Homemade Pet Food - Why You Really Want to Cook For Your Pet

In March 2007, most pet owners grew very concerned about the food they were feeding their dogs and cats with the announced melamine-poisoned foods on the market. Being "mom" to my adorable and, I thought, very well-cared for King Charles Spaniel, I watched the lists daily with worry. I had believed the food I was feeding him was high quality and safe, yet I visited their website daily for reassurance. And daily I read that the food was safe, they didn't use products from China, trust them.

My dog started to experience diarrhea the day we moved to a new home. Being a sensitive soul for whom stress has this effect, I didn't worry much until day 3 when it not only continued but seemed to worsen. Again, I checked the websites to see if his food was on any of the recall lists. It wasn't. That night I had the news on in the background, sitting straight up when the latest list was announced  - his food, the food that "had never used products from China", was on the list. They lied.

I had been poisoning my beloved best friend.

Of course, I immediately disposed of the poisoned garbage and the next day, started cooking for my dog, thinking it would be temporary until the problems were resolved. I began to research what my dog needed nutritionally to make sure I was giving him everything he required to be healthy and happy.

It was that research that shocked me, then just made me furious beyond description. I found out what was really in dog food (and cat food and other pet foods), and it is disgusting, dangerous and poison garbage even without the melamine. I was sickened by what I learned, knowing I had been feeding this to my pets for years, thinking I was doing right by them with the "high-quality" foods I paid premium price for. Not any more. Never again.

Here are some of the "quality" ingredients in your pet's food:

* "Meat and poultry by-products" is material that comes from the slaughterhouse and dead animals, such as road kill and euthanized companion animals, classified as condemned and unfit for human consumption. It includes lungs (even when filled with pneumonia), spleen, brains, livers (including those infested with worms), bone, beaks, feet, heads, cancerous tissues... the list goes on. Be assured, if it is remotely fit for human consumption, it isn't in your pet's food.

* "Meat and bone meal" is the ground refuse from restaurants and grocery stores, dead stock, road kill, euthanized animals, including stomach contents, blood and hooves, cooked until the grease from it rises where it is removed and the moisture squeezed out. It also may contain foreign materials such as metals, hair, glass, mold, pesticide contamination and more.

* Fat is usually listed high on the ingredients in pet foods that give off an appealing odor so that our pets will eat the garbage. They are made up of rancid restaurant grease and rendered refuse often filled with impurities such as hair, hide, bone, dirt or polyethylene.

* Corn flour, corn bran, corn gluten meal are the corn products left when all the nutritious ingredients, used in human products, are removed.

* Wheat flour, wheat germ meals, are nothing more than what is swept off the mill floors after everything has been processed.

* Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives, including those believed to be carcinogenic and are banned from human foods like BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate.

If you can read that and then open a can or bag of food for your pet and feed it tonight, you have a stronger stomach than I do!

That's why I now cook for my dog. I know exactly what he's eating and that it is good quality, nutritious and safe (as safe as any of our food is these days). The added benefit is that it's even less expensive! I watch for specials, especially for meats, and stock up the freezer when I find them, which is often. A lot of meat and chicken is greatly reduced in price when its shelf life is nearing its end, and fine if its cooked or frozen immediately.

I only spend a couple of hours or so once a month cooking up a big batch of food, placing it in small containers with about 3 - 4 meals in each one (he eats twice a day), freezing it until I need it. I add a couple of tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt to a serving, mix it up and "nuke" it for about a minute to get it warm and delicious for him. He loves it!

Best, he looks terrific, better than he ever did before, his coat gleaming, his eyes sparkling, endless energy, perfect weight and a healthy, happy glow.

This is not a difficult thing to do! There are many excellent recipes available and now there are cookbooks dedicated to pet food recipes, including good quality treats and biscuits that your pet will adore and that you can feel great about giving them. I do highly recommend doing some research to make sure you're giving your dog everything he requires.

Visit my website at [http://www.4FurPeople.com] for training courses, books, pet nutrition and health information and much more. Please also visit Pat's pet blog at http://petpassionparadise.blogspot.com

Is Feeding A Hermit Crab Really That Difficult?

