3 Facts About Commercial Pet Foods That Could Kill Your Dog

The dark side! Yes, we are now entering the dark side of the pet food world. You may have heard of the term 'natural reared.' This refers to a movement among pet owners that is about raising your dog on fresh and natural ingredients. Done properly, it can save you hundreds in vet bills. Obviously this group is a big proponent of feeding a raw or homemade diet. You would be surprised at some of the very disturbing truths about packaged foods. In this article, I give three of them.

1. The Disturbing Truth About The Ingredients Used

Of course, you, as a concerned pet owner, read the ingredients labels of the foods you purchase. You also know that a good brand uses meats as the first few ingredients. But what you may not have known might really surprise and shock you.

The meats that are used for our pet foods can actually be anything that is below human grade. Even if the bag says they use human graded sources, it does not always mean that the ingredient still qualified as such. If human grade raw meat gets contaminated, it can no longer be sold in stores, but it certainly can be processed into kibble. Your dog or cat could actually be eating meats that came from sick or dead animals (the ones that die before they reach the slaughterhouse).

Yet another disturbing matter is that an estimated 40% of euthanized shelter animals get sent to processing plants to be turned into pet food. No wonder that compost gardeners will tell you that pet stool is poison to a garden!

2. Medicines?

There was a reported case of a baby girl close to a year of age who died from eating cat food. Research found that it was the presence of penicillin in the dry cat food that caused the adverse reaction. Studies found the penicillin level was 600 times higher than what is allowed in human grade foods.

3. The Process Of Drying The Meats

In order to achieve the kibble texture, the meat or rather the carcasses must first be ground. Since money and time are big factors, time is not wasted on removing flea collars, pesticide tags, plastic bags, and whatever else the carcasses come with. All of it is dumped into a huge grinder that grinds it all up. Afterwards, this is cooked for one hour at 280 degrees Fahrenheit. Then it is squeezed to get rid of all moisture and turned into powder. While this process will kill off bacteria as well as beneficial enzymes, it has no effect on sodium Phenobarbital which is used for euthanasia.

Disturbing, is it not? No wonder our pets get upset stomachs by switching foods. It's not because they have sensitive stomachs, but rather because they are not able to digest all those harmful ingredients.

Do your research though. There are a few brands that are good to feed your pets. These are usually found at feed stores and specialty stores.

Want To Feed Homemade Dog Foods?

Recipes will ensure they are getting everything they nutritionally.

www.top5picks.net/homemadedogfood/

The Best Dog Food - How to Choose the Right Commercial Diet For Your Pet

The pet food recalls of 2007, although horrific, did have a positive side effect; it shook many of us out of our comfortable belief that higher end brands like Science Diet and Iams were the best option for our pets.  We also started hearing words like glutens and meat-by-products and it prompted us to investigate these terms and find out how they affect our pets.  The end result was a consumer that is more educated and aware of the "commercialism" behind the pet food industry.

It also prompted many of us to do better for our pets.  Many concerned pet lovers are now making home prepared meals for their dogs and cats.  Home prepared meals allow total control over the ingredients, but preparation can be time consuming.  So what is a good compromise to home cooked meals?

Choosing higher quality commercial pet foods is the best alternative to a totally home cooked diet.   When selecting a commercial diet there are some specific guidelines you should follow: 
Avoid meat-by-products and meat meals.
Watch out for glutens.
Keep grains to a minimum - especially corn and wheat.
Choose canned varieties over dry.
Avoid artificial colors and additives. 


Avoid meat-by-products and meat meals.

Contrary to what the pet food industry would have you believe, the plump chickens and nice cuts of beef pictured on labels and in advertising seldom make it into our pet's food.  Instead most pet foods contain "meat by-products" or "meat meals".

Meat-by-products are the discards from slaughter that are not considered fit for human consumption and in reality contain little or no meat.  At first glance it doesn't seem so bad.  "So what if my dog eats the spleen or other discarded part of an animal that humans would not eat? Isn't that what they would eat in the wild?"  Yes and no.  In the wild, dogs do feast on internal organs, but their main stay is muscle meat.

According to Ann Martin's book, Food Pets Die For, "Under AAFCO guidelines, acceptable meat by-products can include animal lungs, spleens, kidneys, brains, livers, blood, bones, low-temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents."  Sick and diseased animals often end up in dog food too.  If an animal is declared not fit for human consumption, the carcass is considered acceptable as pet food.

