Where did all the nutrients go?

Read more!

The bag says "100% complete and balanced". What exactly does that mean? Does that mean that if my dog eats this food for his entire life he will get all the nutrients he needs in just the right amounts?

Not quite. The idea that one pet food will provide all the nutrition a pet will ever need for its entire life is a myth.

Notice the back of the bag (or can, or whatever packaging the food is in). There is a "Guaranteed Analysis" stating how much protein, fat, fiber, moisture, etc., is in the food. The guaranteed analysis is a regulatory requirement for pet foods that indicates the minimum or maximum values of key nutrients in the food.

Sounds pretty simple, right?

Not so fast.

"Guaranteed Analysis" does not actually guarantee that the food contains the amounts listed. sounds contradictory, doesn't it? The label simply lists the absolute minimum or maximum levels, which often differ from the actual quantities in the finished product. This chemical analysis does not address the palatability, digestibility, or bio-availability of the nutrients in the food. Therefore, these numbers are unreliable for determining whether or not a food will provide your pet with adequate nutrition.

The digestibility and availability of nutrients is not listed on pet food labels.

To compensate for this factor, AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) added a "safety factor" to ensure that a food exceeds the absolute minimum amounts of nutrients listed to be complete and balanced. AAFCO defines the ingredients that can be used in pet food, defines nutrition profiles for dogs and cats, and determines the approved practices for conducting feeding trials. In feeding trials, animals are fed the food being tested for 6 months and are watched to see if they remain healthy. The guidelines here are: the animals stay alive, and the animals don't show any signs of nutrient deficiency. It does NOT mean that the animals receive optimum nutrition to prevent illness further down the road, or that they will thrive.....only that the food will sustain life.

These short feeding trials are not indicative of how a pet will do in the long-term while being fed a certain food. Serious conditions such as arthritis, allergies, digestive dysfunction, dental problems, and premature aging are often caused by a poor diet beginning in the early years of you pet's life. The effects, however, may not show up for years. Other signs that your pet is not thriving on their current diet may include itching, hot spots or eczema, impacted anal glands, fatty skin growths, bad breath, loose or light-colored stools, or even personality disorders. A 6 month feeding trial is totally inadequate.

So, if the ingredients on the bag seem to be okay, why would the nutrients be lost? Let's look at the process by which pet foods are made.

Meats and proteins are typically rendered, which involves cooking at very high temperatures. This creates a fine protein and mineral rich "meal". Most dry foods are made by a machine called an extruder, or expander. The raw materials (meat meals, grains, vegetables, fruits, etc.) are blended, then fed into the extruder and steam or hot water is added. The mix is subjected to steam, pressure, and high heat as it is extruded through dies that determine the final shape of the product and puffs it up like popcorn. The food is dried, then typically sprayed with fats, digests or other flavorings to make it more palatable. A few foods are baked rather than extruded. This produces a dense, crunchy kibble that doesn't need added palatability, and pets can be fed about 25% less of these foods due to their density.

Most pet foods lose 50-75% of their nutrients during the manufacturing process. Think about that. If the ingredients are bad to begin with, as with many cheap commercial foods, the end result can only be worse! Because the ingredients are not wholesome to begin with, their quality may vary greatly by the time the final product is produced.

Dr. Randy L. Wysong, a veterinarian who also produces his own line of foods, is a long-time critic of pet food industry practices. He has stated "Processing is the wild card in the nutritional value that is, by and large, simply ignored. Heating, cooking, rendering, freezing, dehydrating, canning, extruding, pelleting, baking, and so forth, are so commonplace that they are simply thought of as synonymous with the food itself."

True, processing meat and by-products can greatly decrease their nutritional value. The cooking process, however, does increase the digestibility of cereal grains.

To make the foods nutritious, pet food manufacturers fortify the product with vitamins and minerals. In some cheaper, cereal grain-based, grocery store foods, this is still not adequate.

So, what do we do to ensure that our pets are receiving all the nutrients they need to thrive?

Raw food advocates will jump right on this as another reason that raw food diets are superior to any sort of commercial pet food. Others, who do not feel that the raw food diet is safe or balanced, promote the use of high-quality pet foods with superior ingredients. High quality natural foods carefully supplemented and balanced to the appropriate life-stage to ensure that your pet is receiving all he needs. Nutrients that were once thought to be destroyed by the cooking process are now supplemented in premium, high-quality foods...thereby making these foods as good as, or better than, a raw diet.

If you have been reading my blog all along, you are aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to pet food ingredients. If you choose a premium food with premium ingredients, you can most likely be assured that your pet is receiving adequate nutrition to thrive. If you are feeding the cheap stuff, you may want to reconsider. You might save money on food for now, but you may have much higher vet bills in the long run.

For a list of top foods with superior ingredients, check out the website of the Whole Dog Journal.
They publish an unbiased list of the top recommended premium foods each year.

Trust me....your pet will thank you.

Read More......

BARF - The Dark Side

Read more!

Last time we took a look at the BARF (Bones And Raw Food) diet, what it consists of, and what some say are the advantages of feeding this way. In this article, we will examine the "cons" of the BARF diet and look at the criticisms and problems that some believe it can create.

