Today more than ever before, the world is seeing an increase in Canine illnesses, allergies, ear infections, autoimmune disorders, dental disease (which causes other issues), poor stools, gastro issues, cancers and more. This is not just K9’s…cats, livestock and humans are also seeing ill effects at an alarming rate. Mass production of “quick to grow foods” with GMO’s, pesticides, herbicides, plastic packaging, preservatives known to be carcinogens etc. is the new norm however, we should not just accept it as so. We will never be able to get away from it totally, but even reducing the exposure to some of it is better than nothing at all.
Covid-19 has made 2020 a hard year for our family. On the good side though, I have had more time than I usually do and when I am bored, I tend to do a lot of research, reading, watching documentaries, reach out to talk to people about things I find important. In doing so, I am starting to look at things in a different way. In 2020, we have seen that the most important thing is health… not wealth, not material things but the things that truly matter to us especially, if this was our last day. For me, that is the love, health and happiness of my loved ones and that includes my animals. In our home our animals are family… and they are super important to my happiness as well.
In 2020, my research has been on advancing my knowledge on nutrition for both us and our pets. I have been researching both, and I am making changes to hopefully improve our health and hopefully our longevity through changes in our diets for both us and our pets.
I am not saying that our traditional way of feeding our pets is bad… I am not saying to change what or how you feed yourself or your pets, but I am saying there may be a better way than that of what we are used to. There is enough evidence pointing to the fact that fast food, commercially processed foods, are not very good for us and the same is true for our pets. I have noticed an increase in Obese pets, diabetic pets, metabolic pets, pets with allergies and reproductive issues over the last decade than ever before. Sure this started long ago, but this has only gotten worse over time.
I am not here to sway anyone in one way or another as to what to feed your animals or even yourself, but for us… I feel by doing a lot of research into these issues, reaching out to experienced breeders / owners who have made changes for the better, I can hopefully make changes and choices to help increase health, avoid some potential issues and hopefully add years to our pets lives and hopefully ours too.
Up until recently, we had always fed a high quality kibble with some “extras” like liver and chicken to add a little more real food, but now I feel it is time to do more… In saying this, there are some dogs that do perfectly well on a dry food kibble diet but I have also seen dogs who have been dealing with ongoing health issues (fed kibble) where the owners could not seem to find a kibble that worked well for their dog . Once their dog was put on a home made or raw “balanced” diet, their dogs turned around and absolutely thrived on a raw or home cooked balanced diet. Raw or home cooked meals do need to be properly balanced, and that is where your research and consulting with a certified dog food nutritionist will be required.
I encourage all owners to do their research, keep an open mind, talk to veterinarians both involved in traditional western medicine and also holistic veterinarians who are practicing a more holistic approach to things and who are open to raw feeding or even cooked homemade foods for our K9’s. I do realize that there is so much confusing information but I encourage you to do some research. There just might be a better way… Please keep an open mind and use common sense when thinking about things along the way. It can be time consuming and daunting to do this, but it may very well be worth your effort for both you and your pet. In the end, whatever you choose to feed and even if you decide that a kibble diet is what you can do, please be sure to add some extra Omega 3, and vitamin E to your dog’s diet. Herring and Salmon oil are good choices of Omegas for dogs that are able to consume fish, chicken and duck eggs are also good (duck eggs are actually higher in Omegas than chicken eggs) and vitamin E capsules that you would buy for yourself, can give the lacking vitamin E to your dog’s diet.
If you care to read some informative information, please feel free to read some of the links I am sharing here. I hope you enjoy some of the articles and maybe it will give you something that can be of benefit to you, in educating yourself to the options available hence enabling you to make your own informed choices that best suit you and your companions.
Please note: I am not a veterinarian nor am I an animal nutritionist. I am however, a loving devoted owner and breeder of both dogs and horses, and I have spent my lifetime with an abundance of animals. I have always had a passion to do right by them and to research, grow and learn through experiences both good and bad, and through experiences of other knowledgeable breeders, owners, friends, veterinarians, nutritionists in the industry. This is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be healthcare advice, veterinary or medical advice or diagnosis, nor is this to be considered treatment or prescribing of any kind for any condition. Additionally, none of this information should be considered a promise of health or any other kind of benefits, and we will not be held liable for any results of your decision making for your pet. This is simply to give you some information for you to make your own informed choices, at your own risk. Please do your research into the best choice of pet food for your pet and weather or not you stick to commercial pet food, raw, home made meals etc… please give them the best that you can with the information and budget that you have available. As pet owners, we do owe it to them to make informed choices, and do what is best for them.
Below, are some links that you may find informative keeping in mind, nothing is really black and white. You need to keep an open mind and take some things with a grain of salt, but in there… there is some good information to assist you in researching more as to what may be alternatives to what we have always known. The good thing is, you can ask questions as a result, to become better informed through both traditional as well as holistic veterinarians and nutritionists.
I have listed some good books to read below. They are easily purchased on Amazon.ca. Under the links of books, I have also listed three local companies in Canada that can assist those who would like to have access to raw without having to do all the work to source and “make” the food. All three companies have people to talk to who can give good advice if this is something you are thinking about trying. I hope this page is informative on where to start your research should you chose to do so. I wish you and your companions much love and happiness and of course, good health.
Below are links to:
Holistic and Raw Feeding Friendly Veterinarians listed in Canada.
Here is also a link to Dr. Karen Becker’s You Tube videos. I find Dr.Becker’s videos very informative.
Fruits and Vegetables – Which ones are good to eat / what is not good to eat, foods that are dangerous to dogs… links below.
Bloat in Dogs – Know the signs and what to do! This is an emergency and treatment is required immediately!
Routine Vaccinations or Titer Testing?