Cooking for Your Dog - Changing Your Mind About the Way You Feed Your Best Friend

Horrors like the current pet food scare should be taken as a warning. As of today, over 500 animals have died because of contaminated food. The recalled foods cover 91 brands of wet dog and cat food, in cans and pouches. They account for about 1% of pet food sold in the U.S. the FDA says. As of today, no dry foods are included. As time passes the animals that survive this will suffer long term affects from consuming rat poison.

Over sixty million cans of pet food have been recalled because of an unknown contaminant. One in every six dogs that the manufaturers tested their food on, died before the products even hit the shelves. But that didn't stop them from putting your beloved pet at risk.

I started feeding my dog steady diet of real meat, along with natural dry dog food over two years ago. At the ripe old age of 15, for all practical purposes, she's old enough to be my grandmother. I would never feed my dear old granny junk from a can, so why would I treat my geriatric pup to a meal of road kill, seasoned with pesticide? The majority of dog and cat food on shelves everywhere is simply not fit for consumption by our best friends. No matter which vet or celebrity the manufacturer gets to endorse it, what's in those cans and pouches is bad news.

Before you shop for Fido or Fifi again, here are a few facts you should consider:

• The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO,) a non-governmental organization, maintains the standard for nutrition when it comes to pet food. They are not affiliated with the USDA which governs human foods. If the food analyzed in their labs is found to contain the specified levels of protein and vitamins agreed to by the brand, it can be sold without testing.

• If a dog food is labeled "Dog Food with Real Beef," under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA) labeling laws, it only has to contain 3% real beef. However, if dog food is labeled "Beef for dogs", it must contain 95% beef. "Beef dinner dogs" only has to contain 25% beef. Check your labels!

• Under USDA labeling laws, food labeled "Chicken flavored" doesn't have to contain any chicken at all.

• According to the USDA "meat and animal tissues intended for consumption by animals, not humans, is not subject to the same inspection process.

• The "4D" rule - diseased, disabled, dead and dying, is the golden rule when it comes to manufacturing pet food. Euthanized pets from vets and shelters, road kill, slaughter house leftovers, and animals that die on their way to the slaughter house - all are acceptable ingredients for pet food, after they've been denatured (i.e. rendered unfit for human consumption).

Denaturing is done with chemicals like carbolic acid (a corrosive disinfectant) and creosote - a chemical used to preserve wood. Both of these chemicals have been banned in the EU because of their carcinogenic nature, yet it is still used in China, where the contaminated wheat came from. Steroids, growth hormones and chemicals used to treat cattle for infestations - including insecticide patches - end up in your pet's food. Meats from grocery stores that didn't sell before the expiration date, along with the Styrofoam trays and the plastic wrap they were packed in end up in the "processed" food as well. The chemical that is used by your vet to euthanize an animal, sodium pentobarbital, survives rendering, and ends up in there as well.
In the wild, most dogs will avoid eating contaminated meat, and yet we willingly pay for it when it's cleverly packaged with a happy Golden Lab on the bag or a kitten on the can.

So, what can we do? What's the alternative, you ask? There are those of us who willingly prepare poached chicken breast or boiled ground beef, no questions asked. The way I see it, if I can make time to cook dinner for my human friends, I can certainly find the time to boil some meat for my terrier. It takes about a half hour from start to finish, including a quick spin in the Cuisinart and portioning for a couple of days. If this seems like a waste of time, let me ask you how much time you've "wasted" going to the vet once your pet develops food allergies, ulcers, kidney failure, etc.? For those of you who simply can't find the time to do this, there are still alternatives.

Reputable manufacturers of human grade pet food are out there. The Innova Pet Food Company was started by Dr. Richard Befield, DVM, and a former USDA vet, who was concerned about what his own animals were eating. Other Holistic companies, like Nature's Recipe, Natural Life, and Flint River Ranch all offer food that is free of chemicals, drugs, and meats from rendering plants. Wysong and Goldsong even use vacuum sealed packaging to insure freshness and stability when it comes to their products. Although the cost for these premium dog foods is higher, the simple truth of the matter is that you will still come out ahead since you can feed your dog less. Vitamin supplements like fish oil complexes, and calcium are available from your vet if you're concerned about your pet getting everything he needs to stay healthy. Pet supplements are flavored and something you can give as a treat.

As a pet owner, it is up to you to learn what you're feeding your pets, and to decide what you will and will not accept as ingredients. Most manufacturers print their customer service 1-800 number on the side of their bag. Call, and ask them what they put in the food they sell. Ask questions and don't be shy about it. Make sure you read the labels before you open those cans and pouches. When you think about what your pets means to you, can you really live with the fact that they might end up becoming another dog's dinner some day? I didn't think so!