Here are highlights from a seminar on pet nutrition
sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Holistic Veterinary
Medical Association (RMHVMA) on April 29, 2007 in
Denver, Colorado. This was an unprecedented event
assembling experts with decades of holistic nutritional
expertise.
What dogs are designed to eat by Kate Solisti
Dogs are carnivores (meat eaters) and carrion feeders (eat old, dead stuff.)
They are designed by nature to hunt and eat:
Rodents--mice, rates, voles, rabbits, squirrels, gophers, etc.
Deer, elk, buffalo, moose, caribou, etc.
Birds--pheasants, ducks, etc.
Eggs
Dead animals, birds, reptiles
Fallen fruit, root veggies, seeds, nuts and berries IN SEASON
They have long, sharp, pointy teeth designed to puncture, tear and swallow,
not to chew. To feed our dogs as Nature intended means:
A variety of fresh (preferably raw) meat (canned food is second best)
Bone to balance muscle and organ meat
Fatty acids and vitamins
Enzymes and probiotics
Vegetables and some fruits, seeds and nuts
Raw bones for healthy teeth and gums
NO free feeding (that's for herbivores!)
What cats are designed to eat by Kate Solisti
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must eat meat. They are descended
from the African Wildcat, a savannah-dwelling wild cat that eats only the
following:
Rodents--mice, rats
Reptiles--snakes, lizards
Birds
Eggs
Insects
Cats have long, sharp, pointy teeth designed to puncture, tear and swallow,
not to chew. Because this African Wildcat lived in the desert, it evolved to get
most of its moisture from its food, not from drinking water. To feed our cats as
Nature intended means:
A variety of fresh (preferably raw) meat (canned food is second best)
When feeding cats and dogs, think "Atkins" diet: high meat, high fat, low
carbs. Carnivores are not designed to eat carbohydrates. Cats have many
physiological adaptations that prevent them from thriving on foods that aren't
meat. Being descended from desert-dwelling felines that get most of their water
from their prey, they have a low thirst drive. Cats eating kibble only take in
half the water of cats eating wet foods (canned or raw.) The grain-free kibbles
now on the market are even more dehydrating because of their high protein
content. In fact, kibble is so bad for cats that if a fairy godmother came down
and granted Dr. Jean one wish, it would be to eliminate kibble from the planet.
Commercial dry kibble cat food is typically 1/3 to 1/2 carbohydrate or starch.
But carbs are not cat-friendly. There are virtually no carbohydrates in their
natural prey diet and they are not metabolized well by most cats. Kibble
predisposes cats to urinary tract disease and is the main cause of diabetes in
cats, as well as leading to obesity. Canned food is far better for cats,
containing 40-50% protein, more fat, more water and far less carbohydrates than
dry foods.
The best diet for cats is a balanced, homemade diet using a variety of raw,
organic ingredients. Commercially prepared raw diets are also available. Do not
feed more than 15% of the total diet as meat without balancing it with
appropriate supplements (such as bone meal.) If cats are being free-fed kibble,
first get them on a meal schedule. Cats, like other carnivores are designed for
a feast-famine lifestyle, not for "grazing" all day on kibble. Raw meat should
be frozen for 72 hours to kill parasites and larvae. Ground beef and liver
should be organic because of high bacteria and toxin levels in the
conventionally-raised versions.
When switching cats to a new diet, do it slowly to avoid food refusal and
digestive upset. Never let a cat skip more than one or two meals, as it can be
dangerous for them to go without food, particularly overweight cats (who can get
hepatic lipidosis.) Be persistent--it can take weeks or even months to make a
dietary change but it is worth it for the improvement of your cat's health.
Dr. Jean has an extensive article library including articles on cat nutrition
on her website:
www.LittleBigCat.com.
What Dogs Should Eat by Holly Foster, DVM
Dr. Holly feeds a home-made raw diet to her dogs including raw meat,
vegetables and grains. Vegetables need to be chopped fine (in food processor) or
pureed, otherwise they go in one end and out the other. In her experience,
breeds that are long and lean, such as greyhounds, tend to do better with less
carbohydrates/grains whereas the heavier, rounder breeds, such as Bernese
Mountain Dogs do better with higher grains and need more fiber. Wild relatives
of dogs show that dogs are somewhat omnivorous--coyotes and foxes will eat
berries, grass heads (grains) and nuts. Dogs will dig up root vegetables and eat
garden vegetables. The spring green grass that dogs like to eat is high in
Vitamin E and selenium, important nutrients. Cruciferous vegetables (kale,
collards, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) need to be cooked because of the
oxalates present in them. Proteins (meats) and vegetables should be rotated to
get different nutrients and the food fed should be human quality. Don't try to
switch your dog abruptly from dry kibble to raw food. Transition slowly going to
cooked food first, then raw. Older dogs need to be transitioned more slowly. If
you are not comfortable feeding raw food, then don't feed it. Feed cooked food
instead.
