Pets are People Too???

Let's talk about something that is VERY near and dear to my heart....my TWO pups, Angel and Zeus! 




I know that a bunch of my friends are dog (animal) lovers just like me, but what about those of you who don't treat your animals like kids? Or don't understand what goes into cheap dog food that is sold at Wal-mart, PetCo, and Pets Mart?  Well, I am here to inform you that dogs need the SAME organic, all natural diet as a person does. And here's why....


Just think....if it matters what we put on and in our bodies, don't you think that it matters what our canine and feline friends put in their bodies as well?


Ingredients that should NOT be in your pet's food!
  • corn gluten 
  • animal by-products
  • corn meal
  • "meat" (not listing what specific meat was used)
  • artificial colors (Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6)
  • BHA 
  • BHT
  • propyl gallate
  • propylene glycol
  • ethoxyquin
  • Extended list of Ingredients to Avoid 
READ: Comparison of the first 8 ingredients in 14 VERY POPULAR dog foods! Is your pets food on this list???

Here are the ingredients in IAMS Smart Puppy Small Breed Dog Formula:
Iams puppy food meets the unique nutritional demands of growing puppies. Puppies need up to twice the nutrients of adult dogs. Iams puppy food is formulated with optimal levels of chicken, protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and calcium. Ideal for puppies from weaning to 12 months. Also for pregnant and nursing dogs. Ingredients: Chicken, Corn Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Fish Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp (Sugar Removed), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Brewers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Dicalcium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Rosemary Extract. Profile. Calories: 3,878 kcal/kg, 465 kcal/cup Made in the USA.


Why are these ingredients bad?


A lot of these ingredients are cheaper ways to produce and preserve pet food.  They add no nutritional value to the food, but they DO ADD harmful value to your pets health!  Corn fillers are fattier ways to add more protein to the food, which in return are extremely hard to digest.  Have you ever noticed that when a dog eats corn it goes in AND comes out WHOLE?  Obviously, corn is hard for people and dogs to digest so why should it be added to dog food?

Animal by-products allow anything, usually non-edible parts from an animal, to go into the food (i.e. head, feet, hoofs, lungs, bones, blood, kidneys, stomachs etc...). Ewwww!!!!


When pet foods list "meat" as one of the main ingredients (meaning it is listed in the top 5) that entails anything BUT REAL meat.  "Meat" could mean spoiled, left over meat from the grocery store, road kill, dead animals, etc...  


Repercussions to your pets health


Eating these ingredients will cause your pet to more than likely get one or more of the following:  
  1. diabetes
  2. cancer
  3. allergies
  4. poor coat
  5. poor overall health
  6. rotting teeth
  7. extreme fatigue
  8. poor eye sight
  9. organ failure
  10. loss of appetite
  11. stomach issues
  12. obesity 
  13. And much much MORE....

The first step to a healthy pet is their diet.  If your pet has any of the above problems, then start by comparing their food to the "ingredients to avoid" list above.  More than likely you will find that your pet's food is the reason for all the vet visits, expensive meds, unhealthy fur coat, and lack of energy!!! 

TIPS

  • Buy all natural, organic treats at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Pets Mart and Petco.  TJ's has big boxes of treats for $2-3. ORGANIC, ALL-NATURAL DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN EXPENSIVE 

  • Supplement your pet's diet by giving them healthy scrapes of table food like chicken, beef, pork, yogurt, milk, cheese, canned tuna, grilled fish etc...DO NOT GIVE your dog dark chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, or avocados!  
 
Suggested Pet Foods:
  1. Taste of the Wild 
  2. BG: Before Grain 
  3. EVO Dog Food  
  4. Wellness Pet Food 
  5. Wylie Waggs All Natural Dog Food--use this link for foods that will meet your dogs criteria, like puppy, adult, grain-free diets, heavy protein diets etc....

Comments

Anonymous said…
Add to the list garlic! It's very toxic to pups!!

Thaw 1/2 cup of frozen green beans and put them on top of your dog's dry food. It's a cheap, healthy addition to their meals!
Yaya's Dream said…
Thanks for your post! I have done some research on garlic and I have found mixed reviews about it. I give my dogs garlic during the summer to help ward against fleas and ticks (I have a holistic book at home for dogs that suggests this as a home remedy). They have not had any side effects from the garlic/garlic powder; however, they have had side effects from grapes, avocados, and onions (before I knew they were toxic). If you find any information on garlic and the toxicity in dogs please send it me! I will do research as well. Thanks again for your excellent suggestions and keep reading!

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