Possibly even worse than meat-by-products, are the "meat meals".  These products result of rendering, the process of boiling down meat-by-products and other unsavory ingredients and then drying the end result to achieve a "meal" or powdery consistency.  These are usually added to dry pet foods.

Rendering plants do not fall under the jurisdiction of federal meat inspectors.  No one is controlling what goes into the mix and assuring it is appropriate for your pet.  The FDA and medical groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Association, confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health authorities, and the end product frequently finds its way into pet food.

Watch out for glutens.

Glutens from wheat, corn and rice are often used by pet food companies to increase the protein content of pet food.  These glutens are potentially lethal because they can be contaminated with dangerous molds called aflatoxins.  One such contamination caused a pet food recall in 2005 and many dogs died after digesting the tainted food.  And of course, no one has to be reminded of the widespread recall of pet food in 2007 that resulted in hundreds of pet deaths - again as a result of tainted glutens, this time from a chemical additive. 

Keep grains to a minimum - especially corn and wheat. 

Grains make up a very small part of a dog's diet in the wild, yet they are often used as inexpensive fillers by pet food manufacturers.  They are promoted as being beneficial carbohydrates, but in reality, dogs benefit far better from the complex carbohydrates found in vegetables. 

It is important to note that ingredients like wheat, corn and soy (present in large amounts in dry dog food) tend to increase inflammation and aggravate conditions like arthritis, ear infections and skin disorders.  In addition, many veterinarians believe that consistently feeding pets grains (especially wheat and corn) leads to digestive problems like food intolerances and inflammatory bowel disease. 

CONSUMER TIP:  The ingredients on the can or bag are listed in descending order of weight (from the most to the least).  So the first ingredient indicates the most prevalent ingredient in the food.  Keeping this in mind, the first few ingredients should be a high quality source of protein like chicken, beef, turkey, liver, etc.  If grains appear at or near the top of the list - beware!

Choose canned varieties over dry. 

Some of the top veterinarians believe you should not feed your dog or cat an all dry diet.  And it makes sense.  When our pets are fed dry food only, it eliminates an essential source of hydration (the moisture normally found in their prey) and can lead to poor urinary tract health.  Complications include bladder infections, urine crystallization and possible kidney damage. 

Most people feed a dry diet either out of convenience or because they believe a dry diet combats dental plaque.  The truth is that dry foods are ineffective at removing tartar from the gum line, which is where most dental problems start.

Dry foods also tend to have higher grain content, so some wet food to your dog's diet is a good idea.  Remember, if your pet is accustomed to an all dry diet, add canned or homemade food gradually to avoid stomach upset.

Avoid artificial colors and additives. 

Coloring is added to pet foods purely for marketing to humans.  Pets don't see the pretty colors as appetizing and they are potentially harmful, so it is best to avoid them.  Dry kibble has a shorter shelf life than canned foods, so most manufacturers add chemical preservatives to extend their viability.  Several of these chemicals are believed to be harmful to humans and pets.  The worst of the lot are BHA, BHT, ethoxyquine and propylene glycol.

With a little diligence you can choose a commercial diet that will nourish your pet.  Specialty stores like Whole Foods and other organic markets often carry a greater selection of high quality brands - but never make assumptions - always read the label.  Remember that adding some of your own home cooked ingredients can help boost the quality of any meal and when you use the commercial diet as the base, it makes it super easy to do the best for your dog.

To learn more about how a pet's diet can affect disease conditions like allergies in dogs and canine cancer, visit the authors website. 

Lee Ann Cox is the founder of Pet Nutri-Systems, a holistic company dedicated to the well being of pets. You can learn more about the topic of this article at http://www.petnutrisystems.com. You have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is left unchanged.

Concerned About What's in Your Commercial Pet Food? Try These Homemade Cat Food and Treats

Every day lately, it seems there is another pet food recall, warning dog and cat owners not to feed their pets different brands of foods. This is getting scary. Who knows which pet food will be recalled next. Though I am still using the kibble my cats normally eat, I am now supplementing my pets with a few homemade recipes. These are not meant for feeding your pets forever, since I"m not a vet or nutritionist but they are good for filling their furry tummies while we wait out the lowdown on the canned foods, which seem most affected by these pet food recalls. Here are the basic recipes I am using, don't add other ingredients unless you know for sure that they don't hurt your pets. We all know chocolate is off-limits to pets, as are other foods such as onions. Stick with these ingredients, which seem to be pet safe, according to pet experts I've read about.

