While natural food is a rising trend among humans, pet owners should be careful before feeding similar types of food to their pets, according to a Kansas State University veterinarian.

All too often pet owners assume that because certain foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthy for them, they are also healthy for their pets, said Susan Nelson, K-State assistant professor of clinical services.

“Natural and veggie-based pet foods are based more on market demand from owners, not because they are necessarily better for the pet,” she said.

Natural pet food isn’t necessarily unhealthy for pets, and there are good brands on the market. But cats and dogs have specific nutritional needs that some of these foods may not provide, Nelson said.

For instance, a natural dog food may provide antioxidants through fruits and vegetables, but it may be deficient in other nutrients the dog needs. If pet owners opt for natural pet food, it’s important to make sure pets still receive a well-balanced diet, she said.

Before buying any pet food that is labeled natural, owners should make sure it comes from a reputable company. Nelson said the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO, sets guidelines for the production, labeling and distribution of pet food and sets minimum standards for the nutritional adequacy of diets.

To ensure that food contains the proper nutrients a pet needs, pet owners should only buy pet food that has at least one of the two AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements on its label, Nelson said. The association’s standards determine whether a pet food company’s product is complete and balanced for a specific life stage according to one of two criteria: the diet’s formula meets the minimum nutrient requirements established by the association or the diet has undergone association feeding trials.

Feeding trials, while not perfect, generally give the best assessment on how well the food performs for a specific life stage, Nelson said. Owners should look closely at the feeding statement on the label, as some foods are intended for intermittent feeding or only for specific life stages, and they could be detrimental to a pet if fed long-term.

Nelson said it is important to differentiate between terms such as natural, organic and holistic. Organic and holistic currently have no specific definitions for pet foods under the Association of American Feed Control Officials guidelines. Organic is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for human food, but the department has no definition of natural foods for humans.

The feed control association defines natural products as those that don’t contain any chemically synthesized ingredients except vitamins or minerals. The labels for natural products containing any of these ingredients must state: “Natural with added vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients.” Consumers should be wary of any pet food company that claims to have organic or holistic food because they don’t exist by the association’s definition, Nelson said.

Consumers should also pay attention to food ingredients. For instance, cats and dogs should not eat onions or garlic. While flaxseed oil can provide fatty acids for dogs, cats can’t use it for this purpose. Any manufacturer that uses these ingredients should be avoided, Nelson said.

“Most reputable companies have a veterinary nutritionist on hand,” Nelson said. “These companies also conduct nutritional research and have their own internal quality control in place.”

Because dry pet food needs preservatives, there is often debate about whether artificial or natural preservatives are better. Studies show that synthetic preservatives seem to work better and aren’t bad for pets at the levels contained in the food. However, market demand is for using vitamins E and C because they are natural preservatives.

As with any pet diet, pet owners who opt for natural pet food should keep an eye on their pets to make sure the food is not negatively affecting them, Nelson said.

“Assuming the diet you have chosen meets AAFCO minimum standards of nutritional adequacy, and if your pet looks healthy, has good coat quality, is in good body condition, has good fecal consistency and is able to do its job, the diet is probably adequate for him,” she said.

http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/nelsonbio.html

What Say You?

Do you agree that natural dog foods are not always the best?
Or do you subscribe to the theory that feeding dogs a natural diet offers greater health benefits?

Could feeding dogs table scraps and other human food be harmful?

You may know….

9 million people in the UK suffer from joint problems*
44% of men and **35% of women in the UK are overweight**
But did you know….

40% of the UK’s large breed dogs live with joint problems too
Similar to the human population, up to 50% of the UK’s pets are overweight.
To a dog, one human biscuit has the same calorie equivalent as a whole packet.

Britain may be a nation of dog lovers, but new research from Eukanuba shows that over a quarter of dog owners are unaware that common dog sensitivities such as putting on weight or sensitive skin can be helped by a change in diet.

