Some of the dogs that have been sickened by the jerky treats have died.
It is not clear yet to investigators why chicken jerky products appear to be causing these illnesses and deaths in dogs, Food and Drug Administration officials said. The dog treats that have been linked to the illnesses are also sold as “chicken treats,” “chicken tenders,” or “chicken strips.”

At this point, no specific Chinese manufacturers of the suspect treats have been identified by FDA investigators, nor has a specific contaminant been pinpointed. So, until more information is available, it seems prudent to read the packaging before giving your dog any chicken treat and avoid the ones from China.

Reported by Daily Mail, Imported jerky treats from China are linked to mystery illnesses and deaths in U.S. dogs:

Imported chicken jerky from China may be sickening dogs in substantial numbers, enough to send a warning by the Food and Drug Administration of its consumption by pets.

In a third string of warnings to consumers, the FDA says complaints of dog illnesses associated with the dried chicken products have increased in the last 12 months, in serious numbers and effects.

‘Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died,’ the FDA stated in a release Friday.

While the cause or contaminant for the illnesses has yet to be determined, nor is a specific brand being held responsible, the FDA is narrowing their commonality being its exported location of China.

From MSNBC, Vitals, Chicken jerky treats linked to mystery illnesses, deaths in dogs:

Chicken jerky treats may be to blame for dozens of new reports of mysterious illnesses and some deaths in dogs, prompting a renewed warning for pet owners by the Food and Drug Administration.

At least 70 dogs have been sickened so far this year after reportedly eating chicken jerky products imported from China, FDA officials said. That’s up from 54 reports of illness in 2010. Some of the dogs have died, according to the anecdotal reports from pet owners and veterinarians.

FDA officials say they have not been able to find a cause for the illnesses. Extensive chemical and microbiological testing has failed to turn up a specific contaminant and officials did not identify a specific brand of treats. They note that the reports of illness have not conclusively been tied to chicken jerky products, also sold as chicken tenders, chicken strips or chicken treats.

The new warning follows previous FDA cautions about chicken jerky treats in 2007 and 2008. But after a high of 156 reports of illness in 2007, the number of complaints dropped. Now, it’s rising again.

Dog owners and vets are reporting that animals may be stricken with a range of illnesses within days or hours of eating chicken jerky, including kidney failure and Fanconi syndrome, a condition characterized by low glucose.

According to the FDA, dogs who have consumed the products have shown signs within days of: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

Because your pet can’t choose the best pet food, it’s up to you to make the right choices in pet nutrition. It is essential that you take the time to learn about what’s available in pet nutrition for this member of your family. Even if you aren’t a vet tech, you can choose pet food like one. There is plenty of good information online to help you out. Here are 25 Q&A sites that can help you learn more about pet food:

Food for Specific Pets

From bird food to cat food to ferret food, you can find what you are looking for on these web sites. These sites will help you figure out what is the best nutritional course of action for your pet.Give your pet the right start with guidance from these informative web sites.

1. Pet Food: Learn about the regulation of pet food, as well as how it is labeled. The FDA provides plenty of reliable answers to questions you have about food for your pets. Authoritative and interesting.
2. The Pet Food List: Great site for answering questions about various pet food brands. You can get information on cats and dogs, as well as information on pet food for exotic pets. Great information, including news on pet food recalls.
3. The Dog Food Project: Compares different types of dog food, and answers questions about various options. A great resource for understanding nutrition for your dog.
4. Dog Food Analysis: Great Q&A site that reviews different dog food options. Answers questions about formulas in various dog food brands. A helpful resource for the dog lover.
5. The Pet Food Report: You can learn all about pet food for dogs and cats. A great resource that also includes information homemade pet food.
6. Truth About Pet Food: Great site aimed at helping consumers find safe pet food for cats and dogs. Get the information you need for providing your furry friends with the right nutrition. Includes reviews, and news, about pet food.
7. Cat Food: Full Report: This great resource from Consumer Search offers answers to questions about cat food. Learn how to choose cat food, and learn more about dry and canned food, as well as diet options for cats.
8. The Feed Room: If you have questions about feeding your pet horse, this web site has answers. Learn about pet food for horses, and the best way to ensure proper nutrition for your horse.
9. National Alternative Pet Association: Find out about nutrition for your exotic pet. This site includes answers to questions on various aspects of caring for “alternative” pets, including how to properly feed them.

Pet Food Ingredients: All Natural Pet Food vs. Other Pet Food Options

Many pet foods feature a number of questionable preservatives and ingredients. If you are interested in providing as natural a diet as possible, you can consider all natural options. You can also look at these Q&A web sites for information on the benefits of natural pet food options, as well as ingredient information for your pet food options.

10. The Honest Kitchen: Information about all natural pet food. You can learn more about dehydrated pet food designed to retain natural nutrients.
11. Pet Food Ingredients Revealed: This report from Natural News offers information about what’s really in pet food. Learn about pet food ingredients, including the most common ingredients, and see which pet foods are healthiest.
12. What’s Really in Pet Food: Born Free provides this resource that can help you pinpoint different ingredients. Find out what you’re really feeding your pets. A great overview of what you will find in pet food.
13. Petfood Ingredients: Find out about natural ingredients in pet food, and how to choose the right food for your pet. A great resource aimed especially at dog food, and answer questions about pet food ingredients.
14. Pet Food Ingredients Wizard: Find out more about what is in your pet’s food. Look for natural ingredients, or rule out foods with too many unnatural ingredients. This site aims to answer questions about pet food for dogs, cats and ferrets.
15. Petfood Industry: Get the inside scoop on the pet food industry, learn about ingredients and find out more about pet nutrition. A helpful site that can answer many of your questions about pet food.
16. Precious Pets: Learn how to find better, all natural pet food for your animals. A great site that answers questions about keeping your pet healthy, and offering insights into better pet food options.
17. Ingredient Glossary: Pet Food Ratings offers this helpful glossary of ingredients. Find out what’s in your pet food — and what it can do for your pet.
18. All Natural Pet Food Directory: Answers questions about where you can find all natural and organic pet food.

Vegetarian and Organic Pet Food Options

If you want your pet to be a vegetarian, or if you want to make sure that your pet is getting only the best in organic nutrition, you can check out these web sites. Find out more about helping your pet live the same sustainable lifestyle that you enjoy.

19. Vegan Pets: Vegan Peace offers a look at ways that you can provide good nutrition for your pet –while living a vegan lifestyle.
20. VeganCats: This site can also answer questions about vegan dog food. Plenty of information on what’s available for vegan pets.
21. Veg Dogs & Cats: Get answers to your questions about how you can encourage veg practices for your pets.
22. Top Five Benefits of Natural Organic Pet Food for Your Dog: Organic Authority answers questions you have about organic pet food.
23. Organic Pet Food: Find out more about what’s in pet food, and learn more about organic pet food for better health and nutrition.
24. Our Happy Cat: Includes information about organic cat food, and its benefits.
25. Healthy Pet Food Guide: Reviews and information about organic pet food.

Author: Tina Marconi, of Vet Tech, a Guide to Vet Tech Schools

Companies are allowed to use the preservative, sulphur dioxide, in pet meat products with impunity because there are no rules about labeling or how much can be added.

One product tested by The Sunday Mail last week had 435 times the sulphur dioxide level claimed on the packet, while others included the preservative without any mention.

“The problem is because often it is the cheapest thing you can get to feed an animal, ill-informed people or pensioners feed that,” University of Sydney veterinary specialist Professor Richard Malik said yesterday.

After being alerted to the test results by The Sunday Mail, one major supplier to Coles and Woolworths withdrew its website claims about the preservative.

The results come as a wider debate rages over whether pets are being harmed by an exclusive diet of canned and dry food.

Clinical studies over the past two decades have proven that sulphur dioxide can destroy Vitamin B (thiamine) levels in food, which is essential to animal health.

Scientists have warned that thiamine deficiency can cause neurological breakdown in cats and dogs.

The RSPCA has been pushing for new laws to ensure there is enough thiamine in pet food and last week said it was alarmed at The Sunday Mail’s test results.

“If you want to feed your pet raw meat, our recommendation is to use human-grade products until we have adequate safeguards,” scientific officer Dr Jade Norris said.

Vet and nutritional expert Linda Fleeman treated a cat for thiamine deficiency at her Victorian clinic in April.

“It happens very suddenly and is extremely severe. They get neurological signs that are over a very short period of time,” Dr Fleeman said. “It may appear that the animal has a brain tumour or other neurological condition.”

Confusing symptoms could lead owners to have their pets put down unnecessarily, she said.

A new Australian Standard requires that pet food has adequate thiamine but the voluntary system does not apply to fresh pet meat.

Sulphur dioxide is used in red wine and dried fruits but in pet food can cause illness when the animal’s entire diet consists of products high in sulphur dioxide with no thiamine added.

The Sunday Mail last week bought 10 products, selected at random, from Woolworths, Coles and a pet store chain and passed them to Biotech Laboratories for testing.

VIP Pet Foods Supreme Steak Mince for Dogs had the highest sulphur dioxide level at 1140mg/kg. Published research says a level of 1000mg/kg depletes thiamine levels in pets by 95 per cent.

Paws Fresh Roo Mince for dogs and cats – part of the VIP group – had a level of 870mg/kg, despite the brand’s website claiming it “keeps sulphur dioxide at a minimum, at just 2mg/kg”.

The brand withdrew the website claim after being contacted by The Sunday Mail and said it accepted consumers could have been “confused”.

VIP’s Supreme Steak Mince for Dogs and Gourmet Fresh Mince for cats did not mention preservatives on their packs. The company says all its packaging will have a preservative statement by the end of next month.

A VIP company spokesman said extra thiamine was added to all its products to make up for any lost through the use of sulphur dioxide. He said VIP conducts regular tests which show the thiamine levels in their products meets or exceeds international standards.

“The sulphur dioxide we use is a food-grade product; it’s no different to what you’d consume in wine,” he said.

Pet Cafe Fresh Meal for cats, manufactured by Sydney Pet Foods, had a level of 715mg/kg. A Sydney Pet Foods spokesman said levels were safe, however the company would soon sell products free of preservatives after developing a process where sulphur dioxide was not needed.

Vet Dr Bruce Syme from Vet’s All Natural helped develop the product some years ago and continued to receive a “small royalty” but his company withdrew its endorsement after being told of the test result last week.

“I don’t know if that’s safe, unsafe or not an issue, but we don’t have preservatives in our pet foods,” said Vet’s All Natural managing director Andrew Gleeson.

A spokesman for Coles said the company would contact manufacturers of the pet food it stocks to “have them verify that their products are appropriate for sale”.

“The Coles product you’ve tested contains appropriate and safe levels of sulphur dioxide and is fortified to counter the effect of the sulphur dioxide on thiamine,” the spokesman said.

“There is no current Australian standard for pet food so we follow the American one.”

Woolworths has begun running its own tests on a range of pet food it stocks, including its own brand. All products will remain on the shelves until testing is finished.

======================
# David Murray
# From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

To keep your dog healthy he needs plenty of fresh water and should be fed good quality dog food in amounts just right to meet his energy requirements. Always follow the guidelines on the dog food package for recommended feeding amounts.
Picking a dog food

The first challenge in choosing a dog food is picking one that has overall quality. The term that comes up a lot about dog food is human grade. Human grade implies that the dog food is good enough for us to eat. Many commercial dog foods are made from materials unusable or less desirable for human consumption. Often the meat that is used in dog food is of a quality considered unfit for humans to eat.

Major dog food companies try to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit to your dog. Although you may see that many brands of dog food have almost identical labels, a reputable dog food company will provide an explanation for each supplement and how it benefits your dog.

Always read the label to see what proteins, vitamins and minerals are being provided to your dog. Try not to use store brand dog food they may short change your dog on much needed nutrition.

Studies have shown that the primary ingredient in dog food should be meat-based protein, not corn meal, flour or corn gluten meal. According to reviews a better quality dog food results in a healthier coat, fewer digestive problems and firmer stools. Pet-nutrition experts agree that the best dog food is made from human-grade ingredients like meat, whole grains and vegetables. Premium dog food is so important because good nutrition is essential for a long, healthy life.

Types of dog food
There are many varieties of dog food to choose from. The three most popular types of dog foods are dry, semi-moist and canned products. Check the color of your dog food. Usually dog food made from natural ingredients will have soft earth tones and contain no preservatives, artificial colors and flavors.

Raw Dog Food is becoming more popular. More and more veterinarians recommend feeding your dog with raw dog food. They feel that this is the best choice and is the healthiest food for your dog. After all, you’ve never seen your dog enjoy commercial dog food the way he enjoys a good meaty bone.

