PUPPYLOVE!
Reading your pet food
label is more important than the brand of
food you buy
Kate Whitney
Its hard to believe
summer is over. I want to share something
with you that I do every Fall and Spring.
I look through each of my pets
health records to make sure they are up
to date with shots and vaccinations. Also
be sure to check your heartworm pills and
flea/tick preventative; its
imperative that these be given at the
same time each month to ensure
protection.
Something that seems to be on the top of
peoples lists these days is eating
healthy. I know I am constantly
surrounded by words like organic,
holistic and fresh. So if we humans are
so conscious these days about foods and
our diet, what about our pets? Have you
ever really stopped to read the label of
your dogs food?
Do you just buy whichever food your vet
recommends or whichever food is on sale
at the grocery store? I would guess that
most of you dont read the label on
the bag and for those of you who might,
do you really understand what you are
reading?
In the spirit of starting our Fall off on
a healthy foot, I would write about how
to make sure you are feeding your dog (or
cat) healthy, nutritious food. I decided
to discuss the topic with Justin Pepelis.
I first met Justin when I visited Salem
Animal Rescue League in Salem, NH. I was
there to learn more about the shelter and
its programs which I wrote about in one
of my past articles.
I noticed Justin walking around with a
tool belt on. He looked busy. Not only is
he an adoption counselor, he also donates
his time at the shelters doing
maintenance and lends advice and training
tips to anyone who needs help. He has a
passion and a respect for dogs that
anyone would admire. He also has two
adopted dogs, the Boxer I mentioned
earlier and a Doberman Pincher (one of my
favorite breeds, I grew up with two
Dobies.) Hes like a local Cesar
Milan!
With so much knowledge about dogs, I wasnt
sure what I wanted to interview him
about. I didnt have to think much
harder, though, because right when we sat
down, he said I know what your
article can be about
nutrition and
diet. I was immediately drawn to
this topic. I am always wanting to learn
about ways to keep my dogs healthy. What
prompted Justin to learn more about food
and diet, was his dog Mercedes, a Boxer.
She had severe allergies and no one could
figure out the cause.
There are two types of allergies:
environment and food. Veterinarians can
only test for environmental allergens, so
figuring out what is affecting our dogs
can sometimes be frustrating. Some dogs
are even allergic to grass! If you have a
dog that is allergic to things, Im
sure you go out of your way to monitor
what goes into its system. I once had a
cat that had diabetes, and I was always
on the lookout, making sure everything he
ate wouldnt affect his blood
glucose levels in a negative way. For
those of us who care about our animals,
this is just how we are.
Ok, so should you have a pet that is
allergic to some-thing, you first need to
look at the ingredients in the food. Look
especially at grain ingredients. In order
to figure out what the specific cause is,
rotate off different foods. Give the
animal 2-3 weeks before making any
conclusive results. It takes time for the
animals body to adjust.
There are two especially dangerous things
you do not want to see on your pets
food label: BHA and BHD. These are
preservatives that are carcinogens (cause
cancer) and are put in food to make it
last longer, in some cases the food would
last forever. A healthier choice is
something called tocopherals. The food
wont last as long, but its
much safer!
Make sure that corn is no where in the
ingredients list. Corn is the worst grain
possible. Dogs cant digest it, its
the #1 allergen, and it promotes yeast
infections in female dogs.
When reading a label, make sure the first
five ingredients make up 80%-90% of the
food. There should be at least two meat
sources, preferably three. The words
fat and byproducts
should be nowhere in the first five
ingredients.
Wheat and soy can also be harmful
ingredients. Its important to be
aware of how each is processed. What I
mean by this is that if the main healthy
components in each of the foods are used
up, and then whatever is left over is put
into the dog food, this is not good. You
dont want that left over junk in
the food. Justin also pointed out an
example of Dried Beet Pulp.
He said that this is bad and has no
nutritional value. Its just a
filler composed of sugar residue and,
just like carbohydrates, it turns into a
sugar-like substance that compares to
giving your dog caffeine. A few harmful
foods that should never be given to dogs
are chocolate, grapes (can cause a
seizure), raisins, and onions.
So lets talk a little bit about
food brands. Everyone knows the top
brands such as Science Diet, Iams,
Pedigree, etc. These are big companies
that spend exorbitant amounts of money on
advertising and some even have contracts
with your veterinarians. I know that I
would rather have money put back into
making a healthy, safe food than spending
it on TV ads. I asked Justin what the
best foods on the market were.
These companies are smaller, you may
never have heard of them. If money is no
object, check out these brands: Artemis,
Innova, Timberwolf Organics, and Solid
Gold. The best value foods (bigger bag
for a little less money) are Canidae,
Wellness, and Chicken Soup.
If you have questions regarding diet or
training and would like to consult with
Justin, please email me and I can put you
in touch with him.
Kate Whitney is a Boxford resident and
owner of the Swingrite corporation. If
you are interested in adopting a puppy or
becoming a foster parent to a puppy
waiting for a home you can email Kate at Kwswingrite@aol.com
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