Unlike most exotic pets, hermit crabs are low cost, low maintenance creatures and this includes feeding time. Other exotic pets are extremely picky where food is concerned, only eating a certain species of locust that is found in deepest darkest Africa. This type of food will set you back a small fortune. However where our little friends are concerned, feeding a hermit crab is a relatively simple and more importantly, inexpensive process. There are a few things that you will need to know in order to make the process work.

In the wild the land version of these critters is a forager. They live on or around the shoreline. So being limited to a small area, they have had to adapt to eat whatever they can find in and around that particular locale.This means things like fruit, such as mango, papaya, coconut, also items like tree bark are a delicacy. They will even eat smaller crustaceans such as tiny shrimp, as well as carrion they may find washed up on the beach. So in the wild they are really not fussy at all and in captivity this is the case also.

Feeding a crabby companion as a pet is a relatively simple process and a whole lot of fun too. The reason for this is that you can feed them "people food" This is basically all the healthy style foodstuffs that we eat. However there are a few small rules. Firstly veggies should be washed thoroughly and dried because these little critters just love to crunch when they munch. You can also throw in a little cooked meat and fish. However make sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked and contains no sauce or spices.

Obviously feeding a crabby critter entirely on "people food" is not the perfect scenario.You can purchase special processed food from your local pet store and this provides all the nutrients that the crab needs. So the ideal balance would be part "people food" and part manufactured feed.

One thing that your lovable critter needs is carotene. If a crabby critter is deficient in carotene it will become a dull washed out color. One way to combat this is to feed him brightly colored vegetables such as carrots and corn kernels. Although the Ecuadorian version of the creature tends to suffer from this condition more so than the other species.

Along with human food, it is advisable when planning a diet for your crabby companions to feed them tannin rich substances. Bark and oak tree leaves are said to be a rich source of tannin.

Finally, believe it or not, your new found pet also has a bit of a sweet tooth. So the next time you fancy a chocolate fix, then don't forget your crab. They also love peanut butter, although this can get a little messy. As with all sweet sugary foods, please feed in moderation.

As you can see, feeding a hermit crab is easy if you know how. Just make sure that you vary their diet and you will find that they will live a long and happy life.

Tod Schaffer is a Hermit Crab enthusiast who has vast experience of raising Hermit Crabs. For more information about Feeding A Hermit Crab, Visit Hermit Crabs.

Are Specialist Pet Foods Really Worth The Extra Cost?

If you look on the supermarket or pet shop shelves you will find foods for retrievers, boxers, terriers, cooker spaniels, old dogs, young dogs, indoor cats, outdoor cats... the list is endless and I feel sorry for the small retailer who must despair at just what they should be stocking (or delisting to make room for all these supposed essential foods.)

But let me put forward a suggestion - that we're in danger of believing the marketing men rather than our common sense. Consider this; as a dog owner I buy what is called a 'complete pet food' by which I am given to understand that this balanced food contains all the necessary ingredients and nutrients to keep my pet in the finest of health. Let me emphasize that fact - it contains ALL the necessary nutrients required, as defined by best current scientific knowledge.

And what do I do? I give her the recommended quantity per day... PLUS some treats, bits of raw vegetables and maybe scraps off our plates. Am I any different to any other pet owner? I would hazard a guess that I am not, but what I have done is take a complete balanced food and made my pet's diet unbalanced (at least by the information given me by the pet food companies) because I've given high protein hide chews, or increased the fat and protein content by feeding a small quantity of chicken casserole.

Is my dog unhealthy? No, she is not! Is my dog overweight? No, she is not!

Now if I am fairly typical as a pet owner, and I think I am, what should I do when I faced with marketing men who tell me that I should be switching to a food which has been designed specifically for a retriever? I pass by and make a more informed choice based upon my relationship with my pet.

The problem is, of course that we do have a lot of overweight pets around, which no doubt is a consequence of giving too much food in total.

Balanced pet foods are good, but they vary in protein and fat content even for a basic adult food (for example between 18 - 26% in protein for dogs.) AAFCO minimum recommendations are 18% protein and 5% fat for an adult dog maintenance food. Most commercial pet foods contain more than this which might explain the overweight dogs around. A lean pet is a healthy pet - Purina have done trials to prove this scientifically - and a light diet should help here if you are feeding extras.