Homemade Cat Food

2 cups ground chicken, lean beef or turkey, thoroughly cooked and diced;

4 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth;

1/2 cup potatoes, ground;

1/4 cup spinach or carrots, ground;

1/4 cup green beans, ground;

2 tbsp melted butter;

dash of garlic powder

Mix everything together in large pot or bowl. Make sure it is completely cool before feeding to your cat. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Homemade Cat Treats

1 1/2 cup oats, ground;

1/4 cup butter;

1/2 cup flour;

1/2 cup chicken broth;

1/4 cup cubed or shredded American or mild cheddar cheese -or- shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together, form small cookies and bake on greased cookie sheet until done at 350 degrees. Roughly 25 minutes but check as ovens vary. Do not overcook.

Our pets deserve food that is safe, so hopefully, this current pet food crisis will alert the authorities to make sure they buy quality products and be more careful of what they put in their pet food recipes. Cats have specific nutritional needs so don't feed them any of these recipes on a long term basis, as I do not know the breakdown of nutritional value for them. But, by using fresh, healthful ingredients, cooking the meat thoroughly and storing the food you make in the refrigerator, it can help to tie your kitty over until it is safe to go buy food at the store again. Enjoy.

Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio, which can be seen at: http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats. Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist, writer and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues.

The Truth About Commercial Pet Food

Most people are unfamiliar with the facts about commercial pet food for dogs and cats. Brands that can be found at your local grocery offer minimal quality that is barely above edible. Even Hills and other veterinarian recommended brands are made with grain and typically have corn listed as their number one ingredient.

As far as nutrition, these foods are fillers and supplements at best, but the real shocker is the amount of toxins and "animal byproduct" in each bag. These foods do much more harm than good, causing your pet's health to decline early in life and ultimately leading to an untimely death. On an ordinary basis, commercial dog food manufacturers use meats that are far below the quality allowed by the FDA for human consumption. This will not surprise most people. However, these meats are not only chicken by products, sick cow parts, feathers, and other unmentionable parts, but are often dead cats and dogs which have been gassed and are received from shelters, euthanized zoo animals, and even sometimes road kill. On top of the risk of infection and potential illnesses associated with eating such poor quality meat, the toxins used to euthanize these animals are clearly lethal. Levels of these chemicals can build up in your pet's body and over time and sometimes acutely cause organ failure and death.

There could be libraries filled with information regarding the indecencies of the commercial pet food industry. They use clever marketing with images of adorable puppies and kittens that invoke in us a mixture of love and loyalty. They fill commercials with dogs running and chasing balls and cats begging for their Meow Mix. It is almost the easiest thing to sell since their image alone creates a warmth in us and a desire to make them happy. But it is propaganda. Most of these companies are under scrutiny from animal rights organizations, such as PETA, for doing inhumane animal testing and for the negligible treatment of their test subjects. Undercover agents from these organizations have gone in and video taped under weight dogs kept in kennels made of concrete slabs and bars, with no blankets for warmth or comfort, no human love, affection, or care, and not even a clean bowl of water and a decent daily meal. It is heartbreaking and it is true. These companies do not actually care about the well-being of our pets. They are corporations feeding into a multi-billion dollar a year industry. It's about money and so they effectively keep this sort of information secret. And we, we lovingly serve a bowl of food to our dog or cat thinking we're giving him the best possible and sadly, we are not.

You may remember the pet food recall in 2007. This was an eye opener for a lot of pet parents. Little by little, frustratingly slowly, we are learning and catching on and discovering other options. I encourage you to do your own research and see for yourselves.

