How to feed Your Pet a Healthy Diet Part One

Four years ago, two of our four pets fell suddenly ill. One 10-year old cat abruptly had a stroke, suffering for three weeks before succumbing to lack of blood flow through his heart. Another seemingly healthy 7-year-old suddenly stopped eating. In three days, weight fell off and she was diagnosed with renal failure. Her kidneys were shutting down.

For four months we alternated between trips to the vet for blood tests, shots of heparin to thin blood,

Medication to thicken the blood and intravenous saline solution to wash out the kidneys were part of our regime. On December 26 she passed away peacefully in her sleep in her favorite sunny spot.

Even as my daughters reeled from the loss, I began to search for answers. Eventually the news broke the answer; wheat products purchased in China were contaminated with plastics. When broken down by stomach enzymes, the plastics turned into toxic chemicals which slowly destroyed kidney function.

But why was wheat in my cat food.

And what were by-products, anyway.

Reading everything from product labels to nutritional reports, I found that many mainstream pet food manufacturers create inexpensive products using wheat and corn products, artificial flavors, colors, sugars and refuse from slaughterhouses.

Meanwhile these fillers cannot be digested by cats and dogs, provide no nutrition and pass through, creating more mess in the yard.

Cats are obligate carnivores. In nature they kill and eat fresh meat. They rarely consume decomposing meat or fish and never consume grains. Fiber and roughage contributed to their diet come from the contents of the stomachs of their prey. Mice, rabbits and birds consumer grain and greens, but by the time their reach their ultimate consumer; they are partially digested, allowing for all remaining nutritional value to be converted.

Dogs, meanwhile, also exist on a carnivorous based diet. However, canines are opportunists. They will also consume grain, fruit and garbage. In my house, slices of apple and baby carrots are often treats.

But diseased cattle, ground beaks, feet and feathers, also known as by-products, are a last resort, rather than a primary food source.

To that end, a major change of diet was required. To create a healthy diet, I began by reading product labels. Ingredients are listed on the label in the order of percentage. The first two or three items should be protein-based, clearly identified and without words like meal or by product.

Fruits and vegetables may be listed to provide healthy nutrition with maximum digestion. Apples, carrots, peas, beets and tomatoes are all common favorites.

Nutritious grains that hold fiber and can interact with proteins to create complex carbohydrate, like oatmeal, brown rice and barley may be added. Vitamins and minerals may be added.

While canned food can keep its healthy value indefinitely, as do refrigerated and frozen foods, dried foods can degenerate when exposed to air. Large bags should be transferred to a sealed plastic or glass container. It needs to be kept dry, dark and airtight.

Items including white rice, wheat, and corn are ineffective fillers that bring down manufacturer cost without bringing anything to the animal.

Sugar and salt are unacceptable.

Animal health experts suggest avoiding extravagant options like bison and salmon, to be held in reserve in case food allergies occur.

However, other than that, dried foods can be rotated so that optimum nutrition can be provided to the dog.

In our house, four high quality dogs’ foods rotate in and out, providing varying amounts of protein, grain and flavor. Beef, chicken and turkey also alternate.

With a little research and a little initiative, house pets can live longer, healthier lives.