Simran Josan
III Professional year- B.V.Sc. &A.H.
College of Veterinary Science & A.H., DUVASU
Holistic, healthy, natural, and organic are common terms that appear on labels of dog foods to imply a high quality of nutrition. But, in this age of custom meals and gluten free diets, can such descriptions be taken as a testimony of their worth.When it comes to dog feeding and food, there are tons of myths and misconceptions, both online and offline.The following review is an evidence-based approach to some common myths about pet food.
- Myth #1: Preparing a homemade diet for your pet is healthier and less expensive than purchasing a commercial product.
Fact: Homemade diets are rarely nutritionally balanced and complete, and they take a significant amount of time, effort, and cost to prepare. A veterinary nutritionist is virtually the only person with the knowledge and expertise to formulate a homemade diet, and it should be prescribed only in appropriate circumstances. There are a number of homemade pre-mixes available to which all you need to add is meat and an appropriate oil for healthy fat content. Pre-mixes contain vegetables, vitamins, and minerals, and sometimes grains to make the meal complete. Albeit, an occasional homemade dinner is a wonderful healthy treat for your companion.
- Myth #2:Feeding a raw diet to your pet is a healthy choice.
Fact:Many trends within pet feeding have recently popped up, particularly feeding raw or BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods/Bones and Raw Foods). There has been no objective scientific evidence to prove that feeding raw foods is superior or more beneficial than conventional diets. On the contrary, more evidence points towards detrimental than beneficial effects because of the potential for bacterial contamination from Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, E.coli, parasites, and protozoa which can all cause serious gastrointestinal issues for both pets and owners as well as intestinal obstructions/perforations and fractured teeth from bones. Raw diets also carry the possibility of being unbalanced, leading to deficiencies and possible skeletal malformations. Disbalances like calcium deficiency and Vitamin A toxicity can also be a consequence of feeding raw feed.
- Myth #3:Dry food is the best food for your dog.
Fact: Long considered the answer for canine nutrition, new information indicates dry foods may be a source of chronic health issues. Obesity, arthritis, early kidney disease, dental disease, skin disorders and even cancer are just a few of the problems now being associated with the highly processed and excessive levels of carbohydrates in dry food only diets. Water matters and is most bioavailable and beneficial in food. Moisture rich foods offer critical support to electrolyte and micronutrient balance, maintaining cellular integrity throughout the body. Premium canned foods and fresh foods offer higher meat protein, fewer carbohydrates, proper moisture levels, and fewer highly processed ingredients.
- Myth #4: Table scraps and other “people foods” are bad for your pet.
Fact: Most holistically trained veterinarians encourage the practice of feeding “people food” to pets. Healthy leftovers are an excellent supplement to your companion’s regular fare. There are only two rules with people food for pets:
- It must be healthy for them: meat, steamed and finely chopped veggies & fruits, baked sweet potato, rice, oatmeal; no junk food
- If you give them some of what you are eating, remember to feed less of their own food so that they do not put on extra pounds.
It is important to note that foods healthy for us may not be healthy for pets like onions, grapes and raisins which are potentially toxic for them.
- Myth #5: High protein diets cause kidney failure
Fact: The idea that excess protein causes kidney failure arises from the fact that high levels of protein have historically been ill-advised for dogs with kidney failure. Failing kidneys allow urea, a by-product of protein metabolism, to build up in the bloodstream thereby increasing the blood urea nitrogen (BUN), making the dog feel sick. Decreasing dietary protein can decrease the BUN. But if the protein level is too low, the body simply draws on its own protein source that is its muscles, causing more harm. There’s still disagreement about the ideal level of protein, but the bottom line is, feeding a moderate level of high-quality protein with a high biological value is advised.
- Myth #6:Dogs and cats do not have nutritional requirements for recipe descriptors (i.e. large breed, senior etc.) or diet that is appropriate for their life stage.
Fact:Feeding a pet a diet designed for a particular life stage is preferred to minimize nutrition-related health risks that are unique to a particular lifestyle or breed. Life-stage nutrition refers to the practice of feeding a pet a diet designed to meet its nutritional needs at a specific age or physiologic state (e.g., growth, maintenance, reproduction, geriatric).The main concept behind life-stage nutrition is that feeding a pet a diet below or above optimal nutrition requirements negatively affects biological performance and health. Feeding a pet only one product during all life stages (all-purpose foods) generally means that the pet is consuming nutrients in excess of its biological need.To cite an example, senior diets are often formulated to have reduced calories and fat compared to adult maintenance diets, to support senior pets’ slowed metabolism and help prevent weight gain. Thus, while there are no published regulations for what certain diet ‘descriptors’ mean, they do provide nutritional benefits specific to pets in those categories and are not simply a ploy to charge more money for a product.
- Myth #7: Diet and “lite” foods offer better weight management.
Fact:Empty calories from additional fibre and select ingredients are the main components added to make many of the lite foods. These ingredients, along with the heavy burden of excessive carbohydrates, can contribute to weight gain, trigger skin and coat disorders, and create food intolerances. A diet made with quality meat proteins, minimal carbohydrates, healthy fats and balanced vitamins and minerals is key to helping your canine stay slim and trim.
- Myth #8: Dry food is beneficial to dental care.
Fact: A dog’s mouth is designed for tearing, shredding, and chewing. Because of the size and texture, most dry foods are swallowed whole. Plus, chewing high carbohydrate foods produces a starchy film that can adhere to teeth creating a rich environment for dental-damaging bacteria. Healthy dental treats should include fresh meaty bones and sinewy chews from reliable and trusted sources.
- Myth#9:All bones are beneficial for dogs.
Fact:Bones can be incredibly beneficial to dogs. However, cooked bones are not and never will be more beneficial than they are detrimental. Raw marrow bones are a great source of stimulation, dental cleaning, and nutrition for a dog. Therefore, raw bones can be given to a healthy dog occasionally barring those that splint easily (like chicken bones). Cooked bones for dogs, on the other hand, are bad – they easily break down, fragment and can cause tears in the oesophagus, stomach or intestines and may also cause choking.
- Myth #10:Calcium supplementation is recommended for puppies.
Fact:Not only is this incorrect, but supplementing puppies with calcium can be extremely dangerous. Excess calcium supplementation while the animal is still growing can lead to skeletal malformations. Over-supplementation of calcium is especially concerning for large and giant breed puppies. To address this, a maximum allowable amount of calcium in foods for large breed puppies of 1.8% on a dry matter basis (DMB) has been implemented. The minimum calcium requirement for puppies is 1.2% DMB, so the optimal calcium range for large breed puppies is relatively narrow and must be carefully controlled to ensure healthy bone growth and development.
- Myth #11:Dog food can be used in cats and vice versa.
Fact:While there are a few canned formulas available that meet the needs of both species, most foods are designed specifically for cats or dogs. Cats require a higher percentage of protein and fat than most dogs and they have specific requirements for additional taurine. Dogs that eat too much cat food are at risk of weight gain and even pancreatitis. Cats that eat dog food are at risk of weight gain when the food is high in carbohydrates, as well as more likely to develop deficiencies in important amino acids like taurine.
Proper nutrition is critical for the health of companion animals and is the key to promoting the quality and longevity of a pet’s life. Hence it is important to dispel common myths and misconceptions perpetuated by the media, the internet, and misinformed individuals. Owing to better understanding of the nutritional needs of companion animals along with formulation of improved commercial diets, it has become easier for pet parents to provide quality food source to their furry loved ones.
