In this article...
1.
Introduction
1.1 A Comprehensive Guide
1.2 People Food – is it Really Bad for Your Dog and Cat?
1.3 Pet Food – is it Really Good for Dogs and Cats?
2. Harmful Foods
1.0 Introduction
1.1 A Comprehensive Guide
The
foods covered in this article include:
- ‘People’ Foods
- Whole foods;
- Processed foods;
- Additives, and;
- Pet Foods, Pet Treats
- Whole Foods;
- Processed Foods;
- Ingredients;
- Hidden ingredients;
- Additives.
1.2 People Food – is it Really
Bad for Your Dog and Cat?
 |
My dogs eat real, whole food - what many people call 'people' food,
my dogs are very healthy. Dogs and cats that are on a
processed food diet that
is not supplemented with other foods
can end up with many short and long-term chronic health issues. |
‘People’ food is a term that
many people use – veterinarians included. A lot of people are under the
impression that people food is bad for dogs. I believe that all depends on how
the term ‘people’ food is defined.
If ‘people’ food is defined as processed
food – the type of food that occupies 80% of today’s grocery shelves – yes, I
would have to say it is bad for dogs and cats…just as processed food is bad for
humans.
If instead ‘people’ food is defined as
whole foods such as meat, good source fat, dairy products, fruit, vegetables,
herbs, such as yogurt and cheese etc. then there are some ‘people’ foods that
are good for dogs and cats, and other foods such as cereal grains that are
definitely not good for dogs and cats. Some foods that are fine for us are not
just species inappropriate for dogs and cats, some of these foods are toxic to
dogs and cats. The lists - provided further below in section 2 and 3 of this
article, separates the good from the bad and the downright dangerous.
And
as a behaviourist who lives and works with dogs I can help you put to rest the
theory voiced by some that ‘It is bad to
feed your dog people food because doing so encourages your dog to beg for food’.
Feeding
your dog real food (people food) does not create ‘bad manners’ in a dog, does
not make a dog beg for food, be aggressive around food etc. It is instead the
act of feeding your dog ‘at the table’, slipping your dog bits of food from
your plate, letting your dog fixate on your food and be under your feet while
you are preparing the food that makes a dog beg for food. My dogs all eat real
food – the same food that I eat – they eat their food in their own food bowls
and they do not beg me for my food. They are permitted to be in the kitchen
when I am preparing food – provided that they behave in a reasonable manner –
relax, sit or lie down out of the way. To see an extensive list of foods that
are really harmful for your dog and cat you can read
here.
1.3 Pet Food – is it Really
Good for Dogs and Cats
There are many ingredients and hidden ingredients in pet
foods and treats (off-the-shelf pet store products and
veterinarian prescribed) that will
adversely affect the health of your dog and cat. Having some knowledge of the
good and bad ingredients found in pet food can mean the difference
between good health and poor health, between a few visits to the veterinarian
over the span of your companion animals life - or many visits, lesser quality
of life and a shortened life span. The lists - provided further below in
section two of this article, below will
assist you in understanding bad, good and better pet food.
1.4 Foods that are normally
Safe Can Become Dangerous
If...
- The food has come into contact
with a poisonous substance (i.e. chemical-based cleaners that you have
used on food prep surfaces);
- If the food has not
been stored safely (i.e. raw food has been left un-refrigerated) and has
become contaminated with harmful bacteria;
- If the food has started to rot;
- If the food is from a source
(i.e. meat) which was from an animal that was fed growth hormones,
antibiotics, and yes, genetically engineered (GE), genetically
modified (GMO) foods;
- If the food was grown with high
levels of pesticides and herbicides;
- If the food contains other health
threatening ingredients;
- etc.
3.0 Food that is Good For Your Dog, Cat
Avocado
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ
Flesh of the avocado fruit is OK for dogs in small amounts.
Avocados contain persin - a fungicidal toxin. When a dog is fed large amounts
of the fruit vomiting and diarreha can result from overdose of persin. The leaves, pit (seed), and bark also
contain persin and should not be ingested by dogs.
Bones
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Employ caution when giving bones to your dog.
- Some bones can be very dangerous - as
they can splinter and cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive
system.
- Bones from many types of fish are
dangerous for dogs just as they are for people.
- The cooked bones of salmon are
not harmful, in fact they are good for your dog.
When on a raw diet, bones are very important as they provide an
excellent and necessary source of:
- Calcium;
- Phosphorous and;
- Trace minerals.