Now if most pet owners supplement their feeding with treats and extras it makes little sense to buy special foods. Better, perhaps to buy a food that is closer to the AAFCO recommendations in protein and fat content, knowing that with the extras you feed you are less likely to be overfeeding.

Marketing men survive by inventing new products for customers to buy - added this, added that, increased this, increased that. Consumers need to be informed, and that's difficult when faced with advertising budgets of £ millions!

Obviously there are some pets that have health problems that demand that they have a special diet (and I include allergies and intolerences here) and the advice of a veterinary surgeon should be taken - that's a given fact.

The author, who originally trained as a food technologist has, in his time owned dogs, cats, hamsters and birds, sold pet food and spent the past decade marketing it. Now down to one cat, one dog and running Pet Food Choice, a website full of information on pet food choices, money-saving ideas and much more - http://www.pet-food-choice.co.uk

Pet Food Recall - Are Our Dogs Really Safe?

Recipes for homemade dog foods are popping up all over. More and more pet owners are deciding to make their own homemade dog foods. The pet food recall list is growing by the week. The food that you are feeding your beloved dog that is safe today, may not be tomorrow. Pet owners are in a panic trying to keep their best friend safe...and rightfully so.

The Secrets of the Pet Food industry are coming to light.

The recent pet food recall has left many of us asking about the safety as well as the quality of our pets food. Can the suppliers and manufacturers of pet foods be trusted or has that trust been broken?

Chinese suppliers of animal feed have admitted that for years they have been spiking shipments to pet food companies in the US to make it appear as though the food was a high protein quality product. Before Melamine, there was Urea, another Nitrogen-based chemical that was used until it started making animals sick, then it was quietly discontinued.

Guarding against contaminated products being imported has become quite a problem. According to the Commerce Department, the pet food industry now imports 7 times the amount of animal feed it did in 2000. Wheat gluten and rice protein come in the form of a powder and chemicals like melamine can easily be mixed in (whether intentional or unintentional) and not be detected by the FDA because they are not on its battery of tests.

The FDA oversees a trillion dollars worth of products anually, this includes about half of all imports. The agency regulates about 25% of every dollar that is spent by American consumers annually, so it is impossible for the agency to inspect more than a fraction of all imports. About 99% of all food imports are not inspected.

This massive pet food recall has not only brought to light safety issues with our dog food supply but also quality issues. Little was known about Wheat gluten and rice protein until the recent pet food recall. Now they are everyday words. People have been researching to find out just what they are...and the results are eye-opening.

The chunky bits that we thought were meat in our beloved dog's food we find out are actually wheat gluten, a totally meatless product. Rice Protein is another meatless additive to increase the protein levels in the pet foods. Which leads us to ask just how much meat are our carnivores getting.

A healthy dog's diet consists of 40% meat, 30% protein and 30% starch. It appears that the majority of the pet food products on the market today consist mostly of cheap cereal fillers. Even many of the so called "premium brands" were not immune from the pet food recalls as they also contained wheat gluten and rice protein.

The meat-by-products that are used in these commercial recipes are animal scraps that the FDA has deemed "unfit for human consumption" these include heads, feet, intestines, lungs, spleens, ligaments, and other scary parts. Even when the recipe consists of meat, for the most part, it is scrap meat like backs and necks.

Several companies that got their pet food from one of the manufacturers have said that the rice protein that was included in the recipes for their dog food was without their knowledge or consent (the manufacturer has denied this). How do we know who's telling the truth? Many of us were under the assumption that all of the ingredients for the recipe had to be listed on the package. What else are in the commercial dog food recipes that we don't know about?

Lawmakers are hurrying to change things but everyone knows that takes time. So in the mean time what should you do? The choice is one that every one of us is going to have to make. You can take your chances; you can turn to an even higher priced organic or natural pet food; or you can turn to your own kitchen and use recipes for homemade dog foods [http://www.pipelinebooks.com/visit/dogfoodsecrets/]. After all, how difficult can it be to feed your best friend a well balance diet? We manage to do it for our children everyday.

More information on the pet food recall

More interesting ebooks [http://www.pipelinebooks.com/]

If you wish to reprint this article, it must be reprinted in its entirety and you must leave all links intact.