Raw food advocates concede the diet costs more than traditional dog food, but they argue it’s worth it. You may find that locating free natural home made dog food recipes is not easy. Try making a mixture of ground turkey, rice and carrot as your own dog food. Your dog will thank you for it.

If you decide to go the commercial route, try and choose a good premium dog food since it contains more energy and protein than an economy brand. Unfortunately not all dog food brands contain high quality and natural ingredients, so always check the label. It is best if you seek advice from your veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to feed your dog or puppy. He will know your dog’s dietary needs and you will find that veterinary offices and feed stores often carry excellent and natural dog food.

All Natural Dog Food
Many natural dog foods contain only fresh, natural and wholesome ingredients for your dog. Not only are the protein ingredients digestible, but the carbohydrates in the dog food are digestible. Natural dog food has 100% nutritional value which is important for healthy strong dogs. Chicken, egg and fish are examples of protein that is provided in natural dog food. There are also ingredients in natural dog food that really help the health of your dog’s skin and also your dog’s coat. One of the main draw backs of natural dog food is that it has a shorter shelf life and may spoil before it is used.

Dried Dog Food
A good high quality dry dog food will work out to be more economical than the generic brands even though they cost more per pound. A vast majority of dog owners go for dry dog food for its convenience and ease of storage. The cheaper dry dog foods are made from soybean, corn or rice, while many premium dry dog foods are made with all-natural, human-grade ingredients.

Vegetarian dog foods
There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs that are allergic to wheat, corn, and/or chicken. There are also vegetarian dog foods marketed to owners who do not want their dogs to consume meat products. Most vegetarian dog foods use soy as a protein source. If your dog has allergies consult your vet before putting him on a specialized diet.

Conclusion
Overall it’s usually best to let dogs enjoy dog food and not our food, even though they may prefer what we’re eating! Of course you can feed your dog treats from time to time, every dog needs some TLC from time to time!

For More Information >>>Click Here<<<

1. The Right Food

While it’s not necessary to buy your dog the most expensive food, cheap is not the “deal” that it may appear to be. A dog’s diet affects its overall health more than we may think and introducing cheap food with ingredients that may not be the best for your dog may lead to more expense in the form of vet bills. Many of the more expensive brands of food contain less filler, so your dog will eat less and be healthier. In this case, the short term savings of lower quality food is a long term expense in disguise!

2. Accessories

As long as your dog’s collar is comfortable and the leash is sturdy, you don’t need to spend a lot on these essentials. In the same way, your dog doesn’t need the matching set of designer dishes when a metal or plastic set will do the trick just as well. This is a simple place to save money where neither you or your dog will notice.

3. Looking Good: Grooming

There is no better way to bond with your dog than through grooming, so you don’t have to spend $100 when you can learn to do it yourself. Your friends will be amazed at how good your dog looks and may even ask you to do their dogs, too. Nail clipping and teeth cleaning are things you can do yourself, too, and save yourself the time and expense of going elsewhere.

4. Medication

Don’t think that the vet’s office is the only place that you can get your dog’s heartworm medication and flea and tick reatments; there are plenty of online outlets for these common items. Do some looking around to find the best deal, but make sure you research the outfit you are thinking of going with to make sure they offer the same quality as you expect. We have found that with a little research, it is possible to find the same name brand heart worm prevention for significantly less online. We also stock up when we find a good deal as long as it won’t be sitting around past its expiration date.

5. Exercise Is Important



Trips to the park and walks around your neighborhood are great ways to keep you and your dog in shape. Don’t spend a lot on a bunch of toys; in my experience most dogs have one or two favorites that they go back to all the time. Balls and sticks are simple — and free — toys that
most dogs love, and you can even make your own toys with things you have around the house. Just make sure they are safe for your pet to chew on and play with.

6. Check-ups

Don’t skimp on the vet you use; even healthy dogs get sick once in a while and it’s nice to know that the vet you are going to knows and cares about your dog. Of all the tips on this list, this is one area where I would recommend not going with the cheapest option, but with the vet who works best for you. Consider location, hours of availability, and years of experience when making this decision.

7. Staying Healthy

Keeping your dog healthy and happy will reduce the amount of time spent in the vet’s office. Our fenced yard is great for keeping our dog in and away from potential hazards and also to keep those hazards out. If you don’t have a fenced yard, consider tying your dog out when it needs to go out. Keep the area that it can roam in well policed for dangers. Preventing things from happening will keep you and your dog a lot happier and healthier in the long run, as well as
saving you money.

Don’t let your family’s best friend lead to budget woes. Be proactive and do research into other ways you can creatively cut expenses while taking care of the dog in your life.

Sarah Coleman is a dog owner who lives on a budget and also espouses frugal principles to those she encounters at her job with a short term loans company. She and her family have seen first-hand the benefits of having a loyal friend and encourage others to make room in their lives for one as well!

First, when buying raw food for dogs, make sure the food is human grade food or fit for human consumption. This means it is the highest quality raw food available. Making sure that everything is fresh and safe to eat is one of the keys to success when following the raw food feeding model.

Next, make sure you buy organic fruits and vegetables. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides or insecticides for any growth enhancers. This means the produce is all natural and good for your dog.

Fruits and vegetables which are not grown the organic way is not ideal because the traces of pesticides and chemicals used on non-organically raised produce can be ingested by your dog and lead to health problems. Even if you wash the fruit and vegetables, pesticides and chemicals are not completely removed from the product.

Be sure you purchase your meat from a reliable butcher who takes his product from a farm which does not use growth stimulants for their livestock. Like fruits and vegetables that are not grown in an organic manner, meats with growth stimulants is not an ideal raw food for dogs. These stimulants can give your dog health problems or create unnatural growth in your dog.

When buying raw food for dogs, be sure to shop in the right quantities, which is how much you can store giving your freezer or refrigerator space. Keep in mind that different foods have varying shelf lives. Fresh vegetables lasts about a week and frozen meats lasts three to six months in the freezer, depending on the kind of meat.

If you would like to store vegetables for longer periods of time, you can create a vegetable slosh in bulk and freeze it in the portions that you will be feeding your dog.

When feeding puppies, keep in mind that they will need a higher percentage of protein in their diet compared to fully grown dogs because they’re at a critical growth stage. Puppies will eat about four times a day in their first three months. Afterwards you can switch to fewer feedings.

Older or fully grown dogs will eat less often than puppies, but if they are very active, they will need more feedings or a higher percentage of protein as well. It is important to keep details like these in mind when buying raw food for dogs so that you know how much of each kind of food to buy.

For more details like these, a good place to get more information is from the ebook ‘Going Rawr! Dog Lovers Compendium.’ Its author, Maggie Rhines, shows you exactly how to choose raw food for dogs, as well as proper methods of storage and preparation.

It’s great for people who are just starting out their dogs on this diet and who would like to know more about how to implement it and how to avoid food contamination.

You can get much more information on Maggie Rhines’ book by clicking >>Here<<

What do we do when we can no longer trust the food manufacturers who is supposed to provide us with safe and healthy foods for our animals?

When The Food Is Killing Your Pets, Something Has To Change

The several recent widespread recalls of pet food has created a scare for all dog and cat owners who rely on commercial brands to feed their pets. All over the country, contaminated pet food has caused many dogs to become severely sick, while a large number of them have actually died.

In March 2007, Menu foods, an Ontario based manufacturing company, recalled over 60 million containers of food after numerous animals became ill and died from eating them. One of the most disturbing aspects is the illusion of superiority it has shattered for buyers of expensive pet-foods because Menu Foods manufactures both low cost and high end pet food products. It supplies pet food for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers, including PetSmart, Safeway, Wal-Mart, Winn-Dixie, Wegmans Pet Valu, Kroger, and Ahold USA. It is also a contract manufacturer of branded pet food products, manufacturing for five of the top six branded companies in North America, including Procter & Gamble, for which it is the exclusive supplier of canned wet pet food sold under the Iams brand, P&G having sold its South Dakota plant to Menu Foods in 2003. Menu Foods also produces Loblaws’ President’s Choice, A&P’s Master Choice, Sobeys’s Compliments, Safeway’s Select, Eukanuba, and Nutro.

In all, 53 brands of dog food and 42 brands of cat food were affected.

How did this happen? A combination of greed and laziness was to blame. It was later discovered that wheat gluten, an ingredient found in the pet foods, was contaminated with rat poison. The risk of Salmonella contamination has also been the cause of a recall for two brands of pig’s ear dog treats.

Cases of toxic pet foods go back to December of 2005, when several dogs died and dozens fell ill after eating kibble manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. It was later found out that the food was contaminated with aflatoxin; a naturally occurring chemical produced from fungus and can be found on crops such as wheat, corn, rice, and beans. This chemical is also toxic to domestic animals, livestock, and even humans. Other pet food recalls during this past decade also involve the risk for Salmonella contamination.

Are These Pet Food Companies Breaking The Law?

FDA regulations state that pet foods should be manufactured similarly to the way human foods are manufactured. They should be processed under a sanitary environment, should not contain any harmful ingredients, should be accurately labeled, and safe to eat.

Commercial brands of pet foods are not beholden to the same FDA labeling requirements as human foods and due to very limited resources, the FDA can only inspect pet food issues after consumer complaints are made, or if the FDA has a reason to believe that there is a threat to animal health. A recall is then announced by the FDA or the manufacturer if a defective product is found.

Earlier this year the FDA launched an online database devoted to Pet Food Recalls. This represents a huge step forward because concerned pet owners will now be able to monitor this database regularly.

Andrew Lewis, a concerned consumer who lost his beloved dog to kidney failure due to a diet of commercial pet food, has subsequently devoted several years to intensive research of the commercial pet food industry. He has written reports and books and created several in-depth videos. To read his material >>>Click Here<<<

World-famous vet and dog-care author Alfred Plechner, says the poor nutritional properties of commercial dog food inevitably lead to disease.

While a dog is a carnivore – meat eater – he cannot live on protein alone. Just like his owner, a dog needs a balanced diet including fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Few of us could afford a predominantly steak diet for our pets, but even if we could, our dogs would be a lot healthier with a cheaper cut of meat. Less expensive meats are better for dogs because they have a higher fat content.

Fats provide dogs with energy and heat and help keep his skin healthy. Not enough fat in a dog’s diet can cause scaly, dry skin. His coat may become coarse and lifeless. A diet low in fat may also cause a dog to become highly nervous and more susceptible to many types of illness.

There are three fatty acids in fats which a dog needs. These are: linolenic, linoleic, and arachidonic. Linoleic acid can be found in meat products, suet, butter, and corn oil. It can also be found in avocados.

The Avocado

Avocados are one of the few fruits that most dogs love. One reason for this is that these fruits add palatability and texture to food, especially dry meal. It is also a nutritious supplement of fats to the canine diet. This pear-shaped fruit contains sixteen percent of rare oil seldom found in fruits as well as an unusual amount of protein for fruits.

One medium avocado contains about 35 grams of fat, mostly monounsaturated. This fruit also has more potassium than bananas. Avocados are also rich in vitamin E, vitamin K, and the B vitamins.

When the nutritional requirements of adult dogs were compared with the composition of avocados, particularly California avocados, this fruit also proved to be a good source of vitamins and minerals. One half of a medium avocado provides a mature dog with all his daily requirements for magnesium, potassium, and niacin. About half of his requirements for thiamin, manganese, and vitamin A, are also provided with this awesome fruit.

Compare what the avocado offers a dog nutritionally to some of the other foods often added to a dog’s diet to improve his skin tone and coat. A half of avocado supplies thirteen grams of fat. There is one gram of linoleic acid in half of the fruit.

An egg has half the amount of fat grams and only a trace of linoleic acid. One half cup of cottage cheese only offers five grams of fat and a trace of linoleic acid, while one tablespoon of corn oil has fourteen grams of fat and seven grams of linoleic acid but none of the vitamins and minerals that the avocado offers.

Making your own homemade kitten food will take you more time then simply opening a bag or can of kitten food. There is nothing simpler then pouring premade food into your kittens bowl. Making your own food will require you to spend time making it every few days.

On the other side, the more used to making homemade kitten food you are the less time it will take you to make it and it has been proven that the more your cats diet resembles his natural diet in the wild, the healthier and longer your cat will live.

Making your own kitten food will cost more money in the beginning. A kitten eats uncooked meat and veggies.

It will actually cost you less money in the long run to feed your cats homemade food. When your kitten gets the right amount of nutrition he will be sick less often. That means that you will spend less on vet bills. You still need to get your friend his shots but the sick vet bills will be greatly reduced. Your kitten will also eat less when he is properly feed.