A safe substitute for raw, fresh or frozen bones is high-quality
healthful source bone meal or or microcrystalline hydoxyapatite - MCHA (freeze
dried bone).
- Do not ever use the type of bone
meal sold in garden centers - garden center bone meal is poor quality from
unspecified sources and can be full of toxins and carcinogens;
Edible, safe bones for dogs are:
- Non-weight bearing, hollow, raw
bones of birds:
- Chicken wings;
- Turkey necks;
- These bones are soft, bendable
(as opposed to brittle) and there fore can be chewed without fear of
damaging teeth or creating bone splinters that can cause damage to the
dogs innards.
Recreational Bones - Just for Gnawing On, Not for Consumption
- Large, fresh raw or frozen-raw
bones such as beef or bison femur of hip bones are good for a dog to chew
on to exercise their jaw;
- Good for dental care - If the bone has some meat and
cartilage attached the dog will get his/her teeth 'brushed' naturally be
gnawing on the bone;
- However these are hard bones
that can splinter;
- These type of bones should not
be given to a dog that chews with great intensity:
- The pressure can result in
chipped and broken teeth;
- The bone may splinter and chip
into fragments that can cause severe internal damage to a dog;
- If your dog has a very sensitive
stomach the marrow in these large raw bones can cause diarrhea.
- You can remove the marrow and
just give the bone to the dog;
- You can remove most of the
marrow only leaving a little in the bone, until the dogs digestive system
acclimatizes to digesting the fat and nutrient rich marrow.
Brewer’s Yeast
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Not to be confused with Baker's yeast which is very dangerous for your dog or
cat. Brewer’s yeast is not good for dogs and cats. Nutritional yeast should be used, not Brewer's Yeast. If your dog or cat is
currently suffering from a yeast infection Brewer's yeast feeds bad bacteria and can make that infection worse. Nutritional Yeast
(do NOT use Brewer's yeast). If you are looking for a dog and cat safe natural source of B complex vitamins you can find some examples of safe for dogs and cats natural B complex vitamins in this article on foods that help as natural flea repellents.
Broth - Bone Broth
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Homemade bone broth when made properly is an excellent source of nutrients and
can be:
- Given to dogs and cats after
fasting from a bout of diarreha;
- Given to support renal and
eliminatory health;
- Of particular importance for dogs
and cats on a dry dog food diet;
- For dogs and cats recovering from
surgery or a traumatic event;
- For older dogs and cats with a
suppressed or lessened appetite.
- You can use this bone broth recipe.
Dairy Products
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
If consumed in reasonable amounts - particularly on a daily basis some dairy
products are very beneficial for most dogs and cats. If your dog or cat
is not lactose intolerant, plain yogurt or kefir is an excellent immune system
booster. A little hard cheese or cottage cheese on a daily basis is a
good source of nutrition. If your dog or cat is lactose intolerant – some can
tolerate hard cheese as during the cheese making process most of the lactose is
removed. My dogs and cats eat yogurt, hard cheese and cottage cheese on
a daily basis. You can read here to understand which dairy products
are good for your dog and cat, how to select a good product and safe daily
dosage.
Dry and Wet Processed Food
(Kibble) and Treats
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Many
dog and cat food products contain an overwhelming quantity of:
- Carcinogens;
- Toxins;
- Species inappropriate ingredients
which can rob your dog, cat of his/her health and shorten his/her
lifespan…
The Good and the Bad
'Biologically
Appropriate', 'Nutritionally Complete', 'Species Appropriate'
At
best even the 'better' products are not species appropriate,
nutritionally complete, and biologically appropriate. Pet food
manufacturer's can use these popular, hot, key words however they want to in
order to sell their products. The words/terms 'Nutritionally Complete'
and 'Biologically Appropriate' as pertains to the pet food industry are terms
are not regulated by government bodies such as Health Canada, and the FDA.
These terms are also not regulated by AAFCO and if they were the regulation would
not be one to be trusted as AAFCO is not an objective non-governmental
organization (NGO). AAFCO is a private organization made up of those who are in
the pet food industry and their associated lobbyists.
The
pet food industry does not have the engineered technology to make processed dry
food species appropriate, nutritionally and biologically complete. The very
nature of the process required to make dry food destroys the viable, essential
elements that make food species appropriate and complete. Even if the whole
food that goes into making the product is species appropriate, is organic, is a
viable health promoting microbe, has essential enzymes, has antioxidant or
other health enabling properties - once that item is super-heated and otherwise
processed the former healthful qualities are degraded.
