Five Substitutions a Pet Owner Should NEVER Make

Substituting cat food for dog food when you're in a pinch is something many pet owners have found themselves doing, but prolonged substitution can lead to malnutrition and gastrointestinal problems. Of course, that is not the only substitution pet owners have attempted, but it is by far the most common. The following article discusses ten dangerous substitutions pet owners must avoid along with the reasons for each. We all want to keep our pets healthy and happy. Knowing when *not* to substitute will help our pets live longer, healthier lives.

1. Cat Food for Dog Food, Dog Food for Cat Food - A cat can go blind or develop heart disease from eating only dog food! If you think you're saving money by only buying dog food for your cats and dogs, please remember that commercial pet food is made to meet the unique nutritional needs of the pet it is manufactured for. One of the essential ingredients in cat diet is a protein found in organ meat called taurine. In addition to taurine, cat food contains a balance of vitamins and minerals specially formulated to meet a cat's dietary needs. In the reverse situation, a dog can have malnutrition and constipation from eating exclusively cat food. This is due to pet nature. In the wild, cats are by nature carnivores. Whether consuming a fresh kill or scavanging the remains of a recently-downed prey, cats eat meat almost exclusively. Dogs on the other hand were nature's scavangers. They eat omnivorous diets of not only protein-rich meat but also additional non-meat products. A dog who eats exclusively cat food is being exposed to a higher calorie intake and would therefore become obese if allowed to eat cat food exclusively. In addition, lack of roughage common to dog food could lead to constipation. If your dog is showing a preference for cat food, consider that it might be the size of the chow and switch to a smaller size pellet.

2. Dog Flea Product for Cat Flea Product - NEVER use dog flea product on your cat. This can kill your cat instantly. In addition, do not use HOUSE flea control product on animals or people. The reason is simple: flea control products are deadly poisons. Cat bathing technique can spell death if you use a dog flea control product on a cat due to the fact that the poison formulation is different for cats and dogs. House flea control products are even more deadly than dog flea control products when used on a cat.

3. Milk for Kitten Formula, Goat Milk, or Cream - Cow milk can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration in cats due to the fact that most cats can not digest milk. The reason is lactose intolerance, a disorder that affects some humans. Orphaned kittens must never be fed cow milk! Their tiny bodies require a very special formula. Adult cats can be fed cream as a treat only, but be sure to watch for signs of diarrhea or upset tummy.

4. Online Advice for Vetrinary Care - Call it a tragedy of the silicone age; more pet owners are taking veterinary care into their own hands after reading a handful of websites describing pet ailments. This can be deadly for your pet! Following the advice of a few online folks can have many tragic consequences. Not only is a pet owner wasting precious time if their pet's problem is emergent, they are also accepting advice from unknown sources which may be simply pet owners who have gone through similar situations or even people who have no idea what they are talking about but simply want to be helpful. Herbal suppliment sites may be tempting when they talk about hollistic pet care, but remember our pets can not tell us where they hurt. A veterinarian trains to notice special clues in your pet to assist them in recovery.

5. Vegetarian Diet for Carnivorous Diet - Many well-meaning vegetarians attempt to help their pets lead a similar meat-free lifestyle. Though some pets can live on a meat-free diet including eggs and milk products. Vegan (no animal products whatsoever) is definitely not a sufficient diet for pets, and currently data for studies in whether the eggs and meat can sustain a pet healthily are being collected. Again, the problem with vegetarian diets in pets is Taurine and vitamin absorption/conversion. Suppliments are required to sustain a quality of life that is adequate for growth and health, but currently not enough is known about vegetarianism in pets for veterinarians to recommend a method of veggy diet that would be healthy enough for most pets.

Loving your pets means doing whatever it takes to help them stay healthy and happy. If you are in doubt whether a substitution for your pet is adequate, ask your veterinarian.