You can’t just start feeding your cat homemade food because some of our food is actually poison to him. Make sure you do your homework first and do it thoroughly.

Cats are lactose intolerant. Milk will not kill your kitten but it will make him feel bad. Tomatoes, onions, and garlic are poison to cats. They should not eat anything that is in the same food groups as those.

Like all things, when you know the rules and follow them, it becomes easy to do.

Giving your cat or kitten healthy cat food will allow your kitten to live a longer, healthy life. Give your kitten homemade kitten food.

Experts have pinpointed a few basic problems that cause most dog obesity. The single biggest problem is giving too much food, especially leftover human food and scraps from the table. While owners think it is cute to feed Fido off the table, it could be actually killing him. Human food just can’t be handled properly by dogs, nor does it really provide the nutrients that they need for their health needs.

Another reason dogs are seriously overweight includes lack of exercise. When the owner doesn’t get out often enough, neither does the dog. These days more and more dogs are indoor pets, leaving the time outside to be brief bathroom breaks. So unless being walked by the owner, dogs don’t smell the fresh outdoors.

One of the best ways to address dog obesity is to look at your own lifestyle. Since Fido follows his master, there can’t be anything changed without the owners starting first. Make sure you make time for a walk every day. Then make a pact that nobody in your family feeds your dog off the table. Make sure that your dog just eats dog food, not people food as well. If your dog continues to gain weight, consider lowering how much of their dog food you give them as well.

The dog obesity issue will stop when people recognize the health of their animal should be a way of life and the behavior of the dog reflects the owner. As we know it all starts with the dog owner.

Though she writes on a variety of other topics, some of Taylor’s other pet related work includes how to select a good xlarge dog bed, like a ceder dog bed.

With our pets now being part of our family, we are more concerned about getting their needs met. With diet being a major factor in that, we will share some good facts to know. Of course, some dogs might require special diets so check with your vet for their opinion.

There are certain requirements your dogs needs to get the essential amino acids they need in their daily diet. While it’s good to give them vegetable and grasses, they are also carnivores which is an important part of their diet. Knowing the things your dog needs to maintain his health will help you keep them on a well balanced diet.

Before we got involved in a dogs diet by providing them with these prepackaged foods, they were left up to their own devices. Their diets consisted of prey they caught and ate raw, fruits and berries of the season and grasses. In today’s day, we are crazy when our dogs are running after something and the thought of them killing another animal is not what we like to think of.

In today’s society, the thought of our domestic dogs even acting like they are going to get their own dinner sends shivers up our spines. Being born hunters, it’s hard for us to see them any other way then our furry little friends. However, over time we have trained dogs to depend on us for their food.

Another thing to consider when choosing a dogs diet is the breed of your dog. In addition to breed, the function of the dog in regards to working can influence the nourishment your dog needs. Lap dogs have a different dietary need than a working farm dog or a dog breed that is from the North Pole.

We are finding that many commercial premium brand foods are full of many of the proper nutrients required for a dog’s healthy diet. The manufacturer does regular feeding trails on these foods and monitors the dogs used for the testing throughout their life span. Just make sure that you choose the more popular well-known brands of commercial food.

I know that many veterinarian offices do carry premium brand foods that you can purchase. With most commercial goods, they have certain preservatives that can deplete the nutritional value of the food. Most commercial brands however, do meet the nutritional requirements for dogs.

One important fact to remember is that your dogs diet needs to be supplemented with vegetables and meats. In addition to diet, dogs need exercise as well as socialization. Our dogs are truly an addition to our family and they should be treated as such.

Have a Pet that you Care For? Check out Catherine’s favorite Pet Supplies for Dogs website that uses nature’s highest quality ingredients. They have the most wonderful Natural Organic Dog Shampoos available.

I examined the labeling carefully which indicates that all their pet foods follow the same fundamental guidelines:

• - Everything is free from by-products, artificial preservatives, colors and flavorings
• - Everything is flavored naturally without any added salt or sugars
• - Everything is real food, simple ingredients with added vitamins and minerals

For me, those three points are vitally important; my cats and dogs have always been confined to 100% natural diets, free of by-products or anything artificial, so I was not about to lower my high standards for the sake of commercial testing. Thankfully, all the Halo products passed my scrutiny with flying colors!

Halo had provided me with bags of Spots Stew dry formula, cans of Spots Stew wet food, a bottle of VitaGlo Dream Coat daily supplements and two tubs of Liv-a-Littles 100% Chicken Breast Protein Treats.

I will say at the outset that all my pets, cats and dogs, were already in optimum health, with glossy coats, clear eyes, and playful natures, so to be absolutely fair and truthful, my review will have to focus mainly on how they accepted the Halo products.

CAT PRODUCTS

Spots Stew Dry Formula for cats:
I tested this dry formula by first placing a bowl alongside the cats’ regular holistic kibble to see which they preferred. On the first day it wasn’t touched (cats are suspicious creatures); on the second day the youngest cat of the three sampled the bowl and on the third day I watched all three cats eating the dry formula with relish. On the fourth day I removed their regular food entirely and from there on all three ate the Spots Stew readily. Their overall condition remained excellent and without a doubt it was food they all enjoyed enormously.

Spots Stew Canned Cat Food:
To be absolutely fair, I have to confess immediately that one of my three cats has always steadfastly rejected ANY canned food. She is a rescue cat who clearly spent her early life eating nothing but kibble and even though she’s been with me since 9/11 (yes that’s the day I adopted her), nothing has changed her attitude to canned food.

So—the canned food testing involved just two of my cats and they loved it. It comes in chicken, lamb, turkey and salmon flavors and each can, as I opened it smelled fresh and appetizing. If I was forced to criticize it in any way I would say it was slightly wetter and therefore “sloppier” than others I have bought, but the two cats I tested accepted it readily and licked their dishes clean.

Liv-a-Littles 100% Chicken Breast Protein Treats
This product completely blew me away! When I first opened the container and sniffed the freeze-dried contents I was totally skeptical. The chicken chunks (to my nose anyway) were altogether odorless, and unappetizing and I thought there was no way the cats would eat them.

I couldn’t have been more wrong! All three adored them and one simply could not get enough. Halo supplied me with two containers, one for the cats and one for the dogs but the dogs never got a look in. I tried them with a couple of pieces, which disappeared without them pausing to even taste them, and I ended up using both containers on the cats. I all too quickly ran out—one cat even licked up a pile of dust that I tipped out from the otherwise empty container, but when I went to PetCo to buy some replacements I was horrified to see that a 2.2 oz tub (the same as the two I had tested) would cost me $11.67. I love my cats, but between the three of them a tub would barely last a week. Sorry girls …

VitaGlo Dream Coat:
Another resounding success with the cats—all three loved it and even went so far as to lick it off the spoon. It comprises of a blend of soybean oil, wheatgerm oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, garlic oil, cod liver oil and anise and Halo states that the longer you use it, the better it works. I believe this to be true; the ingredients are everything needed to promote a healthy coat and skin and it’s clearly very palatable and easy to administer.

DOG PRODUCTS

Spot’s Stew Dry Formula for dogs:
Halo offer both a chicken recipe and salmon. The 4lb bag they sent me to test was the chicken recipe. It comprised butcher quality chicken, whole eggs and various farm raised vegetables (cranberries, carrots and Green peas). The dogs loved it!

My dogs are not as finicky as the cats so with them I bypassed any gradual introduction and fed them on it in conjunction with cans of Original Spot’s Stew. Clearly it hit the spot because it was eaten with relish. One small draw-back—always use a scoop because it has quite a strong smell that is difficult to remove from your hands.

Original Spot’s Stew for dogs:
I was provided with 4 5oz cans: salmon, chicken, beef and lamb. The cans are ring-pull which is very convenient and the contents are fresh smelling and clearly very appetizing to the dogs because they made short work of all of them. Again, all the ingredients were 100% natural whole meats, grains, fresh vegetables with absolutely no by-products, rendered meats or meals. I recommend highly but as with the Protein Treats, they are very expensive.

Liv-a-Littles 100% Chicken Breast Protein Treats
As I explained earlier, the cats’ enthusiasm for this particular product made it all but impossible to test it fairly on the dogs, but the pieces I did manage to sneak to them were positively inhaled, so without a doubt they would have liked to have had more. A resounding paws up!

VitaGlo Dream Coat:
I followed the instructions on the bottle and sprinkled the correct amount over the dogs’ food and just like the cats, they loved it and also like the cats, tried to lick it off the spoon.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS:

This line of pets foods from Halo is certainly first rate, made with the finest ingredients and without any nasty additives whatsoever. My pets clearly loved the entire range of samples that were sent to me and if they could speak I know they would give their highest endorsements. The one drawback is the price because everything is, without a doubt expensive, even compared to the 100% holistic diet all my pets were already on. Having said that, all the Halo line is readily available from chains such as PetCo while I have to buy the products I use online.

Food allergies may manifest themselves in cats and dogs in the following ways: Their skin becomes itchy and irritated on their face, feet, ears, forelegs, armpits and amongst the area around the base of the tail. In addition, frequent inner ear infections, loss of hair, extreme scratching, hot spots, and skin infections that may respond to antibiotics but return after the antibiotics are completed. Increased incidence of bowel movements is another symptom of dogs with food allergies. Dogs normally have around 1.5 bowel movements daily, where food allergies may increase the frequency to 3 or more per day.

Common ingredients found in dog food such as preservatives, additives, peanut butter and tomatoes can cause your dog to have an allergic reaction. Peanut butter is a common ingredient found in dog biscuits, and tomato paste is often times found in dry dog food. Protein is another culprit of dog allergies and can be found in items such as chicken, beef, carbohydrates, wheat or corn. Most veterinarians suggest a diet of lamb and rice for dogs with such allergic reactions.

What most people don’t realize is that you can prepare allergy free pet food for dog at home. Remember, dogs love fresh vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Bear in mind that vegetables not only prevent allergic reactions but also provide added benefits that will provide your dog or cat with a longer healthier life. A gradual transformation between diets is recommended to avoid stomach problems.

Some dog allergies are due to the environment. Pets are commonly allergic to trees, grass, pollen and fabrics such as wool or nylon. Others environmental causes would include plastic or rubber materials, mites, flea bites or insects. Their body responds to these allergens by becoming itchy. When dogs scratch too much, sores develop which creates a perfect place for a bacterial infection to manifest itself. When a dog is not in direct contact with the allergen, Veterinarians diagnose dermatitis by inhalation, aka Atopy, which is an allergy that results from inhalation of pollen, dust, mold, or any allergy substance in the air.

Paws, ears, and face are common areas that become inflamed by allergies. Consult with your veterinarian about controlling pet allergies. To heal sores on a dog’s body, treatments such as fatty acid supplements, hypoallergenic shampoo and hydrocortisone creams are very effective. Veterinarians use antihistamines to relieve the dogs itching and make life more comfy for your canine friend. There are some side effects to be aware of when using an antihistamine such as sleepiness, hyperactivity, constipation, dry mouth & lack of appetite. Be sure you have consulted your vet before using any medication on your dog.

When dogs have allergies, the allergy usually manifests itself on the back or belly as sores forcing the dog to lick or scratch the area which sometimes causes their hair to fall out. Food and/or environmental culprits can make your dog miserable. Identifying the source of the allergy will make your pet’s quality of life 100% better!

Like humans, dogs can suffer from the effects of allergies. By contacting your veterinarian, they can be controlled. In addition Joanne Gallagher recommends checking out Jakes Dog House for all natural, holistic dog treats, glucosamine dog food and organic dog biscuits.

1. Discuss with your veterinarian before making any changes in your pet?s lifestyle?especially in their diet. Some canines are born with specific needs and some food might prove to be harmful when incorporated into their diet. Find out your dog?s health status and prepare accordingly.

2. Research about food in relation to canines. There are a lot of food that are dangerous when ingested by animals?many of which are found right under our noses. For example we have chocolates, onions, baby food, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, grapes, raisins and all types of caffeine. There are more so read up on toxic substances for dogs so you can keep these stored and locked away.

3. There are several who will recommend serving animal food that are raw and as close to their natural form as possible; however, for safety reasons it is best to cook all served meals as thoroughly as possible to avoid any potential infections. You can store the cook the doggie meals in advance and store them in the refrigerator for around 3 days.