As an owner you may have heard a lot or arguments for or against feeding the diet in a raw, fresh, uncooked state. Many owners feel that feeding a raw diet is the only way to offer a truly healthy diet, and that cooking somehow destroys many of the nutrients in the diet. In this diet, the pet is fed raw bones, raw meat, raw vegetables, eggs, limited grains, and supplements.

Dog food experts loudly disagree on the risks and benefits of a dog raw food diet. Opponents of the BARF diet include the American Veterinary Medical Association, British Veterinary Association, and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. These organizations point out that there is no scientific evidence to show that raw food is better for your pet than commercial pet food. Those who support commercial pet food say that it is generally healthy and safe and that it meets pets' nutritional needs.

Although feeding dogs and cats raw meat to mimic the food of their ancestors may make sense on the surface, BARF opponents point out that dogs are not wolves and cats are not lions. Furthermore, they note that these animals have been domesticated for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, during which time they have eaten what humans ate, which is cooked - not raw - food.

Let's take a look at some of the specific points and potential problems stated by the "anti-BARF" side.

While it is true that the wild ancestors eat raw, freshly killed foods, our pets are not wild animals but rather domestic relatives of wild animals. Many veterinarians feel the risks outweigh the supposed benefits of the BARF diet. Some of the risks associated with a raw meat diet include parasites and bacteria, bone hazards, and nutritional deficiencies. Let's look at these in more detail.

(information taken from the SPCA website article on raw feeding)

Parasites and Bacteria

One of the biggest concerns about feeding dogs raw bones and meat is the risk of contamination (of both dog food and human food surfaces) with bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli. While raw meat may carry these kind of bacteria, they have also been found in commercial kibble and other foods, and a more wholesome diet may equip the body better to deal with the inevitable infections and parasites by boosting the immune system.

Bacteria and parasites may be picked up any number of other places – such as sniffing or licking other dogs at the park, or walking over ground where another animal has defecated and later licking paws clean. Every animal will be exposed to parasites in bacteria – but for the sake of minimizing risks, some owners prefer to avoid the raw meat BARF diet.

Some veterinarians claim there is an increased risk of seizures and other bacteria-related illness in dogs who are fed raw; other vets claim to have seen no BARF-related bacteria or parasitic infections and even recommend BARF

Many raw food proponents theorize that freezing meat will kill bacteria. Not so. Laboratories preserve bacteria and viruses by freezing them. Cooking meat is the best way to eliminate the potential for illness.

Proponents also theorize that bacteria is destroyed by stomach acid. But Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, DVM, from the National Animal Poison Control Center, disagrees. "Pathogens such as salmonella, E. coli, clostridium and campylobacter have evolved 'coats' that protect them in their transit through the stomach, and this allows them to take hold in the intestines," she says. This could be the cause of the severe diarrhea some raw food people attribute to "detoxing."

Humans who feed their pets raw meat may come in contact with harmful parasites or bacteria such as salmonella. These can be contracted by handling the raw meat, your pet's food bowls, or even your pet itself, which could spread salmonella by licking their fur or you.

Bone Splinters

Eating whole bones can fracture teeth, poses a possible choking hazard, and could also cause internal tearing and bleeding.

Fans of the BARF plan are insistent that raw bones do not splinter and are safe for dogs to chew and ingest. Raw bones are also said to be an ideal source of calcium, amino acids (protein), minerals, and other nutrients. Most pets eating raw bones do not die, develop impactions of the digestive tract, fracture teeth, or develop any other problems. Still some do, as most veterinarians will attest.

Julie Churchill, DVM, a specialist in nutrition, states, "Bones, even raw and ground bones, can perforate the gastrointestinal tract. This call lead to peritonitis, severe infections or emergency surgery, and dogs die from this each year." You also have to consider the damage to teeth by chewing on raw, meaty bones. A good many veterinary dentists are opposed to this practice.
They say that they see pets with "sparkling white teeth with crown fractures and endodontic disease."

Nutritional Deficiencies: Research Against the BARF Raw Food Diet

Ensuring that a homemade raw diet is nutritionally balanced can be tricky. (On the other hand, traditional commercial pet food is required to meet nutrition requirements.) Each pet is different, and each pet has his own nutritional needs in times of health as well as times of illness.

A recent study found some raw food diets unbalanced in vitamins and minerals. There is also some question regarding the bioavailability of essential vitamins and minerals.

Another study done in 2001 and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association pointed out a number of problems with raw diets, including low phosphorus and potassium levels, calcium-to-phosphorus ratios of 0.15 and high concentrations of zinc--all of which are areas of concern with growing puppies.


After reading all the arguments against the BARF diet, it no longer sounds like the wonder, "cure-all" feeding method that proponents present. Where does all of that leave us?

Basically, it comes down to this. In the final analysis the choice will be left up to the owner. Do your research. Make yourself an "expert" on pet nutrition. Study all the arguments both for and against and weigh them for yourself. Make sure you have a clear understand not only of the purported benefits of the BARF diet, but all the risks and potential problems that can arise as well.

As I usually tell people, the most important thing is to educated yourselves. If you choose to try a raw diet, find a good holistic vet who can help you make sure that is balanced and healthy.

My own personal opinion is that I am not comfortable with this diet. I continue to feed my guys a high-end premium kibble, supplemented with dehydrated raw food mixes and my own homemade---cooked---stew. My pups are healthy and happy and I have never had the first problem with feeding the way I do.

Again, this is only my opinion. Study and decide for yourself.

Print Page

Read More......