"2009 is a brand new year in pet food." (At this point) "I" (would like to) "think it is safe to say that every manufacturer, distributor, store, and pet owner is committed to providing the absolute best nutrition for our pets." (Though I am not so sure about the commercial mass producing pet food manufacturers.) "Two years ago we saw a lot of media hype, some of which may have confused people more than it helped them." (Last years things seemed to have calmed down a little.) "Now it’s time to get back to helping our customers decipher and understand the different options available to them.
The most common requests heard in the stores this past year were for Organic, Natural, or Safe foods. Surprisingly, however, the least common terms used at the retail level were Holistic and Healthy. Even more surprising was the fact that a large number of people can’t define the differences between Holistic, Natural, Organic, and Healthy. Ask your sales representatives and customers to define those four terms and you’ll never get the same answer twice. In fact, most people will define one or more of those terms using one or more of the other terms. The most common answer given in response to the question “What does Natural mean?” is “Organic and Healthy”. We’ve blurred these terms together to the point that they don’t have any significant meaning anymore. It has become extremely important for us to focus on this product segment. Therefore, I think it is important to be able to understand the terms most commonly used in selling Holistic, Healthy, Organic, and Natural pet foods.
Definitions from http://www.dictionary.com/ and http://www.organic.org/
Holistic - To treat something as a whole
Natural - Existing in or formed by nature, - To mimic what would occur in nature
Organic - Organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.
Healthy – conducive to promoting a good condition of the body
I find it interesting that only one of these terms, Organic, is precisely regulated in its usage. Therefore, each of us must decide how to apply this information to our product positioning. For example, holistic means “to treat something as a whole”. By this definition, a pet food is holistic if it deals with every health issue your pet faces. When using the word Natural in describing pet food, it is important to remember that the ingredients must come from nature and that the end product must mimic what the pet would eat in nature.
Organic describes the type of ingredients used in producing the pet food, however, there are 4 classifications of organic. Less than 70% organic may list organically grown ingredients on their panel. Foods containing 70% or more organic ingredients can use the term, “Made with Organic Ingredients” in their labeling. Foods containing 95% or more Organic ingredients may call themselves Organic. Foods using 100% Organic ingredients are the only foods that may use “100% Organic” in labeling. A fee is paid to the USDA in order to use the USDA Organic seal.
So what is healthy? The holistic market tends to avoid Corn, Wheat, and Soy. The overall perception is that these ingredients are not healthy. Let’s assume that an Organic pet food uses Organically grown wheat or soy as part of their ingredient listing. Would you consider that food to be healthy simply because it is Organic? What if we are trying to feed our pet a natural food. In nature, wild animals consume raw proteins. Can we consider a food to be natural if the proteins have been cooked?
It seems to me that the two least commonly used terms, Holistic and Healthy, seem to work hand in hand in their common goals. A Holistic diet looks to address every health issue your pet faces as a whole. Again, it is left to us to decide whether or not a food is holistic, regardless of its labeling. Skin, coat, hip, joint, and digestive issues are the most commonly discussed health issues in pet food. But what about kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, circulatory issues, diabetes, cholesterol, eye sight, etc.? If a food does not address these issues, would you consider it to be Holistic?
The intention of this article was to help simplify the Holistic, Natural, Organic, Healthy debate. I have a feeling, however, that I’ve stirred up more questions than I’ve answered here. Each of us have our own opinions and we need to apply that to our marketing techniques. Hopefully, I’ve given you a strong foundation to base those opinions on. "
(Contributed by Jeff Baker, Founder & CEO of Canine Caviar Pet Foods)
Showing posts with label semi-moist food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label semi-moist food. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Types of pet food, many choices Part 1: Dry over canned?
