I spent four years learning about pet nutrition for a high school job I didn't think I'd value in my future.
I've heard pitches from many pet food representatives and I've taken notes on plenty of lectures from nutritionally certified veterinarians. At first, all of the information that was being fed to me seemed purely theoretical and like some overhyped trend.
After my four years working with individuals with sensitive dogs and cats, I've come to realize that all of that 'flashy trend junk' I thought I was being brainwashed with actually has some real science to it. It started with a few customers feeding their dogs Science Diet (as prescribed by their vet) who wanted to switch to something better.
These dogs were commonly suffering from pancreatitis, digestive issues, weight issues, organ failure, and even cancer. About a year goes by and I start hearing that the same customers I had helped switch their pet's onto a supplemented raw meat diet from the "veterinarian certified prescription food" were now having organ-failure-free dogs. Suddenly I noticed the almost definitive trend that came with switching from commercial kibble food to a raw diet. Almost always, the health ailments of the pet significantly improved after switching.
So, after those four years of learning more and more about dogs and cats and how their bodies work in relation to nutrition, here's what I've learned...
We love our pets with all of our hearts. Most of us rightfully consider our pets apart of our family. We voluntarily take on the responsibility of owning this animal and so we typically try our best to give it a loving, healthy life. However, I’ve come to realize something pretty upsetting.
We are feeding our pets to death.
It sounds extremist, I know. I don’t enjoy making such wild accusations or statements, especially when they relate to a ‘trend’. But after years of being trained via lectures from nutritionally certified veterinarians, food representatives, and consumers who have experienced issues with this themselves, I know for a fact that we’ve been doing something wrong.
These days, even if you look up a dog tag on instagram, your feed suddenly starts to be filled with ads for Purina, Iams, Rachael Ray, Meow Mix, Blue Buffalo, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Science Diet, and so on. Each of them claim to be the best food perfect for the active pups we love. They promise shiny coats and superb health. Recently, they’ve taken the ‘grain free’ and ‘all natural’ labels and turned them into a deceptive trend. Many of us actually already feed our pets these kinds of foods.
Unfortunately, we are unknowingly killing them in doing so.
On a basic bag of Dog Chow, you can flip it over on its front and see a very, very, very long list of ingredients. A little panel of “nutritional information” which typically only includes protein, fat, and vitamin percentages can also be found on the back. You’re likely to additionally see a serving size guide instructing those with a 50 pound pup to feed four cups of kibble a day.
Not many people actually flip over their dog food bags, but if you do, I wouldn't be surprised if you read a list of whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preservative, corn gluten meal, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, animal by-product, ect. Even if you follow the grain free route, you’re likely to see potatoes, pea protein, sweet potatoes, and other starchy vegetable based ingredients. Many people just take it for what it is… dog food. I mean it’s not like we should expect anything decent, right?
Well, no.
Just like how many of us might read the back of a food label, see high fructose corn syrup, and put the product back on the self, we should be doing the same thing for our pet’s food. Because of the lack of regulation and scrutiny for American pet food manufacturing, there is a long list of red flag ingredients that we should know to avoid when we shop for our pet’s food.
See, it’s my personal belief that in choosing to take on the responsibility of owning a pet, we agree to care for that pet to the best of our ability. That pet grows to love us, sometimes the second they meet us, and they trust us to care for them in the best way possible. I find that dogs especially show us unconditional love regardless of almost anything we do.
It’s my opinion that the least I can do as that pet’s owner is to feed them in a way that doesn’t merely allow them to survive, but that allows them to thrive.
A good analogy for feeding many of these commercial foods commonly used is cereal. Imagine if you fed a child Lucky Charms without milk for every meal every single day. That child might be alive, but their health would deteriorate as time went on. Initially, you might not even notice that something might be wrong. Clearly this isn’t a proper way to feed a child, so why do we do the equivalent to our dogs?
To even feed on this more, dogs don’t even need the amount of carbs that we do. While we use carbohydrates as our main source of energy, dogs use protein. Dog food is so distorted these days that they contain around 40% to 60% carbohydrates. Dogs have a nutritional requirement for about 12%. At this point, dog food would probably be more nutritious for us than for them.
For those of you that question comparing a dog to a child, keep in mind that many pregnancies are not planned. For the way I see it, it’s kind of hard to accidentally adopt a dog. If we aren’t ready to care for that dog as a valued member of our family, then we have no business in adopting a pet that requires a lot of care and love.
And so, without going too in depth about the logistics of why you should feed what to what pet and what not to feed to what pet, I’ll just say that most kibbles are not a healthy way to feed a dog or cat. While some people argue that ‘decent’ dog foods are too expensive, I will say that many of the people who feed raw food save thousands of dollars in vet and grooming bills. They also have to pick up less waste.
Also, be sure to keep in mind that just because a pet food is expensive, it doesn’t mean it’s good quality. In addition to that, if your vet is recommending a certain kind of food, it’s likely that your vet isn’t nutritionally certified (they only get a semester or two of nutrition education in their schooling).
It’s not uncommon for many vets to be paid to promote ‘prescription’ foods such as Science Diet or Iams prescription foods. These foods tend to lack in beneficial nutrients and work to only suppress the symptoms of the actual issue at hand. This allows one to think their pet is healthy because there’s nothing visibly wrong with them, but eventually all of that suppression will catch up and at that point it’s too late.
Do keep in mind that I am not anti-vet. I respect veterinarians for all that they do and the work that they've put into their profession. What I am against is veterinarians that use their professional position to advocate and promote things that they haven't been adequately trained on.
And, until I get that sheet of paper that declares me as a licensed veterinarian, I can't advocate that people go against what their vet has told them specifically. All I ask is that pet owners try to be more aware of what they're doing and that they try to stay well-informed in how they are caring for their beloved pets.
If you’d like to see where I’ve gotten most of my training and information from, feel free to check out the links below. Also, if you’re interested in this topic, Pet Fooled on Netflix is a wonderful introduction to the world of feeding a species appropriate diet.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the individuals/organizations listed below. They have simply helped me become a more educated consumer and a helpful advisor in finding a healthy way to feed and care for our pets.
Dog Food Advisor - the perfect way to find out the quality of the food you're feeding; however, know that not all 5 stars are created equal either.
Dr. Karen Becker's Blog Page -great source for quick info on a variety of topics (nutrition-related or not) from a very accredited and well-educated veterinarian.
Dr. Karen Becker's credentials and overview - if you want to look at her credentials and professional history.
How current pet diets relate to rates of cancer - very insightful and shocking
Companion Animal Nutrition and Wellness Institute
Dogs Naturally Magazine -if you're interested in a more natural approach to caring for your pet both nutritionally and not
VitaEssentials Pet Food- a good example of a species appropriate food when combined with supplements