For more information on the pet food recall: http://petfoodrecall-dogs.blogspot.com/ For more information and ebooks: [http://pipelinebooks.com/]

Do You Know What's Really In Your Pets Food?

The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertilizer. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include road kill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pet food industry claims that its products constitute a "complete and balanced diet" but, in reality, commercial pet food is unfit for human or animal consumption.

"Vegetable protein", the mainstay of dry dog foods, includes ground yellow corn, wheat shorts and middlings, soybean meal, rice husks, peanut meal and peanut shells (identified as "cellulose" on pet food labels). These often are little more than the sweepings from milling room floors. Stripped of their oil, germ and bran, these "proteins" are deficient in essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. "Animal protein" in commercial pet foods can include diseased meat, road kill, contaminated material from slaughterhouses, fecal matter, rendered cats and dogs and poultry feathers. The major source of animal protein comes from dead-stock removal operations that supply so-called "4-D" animals-dead, diseased, dying or disabled-to "receiving plants" for hide, fat and meat removal. The meat (after being doused with charcoal and marked "unfit for human consumption") may then be sold for pet food.

Rendering plants process decomposing animal carcasses, large road kill and euthanized dogs and cats into a dry protein product that is sold to the pet food industry. One small plant in Quebec, Ontario, renders 10 tons (22,000 pounds) of dogs and cats per week. The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture states that "the fur is not removed from dogs and cats" and that "dead animals are cooked together with viscera, bones and fat at 115° C (235° F) for 20 minutes".

The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is aware of the use of rendered dogs and cats in pet foods, but has stated: "CVM has not acted to specifically prohibit the rendering of pets. However, that is not to say that the practice of using this material in pet food is condoned by the CVM."

In both the US and Canada, the pet food industry is virtually self-regulated. In the US, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets guidelines and definitions for animal feed, including pet foods. In Canada, the most prominent control is the "Labeling Act", simply requiring product labels to state the name and address of the manufacturer, the weight of the product and whether it is dog or cat food. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC) are voluntary organizations that, for the most part, rely on the integrity of the companies they certify to assure that product ingredients do not fall below minimum standards.

The majority-85 to 90% the pet food sold in Canada is manufactured by US-based multinationals. Under the terms of the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement, neither the CVMA nor PFAC exercises any control over the ingredients in cans of US pet food.

Pet food industry advertising promotes the idea that, to keep pets healthy, one must feed them commercially formulated pet foods. But such a diet contributes to cancer, fatal diseases, skin problems, allergies, hypertension, kidney and liver failure, heart disease and dental problems.

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What's Really in Your Dog's Food? Top Reasons Why Your Pet's Food Could Be Slowly Killing Him

Your dog is 99.8 percent wolf. Whether he's a tiny Yorkie, a giant Great Dane or any mixture in between, it's true. In fact, the DNA of gray wolves and dogs is nearly identical -- their DNA differs by, at most, 0.2 percent.

How can this be? Because all dogs evolved from the gray wolf, and although their appearance has changed greatly over the 10,000 to 15,000 years they've been domesticated, their basic internal workings, their physiology, has not.

So to get an idea of what a dog would naturally be eating, and thrive on, one needs look no further than the diet of a gray wolf.

Gray wolves eat a varied diet ranging from bison, elk, deer and moose to smaller animals like beavers and rabbits. Of course, they consume nearly all parts of the animal -- organs, many bones, vegetation left over in the animal's stomach -- and they eat it all raw.

Contrast that with what most modern-day dogs eat: dry kibble or canned food. Most of which are primarily based on cooked grains and animal byproducts, not meat.

Three Major Ingredients of Commercial Dog Foods and Why Your Dog is Better Off Without Them

1. Meat or Poultry Byproducts: Meat byproducts are the part of an animal left over after all parts fits for human consumption are taken away. This leaves heads, blood, ligaments, lungs, intestines, unborn babies, spleens, feet, bones and other parts. What you'll notice is that these items lack one very important element: meat.

Further, it may surprise you to learn that "4D" animals (dead, dying, diseased, disabled), which were (just recently) banned for human consumption, are completely legal to use in pet foods.