Basically a simple question, but the answer is not quite as easy. Just as we humans, pets are individual in their needs. While there are many other types such as for example raw food in all kinds of shapes and forms, today I am going to limit myself to dry and canned food. When making a decision about what type of diet to feed, we need to consider, among other things, our pet's age, size, breed, and perhaps even any existing medical problems. We also need to consider the nutrient content of the diet we feed. I always recommend feeding a premium quality diet that meets AAFCO Official Nutrient Profiles for the appropriate life stage of the pet. This preferably is a diet with meat as the first or second listed ingredient and of course without any artificial preservatives or colors.
Typically I do not recommend semi moist types of food. We don’t even offer them in our online store. This is because they tend to have high salt and sugar content. Our companion animals do not require this much salt and sugar in their diet. In addition, sticky, sugary foods can contribute to dental disease. While dental caries or cavities are related in people to the amount of sugar in the diet, it is infrequent in dogs and unusual in cats. However, tooth loss is more commonly associated with gingivitis and periodontal disease. Inflammation and infection of the gum tissue causes loosening and retraction of the gum tissue around the tooth. This eventually leads to tooth loss. Sticky, sugary foods can contribute to the development of gingivitis and periodontal disease. In general, I recommend a premium quality dry or canned food.
For large breed dogs, most pet owners choose a dry food, for several reasons. Larger breed dogs require a larger amount of food than smaller dogs. Dry food is easy to transport, store and prepare. It is also probably the less expensive option. Because canned food contains a much larger percentage of water (average around 80%) than dry foods (average around 10%), dry food is usually more economical to feed on a per serving basis, especially when feeding a premium quality food.
Many pet owners also choose to feed their pets dry food believing that dry kibble has a significant scraping or wiping action on the teeth and will slow the accumulation of plaque and tartar. Dry food does exercise the mouth during chewing. However, the average dry kibble actually does not provide very much scraping action. When the tip of a tooth comes into contact with regular dry kibble, the kibble shatters before the tooth can penetrate far enough into it for any scraping to take place. Of course, the pet food industry’s marketing gurus immediately noticed this new marketing opportunity. There are specially designed dental diets on the market, with a kibble designed to hold together longer, allowing more tooth contact before the kibble breaks apart. This allows for more of a wiping effect on the tooth. However, in my opinion, dry food is simply not a replacement for good dental care. We don’t clean our teeth by eating crackers either. While canned foods may promote somewhat faster accumulation of plaque and tartar, plaque and tartar will still eventually accumulate no matter what type of food is fed. Because of that, regular home care, yearly dental exams, and professional cleanings as needed still are essential for optimum dental health.
Smaller breeds of dogs obviously eat less than larger dogs, and for them canned food may be more of a financially affordable option. However, smaller breed dogs often have more crowded teeth, providing areas where plaque and tartar easily accumulate. Sometimes owners report that their dog is used to canned food, and refuses to eat dry food. These dogs can still be fed canned food, but home dental care needs to be especially emphasized. Needless to say that the same dental care rules apply as with the larger breeds.
Dry food, until most recently also was usually recommended most often for cats. However, recent research in feline nutrition is causing some rethinking in this area. The typical dry cat food is quite high in carbohydrates (often 45% or more) and there is some indication that this may pre-dispose certain cats to becoming overweight and possibly developing diabetes as they get older. The typical diet of cats in the wild (which usually is mostly mice and other small rodents) is thought to be about 45% protein, 45% fat, and only 4-5% carbohydrates. Dry pet food requires fairly high carbohydrate content in order for the kibble pieces to stick together. However, canned food is typically much lower in carbohydrate content, about 10%. Some veterinary nutritionists are recommending that cats, especially those with a tendency toward obesity, be fed a canned diet with a protein, fat, and carbohydrate content as close as possible to a “wild” diet. Interestingly, early reports seem to indicate that a canned diet does not seem to increase dental disease in these cats. More research is needed, but this is a very interesting finding.
