Dog Food

Dog Food Should Be Whole Food - Not Breakfast Cereal Food
Feeding dogs has become complex and we veterinarians have been one of the causes of unnecessary complexity. Only a hundred years ago, all dogs ate handouts and what they caught in the fields. Today, they eat the equivalent of packaged cereal because we veterinarians sell it, and we tell folks not to feed table food. Consider what we’ve done to our pets with this advice—we’ve created dogs and cats without the fresh nutrients they need to be really healthy. Realizing this, some veterinarians recommend that pet families buy supplements, vitamins, fish oils, and protein products to boost the nutrient value of pet food. While many of these products are helpful, the real solution is to feed pets real food, just as we feed ourselves.

Pets are healthiest when they eat fresh meats, fish, vegetables, and grains, but it's important to make the switch to healthier foods gradually. Offer small amounts of raw, cooked, or pureed foods to supplement what you’re feeding now and gradually increase the new foods as you decrease the old.

Avoid giving vitamin and mineral pills thinking they will ensure what you’re feeding is balanced and complete. Vitamins and minerals interact in complex ways. For example, the absorption of iron is increased when it is given with vitamin C, but Vitamin C decreases copper absorption. Too much zinc also decreases copper and iron absorption. Too much Vitamin B1 decreases B2 and B6 absorption. Too much phosphorus decreases calcium absorption. Because of these interactions, it is always best to supplement with whole foods rather than with vitamins. Our pets evolved being able to extract exactly what they need, and in the right ratios, from whole foods.

If your lifestyle doesn’t allow home-prepared foods, use an excellent pet food (Azmira, Wellness, Canidae, and Solid Gold), then supplement with a little of the meat and vegetables you make for yourself. Your pet will love you for it, and it will have a longer, healtheir life.