Rockwall Vet talks about – Table Scraps And Scrounging

Years ago when the population was more rural than urban, dogs ate table scraps and whatever else they could find as they went about their days. Dog nutrition was not a big concern for pet owners. The very first commercial pet food was a dog biscuit, made in England, in 1860, by James Spratt, an American electrician from Ohio.

Over time, the dog’s range narrowed, leash laws enacted and eventually the family dog became limited to his immediate home area. The cereal companies, needing something to do with their scraps, decided to make the scraps into dog kibble.

Choices Of Dog Food

Today, the choices in dog food have exploded to include all kinds of speciality foods: organic, for big dogs, small dogs, dogs with stomach trouble, dogs of various breeds. But, the basic choices of dog food are still the same: Kibble, semi-moist, canned and frozen. Canned dog food is divided into four different styles: stew, chunk, ration and all-animal.

Ration canned dog food is ground and cooked so as to be unrecognizable. The All-animal canned food contains chunks of recognizable byproducts, such arteries. The chunk dog food is ground and reshaped into chunks; byproducts are not identifiable. Dog food with added gravy is called stew and exists primarily for eye appeal.

Chemicals Found In Dog Food

The more processed the dog food, the more chemicals that will be found in it. Semi-moist dog food contains prophylene glycol which acts as a humectant to keep the food pliable. Dog food containing gravies have food starch, gum and coloring added. Artificial color and flavoring are added to dog food to make it taste better and look better to the owner. The preservatives BHT, BHA, ethoxyquin and mold inhibitors are also added. According to Pet Food Industry Magazine more than 200 different ingredients are approved for use in pet food.

The Nutritional Needs Of Dogs

Like almost all living things, dogs need fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, water and calories to support its growth, repair and activity requirements. A dog food must contain ingredients that a dog can absorb easily. It does no good to be 100% complete nutrition if the ingredients are only partially absorbed. Proteins from plants must be processed in order for a dog to absorb the nutrients.

No living thing on Earth eats the identical foods each day, every day. Even wild animals eat a variety of foods. Many dogs are fed the same food year after year with little variation. This is not the best thing to promote good health, even if the food claims it is 100% complete.

Australian Ian Billinghurst recommends the BARF diet. This controversial feeding plan has owners feed dogs raw food and bones in the form of chicken carcasses, fish carcasses, raw eggs, yogurt, fruits and vegetables and absolutely no grains.

The BARF diet has its loyal followers who insist that the benefits of the food plan include a healthier and more energetic dog. Still others insist that the diet is harmful. Either way, it can be agreed that dogs should eat food to which they are adapted biologically. If a dog is fed food that mother nature did not mean to be a primary part of the diet, illness, shorter life and degenerative diseases run rampant.

Picking The Highest Quality Food For Your Dog

Prior to purchasing a healthy food for your dog, think about the level of activity and the age of the dog, as well as the dog’s state of health. These things will assist you to choose a food that is best for your dog. The more you learn about dog nutrition, the better able you will be to make the right choices for your dog.