you daily preparation time if you do in bulk but most importantly, you have prepared a healthier option for your dog. It is also a cheaper option compared to some premium canned food. Above All, Seek medical advice if your pet exhibits symptoms such as loss of appetite, bloating, lethargy, and/or vomiting as this could be signs of organ failures which could be fatal.
Veronica Eng researched on dog care from various sources for many years and summarized many effective yet simple guides to dog lovers. Her techniques have made her dogs healthy, vibrant and gorgeous coat that many envy. Natural pet health is her passion! More tips at http://www.dogcarezone.com
send email to nica
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
This Article shares about techniques have resulted her dogs acquiring a set of gorgeous coat that many envy. These tips are simple and easy to implement for all dog owners who wants to achieve optimum health and a set of shinning healthy coat for their pe
Category:
This article discuss on what to look out for when selecting pet food at stores. Though the author do not advocate for commercially prepared pet food, she shares about what to look out for when choosing a pet food brand. Included are alternatives to canned
Category:
This article shares about the authors experience with homemade meals for her pets. Included are step by step guide on how to prepare wholesome nutritious home cooked meals quickly. Here is a simple step by step guide which will help dog owners whip out a
Category:
Boosting the immune system of our pet is the best way to ensure long term optimal heath. This advice can help save pet owners expense on pet health care in the long term. Information shared in this article is consolidated by author from her own experience
Category:
Safety precaution in a car ride is not just important for human but for our furry friends as well. Included are some tips all pet owners should take note when bringing their animal friends out for a car ride. Take the necessary steps to ensure a safer rid
Category:
Housebreaking training is one of the most tedious yet most crucial lessons we need to teach our pets. If this is not done properly, we will be having a very bad back pain for life cleaning up after their mess. This article provides some important lessons
Category:
This article shares on why socializing your dog is one of the most essential skills your pet needs to acquire. A child needs to learn how to relate to the world, same goes for your dog, she needs to learn how to behave amongst dogs and humans.
Category:
This article shares on how to prepare for the death of your pet. This need mot be a sad event if we look from a more positive perspective.
Category:
This is a quick reference guide for dog owners to perform basic health screening at home on their pets. Included are some tips on how to achieve a long healthy happy dog-human relationship.
Category:
Many dogs today suffer from constant scratching and this can cause much dismay and annoyance from pet owners especially if they are their wits end on what is causing the itch. Some dogs end up scratching themselves raw which could lead to infections as we
Category:
The dental health of your pet is of paramount importance to their overall health and wellbeing. Many owners neglect the dental health of their pets until a serious condition occur to their health. This article shares about dental care tips that dog owners
Category:
Having a pet is a lifetime commitment. This article explains responsibilities of pet ownership and what we should consider before having a pet. What are the options available other than buying from a shop or a dog breeder. Lastly, dog ownership comes with
Category:
Since the pet food recall incident, many dog owners are looking for healthy homemade meals for their pets to minimize health risk related to their diet. This article summarizes the main ingredients that we should not include into their diet when preparing
Category:
Other links at Home & Family > Pets and Animals
Setting up an aquarium requires some basic knowledge but is not such a daunting task as one would first imagine. This article will give you the information you need to set up and decorate your aquarium.
Category:
How many times have you heard people say that horses are stupid, unable to reason, and extremely selfish? But who stops to take the trouble to find out what really makes a horse tick? Admitted, there are stupid horses just as there are stupid people, but
Category:
Researching the best foods available for my dog I have discovered the Pet Food Industry is much more concerned about their bottom line than should be legal. Until the law changes or more companies show their moral compass in favor of my best friend over m
Category:
While some aquarium snails can be pests, others can be beneficial to your fish tank. Find out more about which kinds you should choose.
Category:
Pets are no longer considered working animals they are more members of the family, you will probably find you spend the same if not more time with your pet than anyone else and losing a pet can be devastating.
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68309
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