The Bad - Unlisted Ingredients
If
the food you are feeding your dog or cat is species appropriate in its
basic nature (i.e. meat) ultimately that food may still fall short of
being truly appropriate. How is this possible? It is possible because of the hidden ingredients in food.
Hidden ingredients can make their way into your dog's and cat's food in many ways. When these substances are consumed on a daily basis ailment and chronic disease results. Here are a few examples of the many toxic unlisted substances in processed dog and cat food...
- One - A substance that is added to a food as part of an initial harvesting and preservation process.
- An example of this would be fish meal that has been preserved with the potent, very toxic and carcinogenic chemical ethoxyquin. You can read about the health and life compromising effects of ethoxyquin here.
- Two - Carcinogenic substances that are formed during the high-heat processing required to make processed food - these substances include:
- Carcinogens called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) created from cooking meat and other foods (i.for example lentils/legumes) at high temperatures. Acrylamide and heterocyclicamine are two examples of AGEs
- The known carcinogen BPA leaches into canned food from the lining of the can;
- Three
- A substance that remains as a residue in meat and associated animal
by-products due to bio-accumulation from feed that the source animal
(i.e. cow or chicken) was fed while alive. Here are a few examples...
Example One - Glyphosate Residue
Glyphosate residue (an herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's Round-up)
can be consumed by your dog or cat when he/she consumes products that
contain meat obtained from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO for
short, also called large factory farms). Glyphosate
is a
broad-spectrum herbicide and is the active ingredient in Monsanto's
herbicide Round-up. In North America (and some other parts of the world)
80% of corn and soy crops are grown from Monsanto's genetically
modified (GM) Round-up ready seeds. These crops are heavily dosed with
multiple application of Monsanto's Round-up herbicide. Round-up is toxic
to humans, animals and insects such as bees. Glyphosate even when
diluted 100's of times below the strength of agricultural crop
application has been proven to damage cells, kill cells (animal and
human) and have hormone damaging effects. Animals (i.e. cattle,
chickens) raised in CAFO are feed GM corn and soy and by-products. The
meat of animals fed GM corn and soy may have a bio-accumulation of the
toxin glyphosate.
To make matters worse Monsanto's GM alfalfa has now
been approved for use in some locations in North America - i.e. Ontario
Canada. Alfalfa is a common animal feed crop. The high plant protein content in alfalfa has made alfalfa a favorite for dog and cat food manufacturers - regardless of the fact that alfalfa is a biologically inappropriate food for dogs and cats. Many pet food manufacturers use alfalfa as a minor to major ingredient in dog and cat food because...
- Alfalfa is:
- Readily available;
- Inexpensive;
- A cheap source of plant protein (ranging from 14% to 22% plant protein);
- Alfalfa affords the opportunity to increase profit.
... However alfalfa does not support the health of your dog or cat...in-fact quite the opposite.
- Alfalfa does not offer species appropriate protein to your dog and cat, dogs and cats have a biological requirement for meat protein, not copious quantities of plant protein;
- Alfalfa contains glycosides in the form of saponins. Saponins are anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrietns are substances that act to interfere with the body's ability to absorb essential nutrients;
- GMO alfalfa contains even higher levels of herbicide residue than non-GMO alfalfa.
Example Two - some FDA and Health Canada Approved 'Food' Additives for Beef Cattle (and Other Animal Feed)
Antibiotics
(to prevent spread of disease enabled by overcrowded 'living'
conditions), and beta-agonists (to increase growth rate/size):
Bacitracin
zinc, bambermycins, chlortetracycline, erythromycin thiocyanate, lasalocid
sodium, lincomycin, melengestrol acetate, monensin, monensin sodium, oleandomycin,
oxytetracycline, salinomycin sodium, ractopamine hydrochloride, tylosin,
virginiamycin, zilmax.
Beta
agonists - also called beta-blockers are used to promote the
growth of lean muscle weight during the final period of life prior to
slaughter. These drugs increase an animal's weight - on average by 30 pounds. Beta agonists adversely effect an animal's heart, lungs, muscles and other tissues, cause behavioral problems, seizures, death...
Example Three - Ractopamine, examining a beta agonist in detail...