4. Feed the dog the right amount of starch, meats and vegetable. Some use the 50-25-25 ratio, with starch making up for most of the meals. Start with this and change it as to what ratio your canine responds best to. Potato and rice are excellent sources of starch while tomatoes, peas, carrots and green beans are vegetable fare that will benefit the dog greatly. Any kind of meat is acceptable; however, take care on the volume you use. An excess of liver or any organ meat is detrimental to the canine?s health. Also, chop small pieces of fruits for your pet to snack on.

5. Consult the vet on how to best portion meals to your dogs. Some canines have a more active lifestyle and need a larger quantity of food (high in protein), while some must be monitored carefully. Loving your dog does not mean feeding him treats at all times?responsible owners need to exercise restraint and care in providing him with the right kind and amount of food.

6. When transitioning the dog from store bought pet food to home made dog food, make sure that you do this slowly. Feed the canine the new dishes little by little and decrease his regular pet food gradually. If there is no adverse reaction to the new food, increase the home made fare until it becomes his standard meal.

Switch up the dishes and menu every once in a while. This will ensure that your canine will get the nutrients and vitamins he needs; as well as keep his attention and interest. Sometimes it is somewhat of a challenge to learn how to make dog food?but in the end, it is well worth the effort.

Learning how to make dog food competently can mean the difference between a good and great pet. Receive a variety of Home Made Dog Food recipes at’0 Gourmet Dog Recipes.

A Paragraph From Susan’s Thixton’s site:

“A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a very concerned pet owner. Her own dogs had suffered from a silent recall in the past; the recent increase in silent recalls was becoming alarming. Her idea was to develop a method for pet food companies to alert customers if they experienced a product recall. Her hope was that every pet food company would choose integrity over secrecy. Her hope, as well, was for us – pet parents – to push the changes through. ”

Read much more Susan’s site and see how you can get involved in this letter writing campaign. It is for the safety of our pets!

Commercial dog foods typically use artificial colors, artificial flavoring, and preservatives. Several small dog food manufacturers produce natural dog food that does not contain these artificial ingredients.

If the dog food claims to be natural, does not necessarily make it healthy for dogs. For example, a dog food that consists of corn and other grains and no protein could be labeled as all natural if it only contains grains, but a diet such as this can be detrimental to the dog’s health.

Dog owners need to consider what the ingredients are and not be solely concerned with whether or not the ingredients are natural. The healthiest dog food is a meat-based dog food. Dogs diet should not consist only of meat, but should contain a significant percentage of meat.

A dog owner has several options for healthy, all natural dog food. A healthy dog food with quality ingredients can be a commercial dog food with organic ingredients and a good source of animal protein.

Some dog owners prefer to make their own all natural dog food. Homemade dog food could be a raw dog food diet or cooked dog food recipes. Many dog owners prefer homemade dog food since it gives them control over the ingredients.

The majority of a dog’s food should be protein from meat. This is true whether the dog owner decides to feed the dog homemade dog food or buy commercial dog food.

Some vegetables and grains for carbohydrates are often recommended as part of the dog’s diet. A variety of foods in a dog’s diet can help ensure that the dog the proper vitamins and minerals. Meat should still remain the main ingredient of the dog’s diet.

If a dog owner decides to feed the dog homemade dog food, the dog owner should know which foods are toxic to dogs and should never be included in dog food. The dog owner should also be conscious of the fat content of the dog food since obesity can be problematic for dogs. A veterinarian should be consulted if the dog owner has questions about the dog’s dietary needs.

We discuss about the top 10 best dog food and recipes for homemade dog foods at our food for healthy dogs website. It is free to read and you will definitely benefit from the articles written by dog experts.

The main thing you need to watch with your pet is the food you feed them; make sure it has the right nutritional value to it. Be certain the food is designed for them. This type of food will include all the nutrients your pet’s body will require to be healthy. It doesn’t matter if you own a hamster, cat, or dog, they all require the right food for their systems.

If you are going to feed them any people food, make sure it follows the guidelines of what they should have to eat. Take dogs for instance they should never have anything that has caffeine in it. Caffeine is very bad for a dog’s heart and could lead to them having a heart attack. They also should not be fed sugar.

If animals are overfed they can put on too much weight. This is the reason you should not feed any pets table scraps. You can actually make fish die by feeding them too much. Pets like people can become unhealthy by consuming too much food. Allow your pet to drink enough water per day for them to get hydrated. Now if you own fish for pets make sure to keep their water clear and clean. You need to keep a close eye on the water so that you can spot problems early.

Make sure the vet sees your pet once a year when it pertains to the type of pet you have. Dogs and cats require vaccines yearly to ward off specific diseases. The rabies vaccine is probably the most important of all of them. If you live somewhere that your pet could come in contact with other animals especially wild ones, the rabies vaccine is crucial.

All pets need exercise whether it be dogs or fish. Of course, fish get plenty of exercise because they are constantly swimming. Dogs and cats need to be walked, ran, and played with to make sure they get enough exercise. Exercise keeps their weight down and their muscles strong. Just like humans, it keeps their hearts strong too. Take your cat or dog out on a leash with a walk with you. That way you both are getting healthier together. Make sure if you have a hamster for a pet they have a cage equipped with a running wheel. This is the way that you can make sure that your pets are getting enough exercise.

Your pet also needs your attention and love to have good emotional health. We should all talk to them and pet them to show how much we love them. Grooming is even part of showing this love. Cats and dogs shed hair or the fur they have can get all matted without correct combing and brushing.

These tips will assist you in providing your pet with the best of care, so that they can be the healthiest they can be. Now isn’t that what we all want for our pets? Get your pet healthier today!

Wanting to become a pet owner is wonderful. But there are two things that you need to know about. An important key is quality pet health insurance because without it your pet is not safe. The next key thing is that using cheap pet meds will damage your pet terminally if you find the wrong quality of medication.

Shouldn’t we give our beloved pet the best? All natural dog foods are definitely the way to go. But, like me, you probably buy off the shelf bags of kibbles.

This could be costly in terms of our pet’s health and longevity.

With new evidence being plastered in the media constantly about specific food source scares and bad ingredients found in widely know brand name dog foods, I am going to think twice about buying these widely advertised packages of dog food.

Maybe we should get a clue and be a little more diligent and research the foods we give our canine children. Choosing natural dog food over chain store brands and actually reading the ingredients list could provide our pets with access to a longer life.

Reading the labels could reveal what ingredients that make you question whether or not it is good for your pet. Simply by treating the ingredient list of dog food the same as what you would eat could be a major change. If you don’t know what it is, are you going to eat it?

Basically, if the list of ingredients on puppy’s dog food label is not what I would give to the rest of the family then she’s not getting it either.

To keep our pets as healthy as possible, it is up to us as their parental units, to feed them all natural dog foods and avoid the dangerous dog food that lurks on the market.

Perhaps, we can assist in extending our dog’s lives by only a few months. But wouldn’t it be great if we could keep them around for several years longer?

Want to find out more about Dangerous Dog Food? Visit http://www.squidoo.com/dangerousdogfood now to learn some shocking truths.

There is one important thing you need to know, and that is that leftover table scraps are not qualified as homemade pet food. Pieces of bone, seed, tough stems and even too much animal fat should not be fed to the canine. If you consistently have meals that are healthy and low in sodium then go ahead and hand him some of those uneaten vegetables under the table. Otherwise, it will be best to prepare a healthful diet specific to him.

You will need to remember to stay away from certain food when feeding your canine namely: chocolates, lunch meat and ham, sauces, cheese and spicy food. This will mess up your dog’s digestive system, and in some cases, even prove to be fatal. Include instead grains like rice, barley, oatmeal and buckwheat in the diet. Put in pieces of savory meat and other protein rich sources of food. Ensure that they are all thoroughly cooked and sufficiently cut up.

You can also take in fresh fruits and vegetables in his diet plan. Finely chop or mash the pieces of vegetables you are adding into the mix. Try giving broccoli, carrots, seaweed and bananas together with the starched ingredients. The nutrients it will give will benefit him greatly. Aside from the great homemade pet food, consider also giving your pet special canine supplements to fill in his other nutritional requirements. Always consult your veterinarian before changing anything.

It is recommended that dog owners do not combine serving homemade and processed meals to their pets. This will oftentimes lead to indigestion. If you have always given him certain pre-packed food but want to try nourishing him with homemade fare, do so slowly. Start by feeding him small bites and light snacks of the healthy nosh in between his regular fare. If the dog seems to have no untoward physical reactions to it, introduce the new food plan gradually. Decrease the amount of regular dog food and increase the volume of fresh food being provided.

The good news is, you don’t have to worry about the bother of preparing your dog’s food every day. What you can do is to take the healthy leftovers from the family dinner table the past few days and convert it to a week’s worth of tasty canine snacks. Change the menu frequently to lower the risk of your pet acquiring food allergies. Also, this will make mealtimes more interesting to the animal as well.

Not only will you be giving your pet a healthier lifestyle; you will also save more money when homemade dog food is prepared and planned well. Use the extra savings to buy doggie toys or other entertaining treats with. Now that’s something to wag your tail for!

Dog owners who are concerned about the contents of popular commercial dog foods often seek out holistic dog food alternatives. Natural, commercial dog foods and homemade dog food are common holistic choices.

Natural dog foods that the companies promote as holistic often contain natural ingredients. Perhaps one of the biggest differences between these holistic dog foods and the most popular commercial dog foods is the quality of the ingredients.

Though animal byproducts are often the animal protein source in commercial dog food, animal byproducts are not usually included in holistic dog food. Animal byproducts are meat pieces that are not suitable for human consumption. Some holistic dog foods use only human-grade ingredients. Holistic dog food may have vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants added.

Holistic dog food recipes blend natural ingredients. Natural dog food recipes can be found on the Internet. The dog owner needs to make sure that the recipes do not contain any foods that can be toxic to dogs including garlic, avocado, onions, chocolate, and grapes.

One basic meat and rice dinner gives the dog owner flexibility in the ingredients that are included. One and a half cup of brown rice, two teaspoons of vegetable oil, one half cup of cubed meat, and one-fourth to one half cup of cooked vegetables are the four basic ingredients in this meat and rice dinner dog food recipe.

Beef, chicken, turkey, ham, liver, or veal can be used as the meat in this dog food recipe. Ground beef or ground turkey need to be cooked thoroughly if used as the meat. The meat should be cooked until well done in the vegetable oil.

The vegetables can be a mixture of cooked carrots, celery, cabbage, broccoli, diced potatoes, or other dog-safe vegetables. Some dog food recipes similar to this basic recipe include a half cup of plain yogurt. The ingredients should be blended and cooled before being fed to the dog.

The dog owner may want to experiment with different meats and vegetables. A variety of ingredients is strongly recommended as opposed to using liver or other ingredient every day. Using a variety of ingredients helps ensure the dog is receiving proper nutrition and avoids health problems related to eating too much of one particular food.

For instance, organic dog food could lessen the risk of the dog getting skin diseases and allergies. The explanation for the positive health effects is the absence of additives, chemicals, colorants and pesticides. Instead the ingredients in organic dog food are simply grain extracts and high quality proteins.

Normal dog food can cause diabetes and excess weight with all the concomitant problems that accompany these illnesses: back ailment, organ failure and decreased mobility. How can organic dog food help here, then? Well, because organic pet food does not contain bulk filler; they are nutrient-packed products that create energy not fat. Moreover, it is far better and definitely a lot easier to prevent health problems than try to cure them later.

Good digestion and a stronger immunity system are the other main benefits that come with the feeding of organic dog food. Due to the absence of chemicals usually present in regular pet food, your dog will no longer be sick or experience gas or diarrhea. A healthier metabolism is what you will achieve with a healthy diet. Furthermore, the quality of the nutritional substances in organic dog food, boosts the immunity functions, thereby reducing the risks of infection and all sorts of specific diseases that affect dogs on a routine basis.

Many veterinarian experts claim that organic dog food significantly increases the life span of any animal, not to mention the fact that it will go through old age a lot better. It is quite common that pet owners who choose organic dog food, are also interested in applying the same health rules to their own diet, sticking to clean natural products that enhance bodily functions and avoid toxins and disease.

Ask your dog food provider about organic dog food and if there is none available in your local shop, try to order it online. There are plenty of web sites that sell such products at fairly fair prices.

One last tip, be very wary of dried dog food, no matter what it says on the packet. I used to have a dog that stayed at home alone during the day, while I went to work. I didn’t like to leave ‘wet’ food, because of flies, bacteria and vermin, so I bought dry food, which would not deteriorate during the day. However, within six years she had diabetes, which meant that I had to inject her with insulin every morning. The veterinary said that it was very common for dogs fed only on biscuits to get diabetes, so check with your vet first or feed organic wet food.

