Cattle

Archive for January 10th, 2009

How do you purchase the food for your dog?  Do you feed your pet high quality, nutritious dog food?  Or do you look for a cheaper brand?

There are some ingredients that you must absolutely avoid in buying your dog’s food.

These include any wheat product such as wheat gluten or middlings, corn gluten or corn meal, or soybean meal.  All of these ingredients are used as a poor substitute for protein.

Wheat and corn are used as fillers.  They are also very hard to digest by our pets.  Corn, wheat, and soybeans are common pet allergens and should be avoided.

Artificial food coloring is in many foods.

It is used in an attempt to make the food look like fresh meat or fresh fruits and vegetables.

Unfortunately, the colorings are made from chemicals.  Scientific studies have shown that artificial colorings make hyperactive children more hyperactive.  These chemicals will impact our pets in the same way.

Chemical preservatives are widely used in pet foods.

BHT, Butylated hydroxytoleuene (BHT), also known as Butythydroxytoluene and BHA, Butylated hydroxyanisole and Ethoxyquin are used as artificial preservatives to keep the food from spoiling.

These unnatural chemicals should be avoided in our pet’s food.  Scientific studies show that they can cause serious damage to their kidneys, their liver, and other parts of their bodies.

Tocopherol is a natural source of vitamin E.  Good dog food should use this ingredient as a natural preservative.

Many pet food manufacturers put by-products in their food.

Why do they do that?  Is it because these by-products provide such good nutritional value?  I don’t think so.

By-products are a great way to keep costs down and put more profits into the pockets of the large companies that manufacture the food.  They provide a very low-quality protein for our pets.  Instead, chicken, chicken meal, lamb, fish, and fish meal should be the major source of protein for our pets.

These by-products are considered “not fit for human consumption.”  They include necks, beaks, intestines, heads, lungs, ligaments, brains, feet, and more.

Many dog food manufacturers use lower standards as far as the freshness of their food.

Some stamp their food with a “use by” date.  But that doesn’t consider the fact that the ingredients may be very old when they are put into the food.

We always hear that “we are what we eat.”  This statement is true for our pets.

Poor protein sources, artificial chemical ingredients, lack of fruits and vegetables play a major role in damaging our pets’ immune system.

They prevent our pets from having the ability to fight off free radicals.  These ingredients will negatively affect the health of our dog whether it be in allergies or serious disease.

At first your pet will show little if any effect from the inferior food.  But over time, they will show signs of allergies – scratching, ear infections, etc.  Or it could be in the form of serious disease such as urinary tract issues, kidney problems, lack of energy, and joint issues.  It will result in rising vet bills.

The bottom line is that by feeding lower quality food, we are slowly killing our beloved pet.

The good news is that it may not be too late to make a change.

You can make a change to a natural, high quality, nutritious dog food.  It will help build a strong immune system and a foundation for solid health.  It will allow your dog live a longer, healthier, and happier life.

On the other hand, don’t be fooled by labels that say, “Ultra Premium Formula,” “Highly Digestible,” “High in Anti-oxidants,” “Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids,” etc.  Don’t believe what you hear in television commercials selling dog food.