Ractopamine
- is a beta agonist that is banned in 160 countries, but is approved by Health Canada and
the FDA and is used by about 80% of CAFOs in Canada and the USA. Ractopamine
a beta agonist drug, is added to CAFO fed to increase the growth of
animals thus supporting a larger profit margin for the operation. Ractopamine
is a known and well documented poison responsible for: aggression,
anorexia, birth defects, bloat, cardiovascular system risk - including
elevated heart rate and heart, excessive hunger, hyperactivity,
lameness, reproductive function reduction, respiratory issues,
stiffness, stress and most frequently reported - death. It is also being
studied for its role in causing chromosomal abnormalities, behavioral
changes and food poisoning. Up
to 20% of the Ractopamine consumed remains in the meat found on grocery
stores shelves and in products that the meat is used in - including dog
and cat food.
Example Four - Zilmax, examining a beta agonist in detail...
Zilmax
is another beta agonist drug used in Canada and the USA to increase
growth rate in CAFO animals. Zilmax delivers 125 times the potency of
Ractopamine. Zilmax causes severe behavioral problems, muscle tremors,
rapid heart rates even up to 2 weeks after use of the drug has been
stopped. Like Ractopamine, Zilmax remains present in the meat and liver
of the slaughtered animal.
These substances - ethoxyquin, glyphosate, ractopamine and zilmax are all examples of toxic hidden ingredients that are NOT biologically appropriate or species appropriate for any animal, including dogs and cats.
The Bad - Listed Ingredients
It
is
really important to learn to read the label of ingredients on a pet
food
product. Unless the product states that the ingredients used where
human-food-grade,
ingredients used can be very degraded - this in addition to the hazards
posed by hidden ingredients as noted just above. Health Canada, the FDA
(and similar
government departments of other countries) and associations such as
AAFCO allow
many toxic chemicals, degraded and otherwise inappropriate ingredients
into pet
food. Ingredients that cause so many health problems, short-term and
chronic.
Even the most expensive brands of dry food include some ingredients that
cut
corners to save the manufacturer money while posing health risks for
your
dog and cat, for example;
- Using whole white fish which may
be high in mercury, rather than using wild salmon.
- And BTW if you live in the USA
or Canada genetically modified (GMO) salmon has just been approved for
use;
- Using a poor source GMO Omega-6
fatty acid - oil (i.e. corn oil, canola oil, cotton seed oil, safflower
oil, soy oil) that is inherently high in pesticide residue rather than a
good quality oil such as organic coconut oil or olive oil.
How to Choose A Better Dry Food (Kibble,
Treats) Product
To improve your understanding of the ingredients in processed
dog and cat food/treats, what to avoid and how to choose a better processed dry
food product read here and here;
To get a glimpse of just how bad the ingredients in veterinarian
prescribed dog and cat food can be for your dog and cat read here.
Basic Supplements to Improve A Dry Food Diet
The bare basics - add to the food at meal-time...
Additional supplementation
Depends on the what conditions your dog or cat is exposed to. So
for example if you are:
You
then need to supplement with a wider variety of foods, herbs and
nutraceuaticals to compensate for the additional toxic burden placed on your
dog or cat.
More on processed dog, cat food in these
articles…
Corn and Soy are Very Bad for Your
Dog’s (Cat’s) Short and Long Term Health
Eggs
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Cooked eggs can offer excellent nutrition - just
make sure you don't give your dog or cat more than the equivalent of 3 to 5
eggs a week.
Raw eggs are generally safe but as noted in
the preceding section can be contaminated with salmonella. If you are going to
use raw eggs make sure you thoroughly wash the shell before cracking the egg or
before giving the whole egg with shell to your dog…and follow the guidelines
for weekly intake as noted just above for cooked egg.
Egg Shell - dry finely ground can be used as a
beneficial source of calcium when making homemade dog and cat food – you can
see an example here.
Natural Egg Shell
Membrane (NEM) is an
excellent anti-inflammatory – you can read about that here.
Fat - is absolutely
necessary in a dog's and cat's diet
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
The key is to ensure
you provide your dog and cat with good source Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
in the correct ratio on a daily basis. Omega-3 fatty acids are the body’s and
brain’s natural anti-inflammatory – providing protection against inflammatory
diseases. For a comprehensive guide to adding good fats to your dog's, cat's
diet read here.
On
a daily basis my dogs get healthy fats from:
- Olive oil;
- Fish oil – a balanced Vitamin A
and D Cod Liver Oil or Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil or Norwegian Krill Oil
- Coconut Oil,
- Ground flax seed or flax oil;
- Milk fat from dairy products as
mentioned above;
- Fat from the poultry and fish
that they eat.
A
dog’s ancestral diet - and therefore a species appropriate diet consists of +/-
57 to 60% protein, 30% fat and 10 to 14% carbohydrates.