The research, commissioned by Eukanuba to coincide with the launch of its new Special Care premium food range for dogs with special nutritional requirements, has shown just how much owners love their pets and care about their nutritional wellbeing. However, all admit they still can’t resist slipping them the odd naughty human treat:

Scraps from a plate – 43%
Home made gravy for dinner – 23%
One of your biscuits – 21%
A homemade meal – 13%
A bite of your chocolate– 13%

The findings point towards the emergence of a new ‘mirrored-diet syndrome’, when many owners and pets share the same health sensitivity problems, concerns and predispositions. For example,, 30% of owners admit obesity is a big pet health worry, 28% fear arthritis will also affect their dog, whilst a sensitive stomach can be a problem for both man and beast.

So what is the answer to preventing these common dispositions from taking hold? Like humans, sensitive or overweight dogs need tailored nutrition to help bolster their immune systems and combat everyday stress and strains.

“Diet and nutritional needs for man’s best friend have become blurred over time, as owners begin to look upon dogs as part of the family, a positive step for socialisation,  but not so helpful at meal times” says Monica Lundervold, Eukanuba’s Veterinary Consultant.

“This blurring is a contributing factor as to why more and more dogs are developing the sort of sensitivities and predispositions that affect millions of humans across the world, but unlike humans, the treatment and warning signs are not the same. For example, being able to see a dogs waist and feel its ribs is not a bad sign, as believed by almost 50% of owners surveyed, but the sign a dog is a healthy weight.

This is why Eukanuba, together with vets, has developed a new range of everyday diets to strengthen a dogs natural defences.  With Eukanuba Special Care, dogs with common sensitivities can begin living their lives to the max, whilst giving owners the peace of mind that they are providing healthy and nourishing food to make their dogs feel great!”

Eukanuba Special Care’s first success story has already been achieved in a matter of days, proving the fact that natural predispositions needn’t be a problem for any dog, or owner. Eukanuba Sensitive Digestion helped turn Dave, the five year old Victorian Bulldog from a flatulent failure who was banished from the family living room due to his intense odour, into a family favourite in a matter of days. Dave’s owner Mr Highet can’t believe the change:

“We love Dave to bits, but his sensitive digestion was gassing us all out. We hated having to keep him in a separate room every evening, but we felt we had no choice. Finding a cure seemed impossible, but Eukanuba Special Care has miraculously done the trick and literally brought Dave up smelling of roses in a matter of days. Now the whole family can enjoy evenings together without pegs on our noses!”

Food intolerance in dogs is an often overlooked factor in a wide variety of health and even behaviour problems in our canine friends. We’re all used to hearing about the link between diet, nutrition and overall health and well-being. Humans have the unique ability to speak up and, of their own volition, go see a medical professional if they feel unwell if something is just not right in their health. Dogs rely on us for everything. The food we put down for them, when they get to see the vet and so it’s down to us to be aware of issues such as food intolerance, allergies and generally ensuring our dog’s diets are complied of the proper nutritional requirements based on their age, breed and lifestyle.

Here we’ll examine the effects of food intolerance in dogs, helping to give a solid overview of what to look for, symptoms of food intolerance and the steps to take should you suspect your dog may be intolerant to certain food types.

If asked about food allergies and intolerance, many of us would have a friend or relative who is unable to digest wheat or dairy. In fact it is so uncommon that restaurants and retailers now cater for a wide range of intolerances and allergies, so why are we yet to consider our pets and their intolerances?

Food intolerance and allergies in pets are becoming increasingly common and for one pair of dog owners a blood test led to a vast improvement in health for their much-loved pet.

Tony and Barbara Bridger from Tring were worried about their Border Terrier Cross, Ebbie.

For months she had been passing blood and mucus and being generally unwell. Just about everything had been tried until the vet mentioned food allergies.

Tony said: “You don’t like to see a pet suffer in that way and you don’t know what to do.

“It would not have occurred to us that it might be a food allergy, in fact we would have scoffed at the thought. Our pet allergic to food? We thought a test wouldn’t show anything.”