If you enjoyed reading this article on organic dog food and you would like to read more about dogs in general or dog training, please go to our our website called Dog Training

What is a healthy dog food? A healthy dog food can be broken into 2 components: the right type of food for your particular dog, and the quality of the ingredients. The first part depends upon what kind of dog you have. Is he active? Does he have a medical condition? Is she nursing pups? You first need to determine the type of dog food that best suites your dog.

Independent of the type of dog food, the actual ingredients need to be understood. Are you really feeding nutritious ingredients to your dog or not? A great source of confusion comes when trying to decipher the meats – the main source of protein – as they can be stated as a type of meat, meal, or by-product.

Three Categories – What’s the Difference? The meat is rather simple – it is the meat from the animal. Meal is also straight-forward – it is the meat after most of the moisture has been removed and then ground up. By-products, confusing at first, are also rather straight-forward – it is most everything else from the animal after all the meat has been removed (necks, intestines, brain, etc.)

Do You Want an Animal Meat or an Animal Meat Meal? So let’s further confuse things now. You have two bags in front of you. The first one has lamb as the first ingredient. The second has lamb meal. Which is a better dog food, protein-wise? The one with lamb meal.

Ingredients must be listed in order of weight. Meat still has water in it, meat meal has been dehydrated. Therefore, one pound of meat meal will have more protein and nutrients in it than one pound of meat. When actually making the dog food, the meat will be dehydrated. If they listed the meat after this dehydration, it would fall much lower down the ingredient list.

What Does An Unidentified Meat Mean? Any dog food that is worth it’s weight will have identifiable animal meats in it. For example, chicken, or lamb meal. But what if you see poultry? An animal class means that more than one type of animal in that class could be in the meat, such as geese, chicken, and/or turkey for the poultry class. The worst is when the manufacturer classifies his meat source as ‘meat’ or ‘meat meal’. This means it can be from any kind of animal.

A general rule of thumb for a healthy dog food is if the animal source can’t be identified, this is usually a good indicator to stay away from that dog food. ‘Meat’ is a definite clue for stay away! A class of meat, like poultry, although not as bad as just ‘meat’, still makes one question the source of the meat. A specific animal meat is best.

There are many more factors to take into consideration when determining what is the healthiest dog food for your dog. Learn more about how to read your dog food ingredients label at the Healthy Dog Food Blog: assisting you in figuring out what makes a healthy dog food.

The pet food industry has a tall task on their hands of trying to restore any confidence in commercial dog food. Many pet owners won’t risk using commercial dog food ever again because of what happened.

Many pet owners lost their dogs – someone they considered members of their families – over tainted dog food incidents. Many dog lovers will never trust the commercialized dog food industry ever again.

The problem isn’t just with dog food that has been recalled – it extends far beyond this. Commercial dog food is produced in a way that would make most people cringe. Since it’s all about cutting costs for the companies they put in all sorts of fillers that have been linked to all sorts of health problems.

The trend recently has been for us humans to eat better. The more nutritious the food is that we consume means we live healthier lives. Paying attention to diet and avoiding foods that have excessive fats and processed sugars, especially in the processed foods we buy, helps us to maintain bodies that are fit and trim.

However we often don’t think twice about what we are feeding our dogs when we pick up a bag of food for them. However, the same theory applies to any animal – what you feed them has a direct impact on their health and quality of life.

The companies that produce commercial dog food rely on some of the worst possible ingredients when they put together their “formulas”. They look for the cheapest ingredients that just meet the laws in order to make the most money. The health risks are horrendous.

Corn gluten meal is a by-product. This is added to absorb the toxins of the food as it is being cooked and processed. Unforunately dogs don’t digest corn very well. In fact, corn is one of the biggest causes of allergies in dogs. The reason many commercial dog food companies use corn is because it is a very cheap source of protein and is used as filler in the food.

One of the worst ingredients found in commercial dog food is something called ‘chicken by-product meal’. This is a combination I hate describing – it’s nothing but ground up chickens feets, necks, bones, intestines etc. The companies use it because it’s cheap but it has the potential of being toxic or tainted. It sure doesn’t do your dog any good!

Soybean meal is an ingredient that is used in order to provide a source of protein. It’s cheap and is found in many dog foods. The problem is that soybean is the number one cause of allergies in dogs. It annoys me that they would include an ingredient that they know so many dogs will have a reaction to.

These are only three of the ingredients – there are many more that I could list. However, I’m sure you get the idea. The dog foods on the store shelves have the potential to make your dog very sick.

When you do your research about feeding your dog the right foods, you will be amazed at the changes you see. Your dogs mood, energy levels, skin, bathroom habits and even their behavior will improve. It’s amazing what a change in diet will do.

Does this mean that you can’t ever use store-bought dog food? Of course not, but you absolutely must know what to look for. We included a link at the bottom of this article where you can find more information.

It’s easy to find a diet for your dog that doesn’t include any of the nasty ingredients that you find in most of the commercial dog foods in the stores. The benefits to your dog are simple – a healthier, happier, and longer life!

Click Here for information on which dog foods you must avoid and how to keep your dog strong and healthy. It’s important to know how to find healthy dog food to make sure your dog lives a long and healthy life!

If a dog food manufacturer uses a new ingredient that has not been previously established as safe by the FDA, the dog food that uses the new ingredient may need to be tested and approved by the FDA before being sold. For example, if a new dog food uses sources of meat and dog food additives that have been verified as safe, the new dog food does not need to be approved.

Dog food labeling is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that the label does not make false claims about its ingredients were the health benefits of the dog food. If the dog food manufacturer includes a claim about the benefits of dog food on the dog food labels, the FDA may test this claim.

The FDA may issue a dog food recall if dog food has become contaminated and poses a health risk for dogs. A voluntary dog food recall may be issued by the dog food manufacturer if the quality of the dog food has been compromised, but the dog food is not dangerous to dogs.

In recent years, one of the most common reasons for pet food recalls has been a contamination with melamine. A supply of rice pricking concentrate from China was contaminated with melamine. Some of this rice protein concentrate was used by pet food manufacturers before the contamination was detected.

The pet food section of the website for the United States food and drug administration contains information on dog food recalls. Dog owners can find information on recalls and read an explanation of how the FDA regulates dog food on the FDA’s website.

When I dog food recall occurs, many dog owners question the safety of commercial dog food. Dog owners could become concerned about the safety of dog food may consider switching to homemade dog food or a raw dog food diet. Some dog owners who encourage others to use a raw dog food diet may use information on dog food recalls and concerns about the nutrition of commercial dog food to support using a raw food diet for dogs.

Dog owners who are concerned about dog food safety and nutrition should discuss their concerns with the veterinarian. There are many options for safe and nutritious dog food. A veterinarian can help the dog owner determine which dog food is best for the dog and fits within the dog owner’s budget.

At our site you will find out the top 10 best dog food and how to make homemade dry dog food at our food for healthy dogs website. It is free to read and you will definitely benefit from the articles written by dog experts.

A disease that can affect dogs and be potentially fatal if not properly managed is diabetes mellitus. As it does in humans, diabetes in dogs causes uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Diabetes in dogs is managed through diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.

Diabetes management and dogs should include proper diet and exercise. A diabetic dog may continue to be happy and healthy for a considerably long time if the diabetes is properly managed.

The dog owner may or may not notice the initial symptoms of diabetes. Often, a dog will experience more frequent urination and increased thirst when the dog develops diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus must be diagnosed by a veterinarian. The veterinarian may want to do blood or urine tests and may require the dog to be fasting at the time of the test.

A key feature of diabetic dog diets is routine. The veterinarian may prescribe a specific routine for feeding the dog and administering insulin if necessary. Often the dogs daily intake of food is divided into two or three portions given at different times.

Ideal diabetic dog diets are generally high in fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates. The dog food may need to be low in fat if the dog should lose weight.

Diabetic dog diets need to remain consistent. A dog owner may be encouraged to use only one type of dog food that you refrain from giving the dog treats, table scraps, or homemade dog food that can vary too much in the dog’s diet.

The dog should not have drastic changes in weight. If the dog is overweight, losing weight can help the management of diabetes. Any necessary weight loss should be done gradually.

Regular checkups by a veterinarian are necessary for dogs with diabetes. The dog owner may have a number of questions regarding the management of diabetes in dogs. The dog owner should feel comfortable asking the veterinarian any questions they may have.

The dog owner may be instructed by the veterinarian to test the dog’s ear and periodically for sugar. The veterinarian may show the dog owner how to use dog urine testing strips.

Diabetes management for dogs can benefit from regular exercise. Consistent exercise helps keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range. Having a regular daily amount of exercise such as half an hour a day is best.

There has been an increasing number of concerns and criticisms over a good number of commercially sold dog food. Because of such, many people have turned to feed their pet with natural dog food. In this writing, I am about to show you some important tips in choosing natural food for your dog.

* Understand Your Dog and His Food Needs

The first thing to keep in mind is that there are different forms of natural dog food. Raw and cooked meat and vegetables are usually understood as being natural, but commercially sold natural food is also in this category. Your job is to find out which type most fits the needs of your dog.

Not all dogs are same. Their nutritional requirements vary dependent on their different breeds and specific health conditions. You should always observe your dog’s behavior and health condition, especially after changes in food. Consult your veterinarian with your observation and ask for his advice.

* Get Food Prepared for Your Dog

Many dog owners feel that they should be the ones preparing natural dog food for their pets. Again, this is only a good idea if you are fully aware of what exactly your dog needs and in what quantity. Some may serve raw meat while others feel that cooking meat and vegetables is a better idea. Heating and cooking can help destroy harmful bacteria that may have found their way into food.

You should also take note that not all human foods are good for dogs. Chocolates, raisins, mushrooms, onions and raisins, for example, may be dangerous or toxic to dogs. List what foods are toxic to dogs and avoid them. If you are not prepared to cook for your pet, then it is safest to go for commercial brands of natural dog food.

* Read Labels

When shopping dog food, you should always read the labels just like what you do with human foods. Pay close attention to its ingredients. Fillers like wheat and corn, artificial coloring and flavoring, animal and plant by-products, and artificial preservatives should never appear in natural dog food. These synthetic ingrediants are very likely to lead to gastrointestinal problems, malnutrition and behavioral changes in dogs.

* Get Enough Proteins and Nutrients for Your Dog

Dogs are carnivorous and should be served with enough protein. Lean meat and poulty are good sources of high quality protein, and you should by all means stay away from low-grade meat by-products.

Apart from protein, vitamins and minerals are also essential nutrients that should be found in natural dog food. You may choose to buy foods with fortified nutrients, or may feed your dog with vitamin-rich foods, such as squash, beans and peas.

Dog owners have different opinions when it comes to homemade dog diets. Whether a dog owner chooses to feed the dog a raw food diet or make cooked food, there are certain essential ingredients that should be included in homemade dog diets.

The contents of commercial dog food are vastly different than natural dog diet. Commercial dog food contains thirty to seventy percent carbohydrates even though a dog naturally eats less than thirty percent.

A dog owner can make a homemade dog diet to match a dog’s natural diet. One way that they can do this is to feed the dog a diet that contains thirty percent or less of carbohydrates.

Rice, grains, and starchy vegetables are examples of carbohydrates that can be included in a dog’s diet. Carbohydrates should be cooked since dogs have difficulty digesting many of them.

Protein and fat are very important components of a dog’s diet. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, a dog’s diet should be up to fifteen percent fat for adult dogs and twenty percent fat for puppies.

Protein is so important for a dog’s diet that if a dog does not get enough protein it can die. The protein content of a dog’s diet should be approximately twenty-five percent.

Some examples of protein for a homemade dog diet are chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef. Liver may be used, but a dog should not eat too much liver.

Many homemade dog diets contain some fresh, chopped vegetables. Many dog owners believe that their dogs need a significant amount of fiber. Dogs do not necessarily need fiber, but some fiber can be beneficial for digestion and maintaining proper body weight.

Grapes, chocolate, mushrooms, raw eggs, raisins, and raw fish are examples of foods that a dog should not eat. A veterinarian can answer questions about the nutritional needs for a specific dog. Some homemade dog diets are made especially for dogs that are pregnant or have health concerns.

Many people look for ways to save money. Cat owners are no exception. Cat food coupons are a way to cut the costs of cat ownership.

Cat food coupons are widely available. Many newspapers have coupons, especially in the Sunday edition of the paper. Cat owners may find coupons for cat food and other products that they use.

Cat owners may find offers for cat food samples and cat food coupons on the websites of cat food companies. Cat food manufacturers typically maintain websites that periodically feature offers for coupons or samples. If a cat owner requests a sample, the sample often arrives with coupons.