Fish - small quantities, daily
is beneficial
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
A small amount of fresh cooked or canned (can goods may have a BPA
containing liner. The BPA can leak into the food) fatty fish such as
anchovies, salmon, sardines, shad, smelt, mackerel are very good for your dog (on a daily basis is fine - in small
amounts) as these types of fish are nutrient rich and a good source of omega
fatty acids.
Fruit and Vegetables
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Many
fruits and vegetables are good for your dog and cat. Fruit and vegetables when
integrated properly into the diet contribute antioxidants, vital mineral and
vitamins. For example cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli offer anti-allergenic
properties. Brussel’s sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower offer important
anti-carcinogenic benefits. Berries are also high in antioxidants and
anti-carcinogenic properties. Some of these foods also have additional
medicinal properties as natural pain killers, anti-inflammatory effects and
enzymes that support digestion. Tart red cherries and papaya are good examples. For an extensive
list of fresh foods that are good for dogs and cats, for information on how to choose,
prepare (to ensure ease of digestion and maximum absorption of nutrients),
introduce and feed fresh fruits and vegetables to your dog and cat read
here.
Garlic
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ
Garlic contains only trace amounts of thiosulphate – the compound responsible
for causing the Heinz factor in dogs and cats. Garlic offers amazing health benefits to dogs when provided in the
correct daily dosage.. When garlic is ingested in reasonable
amounts there are no
harmful effects, only beneficial ones. Garlic is known for its antic cancer,
diabetes, liver, heart, kidney disease fighting properties as well as its use
as a natural flea repellent and de-wormer for dogs. Cats are more sensitive to
the active ingredients in garlic. Cats should never have more than 2 or 3 thin
slices of a garlic clove a week. Garlic must be used with extreme caution with
cats and only by those persons that understand how to strictly monitor use and
side effects.
Grape Seed Oil and Extract
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
While grapes are toxic to dogs and cats the oil and extract from grape seeds
have beneficial properties for dogs and cats – you can read about that here.
Herbs and Spices
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
While
there are some herbs and spices that are toxic to cats and dogs there are many
herbs and spices that offer extensive health benefits to dogs and
cats. When using a dog or cat safe herbal tea it is important to
understand the cautions, drug interactions and dosage and how these elements
may relate to the individual animal's specific conditions. To see a long list
of herbs and spices that are good for dogs and cats and bad, complete with
links to some of the beneficial uses, you can read here. Prior to giving your dog or cat herbs make sure you
check all cautions, drug interactions, and any conflicts with your dog's or
cat's current medical condition, if he/she has any condition. Also note some
herbs that are fine for dogs are not safe for cats - make sure you check first.
Herbal Teas
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
There
are many herbal teas that are very good for dogs and cats. Rooibos Tea is one
such example – you can read about the health benefits of Rooibos Tea here. When using a dog or cat safe herbal tea it is important
to understand the cautions, drug interactions and dosage and how these elements
may relate to the individual animal's specific conditions. For a list of other
herbs that can be used as herbal teas you can read here. Prior to giving your dog or cat herbs make sure you
check all cautions, drug interactions, and any conflicts with your dog's or
cat's current medical condition, if he/she has any condition. Also note some
herbs that are fine for dogs are not safe for cats - make sure you check first.
Homemade Dog and Cat Food
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Many homemade dog and cat food diets are not nutritionally
complete. For an example of a nutritionally complete homemade cooked/fresh dog and
cat food diet you can look at this
recipe.
Honey – unpasteurized (raw)
organic
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Unlike the negative impacts on health caused by other sweeteners, organic unpasteurized honey that has not undergone any heating
process does offer many health benefits. Organic unpasteurized honey (bee
pollen and propolis) when provided in the proper dosage offers many health
benefits for dogs. You can read this article for an example of the benefits
derived from including organic unpasteurized honey in your dog's diet, dosage
and cautions.
Liver and other organ meats -
small amounts are beneficial
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Liver
and other organ meats offer a rich source of nutrients and essential amino
acids – a little piece on a daily basis is beneficial for dogs and cats.
Mushrooms
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Some
types of mushrooms are safe for use as a treatment to help your dog or cat
fight cancer. However unless you have a working knowledge of mushrooms for
medicinal use do not try to medicate your dog or cat with medicinal mushrooms.
Nuts
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Human-food
grade finely ground almonds, peanuts and pine nuts; butter (i.e. peanut butter,
almond butter), coconut oil – when offered in small amounts daily
are a good source of nutrients for dogs (and for some cats).