It is important to note that specific health conditions may affect the type of diet that is recommended for your animal. For example, cats with urinary tract problems or animals with kidney disease may benefit from increased water in their diet, and feeding canned food can help with this. Make sure to talk to your vet before making any changes to your pet's diet.
And just so that you don’t think I changed my mind and philosophy: I have not. As I mentioned in the beginning, there are other feeding options such as for example raw. And I prefer that all day long over dry and canned food and so do my animals. You can’t get closer to nature.
While I understand that there are many reasons calling for a dry or canned food option such as economical restrictions, convenience and many others, here is one example why I am sort of against canned or kibbled: By the time commercial dog food has passed from the manufacturer, to the distributor, to the store and finally to your pet, this food could now be months old. At room temperature, meat, chicken, lamb, turkey, etc. have less than a 24 hour shelf life. Actually, after a few hours meat starts to decompose. If you had raw meat in the refrigerator, you would throw it away after 3 days and if the meat was cooked, and then refrigerated, you would throw it out in no more than 6 to 7 days. Do you think that you can have either raw or cooked protein or meat at room temperature for more than 12 to 18 hours? You can’t! So how is dog food kept from decomposing? Answer: Preservatives and Chemicals. Chemicals are also used to enhance taste and looks. These additives can have detrimental effects on your pet's short and long term health. I would say no further comments are needed.
Typically I do not recommend semi moist types of food. We don’t even offer them in our online store. This is because they tend to have high salt and sugar content. Our companion animals do not require this much salt and sugar in their diet. In addition, sticky, sugary foods can contribute to dental disease. While dental caries or cavities are related in people to the amount of sugar in the diet, it is infrequent in dogs and unusual in cats. However, tooth loss is more commonly associated with gingivitis and periodontal disease. Inflammation and infection of the gum tissue causes loosening and retraction of the gum tissue around the tooth. This eventually leads to tooth loss. Sticky, sugary foods can contribute to the development of gingivitis and periodontal disease. In general, I recommend a premium quality dry or canned food.
For large breed dogs, most pet owners choose a dry food, for several reasons. Larger breed dogs require a larger amount of food than smaller dogs. Dry food is easy to transport, store and prepare. It is also probably the less expensive option. Because canned food contains a much larger percentage of water (average around 80%) than dry foods (average around 10%), dry food is usually more economical to feed on a per serving basis, especially when feeding a premium quality food.
Many pet owners also choose to feed their pets dry food believing that dry kibble has a significant scraping or wiping action on the teeth and will slow the accumulation of plaque and tartar. Dry food does exercise the mouth during chewing. However, the average dry kibble actually does not provide very much scraping action. When the tip of a tooth comes into contact with regular dry kibble, the kibble shatters before the tooth can penetrate far enough into it for any scraping to take place. Of course, the pet food industry’s marketing gurus immediately noticed this new marketing opportunity. There are specially designed dental diets on the market, with a kibble designed to hold together longer, allowing more tooth contact before the kibble breaks apart. This allows for more of a wiping effect on the tooth. However, in my opinion, dry food is simply not a replacement for good dental care. We don’t clean our teeth by eating crackers either. While canned foods may promote somewhat faster accumulation of plaque and tartar, plaque and tartar will still eventually accumulate no matter what type of food is fed. Because of that, regular home care, yearly dental exams, and professional cleanings as needed still are essential for optimum dental health.
Smaller breeds of dogs obviously eat less than larger dogs, and for them canned food may be more of a financially affordable option. However, smaller breed dogs often have more crowded teeth, providing areas where plaque and tartar easily accumulate. Sometimes owners report that their dog is used to canned food, and refuses to eat dry food. These dogs can still be fed canned food, but home dental care needs to be especially emphasized. Needless to say that the same dental care rules apply as with the larger breeds.
