[Dailydrool] Home Cooked Diets

[Melissa Fenchel]

After going through major health issues with my basset, Pearl, I've been educating myself and doing a lot of research on what we feed our furkids. I started feeding a home cooked diet but had no clue if I was providing all the essential nutrients required. There are formulas out there on the web to help us but after exploring that, I felt defeated. It is just quite complicated. Lots of supplementation required. A friend told me about a company called Honest Kitchen. They make raw whole human grade foods for dogs and cats. Their motto is, and I agree 100% : if the label says "Not for Human Consumption" why would you feed it to your dogs?  That is food for thought, right? Anyway, this company is owned by real people. People you can email with questions, etc.  People who feel as passionately about their pets as you do. Most of the kibble out there is over processed stuff made by huge corporations looking for $$$. Proctor and Gamble own Iams. They also
 perform horrific experiments on animals. Many of the "premium" foods cost over $50 a bag. Then there are the veterinary prescription diets that we are guilted into feeding our dogs that cost even more! My Pearl, after suffering from unexplained Pancreatitis, was put on Royal Canin Low Fat Gastrointestinal Diet. Stupid me, I didn't bother to read the label, I just blindly followed Dr's orders.....Pearl Bloated after eating the prescription dry food....THEN I read the label: Rice, chicken meal, wheat, barley, "natural flavors", dried beet pulp, brewers yeast, chicken fat, salt.....SERIOUSLY??? And have the nerve to charge like $60 a bag for this CRAP???  It's no wonder she bloated!! It was probably the wheat and dried beet pulp. 
 
I have no affiliation with Honest Kitchen, I've just recently become a HUGE fan. Check out their web site. You CAN feed your pets a "raw" whole foods diet. There are MANY formulas to choose from. This food is freeze dried so when you add water, it is whole and fresh again. I truly believe this food has played a BIG part in Pearl's recovery. She no longer has ANY digestive issues. It is a balanced diet and you can feel Really good about feeding it. I use the one that lets you add your own protein source. Since we keep Pearl on a lower fat diet, I add turkey or chicken....cooked, but you can add raw meats to this diet if you choose. The best part is Pearl LOVES it. Cleans her plate every time (several weeks ago she was anorexic and I was hand feeding her). Her coat is shiny again, her eyes used to get goopy and that has stopped, they are now bright and clear. I would say she has gone from 7 years old back to looking more like a 4 year old!! 
 
Melissa and  Pearl...."Please mom, can I have some more??"
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