Nutraceuticals
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
(Food
or parts of food that provide health or medicinal benefits when ingested
this includes food and parts of food used to prevent, treat, remedy illness and
disease)
For example:
Honey
(organic, unpasturized);
Lemon (fresh lemon - not lemon oil);
etc.
Raw Food Diet
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
The
raw food diet when comprised of truly good ingredients is a species appropriate
diet...but if the
ingredients used are not examined for their actual quality and value the raw
food diet can be seriously compromised...
- Raw, species appropriate food (i.e. fresh meat, fresh bones)
when:
- From a truly good source;
- When stored properly;
- When prepared properly:
- When selected properly;
- Is not bad for your dog - it is
a species appropriate diet.
- However if the origin of the raw
food, its preparation. etc. is not safe then the end product - the raw
food is not safe either.
- If the source of the raw meat is
an animal that came from a large factory farm, or from a smaller farm
that is not organic in its practices...
- The animal (chicken, cow, lamb,
etc.) was fed a diet that included:
- GMO corn, GMO soy;
- Antiobiotics;
- Growth Hormones;
- All of the above are toxins,
some are carcinogens;
- All of these substances end-up
in your dog's and cat's system when they ingest the food.
- And that in a nutshell is why raw
meat is on this list.
- Not becasue it is, by nature bad
for your dog - in fact quite the opposite...but instead;
- Because if YOU do not employ
common sense it can become BAD for your dog and cat.
Supplements Required
Even if you do feed your dog and cat raw food, you will still
need to supplement his/her diet with at least a few basic items for optimal
health...for example:
- Additional Omega-3 Fatty Acids;
- And other items like Probiotics.
- And don't assume just because you
are paying alot of $ for a pre-prepared raw food that it is nutritionally
complete. I have looked at many, and the claim (by the companies) that
they are complete is not an accurate statement. The Omega fatty acids are
never present in the correct ratio and that creates some serious issues.
Additional Supplementation
Depends on the what conditions your dog or cat is exposed to. So
for example if you are:
You
then need to supplement with a wider variety of foods, herbs and
nutraceuaticals to compensate for the additional toxic burden placed on your
dog or cat.
Seeds
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Some
seeds are very good for most dogs and cats…here are a few examples:
Anise
seeds (beneficial and medicinal properties);
Chia
seeds (omega-3 fatty acids);
Flax
seeds (omega-3 fatty acids);
Fennel
seeds (beneficial and medicinal properties);
Soy - Organic, Tofu
traditionally fermented only!
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Vinegar – specifically organic
unfiltered unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
for Dogs ᵔᴥᵔ and Cats ^._.^
Organic
unpasteurized, unfiltered ACV offers a long list of health benefits and is safe
for most dogs and cats when added to the daily diet in the correct dosage – you
can read about that here.
3.0 Harmful Foods
- For an extensive list of foods that
are not good for dogs and cats you can read
here.
Holistic Wellness and Behaviorist Services
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📞 Phone
📧 Email
🚶🏻♀️ In-Person
Menu of Holistic Wellness Services for Dogs and Cats 🐕🐈
For more information go here.
✅ Maintain Health, and;
✅ Address Health Issues and Conditions:
✓ Treatment and Remedy
✓ Pre-Surgery holistic support protocols
✓ Post-Surgery holistic healing protocols
✓ Pre-Vaccine holistic support protocols
✓ Post-Vaccine holistic support protocols
✓ Natural Insect and Parasite Prevention
✓ Natural Treatment for Insect, Parasite Infestation, Co-Infection, Disease
✅ Custom Designed Whole Food Diets - raw or gently cooked, and;
✅ Advice and Recommendation:
✓ Premade Diets - raw, dehydrated, freeze dried
✓ Supplemental Fresh Foods - raw, gently cooked
✓ Super foods
✓ Treats - raw, dehydrated, freeze dried, gently cooked
✓ Herbs
✓ Alternative Medicines
Menu of Holistic Behaviorist Services for Dogs 🐕
For more information go here.
In-person Sessions - available locally
Voice and Video Sessions - available worldwide
✓ Obedience Training
✓ Behavior Modification
✓ Psychological Rehabilitation
Affiliations to Companies
✓ None.
✓ I don't sell food or supplements.
✓ I'm not aligned with any companies.
✓ I choose to maintain my objectivity in selecting best-solutions for my individual client's needs.
Contact me
karen@ottawavalleydogwhisperer.ca
Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld
