The multi-billion dollar pet food industry would have consumers believe that their “all natural” products are good for consumer’s pets. The definition of good, however, is quite broad. Since pet foods are made from the remains of human-grade foods, consumers would think that what’s good enough for them would therefore be good for their pets.
Additionally, pet foods labeled “all natural”, “organic”, or “kosher” can only claim that if one component of the ingredients meets federal standards for that definition. Consumer’s animals are actually getting ground bone meal, gluten and fat coatings in their foods.
What IS Pet Food Made From, Anyway?
Pet foods are an amalgam of innards, bone and brains from human-grade foods. Before you get too grossed out by that, consider that pet food companies are nearly always owned by human-grade food companies, so it stands to reason that left-overs are given to pets. When the dry ingredients don’t reach a certain weight, ground corn and grain meals are added to bring up the weight.
All this is coated with fats to make them taste good to the animals. Pet owners checking the ingredients find chicken as the first ingredient. What they don’t know is that when the fowl is finished furnishing humans with breasts and thighs, the parts added to pet foods don’t contain enough fluid to weigh much. However, since chicken parts are indeed included, chicken goes on the ingredients list.
In addition to food, also do not forget about the safety of your pet. Wireless dog fences are very popular now so that your dog will not run away from home.
The Relation to Pet Food Allergies
What does this mean for people whose pets have sensitivities? Gluten, starches and meals can cause allergic reactions in animals. Additionally, cooking the pet foods removes the benefits of the vitamins and minerals found in the ingredients. Grains and corn don’t do the same for pets that they do for humans. If they are first on the ingredients list, it’s not good.
This leaves the animals eating good tasting foods, but actually getting empty calories with no nutrition. Alternatively, raw pet foods, or foods that are not cooked, cause little in the way of allergies or affecting joint problems. However, these foods cost four times what supermarket products cost. Is it worth it?
Raw Pet Foods Are the Way to Go
The machinery necessary for the extrusion of moisture in dry pet foods is not needed for raw pet foods. Meat, vegetables and fruits are included in honestly natural pet foods. Ingredients in raw or natural pet foods are garnered from farms that don’t use growth hormones or antibiotics. Raw or natural pet foods are dehydrated instead of extruded, thereby preserving the nutrients.
Pet owners can be sure they are getting the absolute best and truly natural foods for their pets. In fact, humans can even eat honestly natural or raw pet foods. In this case, what’s good for humans truly is good for their pets.
A Question of Cost
Commercially manufactured dry pet foods cost around twenty bucks for a 50 pound bag. Raw or natural pet foods are more expensive because they contain real food. It will be more expensive, to the tune of roughly eighty bucks for a twenty pound bag. If pet owners bought groceries and fed the dog from their plates, it would cost about the same.
The dog would get the same nutrients, too. The pet owner would be sure their pets get what they need for peak good health.
Bad food will cause your pet to have frequent moulting. It’s especially difficult to clean up hair on stairs. A vacuum cleaner for stairs will do a good job.
So if you are serious about your pet’s health, consider raw foods- they are the best possible option for optimum health and avoidance of allergies!