Some cat food manufacturers offer free club memberships for cat or kitten owners. Once a cat owner registers on the companys website, the cat food company may periodically send cat food samples and coupons.

Many cat food companies offer samples and coupons for new products. If a new cat food product emerges, the cat food company will often offer samples or coupons for that new product.

Sometimes, cat food companies will send coupons to cat owners who request cat food coupons for their products. If the cat food owner sends a request by mail or email, the cat food owner should be sure to include their full name and address.

Coupon websites allow the websites users to select and print coupons. Cat owners can look for cat food coupons as well as coupons for other things they need.

Cat owners should avoid using coupons and purchasing products that they would not normally buy unless the only reason for not buying it before was the cost without a coupon. Buying cat food in a flavor that the cat refuses to eat will waste money if the cat food goes to waste.

The quality of the ingredients and the chemical preservatives in commercial dog foods are causes for concern for many dog owners. Occasionally, stories of remarkable poor quality content or dog health problems related to dog food become hot topics among dog owners.

Some dog owners have responded to doubts about the quality and safety of commercial dog foods by making homemade dog food. Raw dog food diets have become popular as well as other homemade dog foods. For those who continue to feed their dogs with commercial dog food, they may still want to know about commercial dog foods and homemade dog food alternatives.

Much information is available about dog food on the Internet. Forums and consumer reviews can provide information about the personal experiences of dog owners. Some websites are dedicated to promoting raw food diets and homemade dog food and explain their reasoning for avoiding manufactured dog food.

Is commercial dog food safe? Is science diet bad dog food? What dog food ingredients should I look for? These are just a couple of the questions that dog owners may have.

Wet dog food often contains more protein than dry dog foods. The ingredients of wet, canned, dog food is thought to be slightly higher quality than dry dog food since there is much less processing involved in the production of canned dog food.

What type of protein is in dog food? The typical commercial dog food contains animal by-products. Animal by-products are the leftover parts of animals that are deemed unsuitable for human consumption. These could be the spleen, blood, bones, intestines, feet, and fat that would not be used in meat products for people.

Some people believe that the labels of dog foods are deceptive. Its easy to see why dog food labels have that reputation since the terminology on the labels is often misleading. For example, people may think that a dog food that is called beef dinner has mostly beef in it, but the regulations require that only twenty-five percent of the product has to be that ingredient in order to be called a dinner.

Science Diet pet foods are touted as a healthier pet food. Many of the ingredients in Science Diet dog foods are similar to other commercial dog foods. For specific questions regarding the contents of a particular brand of dog food, the dog owner can often find information on the ingredients on the manufacturers website.

Some dog owners thoroughly enjoy making their dogs food. Using a dog health food recipe is a way for the dog owner to enjoy preparing their dogs food and providing a healthy meal for their dog. This can be especially important if the dog has diabetes or obesity.

A dog health food recipe can be found on the Internet. Some dog health food recipes are designed specifically for dogs with health problems. Other dog food recipes are created to be a healthy alternative to commercial dog food for any dog.

Lamb stew is a dog health food recipe. One pound lamb, three diced potatoes, two chopped celery sticks, two chopped carrots, two pints of chicken broth, and two tablespoons of olive oil are the ingredients needed to make the healthy lamb stew for dogs.

After the lamb is cooked in the olive oil, the chicken broth should be added. The lamb and chicken broth should cook for forty-five minutes. The rest of the ingredients should be added and allowed to stew for forty-five more minutes. Before being served to the dog, the lamb stew should be allowed to cool.

In that recipe, low fat beef can be substituted for lamb. The dog owner could add other ingredients like rice or corn. The dog owner should avoid the temptation of giving the dog extra food just because the food is healthy for the dog.

A cabbage roll meal is another dog health food recipe. Four large cabbage leaves, one fourth cup of plain yogurt, one half cup of white rice, chicken broth, and one half cup of cooked, shredded chicken breast are the ingredients. After the large vein is removed, boil the cabbage leaves until tender.

The other ingredients should be mixed. Remove the cabbage leaves from the water and set the cabbage leaves on a flat surface. The mixture of the other ingredients should be divided among the cabbage leaves. The leaves should be rolled up, placed in a baking dish with enough chicken broth to cover the bottom and part of the cabbage rolls, and baked for thirty minutes.

You may have heard the stories of canned and boxed pet foods turning out to be dangerous leading to a recall of these types of products. Some dog owners who worry about pet food recalls are becoming quite skeptical about the quality of commercial dog food. To this extent they are looking for safe, nutritious foods for their dogs and opting to make home cooked dog food rather than buy commercial foods.

A great way to care for your pet is to prepare home cooked dog food. With the right recipes you are able to provide all the required nutrients that are complete and balanced. As you source the ingredients you can be sure of their quality and be sure there are no fillers, artificial coloring or any other questionable ingredients. You can select the proper grade of meat, grains and vegetable for your dog.

For years, dogs were fed almost exclusively from table scraps (which were often not a healthy option) or some other form of homemade dog food. Today, pet owners have become dependent on buying commercial dog food as it seems easier than preparing it. They would probably be very surprised to learn how easy and convenient it is to make your own home cooked dog food with the proper recipes.

Many people who prepare a pets meals at home do so while cooking for the rest of the family. Since home cooked dog food contains the same ingredients people consume, you dont have to be concerned about which cookware you reserve for this activity. One time-saving and labor-sparing approach is to prepare the food in large quantities, some of which can be refrigerated or frozen for use at a later date.

Since a dog’s nutritional needs can vary depending on breed, you should always talk to your vet before starting to feed your dog a home cooked diet. A vet will not only be able to advise you on your dog’s nutritional needs but may also have vitamins or other nutritional supplements that they recommend be added to your home cooked dog food. Consulting with a vet first is the best way to ensure that the food you’re feeding your dog is the most appropriate and best for them.

One of the best things you can do to safeguard the health, energy and vitality of your dog is to give them food that you’ve prepared for them yourself. Home cooked dog food that is formulated from special recipes provides much better nutritional value than many commercially available foods. And you might be surprised to discover just how easy and convenient it is to keep your dog healthy and happy by preparing food for him. Another issue that you may not have considered is that by making your pets food more digestible there will be less dog poop around the yard too.

You may enjoy cooking for your dog; not only are there are a fair number of home cooked dog food recipes on the market — some people even consider it a hobby! Why not try making some home cooked treats? Your dog will love it and you will love knowing that he is getting fresh and nutritious food.

Preparing your dog food at home can be the best way to keep your dog healthy.You might think that this is very time consuming but with practice and good recipes you can end up with a healthy dog.

You must be thinking why you should do this additional work rather than buy the food straight from the store. However making your dog food at home gives you control on what you feed your dog.

Secondly it is cheaper and if you buy in bulk you stand to save more money by preparing the food yourself.

Your choosy dog might even prefer your homemade dog food to the canned stuff from the store. Your own recipes can be made to suit your dogs taste and satisfaction.

Some things to keep in mind when making your dog food are avoid salt and to use lean cuts of meat. In order to make the food healthier, you want to mind the fat and sodium content, just as you would when cooking healthily for people. Avoiding salt is a good idea to keep the sodium down, but also because salt has a tendency to dehydrate. Increasing your dog’s thirst is not the best idea!

Choose lean ground meat like ground turkey which is both a cheaper alternative with lower saturated fat compared to lean red meat.

The amount you should prepare at any given time will depend on the size of your dog, how often he eats in a day and how often you would want to do the cooking. Any food not eaten should be refrigerated for up to 5 days only.

Finally, an important thing to remember when changing your dog’s diet is to do it gradually. Just add it into his usual commercially-prepared food little by little to avoid any digestion problems.

Finding a high quality food for your cat can be a bit tricky amongst the expert marketers of cat food all trying to get you as a customer by using words such as “approved by top vets” “Wholesome” “nutritious” not to mention deceptive labeling practices making it appear that “meat” is the number one ingredient.

There are many ingredients found in cat food that do not belong there. They have no value to your cat, instead they can be downright detrimental.

Pet food companies go through some effort to make you believe that grains are “wholesome” for your pet. The truth is that grains are implicated with a slew of health problems. Grains are also not part of a cat’s natural diet.

One of the worst ingredients in pet food is corn. It irritates the bowel, it is highly allergy producing and it has a high glycemic index.

I high glycemic index means that after your cat eats food containing corn, her blood sugar levels will raise. Cats do not have the necessary enzymes and hormones deal with an absolute onslaught of sugar in the blood. Cats are designed to get their energy from protein, not from carbohydrates.

In the wild cats consume approximately 3-5% of their diet as carbohydrates. Commercial kibble containing corn contains from 30-60% carbohydrates.

After eating a meal of kibble your cat’s blood sugar level will spike because the body is not equipped to handle all those carbs.

The elevation in blood sugar is taxing for vital organs such as kidneys and liver.It taxes and exhausts the endocrine system. After time, the pancreas is unable to keep up and feline diabetes is a not uncommon end result.

Corn is also a culprit in feline obesity. Cats do not register full after consuming carbs. Cats register full after having consumed the required amounts of protein. In order to satisfy the need for protein your cat has to eat more of the inferior, grain containing kibble.

Switching your cat to a grain-less food frequently reverses diabetes, even if insulin has been given for some time. (A switch should be done ONLY with the cooperation of your vet, while monitoring blood glucose levels in order to prevent your cat’s blood sugar to go too low which can be deadly.)

Getting your cat or dog, onto a food that does not contain corn is of utmost importance.

To start with, the use of natural cat food can increase your cats life about twelve years because he will actually get the nutrition he needs. The majority of store bought cat food is majorly lacking in nutrition.

Most likely, your cat is begging for nutritionally sound food even though he eats food on a daily basis. When your cat gets the nutrition he needs he is able to live a long healthy life.

When your cat gets the proper nutrition he will not only life for much longer but his general quality of life goes up dramatically. Cat’s get many illnesses that are preventable and people spend thousands every year on vet bills. Cats with the proper diets gennerally get sick way less then other cats.

Giving your feline natural cat food will allow him to have a strong thriving immune system so he will be stronger and healthier then other cats.

Another thing to consider is that when your cat is getting the nutrition he needs he will eat less food. Cats, unlike people, do not eat for the gratification of eating. When their nutritional needs are met they stop eating because they are full. The average cat will only eat once a day when they get the proper nutrition.

The third reason to use natural cat food is because you know what is in it. When you make your cat natural food you know what your cat is getting. One thing to know is that cats need a lot of taurine. Without taurine cats systems can not function properly. Raw meat is a good source of taurine.

Some of the meat sources in commercial cat food include diseased,dying, or dead animals. This includes but is not limited to road kill, animals that are put down at the pound using poison, and dead or dying farm animals. So aside from your cat getting little nutrition from most store bought cat food it might also be causing them harm. Now please understand that these meat sources are not practiced by every single cat food company.

The safest way to feed your cat is to use natural cat food.

Even if your cats food has not been recalled that does not necessarily mean that it is safe cat food. The majority of the cat food on the market today might not only be nutritionally void but it may even be dangerous to your cat.

The majority of store bought cat foods have no nutritional value in them at all. What’s worse is that they may actually contain poison. You don’t want your cat to eat poison? Well one of the many meat sources for cat food is dogs and cats that have been put down at the pound.

The problem with this is (other then the obvious that your cat is not a cannibal) is that the poison they use to put the animals down does not cook out when they cook the meat.

Not only do they use poisoned animals, but any flea collars they might have on or collars with metal id tags that are on the animal get ground up as well. They also use any road kill that can’t be buried as a meat source.

When processing meat for human consumption a big barrel is placed nearby. Anything that they cannot sell to humans goes into this barrel and it then goes on to be used in cat food. This could include cancerous tissue or even a puss filled cyst.

So that leaves us with dead, dying, or diseased animals for the meat source and the meat by products are even worse. It’s no wonder that most cats don’t even live half of their natural life expectancy.

The more research I did on cat food the more shocked I became. I did not even want to touch ny cats food let alone feed it to him.

In order to give your cat a safe diet that will allow him to get the nutrition he needs to grow strong and healthy a combination of homemade cat food and safe commercial cat food is recommended.

The first reason you should use natural cat food is because the food you buy at the store is generally lacking nutrition wise. When your cat gets the nutrition his body needs his life span doubles.

Basically, your cat is nutrition deprived even though you feed him daily. Feeding your cat natural cat food gives him the health he needs to live a long, fit life.

Using natural cat food will not only let your cat live a longer life but it will allow you to have less vet bills. Every year people spend thousands of dollars on vet bills trying to save their cats from preventable illnesses.

