Can Your Dog Stomach This?

There's an old adage that says "You are what you eat". While more and more Americans are becoming aware of the need to reduce or altogether eliminate processed foods from their diets, we need to do the same for our pets. The ingredients that make up most commercial, processed pet foods are not fit for even non-human consumption.

To be fair, not all manufacturers use poor or potentially dangerous ingredients. In fact, there are a few that use human grade, healthy ingredients. But most pet food widely available on the shelf of the local discount store should be a source of concern for pet owners.

The sources of protein used vary vastly. Any slaughtered animal, cattle, swine, poultry, lamb - is a source of pet food protein. Well, that doesn't sound so bad but the question is this: what parts of that slaughtered animal is in my pet's kibble? Bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, beaks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and feathers are termed by-products by the industry and are a questionable source of nourishment for our animals.

Fat is added in the form of discarded restaurant grease and "animal fat" that is a by-product of the rendering process. These fats are highly saturated and lack the linoleic acid essential to healthy coat and skin.

Many of the grains used come from wheat rejected for human consumption. Brewer's rice, a low quality rice product is void of the nutrients found in whole rice. Corn gluten is the dried residue left from the milling process. Glutens are added to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats. This holds waste in which causes kidneys and livers to work overtime and our pets pay the consequences with ill health.

Fillers are often used that consistent of wood pulp, corncobs and peanut hulls.

Our pet's food is filled with additives and chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin which are potential cancer-causing agents.

According to the Animal Protection Institute, "to make pet food nutritious, manufacturers fortify it with vitamins and minerals. Why? Because the ingredients they are using are not wholesome?and harsh manufacturing processes destroy many of the nutrients the food had to begin with".

It is not unusual for commercially prepared pet foods to be contaminated with bacteria and endotoxins from using diseased animals rejected by slaughterhouses for human consumption.

The bottom line here is that ingredients in many of the commercially prepared, pre-processed pet foods vary widely in content and quality and are marginally nutritious at best. Pre-processed foods are a major source of allergies and chronic digestive problems in our pets.

What can you do? Consider replacing commercial foods with an all- natural dry food. Supplement with fresh foods. Many people are trying raw diets for their pets and more and more pet owners prepare their pet's food fresh daily. There are many books on the subject and lots of information via the Internet.

If you are interested in learning more about natural pet foods, please visit www.naturalbarker.com and read about Barker and Friends Natural Pet Treats and Flint River Ranch All Natural Pet Foods for dogs and cats. We use only human-grade, natural ingredients to protect the health of our pets. You may request a free sample of Flint River Ranch by emailing Barker and Friends at creaturecomfortsnewsletter@cox.net.

If you would like to find some good books on the topic of pet nutrition, visit our website www.naturalbarker.com and click on the Amazon.com link on our Links page.

To receive Creature Comforts Pet Care Newsletter on a regular basis, email us at creaturecomfortsnewsletter@cox.net.

Sherry Massey is the owner of Barker and Friends Natural Dog Treats and a distributor for Flint River Ranch Natural Pet Foods. Natural nutrition for our pets is just as important as it is for us. We can give our furry friends a longer, healthier life simply by feeding them whole, all natural foods and eliminating chemical preservatives and additives from their diet. Its never too late to start.