2. Meat Meals (Chicken Meal, Bone Meal, Byproduct Meal, etc.): "Meals" of any kind are materials that are rendered, which means, according to the Encarta® World English Dictionary, "to purify or extract something by melting, especially to heat solid fat slowly until as much liquid fat as possible has been extracted from it, leaving small crisp remains."

The boiling process separates fat, removes water and kills bacteria, viruses and parasites. However, the high temperatures also destroy enzymes, proteins and other nutrients that your dog needs.

3. Starches and Grains: Corn, wheat, potatoes and other grains and starchy vegetables make up a large portion of most commercial dog foods. Even corn gluten meal, which essentially a high-protein extract that has most of the carbohydrates removed, is used to boost protein percentages in foods without having to use an actual animal ingredient.

One of the biggest problems with most commercial dog foods is that they are made up, largely, of grain when what your dog will thrive on is meat (and preferably RAW meat).

Dogs have a hard time digesting grains, and eating grain-based foods will often cause gas, digestive upset, and potentially serious health problems down the line.

Have You Been Warned Not to Feed Your Dog "People Food"?

Many people have been told that feeding their dog people food will make them sick. Well, as with people, if you feed your dog junk food like white bread and potato chips they most likely will get sick indeed. Feeding your dog a diet of high-quality raw meats and veggies, supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals, on the other hand, would get you a different story entirely.

Dogs like real food and that is also what they thrive on.

Yet, why is it that so many of us still believe we are doing our pets a favor by feeding them only kibble or food that comes from a can? Heavy marketing on behalf of the pet food industry certainly plays a major role.

In reality, the best food for your dog is a fresh raw food diet, similar to the one they would find in the wild.

Fortunately, there are numerous high-quality brands of top-notch raw dog foods on the market, typically in frozen or freeze-dried form. These foods make it simple to give your dog the food he's meant to eat.

What About Treats?

To give your dog a special, healthy treat, try:

Dehydrated pure meat treats including freeze-dried chunks of fish, beef or chicken (cats also love these)
Dehydrated sweet potato treats. These provide excellent nutrition and a hard, grooved surface that promotes dental health.
Raw bones
Raw baby carrots
Sardines or a fresh shrimp (cats especially love these!)
Meat-based biscuit treats. If your dog loves biscuit-style treats, look for varieties with one very special difference: the first ingredient in them should be meat! 

Your Dog Will Thank You!

After feeding a high-quality, raw food diet, many pet owners report that their pets have softer, shiner fur, better breath and more energy than they've had in years. But don't take our word for it. Give it a try for yourself ... and your pet!

Copyright ©2009 Greener Wiener (This article may be reprinted with copyright, contact and information intact for not-for-profit purposes.)

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At Greener Wiener our mission is simple: to provide natural pet products that promote wellness for dogs and cats. Our inspiration is our own pet family (four mini dachshunds and three cats) along with our own desire to live a greener life. Because we understand how much your pets mean to you, we started this site -- to share knowledge about the nutrition and care that can give your pet the longest, healthiest, and happiest life possible.

Please do stop by http://www.greenerwiener.com/contact-us.html and say hello. We love to hear from you and your pets!

Rachael Bieschke is a natural health writer and editor with specialties in pet wellness, natural living, nutrition, spirituality and holistic medicine. She currently writes weekly for one of the largest natural health Web sites on the Internet and her works have appeared in numerous magazines, Web sites and newsletters. She is also the co-owner of GreenerWiener.com.

What's Really in Your Pet Food - The Top 12 Ingredients to Avoid

Many of us have been convinced that the healthy, natural, premium and recommended by labels on dog food and cat food must mean that the food inside the bag is good for our pets. Alongside these words are claims of 100% complete and balanced that leave us to assume we are providing the best we can for our pets, feeding the same dry cereal based diets day in and day out. Yet, most people do not fully appreciate what goes into these pet foods. The pet food companies place images of fresh cut chicken breast, fresh fruits and vegetables and wholesome grains on packages, however, that is rarely what is actually inside the bag.

Chances are you are feeding a pet food which contains more than one of the ingredients discussed below. The pet food industry has a broad range of unsavory options when it comes to what substances may be used in pet food and freedom to print enticing pictures, however misleading, on their packaging. It is only when our pet's health begins to degrade and eventually fail, that most people begin to question why. After all, a healthy body can only be as good as what is put into it.