There is hope though and you can do better. There are smaller pet food companies that make food that is good for you pets and is made with wholesome ingredients. These brands of food can be found in small pet stores and sometimes larger pet department stores. One good thing to look for is a grain free food. Commercial pet food is loaded with more corn than anything else. Dogs and especially cats should be eating predominantly protein. There are organic foods that guarantee that not only will your pet not be eating any unusual toxins, but they will not be eating any plants or animals that have been treated by any chemicals or altered in any unnatural way. As a side not here, a lot of dogs have allergies to ingredients that are often a part of packaged foods, such as beef, wheat, and soy. Try to avoid feeding foods with these ingredients to your dog if he/she has any allergies or a sensitive stomach. Another tip on packaged food, wet or canned food tends to be more healthy and of a more natural diet than dry food. Cats especially should eat wet food because they consume most of their water intake with their food, just like in the wild. Insufficient water intake can over time lead to kidney failure which is one of the most common ailments of older cats. Though these better brands of food may be more expensive than the commercial pet food you were buying at the grocery store, less of it needs to be fed at a time because it is more nutrient dense. So a bag or a case will last you longer than the mostly filler commercial brands. Buying better dog and cat food will also save you money in the long run by keeping your pets healthy longer and avoiding expensive veterinary bills.

Another good option is to make your own dog food. This requires some research because you do not want to cause any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. But a good home cooked (or raw) meal with a vitamin supplement is a great way to keep your dog or cat healthy. There are many complete and healthy recipes online. Talk to your veterinarian about selecting the right one.

Studies show that feeding dogs and cats commercial dog food greatly increases their health problems and risks for diseases and greatly reduces the length of their lives. On average, pets who eat proper homemade meals or complete and balanced packaged foods can almost double their life expectancy. Please do yourself and your pets a favor and do the research. Become more knowledgeable and feed your pets what they deserve because you love them and they love you too.

Author:

Tess Marine Abbott
http://www.keepyourpetshealthy.com

Dog Food Scandal - Bet You Didn't Know That Commercial Dog Food Contains Recycled Pets!

If you are a dog owner you're probably aware of the recent pet food scandal that has rocked the nation, resulted in several pet deaths, hundreds of animals falling mysteriously ill and the nationwide recall of 60 million packages of dog food products (and counting) as well as other pet foods!

The Culprit

Melamine: This is the substance at the center of the pet food poison scandal. Pure melamine is used to make plastics and fertilizer so how the heck could it make the transition into dog food? Well the story begins in China...kind of.

Animal feed producers in China have apparently for some time routinely supplemented their feed with melamine to artificially boost the protein content (which translates into more profit). Protein readings are done by assessing the nitrogen levels of the feed and guess what? Melamine has a high nitrogen content!

Unfortunately this sordid tale gets worse. As if adding poisonous melamine to your dog's food was not bad enough another toxic ingredient is routinely added to Chinese animal feed products. This substance is known as cyanuric acid. In the United States this stuff is commonly used to disinfect swimming pools!

Investigators looking into the hundreds of pet food poison related deaths now believe that the combination of those two ingredients in commercial dog food and other pet food synergistically elevated the toxins to the point where they became lethal to pets.

The Dirty Secret Close To Home

Although American food safety regulators are pinning the blame on pet food contaminated with Chinese animal feed products, the alarming truth is that dog food manufactured in the USA is also toxic to your pet!

Commercial dog food manufactured in the US contains no less than 6 deadly chemicals that have been banned as unfit for human consumption because they cause:

Hair Loss (fur loss);

Kidney Disease;

Liver dysfunction;

Stomach cancer;

Blindness;

Leukemia; and

Skin cancer, to name but a few! The substances that cause these problems are found in preservatives...

Oh But I Always Use Preservative Free Dog Food!

You may think that your dog is safe and healthy because you only insist on buying preservative free dog food. Well dog manufacturers have found a legit way around that too! Many dog foods labeled as preservative free in fact contain preservatives because the manufacturers exploit a loophole whereby they do not have to list any preservative that they themselves did not add.

And unfortunately many preservatives are added to pet foods at the rendering plant well before the meat is ever sent to the manufacturer. One of the most widely used and most powerful preservatives also happens to be one of the most toxic! It is called ethoxyquin (EQ) and you aren't going to see it listed on your dog food label anytime soon (even though it is in that "preservative free" dry pet food you love to buy) because the manufacturer has no legal obligation to list it.

Although ethoxyquin is permitted in pet food, workers exposed to this substance showed symptoms similar to those of people exposed to agent orange (poisonous herbicide used by the US government in Vietnam War that caused cancer and other diseases).

Your Dog Is Eating Dead Dogs And Dead Cats!