Dr. Holly recommended the following supplement mix to be added to raw ground
meat:
1 or 2 parts kelp (for trace minerals)
1 part nutritional yeast (for B vitamins)
1 part lecithin (contains precursors for cell membrane components)
1 part bone meal (use human-grade from health food store)
Larger dogs do better with more kelp whereas toy dogs may get agitated with
too much (as it affects the thyroid.) She suggested a mix of 1/3 meat, 1/3
vegetables and 1/3 grain (cooked), plus flax or fish oil, 1/4 tsp bone meal per
meal (for dogs 30-50 lbs), Vitamin C and Vitamin E. If not on raw, dogs should
be fed added enzymes. Older dogs should be transitioned slower to a new diet.
Even raw bones can be dangerous for dogs--the large beef bones can cause
concussive teeth fractures and smaller ones can get stuck in the
gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Holly has treated clients for raw bones obstructing
the gastrointestinal tract from owners who feed raw diets. Sometimes the same
owners keep coming back with repeated obstructions from feeding raw bones.
Chinese Medicine and Nutrition by Laura DeLoatch, DVM
Dr. Laura explained how to consider nutrition from a Traditional Chinese
Medicine perspective, taking into account Yin and Yang conditions and foods, as
well as the five Chinese elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each
element is associated with a certain taste--sour with wood, bitter with fire,
sweet with earth, pungent iwth metal and salty with water. So imbalances of
certain organs could be balanced by feeding foods with different tastes. And
imbalances in yin/yang could be balanced by feeding the opposing food. For
example, a young animal in the summer would have strong yang energy and that
could be balanced by feeding yin foods, which are cooling. A fat dog or an
older, arthritic dog would have more yin energy which could be balanced by
feeding yang foods. Dr. Laura also talked about the use of herbs, a part of
Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as the combination of mustard, ginger and
garlic (all in equal parts) that can be used for its anti-inflammatory effects
and possible reduction in pain levels.
How to understand pet food labels by Dr. Jean Hofve
Dr. Jean explained some of the rules for information on pet food labels such
as:
The 95 percent rule: If the label says "chicken for dogs", 95% of the
product must comprise the named ingredient
The 25 percent or "dinner rule: The ingredients used in the product name
must comprise at least 25% of the product and include a qualifying
descriptor like "bites," "stew," "casserole", "chunks," "platter," etc.
The 3 percent or "with" rule: This allows manufacturers to label a
product with combinations of ingredients or as "with" an ingredient, such as
"dog food with lamb" if the product contains 3% of each named ingredient.
The "flavor" rule: Manufacturers can label products as "turkey flavor
cat food" but not include any turkey other than a "sufficiently detectable"
amount.
Ingredients must be listed on the label in descending order by weight. Water
is generally the heaviest ingredient. Since fresh meat or by-products are 65-70%
water, they may be listed first but most of it is water so if you removed the
water, the grains might actually far outweigh the meat in the product. When
comparing dry food (kibble) with wet foods (canned), you have to subtract the
moisture content from 100 percent to get the "dry matter basis". Once you do
that, it becomes clear that canned foods have more protein than dry foods.
The "guaranteed analysis" lists crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber and
moisture. This doesn't tell anything about the bioavailability to your pet of
the ingredients. The protein amount is determined by measuring the amount of
nitrogen in the food. Even non-food ingredients like the melamine found in the
recalled pet food can increase the apparent nitrogen content, making the protein
content appear to be higher.
There are rules for how ingredients are defined. "Meat" means muscle tissue
from cows, sheep, goats or pigs. In the case of poultry, it also can include
bone. "By-Products" are parts other than meat which can include heads, feet,
organs, feathers, etc. In the wild, dogs and cats would eat this but they would
also eat meat. Feeding products containing only by-products does not provide
enough meat for our pets. "Meals" are rendered (boiled) meats used in dry pet
foods. The quality varies depending on the source and the manufacturer. Dr. Jean
stated that while euthanized pets had occurred in pet foods in the past, they
are rarely used anymore, more likely ending up in other products (such as
fertilizers.)
Nothing on this website has been evaluated by the FDA. This information
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please
see a qualified healthcare practitioner for any disease or illness.
