Diet Dog
Is Dry Dog Food a superior food, or is a natural wild dog's diet(bones,meat,offal, etc) the best option?
I know some people who feed their dogs dry almost exclusively.
Dry food is processed and man made (which is a big worry).
I have read in some alternative publications that there is too much protein which is incomplete and indigestible and that high calcium is a problem.
It has also been suggested that despite the claims that it is a teeth cleaner tartar still forms on dog's teeth from using it.
High amounts of cheap grain are also added which is not a natural part of a dog's diet according to some.
So is the truth out there somewhere?
Unfortunately American Vets and Commercial Food Companies have tight links. Just as Medical practitioners and Drug Companies are in bed with each other. A sort of symbiotic relationship I suppose
So I am a little suspicious of their opinions and motives
I just read some vets get a 40% cut for recommending certain CDFs
Natural diet. This nonsense that dogs have "evolved out of eating like wolves"? Neat trick since kibble hasn't even existed more than 100 years. Same with the silliness about dogs being omnivores. Dogs are biological carnivores -- the fact that they can survive on non-meat doesn't change that. My cats like to eat grass and cantaloupe, but I don't hear anyone ever trying to argue that cats are omnivores. And once off kibble, dogs digest up bones quite nicely. I have to laugh at the guy who thinks that "wolves don't eat the bones". It's only cooked bones that are indigestible.
Dogs don't need grain, rice, or vegetables which comprise a major part of kibble. Says so right in Merck veterinary manual. Course, the dog food companies subsidize veterinary nutritional education, so many vets seem to skip over that part.
A great one-stop shop for more information is:
http://www.rawfed.com/myths/
I know too many sick dogs that have made complete turn arounds on raw diet to doubt it. I have personally had two dogs that had serious health problems which resolved only after I got them off kibble. I finally got the hint.
Ultimately, you've got to feed what's right for you and your dog, but it's worth it to do your research. I've tried expensive kibble after expensive kibble, and while they are hands down better than cheap kibble, it's still... kibble.
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As the pet healthcare industry becomes more proficient, pets are able to live longer life even if they should contact diseases like diabetes. More manageable than ever before, diabetes in dogs can be treated and control with medication and most importantly a properly control diet.
The first most important aspect of a control diabetic diet is to not allow your dog to gain and lose too much weight. Weight changes would affect the amount of insulin needed to control diabetes and any planned changes to gain or slim down have to be done under the supervision and guidance of a veterinarian.
A control diabetic diet should avoid both natural and added simple sugars. Many soft foods, such as the semi-moist "burgers" and treat, contain a higher than recommended amount of sugar. Their relatively high moisture content, combined with this higher sugar content, may cause a spike in the dog's blood sugar after eating.
Routine is an important part of the diabetic dog's diet. The most difficult part that most diabetic dog owners face is the controlling of the dogÂ’s blood sugar level over a long period of time. A well-established routine that features a regular schedule of meals, treats, and exercise is important and of great benefit in terms of maintaining a diabetic dog's good health. A well-planned good routine that manages to maintain the dog's weight at an ideal level might reduce or even stop the need to treat the dog with insulin.
Homemade Diets
Although many dog owners enjoy cooking and taking care of their diabetic dog, most homemade diets are not recommended for diabetic dogs, unless you really know what you are doing. Homemade diets are too variable to be suitable, even if high-quality ingredients are used. One of the few occasion that a homemade diet is recommended for a diabetic dog is when the dog refuses to eat a commercial diet.
Commercial Diets
Commercial diabetic canine diets are varied, to give the owner and veterinarian more options when prescribing food for an affected dog. These dogs have lower protein than that which the dog might get in a homemade diet, ranging from about 5 percent dry weight to about 8 percent dry weight.
The advantages of a commercial diabetic diet over home prepared diet is that the commercial ones are more consistent in the uses of their ingredients, that makes controlling the sugar level more manageable. Nevertheless, not all dogs will eat them and it might take the owners to try various different formulations before finding one that your dog will enjoy eating. One tip to help a diabetic dog likes his food is to try mixing his food with different flavor of prescription canned food. This method is helpful for many diabetic dogs out there.
Moses Wright is the founder of Dog-Diet.net. You can find more helpful information on Canine Dog Diet, Natural Dog Food and Homemade Dog Food on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.