To promote the best health you can in your companion, read and understand the uses of the common ingredients below and make sure to always read your labels!

Top 12 Pet Food Ingredients to Avoid

Corn, Corn Meal, or Corn Gluten Meal

Years ago pet food manufacturers discovered that pets adore the sweet taste of corn. Corn is one of the most heavily subsidized crops in agriculture, making its market price lower than the cost of producing the corn.

The gluten in corn is used as an inferior protein source in pet foods. Corn protein in itself is not a complete protein source and must be balanced with animal proteins to create a usable amino acid profile for pets.

Unfortunately corn is often abused as the single most abundant ingredient in many pet foods, contributing to the many diseases linked to high carbohydrate diets, including obesity, chronic inflammation, diabetes and cancer. The cob of the corn becomes filler with very little nutritional value. The quality of the corn is also a problem as many foods use low quality corn containing toxins such as mycotoxins and mold which cause damage to a pet's liver and kidneys.

Carnivores were never designed to obtain the majority of their energy requirements from carbohydrates. In fact they have zero nutritional requirements for carbohydrates or grains. Yet the majority of products on the market regularly consist of up to 50% carbohydrates, with some even higher.

Eons of evolution have designed carnivores to obtain energy from amino acids (protein) and fatty acids, fat from prey animals through the process of gluconeogenesis. Other than simple economics there is no reason to challenge the eons of evolution nature has put into place when it comes to feeding carnivores like dogs, cats & ferrets. When we force such a dramatic change in metabolism and utilize least cost ingredients, adverse effects over the long term become much more likely. The same effects of junk food on humans can be seen in today's companion animals.

Wheat

Wheat is another ingredient found in abundance in many foods. The repetitive and persistent exposure of wheat to pet animals has resulted in allergies and intolerances to wheat and wheat gluten. This is another starchy crop that should be avoided.

Wheat gluten is also utilized as an inexpensive protein source. Wheat gluten contamination was the cause of the massive 2007 Menu Foods pet food recall, which caused a countless numbers of companion animals to suffer from kidney failure, debilitation and death. Menu Foods manufactured food for hundred's of common brands. This ordeal would have been avoided if the pet food companies involved used quality ingredients such as human grade meat rather than lower cost cereal alternatives.

Soy

Along with corn and wheat, soy is one of the most common allergies in companion animals. Carnivores were never meant to eat soy, it is commonly used in pet food as an inexpensive substitute for meat protein. As an additional problem, is that it is estimated that some 89% of soy and 61% of corn crops are genetically engineered. Genetically modified foods are shown to adversely affect our pet's health, just as it does with us.

Cellulose

Cellulose is essentially nothing more than 100% filler. It can be purified and obtained from anything from plant material to saw dust.

By-Products

Cat and dog food routinely contains by-products. By-Products are left over wastes from human food production. By-Products come in two forms: named and un-named. Examples of named by-products include chicken by-products and pork by-products. By-products can include necks, feet, intestines and undeveloped eggs.

Un-named by-products include meat by-products. Meat by-products can include brain, blood, kidneys, lungs and stomachs.

By-products, in many cases, are derived from 4D meat sources - animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were presented to the meat packing plant as Dead, Dying, Diseased or Disabled.

Animal Fat

Unlike chicken fat (a named animal source), un-named animal fat is a rendered product from animals of unspecified origin.

Again in many cases animal fat includes meat sources from the 4D class.

Meat Meal

Meat Meal consists of rendered, unspecified sources of animal tissues.

What this definition does not mention is the 4D class of meat sources may still be legally used in meat meat.

Meat and Bone Meal

Meat and Bone Meal is a rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone.

Recently many cat and dog food companies and rendering plants have undergone scrutiny over their inclusion of euthanized pets in meat and bone meal. Ann Martin, in her book, "Food Pets Die For", exposed this revolting practice and the detection of sodium pentobarbital in pet foods, a veterinary drug used in the euthanasia of pet animals.