Feeding your cat natural cat food will give him a strong healthy immune system so he won’t have near the problems that other cats have.

Another thing to consider is that when your cat is getting the nutrition he needs he will eat less food. Cats, unlike people, do not eat for the gratification of eating. When their nutritional needs are met they stop eating because they are full. The average cat will only eat once a day when they get the proper nutrition.

The best thing about using natural cat food is that because you are making it, you have no doubts as to what your cat is eating. This is a big one because some of the things your cat might be eating without your knowledge is scary. One thing to be aware of though is that cats need plenty of taurine. Without taurine a cat cannot function and will die. A good source of taurine is from uncooked meat.

Some of the meat sources in commercial cat food include diseased,dying, or dead animals. This includes but is not limited to road kill, animals that are put down at the pound using poison, and dead or dying farm animals. So aside from your cat getting little nutrition from most store bought cat food it might also be causing them harm. Now please understand that these meat sources are not practiced by every single cat food company.

The safest way to feed your cat is to use natural cat food.

Our society is thoroughly convinced of Veterinarians’ qualifications with respect to knowledge of our cats’ nutrition. As a cat owner, we never even consider the alternative. But the question is; could we be wrong?

Other pet owners place their pets’ nutritional needs in the hands of uncaring commercial pet food companies. Why? Because pet food companies produce “Bank account swelling ads” that tell consumers, like you and others, that their food is wholesome, nutritional, 100% natural and complete. The ads suggest that your pet could look and feel equally as good as the pet/pets that appear in their commercials.

For the most part, we are trusting people and therefore we have no reason to doubt their claims. When the commercial pet food companies put a high price on their food, we are totally convinced that their product is good

That’s what we’ve been told now let me tell you the truth

Little nutritional training to Vets is administered in Vet schools and that training is often given by persons that are loyal to the pet food companies. The commercial pet food companies donate money, equipment, banners and free food to Veterinarian schools. What a great long-term business plan – it’s buying loyalty and it puts money in the pockets of commercial pet food companies and the Veterinarians.

If the Veterinarians never question what they’ve been taught and chooses not to do any independent research, they will continue their loyalty to the pet food industry until they retire.

Our domestic cats’ diet should closely resemble the diets of the wild cats that roam the African and asian continents. Commercial pet food companies make these unprovable claims that their foods are nutritional, wholesome, 100% natural and complete. The truth is that their foods violate the fact that cats are carnivores and should never eat stuff they call food.

Most pet food company’s products contain grains. Cats are obligate carnivores and because of this, commercial pet foods are full of ingredients they should never eat. The digestive physiology of carnivores is ill-suited to digest these ingredients and they often cause illnesses.

Then there are the preservatives both artificial and natural. Ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are artificial preservatives and all have been linked to cancer and other health-related problems. Although the Food and Drug Administration has received numerous complaints from consumers that fed their pets food containing these preservatives, the FDA has refused to act.

Many Veterinarians lack the necessary training to offer nutritional advice for our pets. Their allegiances are to the pet food industry and making money, not our pets.

Selling harmful foode to you for your pets is a blatant disregard to the creed they swore to uphold “First do no harm.”

To maintain your cat’s health, you have to take control of their diets. You should learn what’s beneficial for your cat and the foods to avoid.

There are several hundred Rendering Plants across the U.S. They quietly dispose of millions of tons of dead animals, meat waste and fat.

What is commonly found in rendering plants?

In a Rendering Plant, you would see animals in various states such as disabled, diseased, dying, dead and decaying. These animals include skunks, snakes, opossums, cats, dogs, circus animals, raccoons, horses and foxes. Furthermore, Rendering Plants process billions of pounds of decaying flesh and kitchen grease, obtained mainly from fast food restaurants, into commercial meat and bone meal, tallow and yellow grease where much of it ends up in commercial pet foods.

Rendering Plants claim that by removing dead, decaying animals from our streets, they are doing a public service and not doing it for profits. If that were true, why would the Rendering Plants sell their products to dogs and cat food companies?

A look inside a rendering plant

Inside a Rendering Plant, there is a large vat used to cook this mixture of flesh and grease and that creates heat to the tune of about 90% inside the plant. There are piles of animals awaiting their turn to be added to the vat. The piles of skunks, rats, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, raccoons and various other animals seem to take on a life of their own as maggots swarm all over the piles.

Two men operating Bobcat mini dozer loading the raw materials into a 10-foot-deep stainless steel pit. A giant auger-grinder begins to turn. Popping bones and squeezing flesh are sounds from a nightmare you’ll never forget.

From this process, a fat of yellow grease or tallow is produced and skimmed off. At a hammer mill press, the remaining moisture is squeezed out and pulverized into a gritty powder. After bones and hair are removed, all that’s left are meat, bone meal and yellow grease.

Every day, hundreds of Rendering Plants across the U.S. truck millions of tons of this “food enhancer” to poultry ranches, cattle feed-lots, dairy and hog farms, fish feed plants and pet food manufacturers where it is mixed with other ingredients to feed the billions of animals that meat-eating humans, in turn, will eat.

Are your pets benefiting from these ingredients?

Products labeled as meat meal, meat by-products, poultry meal, Poultry by-products, fish meal, fish oil, yellow grease, tallow, beef fat and chicken fat all are products of Rendering Plants.

If you think that’s all of the bad stuff that goes into your pet foods – think again. There are fles collars from dogs, cats and other pets, euthanized drugs used to put down pets, Dursban from cattle insecticide patches and pharmaceutical leaks from antibiotics in livestock.

Heavy metals from pet ID tags, surgical pins and needles as well as plastic wrap from supermarket rejected meat, chicken and fish. According to Rendering Plant officials, it’s not economically feasible to have someone at the Rendering Plants to remove the ID tags, Styrofoam trays and shrink wrap. So they all go into the mix that becomes part of your pet food.

It’s not unfair to conclude that without Rendering Plants, U.S. cities could be filled with diseased and rotting carcasses. Diseases and bacteria could infect the population but the big question is; is it safe for pet food manufacturers to use products from Rendering Plants in our pet foods?

In the final analysis, we have to understand that Rendering Plants produce products that are toxic to our pets. The drug Sodium Phenobarbital is used to euthanize pets of all type. This drug is not destroyed in the rendering process; therefore the product produced by the Rendering Plants that go into our pet foods contains sodium Phenobarbital.

All pet owners want is food for our four-legged friends that is wholesome, nutritional and free of toxic ingredients. The pet food companies have proven they are not going to do that.

Why is it that we as pet owners refuse to invest the time needed to find out what is really in a bag of commercial pet food? Pet food companies will continue to produce pet foods that are killing our pets until we start making informed decisions.

You must realize that you are, in fact, sentencing your pet to a premature and painful death. Yes, I’m speaking to all you pet owners that purchase the commercial pet foods. Because of your failure to learn what goes into the foods you feed your pets, the commercial pet food industry capitalizes on that and while pet owners spend billions of dollars buying this cheap and toxic foods, your pets die prematurely and the pet food companies laugh all the way to the banks.

Although commercial cat food companies will use such terms as; super premium, premium, natural and quality, there are no legal or scientific definitions for those terms. When it comes to cat foods, the source of the ingredients (animal or plant) really does matter.

Is your cat overweight and nothing you’ve tried has yielded the results you wanted?

Obesity in cats has reach a crisis. This crisis occurred as a result of feeding them too much of the wrong foods. If you take your cat off carbohydrates and feed him/her a meat-based diet, your cat will be healthier and happier. Start your cat on an exercise program like; climbing a tree, fetching a ball or playing with toys. Additionally, your cat will avoid health problems brought on by obesity that can be quite costly.

Do you know what to change your cat’s diet too?

We should be practical regarding what’s good for our cats by considering their origin and their natural diet. Did you know that our domestic cats are descendants of the wild cats that roam the African deserts? They are well suited to thrive in a desert environment and they should eat what their predecessors eat.

There is not much water in a desert. Therefore, cats naturally have a low thirst drive. Additionally, cats are carnivores but not just carnivores but rather obligate carnivores – meaning that they have to eat meat. They derive their needed nutrients from raw meats. Not many plants are indigenous to a desert environment.

A cat’s digestive system was designed by Mother Nature to efficiently digest meat, bones and most bacteria. A digestive system is acidic and short and is perfect for digesting a cat’s natural diet. Fruits, vegetables and other plant foods are not part of a cat’s evolutionary process and should not be fed to them.

In the desert, it’s a common occurrence to see cats eating prey that’s infested with flies and other parasites.

Cats don’t normally eat plant food but after a kill, cats will eat the stomach content of their prey and in some cases berries, seeds and wild grass are found there. That’s the only time a cat will eat plant foods. Cats get moisture from their prey’s organ meat.

Cats prolonged eating of dry foods can cause premature deaths. Dry foods will absorb moisture and since cats have a low thirst drive to begin with, dehydration, a weakened immune system, urinary track problems and diabetes will occur and death will follow.

Who’s interest is best served when commercial cat food companies produce such low-grade foods?

PROFITS – grains are cheaper than meats – then they load up the dry foods with harmful preservatives. All of this spells danger for our domestic cats.

The commercial cat food companies claim their foods are wholesome, all natural, well-balanced and nutritious. However, their claims cannot be supported by science or common sense.

What should you feed your cats?

You should feed your cats a diet that closely mimics the diet of their predecessors. A raw meat diet with a little taurine sprinkled on top. Avoid feeding your cat(s) dry foods or any commercial food with any of their first five ingredients listed as a carbohydrate.

Keep in mind that cats are not humans. Their dietary requirements are much different from humans. Show them the love that they show you and feed them a diet that’s beneficial and not one that greatly reduces their longevity. Then you will have your cat by your side for many years to come.

Does your pets skin and coat look shiny and healthy, or is your dogs coat lacking the silky appearance you prefer? Could this point to the need for more fatty acids in your dogs diet?

A dogs diet affects all aspects of his body including the skin and coat. If your dogs diet contains sufficient amounts of fatty acids, his coat and skin should look healthy. Fatty acids in your dogs diet will prevent problems with dry skin and dandruff, for example. A dull coat may point to a need for supplements of fatty acids in your dogs diet.

Studies indicate that essential fatty acids, called EFAs, contribute to healthy skin and coat, as well as general health. Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, for instance, can play a indispensable role in your dogs overall well being.

Do not assume that adding fatty acid supplements to your dogs diet is invariably a good idea. If your dogs coat is in great condition, adding more EFAs will not automatically improve health. The fatty acid supplements, such as omega 3 and 6, are only for dogs with diagnosed skin troubles. Always confer your veterinary surgeon before adding a supplement to your dogs diet. Your veterinarian will be happy to talk over with you the advisable form of EFAs and the proper dose to add to your dogs diet.

You must provide EFAs to your pet through your dogs diet, as fatty acids are not produced by your dogs body. If your veterinarian counsels extra supplements of fatty acids, you should consider asking about linseed or sunflower oil.

Inside as little as four weeks, you should notice an improvement in your dogs coat and skin. Watch the wonder of fatty acids at work in your dogs diet. By the time seven weeks have gone, you will notice a impressive change in your pets health.

High levels of omega 3 fatty acids are reckoned to ward off some varieties of cancer. Cardiovascular health and joint health will improve, as well, with higher levels of omega 3 in your dogs diet.

Omega 6 fatty acids is present in store-bought dog food at effective levels. Supplementing omega 3 will aid to improve the ratio and produce a difference in your pets health. Fish and flax seed are very great sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Just always be cautious and ask your vet before you do any form of supplementation. As Well take note that some forms of fish may not be safe to be part of your dogs diet.

Supplementing your dogs diet may not be required. The only way to make up one’s mind if your dogs diet does want extra fatty acids is to visit your veterinary, so you can both talk about your pets health. Never decide to medicate your dog without first looking for the advice of a professional. This is because your dogs diet needs to contain the right balance of nutrients. Good sources of EFAs are flaxseed, linseed, and sunflower oil. Your dogs diet is the first step in giving your pet overall health and a happy life with your pet for years to come.

What you don’t know could turn out to be bad for your dog! While most of us don’t pay a lot of attention to what we’re feeding out pets, we really shouldn’t be trusting manufacturers to label things accurately and follow regulations. There aren’t actually very many rules about what can be used in dog food, and what you don’t know could make your dog very sick.

Unfit For Consumption

Did you know that the average dog food could contain meat from diseased animals, bones, nervous tissues, skin, organs, hair, ligaments, and even spoiled meat and the bodies of other pets?