Perhaps the sickest part of this sick tale is that euthanized (put down) dogs and cats are recycled as chow for your pet! The city of angels (Los Angeles) is known for the devilish practice of recycling approximately 200 tons of dead cats and dogs each month into pet food!

Arrrgghh...disgusting huh?

Still it gets worse; poisonous disinfectants and denaturing chemicals are used to treat those recycled dead animals and "render them safe" for your dog's consumption, not to mention the fact that the toxin used to kill those animals (sodium pentobarbital) can withstand the heat used in the denaturing process.

Bottom line: If you love your dog and want to see him/her live to a ripe healthy old age, perhaps it is time you considered alternative means of nutrition!

Dog Breed

Kayye Nynne is the webmaster of http://www.dog-breeds-spot.com

Commercial Pet Food May Not Be Healthy And What The Pet Food Business Is Not Telling You

It is time, right now, that you start to pay close attention to the ingredient list on the pet foods that you buy at the store. This article is dedicated to that need and what you learn here will forever change your attitude about commercial pet food. We have already seen what happened last year on the pet food recall due to using contaminated melamine as a protein source.

That is just the tip of the iceberg as to what also goes on in the manufacture of pet foods. There are some other things that are just as bad if not worse and the sad thing is we pet owners spend a huge amount of money feeding our pets poor quality food that will eventually affect your pet's health and life span.

Seems odd that just a few months ago I was blogging about homemade cat toys and condo's and now I am pursuing the value of commercial cat food. In a past blog I had quoted several veterinarians, that cats did not produce enzymes to digest grains in their feed. Yet almost every can, pouch, or bag lists some type of grain, (wheat, corn, oat, or rice).

There is also evidence that feeding cats grains will cause stress to the kidneys causing renal failure. There are also other kinds of carbohydrates in the ingredient list that have no value to a cat's nutrition such as soy and potato. One has to ask the question why do they use this and the answer is cost. It is cheaper to add grain protein so the nutrition values look good on paper but have nothing to do with a proper diet for a carnivore.

This is all filler so for your cat to have the proper level of good usable protein it would have to consume two to three times more than recommended on the label. You get the picture real quick, make it cheaper and feed the cat more so you buy more frequently. The almighty dollar comes before your pet's health and that is what is wrong with the pet food business.

This is not a highly regulated business like human food so a lot of cheap sources of protein are used and unfortunately are not good for your pet's health. Oh, but it is so convenient to pop open the can or scoop out the dry pellets without much fuss or mess. This is great and easy for us but not so great for your pet and its health.

Over the last two months I have been blogging about feeding your dog or cat a natural or raw food diet supplementing or reducing the amount of commercial food. There are several brands that are grain free that can be considered but watch out for another nasty protein additive.

This one is gross if not criminal in my mind and that is using protein from rendering plants and replacing good fresh protein with another cheap source. It is usually listed as protein concentrate, bone and protein meal, protein byproducts, or any other non-specific animal protein wording. What I mean is the obvious words like protein from chicken, beef, or fish are not listed meaning this comes from many sources.

Because the pet food industry is not highly regulated this rendered protein and fats are considered acceptable sources of feed for animals. It consists of sick or diseased animals not fit for human consumption and can even be "road kill" animals or worse euthanized cats and dogs from the pound or shelters.

At this point I am totally grossed out and perhaps cooking for my pets is not such a chore after all. Most of it can be fed raw or just heated so it is warm and not to cold. Also I have noticed some smaller businesses starting to produce quality pet food for your convenience. Yes it may cost more but less is needed per feeding compared to other cheaper commercial products.

Artificial additives such as flavoring and color plus the addition of preservatives to extend shelf life of the feed up to two years is not what I would consider as healthy additives. I can understand why it is in the feed but you need to ask yourself what will be the consequences of using these products and how much will it cost in future medical bills.

There is more to learn about what to do to protect your pet and the proper diet you can make in your home. Please visit my web site http://cattoysandcondos.com for more information and resources. I have been raising cats for over thirty years and have a wealth of information to share with you.

The site covers homemade cat toys and condos to your cat's diet and disposition. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter as well. Please leave comments, questions or concerns at the end of each blog. I blog all about cats at http://cattoysandcondos.com and if you find this web site useful please donate at the tip jar because all proceeds go to the animal shelter to help place pets into good homes.