The vet drew some blood and sent it to Yorktest Veterinary Services who carried out extensive diagnostic tests on the sample.

The laboratory, which has carried out 12,000 tests over the past few years, specialises in finding out whether a food intolerance or an allergy may spark a pet’s problems.

Signs of an allergy can vary from one animal to another including skin problems such as scratching and hair loss or gastrointestinal problems which includes vomiting. Some pets also show behavioural problems.

Barbara says: “The vet said we should give the test a go before we begin to accept the symptoms as a condition or weakness.

“Since we had the results back which highlighted which foods Ebbie was allergic to, she has been a picture of health. It’s been marvellous – well worth doing.

“We would not have believed it would clear up so quickly. Looking at her now it’s hard to believe just how poorly she was. Her health improved in a week or two.”

Tony added: “In similar circumstances we would definitely do it again – and we would say to other pet owners they should not hesitate to have the test too.

“From the poorly state Ebbie was in this was like a miraculous cure.”

Paula Peacock from Yorktest Veterinary Services, said: “An allergy is a reaction caused by either direct contact such as eating or breathing in an allergen such as food or pollen. If a dog is regularly exposed to an allergen, for example, the same food, the resistance of its immune system will weaken, often resulting in poor health.

“Once the test results are known, pet owners can then discuss with their vet the type of therapy needed – ranging from dietary changes through to immunotherapy which is a series of vaccinations which help build up a dog’s immune system against pollens and insects.”

Find out more about dog allergies.

For many, owning a dog is one of life’s true pleasures and if you want what is best for your pet you need to focus on the food you are feeding to it. The two things to focus on are: quality of food and portion sizes. It is very important to carefully check the ingredients on the bag when looking for the best dog food on the market. Price sometimes dictates what we look at first, but ingredients are just as important to consider.

Your diet plays a critical role in determining your total health. The same is the case with your pet. So , it only appears reasonable if you pay rather more attention while choosing dog food for your pet. These are some straightforward tips and proposals that will help you select the right dog food for your pet.

Checking the ingredient list is the first step in selecting the right dog food. Before you purchase any dog food, ensure that you go through the list of ingredients fastidiously. Check if the product includes any ingredients that would be harmful for your dog’s health. Also, if the product includes meat spinoff, chicken derivative, birds derivative meat and bone meal in the first 5 ingredients, then you need to desist from the product.

Besides ingredients ; another thing to be observed out for is the nutritional value of dog food. It’s essential the product must have adequate quantity of all the essenatial nutrients. In addition to checking the nutritional value; it is suggested that you should always check the share of calories as present in a dog food. If a specific dog food is noted to be running high on the calorie content; it’s better to refrain from buying such dog food.

The dog food needs to be better to the nutritive duty of your dog. This criterion of selection is imperative because different races of dogs have sundry requirements of nourishment. It’s been noted the smaller dogs are more in need of carbohydrates. On the other hand the dogs which are huge in size need more of minerals and vitamins quantity. So first update yourself about the nutritive wants of you dogs. Only then purchase a dog food which is able to meet the required nutritional requirement.

Another important thing in this context is additives. Nearly always dog food which is ready to be loaded in preservatives which may not be good for your pet’s health. While choosing dog food; keep a watch on the preservatives as be loaded in a particular food product. Some of the preservatives that may prove detrimental to the fitness of your pet are BHA, ethoxyquin and BHT. These the chemicals as present in a selected food have the potentiality of triggering in a condition of cancer in the canines. You should generally go in for dog foods which have preservatives in the shape of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Look for APHIS paperwork. Dog foods that are warranted by APHIS are a safer bet than the ones that come without certification. APHIS authorized dog foods make use of human grade ingredients. So, with these foods, you can be absolutely guaranteed that they won’t harm your dog. Besides, you may also consult your pet about the food brands that would work fine for your pet.

Choosing dog food with extra care and caution is essential. While the wrong dog food could deter the general fitness of your child, the right food can play a big role in keeping your pet healthy. So, watch out when selecting dog food.