Even the good meat that ends up in cat and dog food has undergone heavy processing, losing most of the value it once had. Ingredients like “poultry broth” and “animal meal” are far removed from the meat we imagine.

Animal meal, for instance, is what’s left after fat and meat have been processed out of a carcass. What’s left is dried and ground, resulting in a meal similar in texture to cornmeal. Broths are made up of processed carcasses from many different animal types, in just about any condition.

It’s Not Illegal!

You might think this sort of thing would be against the law. After all, there are strict rules about what can be used in human food, and those laws are fairly well enforced. Unfortunately, pet food regulations are a lot looser and are rarely well enforced.

Just about anything could end up in your pet’s food, and the labels mean almost noting, even if they claim the food is balanced and healthy. Those words just indicate that the food has a particular percentage of protein, fat, and artificial minerals and vitamins.

Additives

We’ve all heard of recent pet food recalls caused by wheat gluten poisoned with melamine from China. However, that’s not the only additive that’s in pet food, and plenty of them are extremely dangerous as well. Preservatives that aren’t allowed in human food and cause serious illness in workers exposed to them are extremely common in dog food. Over time, they can cause cancer, illness, liver and kidney failure and many other problems. The food you give to your pet could be causing him or her to become sick.

Expensive Brands, Too

This is happening in cheap dog foods, but there’s no way to tell if the expensive ones are affected, too. these pet foods are often higher in quality, but sometimes they’re not. That means that even if your vet recommends it, you have to do your research.

Solutions

You have a number of choices when it comes to improving your pet’s food. First is to learn how to read the labels. Ingredients that come first are there in bigger percentages, so look for named meats far up on the list instead of generic terms.

You should also learn which additives and preservatives are safe and which ones are dangerous. Avoid foods with too many grains, since they tend to be bad for your pet in the long run. You can also find a number of quality recipes out there to help you create nutritious diets for your dog. Just make sure you do something!

We have all done it. Our cute, little furry friend is practically smiling at us from beneath the kitchen table. Their ears are perked and their tail is wagging. We know what our dog wants. Just a teeny tidbit from dinner would be fabulous, right? What could it hurt? It is just a bite or two after all.

Hold Fido’s ears he will not want to hear this. A dogs diet really should not contain table scraps. People food is just that…for people. A dogs nutritional needs are not the like as a humans. Sure enough, we eat some of the same things, but giving your pet food from the table is one of the largest mistakes for your pet. A dogs diet does not want all the added goodies we add into our meals.

Individuals have frequently have weight problems like obesity. Well a dog can have this trouble as well. If your dogs diet involves for the most part table scraps, then the chances are that your dog will not maintain a healthy weight. Even a a couple of pounds over weight can make a great difference in the quality of health and length of your pets life.

When you have a dog who is not a picky eater, it can be tempting to let your pet be the garbage disposal in your home, but really, this is not a good idea. Certain people foods can harm your dog and should never be a part of your dogs diet. Grapes, for example, have been known to cause serious problems for dogs, even death. Chicken bones and popcorn can also be a problem for your dog. Permitting significant amounts of chocolate can be dangerous in a dogs diet.

When your dogs diet is not the best you can give it, then your pets outputs will be larger in size, smell, and mess. You will see the benefits of selecting a healthy diet for your dog, as you will notice that your pet is healthier and happier.

There are the odd occasions when a supplement or treat from your kitchen may be okay to use, but never in excess. You should speak to your veterinary surgeon about the use of healthy snacks for your dogs diet. Many veterinaries recommend you give your pet ice cubes or pieces of carrot to snack on between there regular feeding times. By furnishing your pet these healthy choices to people food gives you the chance to select the right healthy and nutritious snack for your dogs diet.

The next time your pet begins eyeing your food, what you want to do is redirect their attention. Do not use your table scraps. Instead give your dog a refreshing ice cube to munch on. A baby carrot will keep your dog happy and make you feel good about the right options you have made for the nutritional value of your dogs diet. If you follow these steps, you will know that you are doing your best to give pet a high quality diet.

If you are a computer guru, you may remember the term GIGO. This term stands for Garbage In. Garbage Out. Indeed, what does this have to do with your dogs diet? Well, your dog may be no walking, wagging, and barking computer, but he or she works in the same way. What food goes into your pet will eventually come out in the end.

The diet you feed your dog will have a significant effect in its outputs. There are of course other factors that play a roll in this, such as nervousness, illness and the weather. You can tell a lot about the health of your pet, by the outputs they produce.

As any responsible pet owner knows, picking up after your pet is not the most enjoyable occupation, but it is a necessary one. Being choosey and selective about your dogs diet will make picking up after your pet much easier.

When your dog is eating a diet high in fillers, your pet will show it. The body waste will be large in size and often runny and difficult to pick up. You may notice when you give your pet remnants from the table, he or she is really happy, but you are not exactly grinning on the next trip around the block. The outputs of a pet consuming an bad diet is just plainly messy, stinky, and large.

To many treats, such as rawhide or bones will vary your dogs stool. You need to monitor how treats impact your dogs outputs, this way you can discover how healthy the snack genuinely is for your dog.

If you give your dog a stable healthy nutritious diet, that is of high quality, then you will notice a difference in the outputs. Picking up after your pet may not be at the top of your list of things to do, but it will be a far easier task and much more tolerable to do, if your dogs diet is healthy and nutritious.

Dog handlers with service animals are educated about the importance of a healthy diet and outputs during training. It is important, for example, that a guide dog not have an accident while working. The public would not be highly tolerant of this trouble in a eating place or grocery store. Take a tip from trainers and keep your dogs diet healthy to avoid these messy situations.

Always consult your veterinarian before you make up one’s mind what type of diet is better for your dog. If you make up one’s mind on dry food, then look for one that lists meat as the first ingredient. This way you will reduce the amount of fillers that your pet has.

Feeding your pet on a schedule is important. When looking at your dogs diet, do not merely focus on what you are feeding your pet, but also focus on when you feed your dog. If your dogs diet includes consistent mealtimes, you will be better able to forecast your dogs potty schedule. This can play a major role in effective home breaking technique.

By helping your pet eat a stable healthy nutritious diet, then you are taking the first and most important step to maintaining a healthy diet for your dog. Your dogs diet, when you supervise it, will keep matters running smoothly, it will also minimize outputs and mess. But be warned about to many treats in your dogs diet. By knowing what goes into your pet, will reduce the garbage and mess coming out.

Pets are members of your family what is more, they need specific attention in the matter of food. There are numerous advantages of giving natural foods to dogs. All natural dog food is really rich in vitamin E and C, which is very important for their body.

Vitamin E keeps their coat healthy and vitamin C is good for their bone strength. All these vitamins have the same effect on your pet as they do to the human body. Vitamins such as, beta-carotene are a great help to remove toxins commonly known as free radicals, from their body.

Animals ordinarily eat meat, thus their body gains lots of toxic material and the if toxic material is not removed from their body, then there are lots of chances of them getting infected with diseases of the lungs and heart. It is good to give supplements of all natural dog food day-to-day to keep their metabolic system free from infection and diseases.

All natural dog foods are a great source of fiber and antioxidant. Some of the natural food contains manganese, phosphorous, calcium and potassium all these vitamins and minerals are very much needed in their diet. There are many vegetables rich in antioxidant such as, dark leaky greens. By feeding all natural dog food in their meal is just like getting a insurance policy for your loving pet.

There is lots of proprietary natural food available in market for your pet. Even So, it is better to consult with your Veterinary before feeding canned natural food. The advice of a veterinary surgeon is needed before going for an experiment because some canned food is filled with bread.

Every pet owner desires his pet to have good breath, brilliant coat sheen, clean teeth, bright clear eyes and be healthy any time. For this to occur, the pet should have good quality of all natural dog food because a good diet can only bring this affect to your love able pet. One should take care about the health of their pet, also it will live a longer life.

If your pets are properly fed with rich nutrition, then it will help prevent against common diseases. It is always advised that your veterinarian recommends a holistic food diet or a home made food diet, thus, this will keep your pet away from artificial ingredients.

There are certain foods that should be avoided, such as, food containing high amounts of oil and low cost food supplements such as protein capsules. Thus, this type of food will lead to digestive problems and some dogs may face hair loss trouble too.

Feeding all natural dog food has numerous advantages and when you visit your veterinary to ask for advice, you will find they will say it is best to give natural food to your dog. By using natural food as a diet you will be rewarded with a positive effect on your dogs behaviour. Such as, you will find they become more active and playful, and if your dog is quite aggressive, you may find it aids to calm them.

So feed your dogs with all natural dog food to keep them healthier.

What exactly is fiber? It is a part of carbohydrates. Fiber is not highly digestible by the body. Your dog’s diet can benefit from fiber in appropriate amounts. Just like humans, too much fiber in a diet can have negative effects on the digestive system. It is always important to monitor your dog’s diet to maintain a healthy level of fiber to suit your pet’s needs. Talk to your veterinarian about the benefits of fiber in your dog’s diet.

The pets who achieve the desired weight goal may need a little extra fiber in the dog’s diet to maintain the desired weight. Combining fiber with strict portion control, you will be able to create a dog diet that is healthy and satisfying for your pet.

Fiber does have benefits in your dog’s diet when used in moderation. Talk to your vet about the best amount of fiber for your pet.

Oral health

Your dog is your very best friend. Every single time you walk through the door your dog is so happy to see you that he wags his tail and practically smiles at you. How can you show your pet how much they mean to you? Well, one way is to take care of that smile for your pet. Did you know that your dog’s diet can influence their oral health?

The treats you give your pet are part of your dog’s diet just like snacks are part of a person’s diet. As humans, we tend to want to overlook our snacking habits, so it can be easy to overlook the treats you give your dog. This is not a good idea. Carefully consider any and all items your dog will consume.

Your dog’s diet must be healthy to ensure excellent oral health. Dry dog food is best whenever possible. Don’t forget to select treats for your pet that will enhance your dog’s diet. Consciously monitoring your dog’s diet will positively influence your best friend’s oral health.

You hate to acknowledge it, but your furry pal is getting a older. You will want to assure that your pet is happy and healthy for many more years to come. You will have heard and seen all of the hype about the new dog diets for aging pets. But is there really any difference between dog food for full grown dogs and kibble suggested specifically for seniors?

The best resource for information about dog diets is your pets veterinarian. Only you and your vet know the specific needs of your pet the best. Discuss with your vet your concerns and questions. He or she will be able to advise you on what changes, if any, need to be made to your dogs diet.

If your senior dog does not have any trouble with there health and has a healthy weight, there will be not a need to change your dogs diet from adult to senior dog food. But, if weight is the an issue, consider giving smaller portions of dog food to your pet. This may be the only change you need to make to your dogs diet requires.

A senior dog is classed as a dog in the last third of their life. Larger dogs, such as Great Danes, live to be about 9 years old. When they reach the age of 9 years old, you may want to think about a senior dogs diet. On the other hand, a Poodle will not reach senior status until about age of ten, this is due to the longer life expectancy. The decision to alter your dogs diet should be based on there health condition, rather than there actual age in years. Your vet will help you to decide when the right time is to change your dogs diet.

Dog food especially prepared for senior dogs typically has less calories. This helps to combat any weight issues. The senior dog food also contains more fiber for the different needs in your dogs diet. As dogs age, they tend to suffer from constipation, this extra fiber will help remedy this problem.

Renal failure can be a health problem for senior dogs. How can your dogs diet help with this problem? Cutting down the amount of protein in your dogs diet will decrease the work load of the kidneys. For the most part, this is the reason, senior dog food often has lower protein content than regular adult formulas.

Whenever possible, give your dog dry dog food to eat, this is will help with dental health. The dry kibble is a big help in reducing plaque and tartar buildup. If you have trouble getting your older dog to eat dry food, you may need to moisten it with water, or you could purchase some of the moist canned varieties that are available.

When your vet recommends supplements may be a help as part of your senior dogs diet. It Is because, some pets are unable to eat properly due to dental problems. many other older pets are not able to gain all of the nutrients from their food, this again is for various health reasons. Supplements such as, vitamins given everyday and glucosamine can be a great help to maintain a healthy diet for your dog.

Glucosamine helps joint health. For senior dogs, glucosamine can help to fight arthritis and hip displasia.

Vitamins C, A, and E may prevent the natural aging process and encourage better health for senior dogs. Talk to your vet about adding such supplements to your dogs diet.

We all want what is best for our pet. Your senior dog should have a diet that meets their nutritional needs. You and your vet should work together to determine what is the best diet for your senior dog. Your dogs diet will directly affect their health. Take care of your pet by supervising your dogs diet closely with the help of your veterinarian.