[Dailydrool] Beneful= McDonalds in quality

[Opal-Deitering, Gaylene]

Below is a link to a pretty good article which describes very simply
what is in dog food and why.  If we consider that dogs are designed to
eat the RAW meat, entrails, and fat of an herbivore, you will see that
adding undigested grain and plant matter is not so good.  When a dog
(domesticated wolf) eats the entrails and feces of say, a mouse, rabbit,
cow or sheep (domesticated deer-like creature), he gets loads of double
digested plant matter.  This explains why, in the absence of having
wild, fresh, RAW animal carcass to eat, he reverts to eating his own
poop.

The simplest thing to say about dog food is this.  Dogs don't start
fire, they don't cook their food.  Meat, and especially fat, should be
as close to raw as possible. Dogs have a very hard time digesting soy,
so I don't buy food with soy in it at all.  Vegetables pretty much pass
through their system only partially digested, so feeding them often
encourage poop eating.  Dogs like the taste of veggies, and since whole
raw veggies can pass pretty much through their digestive system whole
which doesn't add calories to their diets, mine often get whole carrots
or chunks of whatever veggie I am eating. (not ONIONS, GRAPES or grape
products, or CHOCOLATE.) I also do not give them cooked fat.  Small
quantities of raw fat, such as when I am cleaning chicken meat, are ok,
but I never cook it for them.  Too much cooked fat can lead to
pancreatitis.  I had a dog with pancreatitis who ended up with diabetes.
Her last few months were horrible, because I couldn't keep her sugar
balanced.

 

Prepared dog food is simply a convenience for US.  It also has a lot of
additional vitamins and things that enhance well being, so it makes it
easier to keep them healthy longer.  Convenient!  Unfortunately you
don't always get what you pay for.  Some very expensive foods (Iam's and
Eukanuba) have the maximum carcinogenic preservative material allowed by
law.  Other equally expensive foods don't.  The cheaper the product, the
more artificial color, preservatives, and crappy unwholesome
ingredients.  Grocery store brands are notorious for their bad nutrition
because they are designed to appeal to YOU.  Beneful, for example, has
little crunchy pieces that are shaped and colored like PEAS AND CARROTS.
Ridiculous!  If you want your dog to eat peas and carrots, give them
peas and carrots. The dog doesn't care if one chunk is green and one is
orange, but their skin and their heart and their overall wellbeing shows
what they think about the artificial colors and non-meat protein
sources.  If your dog is prone to itchiness, check their food, if they
are constantly watery eyed, check their food, if they seem less "bright"
than you think they should be, check their food, if your dog has
constant ear infections, their breath stinks, their body is funky, CHECK
their FOOD.  Every dog reacts differently to their own needs.  Some are
just fine, with no arthritis and no itchy skin, no ear infections and
bright eyes, well into their old age on Purina Dog Chow.  Some, like
Clover, had recurring ear infections and itchy skin, and now has a lot
of arthritis in her shoulders.  I am sure that a lot of that was because
she spent the first 7 years of her life eating grocery store food.  I
switched her to VF Chicken and rice, and she is much better.  I also
give her Ester C and it has helped her arthritis immensely!

 

There are droolers who BARF (bones and raw food) feed their dogs, which
I think is a pretty good idea, but don't have the time and resources to
do it right.  It would be nice if one of them would write in about some
of their results, what additional supplements they use, etc.

 

Of course, we are all occasionally lulled into the local McDonalds for a
cheeseburger.  Giving your dog the occasional treat of a Beneful
prepared meal should be considered in the same light. 

 

http://petershighlynutritionalpetfoodfor.blogspot.com/2007/05/understand
ing-canine-digestion.html

 

http://www.healthypetnet.com//healthypetnet/home.aspx?realname
<http://www.healthypetnet.com/healthypetnet/home.aspx?realname> 

 

Gaylene Opal-Deitering

My passions do not replace my relationship with God, but are instead a
reflection of it!

 

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