Dry food, until most recently also was usually recommended most often for cats. However, recent research in feline nutrition is causing some rethinking in this area. The typical dry cat food is quite high in carbohydrates (often 45% or more) and there is some indication that this may pre-dispose certain cats to becoming overweight and possibly developing diabetes as they get older. The typical diet of cats in the wild (which usually is mostly mice and other small rodents) is thought to be about 45% protein, 45% fat, and only 4-5% carbohydrates. Dry pet food requires fairly high carbohydrate content in order for the kibble pieces to stick together. However, canned food is typically much lower in carbohydrate content, about 10%. Some veterinary nutritionists are recommending that cats, especially those with a tendency toward obesity, be fed a canned diet with a protein, fat, and carbohydrate content as close as possible to a “wild” diet. Interestingly, early reports seem to indicate that a canned diet does not seem to increase dental disease in these cats. More research is needed, but this is a very interesting finding.
It is important to note that specific health conditions may affect the type of diet that is recommended for your animal. For example, cats with urinary tract problems or animals with kidney disease may benefit from increased water in their diet, and feeding canned food can help with this. Make sure to talk to your vet before making any changes to your pet's diet.
And just so that you don’t think I changed my mind and philosophy: I have not. As I mentioned in the beginning, there are other feeding options such as for example raw. And I prefer that all day long over dry and canned food and so do my animals. You can’t get closer to nature.
While I understand that there are many reasons calling for a dry or canned food option such as economical restrictions, convenience and many others, here is one example why I am sort of against canned or kibbled: By the time commercial dog food has passed from the manufacturer, to the distributor, to the store and finally to your pet, this food could now be months old. At room temperature, meat, chicken, lamb, turkey, etc. have less than a 24 hour shelf life. Actually, after a few hours meat starts to decompose. If you had raw meat in the refrigerator, you would throw it away after 3 days and if the meat was cooked, and then refrigerated, you would throw it out in no more than 6 to 7 days. Do you think that you can have either raw or cooked protein or meat at room temperature for more than 12 to 18 hours? You can’t! So how is dog food kept from decomposing? Answer: Preservatives and Chemicals. Chemicals are also used to enhance taste and looks. These additives can have detrimental effects on your pet's short and long term health. I would say no further comments are needed.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Basics of puppy feeding
One of my customers recently had acquired a German Shepherd puppy. Before she did so she diligently, first without and later with my input and in great detail had researched dog and puppy food. She came to her own conclusion, and I congratulated her on her decision, that it would be best to let the puppy grow up on a raw diet. We decided upon the freeze dried version of AFS Beef nibblets to be once in a while supplemented with some freeze dried Beef Tripe nibblets. She was in heaven, her most cutest puppy loved it, her vet had nothing but positive comments on the puppy’s health and of course I was happy as well as I had acquired a new and loyal customer for our business. Then, all the sudden out of the blue, one day she called me. She was a little down and after some small talk I came to find out that she simply had come to realize that, though it was a great choice, she simply could not afford the raw diet due to the simple fact that her, just like any other, puppy was eating unbelievable amounts of food without any consideration for his mom’s budgets. And it certainly was a burden on her finances. This was the point when once again we started discussing puppy feeding. I told her, look, it’s just like this:
All puppies during the early stages of their lives go through a rapid growth and development period. Normally they require at least double, some even 3 to 4 times the amount of nutrients compared to older dogs. Additionally they require higher levels of nutrients. Nutrients, which typically are not available in regular adult maintenance food. When feeding dry or canned food you want to make sure you get the puppy formulas during the first year. These special formulas usually are higher in protein (28%-30%), and enriched with the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, minerals, fats, and other essentials nutrients your puppy needs during the growth period.
