The Benefits of Holistic Dog Food

Almost seven years ago I adopted a Border collie puppy I named Boston. Less than a month later when she began vomiting a yellow foamy substance I became alarmed and a trip to the vet's office ensued. I lugged every toy she owned, her treats and food with me in the event that she had been digesting something that was bad for her. After one look at these items the vet pointed to my bag of pedigree and told me that was the cause. I could have saved quite a bit of money had I known that the health and well being of my dog depended on the food she ate. Since the recall of dog foods has happened I have continued to run into people who still have no idea about the ingredients of the food they give their dogs and because of the illnesses associated with these recalled foods I'm going to share with you the benefits of feeding with holistic foods.

What is holistic dog food, you might be wondering? Webster's defines holistic as relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts; meaning that it covers all the bases or the whole body. Holistic is also a synonym for alternative methods. By this definition, "going holistic" means turning away from any conventional options and using alternative methods. Holistic dog food is based on these very definitions. It is intended to not just treat hunger in your pet but to also address various circumstances that might arise in the health and well being of your pet such as skin ailments, fleas and ticks, joint problems and intestinal diseases. Holistic dog foods are all natural, they are made up of human grade ingredients which means that instead of a by product of meal it contains actual hormone free meat. Included in holistic foods are whole grain Rice, balanced omega 6 and 3 fatty acids, probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidant vitamins, chelated minerals, and natural skin and coat conditioners.

The difference between holistic foods and the dog foods you see at the grocery store is that typical brands, including those involved in the recent recall, commonly use meal rather than meat. Meal more often than not contain things like chicken beaks and other indigestible parts. Cheaper brands also include wheat, corn and soybeans into their foods as fillers. These fillers not only make your dog sick to their stomach but cause allergic reactions due to the fact that dogs by nature are not able to digest them. The reason these cheaper food manufacturers use fillers is because it's much more cost efficient to produce fillers than to use real meat. When feeding your pet with cheaper grocery store foods you will probably find that not only does your dog have regular bouts of vomiting but their stools are also huge, smell bad and are made quite often. These foods fill your dog's tummy for a short while and then must be passed through the system in order to get rid of the indigestible materials and then your dog is hungry once more. Many dogs become overweight because of the need to eat more often when in fact it's really proper nutrition and protein that they are in need of.

Time and time again I come across people who are stunned by the cost of holistic dog foods. They actually become quite irritated at the idea of spending so much money on feeding their pet properly. What they fail to realize is that it's actually cheaper in the long run to pay $45 dollars for a bag of holistic dog food because the dog eats less and has less illnesses. A large bag of holistic food will last twice as long as a bag of cheap dog food such as puppy chow or kibbles n bits. Dogs that are fed a higher quality of food not only age slower but are found to have less allergies and intestinal problems thus leading to less veterinarian visits which we all know cost and arm and a leg. Because holistic foods have no fillers or byproducts it takes 20 to 40 percent less the amount of food to feed than the cheaper counterparts. Food allergies are the number one reason for most visits to the vet's office and can usually be reduced simply by switching to a healthier diet. You can tell if your dog is suffering from an allergic reaction to the ingredients in your food if you find that they have itchy skin and bodily eruptions, inflamed ears, excessive licking of the front feet, digestive upsets that include gurgling, gas and diarrhea, inflammation of the toes and an irritated rear end (anus, genitals) with licking and dragging of the rear on the floor, vomiting yellow foam, hot spots and rashes.

So what's in dog food?

"according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), an independent group that issues guidelines approved by the Food and Drug Administration, poultry-by-products "must consist of non-rendered clean parts of carcasses of slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, viscera, free from fecal content and foreign matter except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice." (The Nature of Animal Healing)

The 11 billion dollar per year pet food industry wants pet owners to believe they are buying food that contains wonderfully prepared whole chickens, the best cuts of beef and naturally grown whole grains. What most people don't know is that the pet food industry is a part of the human food and agriculture industries. Grains considered "unfit for human consumption," and similar waste products are used to in order to turn a profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, esophagi, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts. The protein used in pet food comes from a variety of sources. When animals are slaughtered, the good stuff like lean muscle tissue is trimmed away for human consumption and whatever remains; bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, and almost all the other parts not generally consumed by people are used in pet food, animal feed and other products. These other indigestible parts are known as byproducts, meat-and-bone-meal, or similar names. Two of the top three ingredients in dry dog foods usually come from some form of grain.

Pedigree Performance Food for Dogs lists Ground Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, and Corn Gluten Meal as its top three ingredients. 9 Lives Crunchy Meals for cats lists Ground Yellow Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, and Poultry By-Product Meal as its first three ingredients. The reason for such grain fillers is corn is a cheaper energy source than meat. A lot of the meat fillers or meals and byproducts are frequently contaminated with bacteria because their source is not always animals that are killed by slaughter houses. Animals that have died because of diseases or other causes are considered to be a source of meat for byproducts and fillers. The dead animal might not be used for several days after it has died. This has caused contamination with bacteria such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. Dangerous E. Coli bacteria are estimated to contaminate more than 50% of the byproduct fillers. Other toxins that go into dog food come from mold or fungi. Ingredients that are most likely to be contaminated by these kinds of toxins are grains like wheat, corn, peanut meal, fish meal and soybean meal. Is this really what you want to be feeding your beloved family pet?

When the recall of dog food was announced recently I was one of those few people who didn't have to worry about it. I didn't have to run to the garage to read the label on my bag of dog food. I already knew with comfortable certainty that the food I purchase contains no corn products which is the contaminated ingredient found in the recalled foods. If you are looking for a healthier way to feed your pet check out the following pet food manufacturers. They are placed on this list according to my own personal rating.

1. Canidae - you can't go wrong with this one. It's the best on the market. You can find them at almost all pet stores or order online at http://www.canidae.com. Here's what their website says about the current recall:

In light of the unfortunate current can recall by other respectable pet food manufacturers, our phone lines and emails are tied up with concerned customers. We want you, our valued customer, to feel secure with the continued use of our canned products. CANIDAE® canned foods in no way is affected by the recall, nor are any of our products produced in any of the recalled production facilities.

CANIDAE Pet Foods also does not produce cuts and gravies, pouches, and does not contain corn, wheat or soybeans in any of our products or formulations, and all ingredients are of US origin.

Our heartfelt concerns go out to all those affected by the recall.

CANIDAE Pet Foods

2. Pinnacle - Next to Canidae this is my favorite. It's great food that my dogs love. They have different flavors to choose from like trout and sweet potato or duck and potato. This company offers a feeding program where you buy ten bags and get one free. You can order from them online as well by going to http://www.breeders-choice.com/shop.

3. Flint River Ranch - This is fantastic food! They offer both cat and dog food in their line of products as well as treats and chewies. What makes them different is their food is not only oven baked, it's twice oven baked. You can find their store online at https://secure.frrco.com/cart/indexCart_SSL.cfm?MMD1

4. Timberwolf Organics - I have heard handlers and trainers swear by this food. It is especially good for picky eaters and they even offer free shipping! This food can only be ordered online as far as I know. To order from them visit their website at http://timberwolforganics.com/s.nl.

Now that you are armed with this information there is no reason to go back to feeding your dog garbage. If you wouldn't eat it then why should a pet you love dearly be subjected to it. Holistic foods are so naturally made that not only do they claim to be human grade; some of them are actually quite tasty for humans! For more information regarding dog foods that are not on the recall list please visit http://petsitusa.com/blog. Love your dog, feed him or her properly and enjoy a long, active, happy life together without allergies or illnesses.