The Keys To Your Pets’ Healthy Nutrition
Diana S. Bokhari
By now you have already heard about what goes on in the pet food industry. The lack of regulations that would ensure the quality of the foods we feed our beloved pets is appalling, leaving most of us to fend for ourselves with the responsibility to thoroughly investigate any commercial pet food that we may choose to buy. So where does one begin? What are our options to feeding a commercial diet? How do we supplement in order to ensure that our beloved four legged charges are getting the best of everything they need?
Many pet health experts and holistic minded veterinarians agree that a raw food diet for our urban carnivores is the closest thing to the real thing that they would be getting in their own natural environment outside of human care. Never forget that a single gene separates a wild wolf from the cute little ball of canine fur curled up on your lap and that their nutritional needs are almost identical!
“The notion that every meal an animal eats should be completely balanced is a recent invention resulting from the use of packaged foods. If you were restricted to the same food in the same amount every day for the rest of your life, each identical meal would have to be nutritionally balanced because you would have no other source of nutrients. But you don’t eat that way, you don’t feed your children that way and animals in the wild don’t eat that way. It is completely unnatural…Monotony is not only boring, it is dangerous.” -CJ Puotinen, The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care
Although in most cases a raw food diet is best for both dogs and cats, this option may not be right for everyone. If your pet has a severe health condition that prevents them from eating a raw meat diet, cooking for your pet is the perfect option.
For an average adult dog, the ideal ration should consist of 2 to 3 percent quality animal protein with either mixed in bone meal or ground up bones, so a 50 lb. dog should typically be getting 1 to 1.5 pound of meat and bone meal per day. Good quality bone meal is available in the form of powder that can be added to your pet’s meals. You can also use eggs, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese and even raw milk as an excellent source of protein, although meat or organ meat should be your primary choice.
Raw fruits and veggies, even if the meat is cooked, at approximately 1/3 ratio should accompany every meal, although carrots can be steamed and sweet potatoes should be baked to aid digestion and the absorption and assimilation of beta carotene. These contain essential vitamins and fiber needed to help fuel the immune system and help in the eliminatory process. Because dogs and cats cannot break down fruit and vegetable skins, it is impossible for them to assimilate the needed nutrients. One must either pre-juice (combine both juice and pulp into the meal) or finely puree them in your blender. Nuts and sunflower seeds in moderation, because they are so fatty, can be added to the puree for additional fiber, vegetable protein and nutrients.
I do not recommend adding grains to your pet’s diet. Many experts agree that grains are extremely difficult to digest and are therefore very taxing to a dog’s and cat’s digestive process. Not only do grains pass undigested through the animal’s intestines serving no purpose other than being a filler, they take up a lot of energy from the body as it tries to “read” their molecular structure, therefore taxing the body of its energies needed elsewhere especially in maintaining immunity. There is a direct link between the increased amount of grains used in our pets’ diets today, and the increased percentage of pets suffering from allergies. I have been often asked about the benefits of giving wild brown rice as a source of vitamin B complex, and although that is something that one could give in small amounts, there is a wide range of other food sources that are an excellent alternative for carnivores; fish, beans, peas, dark green leafy veggies, eggs, liver and other organ meats, brewer’s yeast (in moderation), and dairy products such as yogurt, raw milk and cottage cheese.
According to CJ Puotinen’s The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, one of the most impressive experiments was conducted from 1932 to 1942 by Francis M. Pottenger, Jr., M.D. in Monrovia, California. Dr. Pottenger served as president of the Los Angeles County Medical Association, the American Academy of Applied Nutrition and the American Therapeutic Society among several others. “…(Dr. Pottenger) was inspired to embark on a ten year study conducted according to the most rigorous scientific standards of the day, during which 900 cats were studied and complete records where kept on 600…they where routinely weighed, numbered and examined…All of the cats where fed scraps of meat served at the sanatorium, which included beef, lamb and poultry muscle meats, bones and organs such as liver, tripe, brains and heart. All of the meat was organically raised and of the highest quality…In one experiment, cats where divided into two groups and fed an identical diet of two-thirds meat, one-third milk and cod liver oil. All of the cats received raw milk, but the meat was cooked for one group and served raw to the other. The group fed raw meat was healthy, alert, calm, well tempered, physically coordinated and resistant to fleas, infections, worms, and other parasites…In contrast, the cats fed cooked meat suffered from dental and vision problems, arthritis, heart disease, thyroid problems, skin lesions, allergies, fleas, intestinal parasites, poor coordination, miscarriages and personality disorders. Adults often died of pneumonia, kittens of pneumonia and diarrhea…While the raw meat/raw milk cats produced generation after healthy generation, there was no fourth generation of cats fed cooked meat because none of its third generation’s kittens lived to six months.”
If you absolutely, positively cannot feed your cat a raw meat diet, please make sure that you regularly provide him with fresh, organic cooked meats along with plenty of organic yogurt, cottage cheese and raw milk. Cats are true carnivores and they need animal protein not only to thrive but also to survive!
Good fats, or essential fatty acids, are paramount to supply the body with energy and are considered to be the principle source of fuel as opposed to carbohydrates. Furthermore, EFAs help to stimulate the immune system, help to regulate hormone production and the nervous system, and are principle in the regeneration of brain and other cells. Fish oils (Omega 3) are especially beneficial to cats (being carnivores they assimilate fish oils better than vegetable oils) and animals suffering from inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Seek out brands that are third party tested and are of pharmaceutical grade to avoid fats taken from fish caught or raised in polluted waters. If you are purchasing oils or other supplements that are packaged for humans, the dosage should be calculated according to the weight of the animal in ratio to the average human weight of 150 lbs.
Since the cooking process destroys meat’s naturally occurring enzymes, it is recommended that you add good quality enzymes to your pet’s meals. This is an important part of feeding your pet as dogs and cats have a much shorter digestive track and therefore have less time to absorb nutrients. Enzymes are necessary to help in the digestive process so that nutrients can be properly absorbed especially if you have a puppy, a kitten, an ill or a senior pet.
Vitamins are naturally found in your pet’s food, provided that you feed them a fresh diet as discussed above, therefore you don’t need to overdo a good thing. I do often recommend that vitamins be added for older pets or those suffering from health conditions who need that extra boost for their immunity. The most common vitamins are antioxidants in the form of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene that aid in conditions related to compromised immunity such as allergies and cancer. Pets suffering from arthritis can also benefit from antioxidants, especially vitamin C as it helps nourish the body’s collagen, in combination with glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Not all supplements are created equal, so do your research and buy reputable name brands from either your holistic veterinarian, specialized holistic pet health stores or your local health food store. Cheap brands are usually ineffective and can be a waste of your time, efforts and money.
Remember that there is no substitute for a fresh, healthy diet that is suitable for dogs’ and cats’ carnivorous nature. There are many books and other references available to those who seek to learn how to naturally feed their pet. An informed choice is a healthy choice for your pet’s health and well being as much as your own.
Diana S. Bokhari is the founder and president of Quebec's official holistic pet center, Naturalanimal & Pawtisserie. She can be reached at 514-488-4729, or by email at diana@naturalanimal.ca.