When you get your puppy make sure to find out what the breeder or from whomever you get it, was feeding and stay with that same food for at least a while. I have a lot of breeder customers and what we do with many of them is that they increase their puppy price slightly and in return also provide the new owners with an initial food supply. Then slowly start using the food you have chosen to feed going forward and based on the information you received from the breeder and your veterinarian. A pet needs to be switched to a new food slowly to prevent intestinal upset. A typical transition period lasts about 10 days to 2 weeks. Initially start with mixing 10% of the new food with 90% of the old one, then slowly increase the ratio of new to old, feeding each new ratio mixture for about a couple of days until you are at the final point of feeding 100% of the new food. If during the transition period you notice vomiting, loose stools or that your puppy appears constipated, slow down with the new food and take more time. Ultimately your puppy will get used to it.
I never recommended semi moist food for puppies. Based on my and my customers’ experience I also no longer recommend canned food. Canned foods are typically higher in calories and fat. On average they are around 80% moisture, the pet food industry’s fancy name for water. The high moisture content also makes them an expensive food considering the nutrient value of the can. Semi moist foods is on average slightly above 50% in moisture but for preservation uses high salt or sugar content, both of them not being good for your puppy. Similar to canned food you are paying too much for water. Dry foods on average contain 8 to 12% moisture and are made of the same quality ingredients as cans and semi moist. Kibble diets are simply the most economical way to go. They also are convenient, easy to store and use and in my mind for your pup simply better than semi moist of cans.
Dogs on dry foods typically have fewer intestinal upsets usually reflected in diarrhea or constipation. They also have fewer problems with unwanted weight gain. I see no advantage over canned food as far as hair coat or skin quality is concerned. Additionally, some manufacturers and even vets want to make us believe that dry is also better for dental health due to the abrasive nature of a dry kibble. I don’t go along with that theory, in my mind dental health and maintenance is a subject on its own having something but very little to do with food.
Another issue always brought up in puppy food discussions are table scraps. Most vets are strictly advising against them. So are many pet food manufacturers, especially the commercial mass producers. While the manufacturers have a certain intention behind such philosophy, which is simply selling you more of their food, I came to the conclusion that many vets are against table scraps for the simple reason that they don’t want you to feed your puppy junk food. Unfortunately many pet owners don’t make a difference of good, healthy (such as veggies & fruits, meats) and unhealthy, bad (fried food, fatty, heavy sauces, etc.) table scraps. Many nutritionists these days say that dogs that on a good quality commercially prepared dry food are nutritionally better off than their owners are. This has been shown in many studies. And they argue that table scraps are usually high in calories, certainly are not balanced and neither are they fortified with required vitamins/minerals as your dog requires them. This last statement lets me conclude that they are talking about table scraps as an exclusive feed, not what I am talking about, an occasional treat.
Just like you would pick for an adult dog, make sure the dry food you select has a meat based protein source as one of its first two ingredients.
With regards to money, like with everything else, with dog food, you (careful, unfortunately not always) get what you pay for. Stay away from economy or super market brands. They are cheap, made of the cheapest ingredients available, useless, will make your puppy a sick dog and very often involved in recalls. Their energy values are lower, they use lowest grade proteins with lower digestibility. This means the majority of the food passes right through the puppy’s digestive system and is not absorbed. Premium brands, which include those classified as Super Premium and Performance, use higher quality ingredients from sources with higher biological values. Because better quality ingredients mean better digestibility, your puppy does not need to eat as much and less waste is produced (which means less to pick up in the yard).
Learn the secrets of how to read and correctly understand the package labels. Remember, the back of the dog food bag does not tell the entire story. This includes important information like for example info on digestibility, i.e. how much of the food is actually being used by your puppy’s body. Talk to your vet, a pet nutritional consultant or a professional breeder about the best food for your puppy. Typically store clerks at the general merchandise supermarket, grocery market or pet super market are not reliable sources when it comes to optimized puppy nutrition. You may find out they may know less than you do.
Your puppy’s feeding schedule will be somewhat dictated by your own personal schedule. Get them used to a strict schedule starting on day 1 or latest day 2. Puppies under six months of age should be fed three times daily; between six and twelve months old, two times daily; and once per day after twelve months of age. Puppies maturing into adults will naturally decrease the number of feedings per day on their own.