Chemical Preservativces: BHA, BHT, Propyl Gallate, Ethoxyquin or Sodium Nitrite/Nitrate

BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are petroleum derived preservatives used in food and hygiene products. TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) is another petroleum derived preservative.

Ethoxyquin is used as a food preservative and a pesticide. In pet foods it is typically found in meat and fish based ingredients. Ethoxyquin is banned for use in human products because it is believed to cause cancer. It is important to note that when a manufacturer obtains an ethoxyquin preserved ingredient from a supplier the manufacturer is not required to list ethoxyquin on the pet food ingredient panel.

Propyl Gallate is another preservative used in foods, cosmetics, hair products, adhesives, and lubricants

The use of these harsh chemicals are known to cause cancer and are considered neither inert nor safe, yet are widely used in pet foods.

Powerful preservatives provide an inexpensive means of providing long product shelf-life. Naturally preserved products may utilize tocopherols (Vitamin E), citric acid and rosemary extract to prevent rancidity.

These natural preservatives are common in truly healthy pet foods as the manufacturers realize that the small additional expense is worth it when it comes to our pets safety.

Sugar

Table sugar is often used to perk interest in the unsavory concoctions pet food manufacturers make. There is no reason for added sugar to be placed in pet food, other than the reason mentioned.

Propylene Glycol

Like sugar, propylene glycol is used as a flavour enhancer due to its sweet taste. It is another questionable ingredient in pet food. In human uses it is a common ingredient in stick deoderant and make-up as a humectant. It is interesting to note that propylene gycol is the less toxic chemical sister to ethylene glycol, "anti-freeze".

Artificial Colours

Coloured kibble bits are not for the benefit of the dog or cat, they are in fact to make them more appealing to you! Our pets could care less what colour their food is, this is simply another marketing trick to catch your attention in the meriad of pet food labels. Artificial colours are synthetic chemical dyes that have no place in pet food. There have been cases that link FD & C colours to cancer and other ill effects.

Conclusion

We can see that any pet food can claim healthy and natural when such is not the case. Recommended by statements also have little impact on the quality of these pet foods.

Quite simply quality pet foods do not use these ingredients. Clearly pet foods found in supermarkets and even pet chain stores do not have the best interests of your pets at heart.

So, what are the alternatives?

Fortunately there are plenty! Whether you are looking for alternative dry or canned foods, or would like to switch to a natural raw food diet, there are plenty of healthy options available for you.

Optimal Pet Foods is a pet store that specializes in healthy pet food options in Calgary, AB.

http://www.optimalpetfoods.com

Pet Health Insurance - is it Really Necessary?

A fairly recent development in pet care is pet health insurance. Many animal owners are starting to take out pet health insurance to ensure the health of their beloved animals is maintained. If you place value on your pet's life, you should consider insuring your it's life with a special health care plan to meet you and your pet's needs.

Taking your animal to the vet these days has become a very costly experience, and that's just for a consultation. If your pet gets knocked over by a car and needs surgery, your vet bill is going to exceed a thousand pounds. It's time to take the worry out of paying and find an affordable means to enable your pet to have quality treatment when it needs it most.

The older your pet is, the more many you'll have to pay monthly. If your animal is younger than 9 years, the cheaper your premium will be. As your pet gets older, chances are it will have more visits to the vet, which you'll have to fork out yourself. With pet health insurance, you will have peace of mind, not only for your pet, but for your bank account as well.

The price of goods and services are constantly on the rise, and so is the equipment that vets make use of. There are also many more procedures that vets can perform to help save our beloved pets, but with that comes more expense. Pet health insurance will cover the cost of your vet visits according to what you and your pet's needs are.

There are many options available to you, the caring owner. There are insurance plans that are affordable and cover the basics of pet health care, but there are also more expensive plans that cover much more than the basics. There will be things to consider as well, from the breed of animal you have, to the risk it has of being injured, to whether or not you want to be compensated should your animal die.

I have investigated the pet health insurance market and have been very impressed with a certain pet insurance company. They have a very simple to use website and will get you the best quote according to your needs within a matter of seconds. If you insure your car or your computer, surely you will want to insure the life of your pet to ensure the health of your pet and keep costs down.

Luis Teixeira offers advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning your Pet's Well Being and health. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting The Pet Insurance Plan for a free quote!