Feeding your puppy on a schedule also helps you for house training. After the meals the puppy will need to go to the bathroom. Doing that on a more set schedule makes housetraining easier and faster. Make it a habit to give the puppy some quiet time after the meal. Keep excitement away, for example, do not let the children play with him for the first hour to one to two hours after a meal. It could lead to some stomach upsets that can sometimes be very serious. Still, just a reminder, the puppy will need to go to the bathroom, however.
The amount of food given with each meal should never be dictated by what is on the back of the puppy food bag. Those numbers give you a basic guideline. From my own experience, many puppies need less than what the food manufacturer recommend, some others may need more. Adjust the amount of food to maintain your puppy’s optimal weight. Remember to always have water available with or immediately following the meal.
Quite frequently puppy owners come to me complaining that their dog doesn’t eat enough. The owners feel the dog is not putting on weight or growing as fast as they think he should. They are tempted to somehow encourage their animals to eat more. Don’t do that. Growth rates and appetites of puppies on a good quality food are primarily dictated by genetics. Do not interfere with nature and try to make your dog grow faster than he should or into something he is not. This will only cause problems. Artificially accelerated growth leads to bone and joint disorders. I always say feed them the amounts they want. At the same time, use common sense, puppies sometimes don’t have that and need your help and strict supervision. But principally let their bodies dictate their needs.
While it is good for our business, it sometimes makes me feel uneasy when I see that pet owners buy (and use) treats in bags as large as kibble bags. Treats should never account for more than 10% of your puppy's caloric intake. Your puppy's food is his sole source for the nutrition he needs. Just like you don’t give children chocolate before meal time, do not fill up your puppy with treats before meal time. Good treats for puppies are trip and/or liver products, best freeze dried with nothing added to them and as a 100% single protein source. They provide nutrients your puppy is unlikely to obtain from any other food source. Hard chew treats like raw bones, tendons, possibly a natural rawhide (make sure of US or South America origin), keep your puppy not just entertained and busy but also improve dental health by exercising the gums and scraping the teeth. Make sure you apply the same quality standards for treats as you expect them you’re your puppy food. Treats also satisfy teething puppy's need to chew and all day long are better than your shoes. Treats also should or can be used as training aids rewarding your learning puppy for good behavior. Always supervise your pet when giving treats to avoid accidents.
Finally, something often getting ignored is water. Puppies may seem to drink large quantities of water. That is simply because they need it. Do not deprive them of it. A dog can starve and lose almost all of his body fat and half of his protein mass (muscle) and still survive. However, if this same patient loses 15% of his body water, he will die. Water is the most important nutrient of all. Dogs of any age being fed dry food need water to rehydrate the food in their stomachs for digestion. Puppies need more water per pound than adults do because they are growing. Growth comes through very active metabolism at the cellular level. These processes produce many wastes and by-products that are excreted into the blood. It requires plenty of water to carry these substances to and be flushed through the kidneys. On a daily basis you must allow your puppy to consume what it wants and needs, even if this is on a scheduled basis, like along with the scheduled meals. And make sure the water is always fresh. This is important because infectious agents and diseases such as leptospirosis, Giardia, E-coli, and Cryptosporidium can be transmitted through contaminated water. Always providing plenty of fresh water greatly reduces the risk of disease.
As to my customer: While all of this while being interesting but really wasn’t anything new to her since we had discussed it before, we still had to come up with an idea as to how to soften the financial burden she was carrying due to her puppy’s humongous appetite. We ended up with the idea of feeding a varied diet of Innova Large Breed Puppy kibble and the AFS raw. This way, as a much more economical solution, the kibble would take over a large part of the diet and still be supplemented with the best possible, a raw diet. Doing so, right in the beginning of the transition we ran into a few minor, but typical and normal problems. Initially the puppy was already spoiled and at first refused the kibble, however shortly after that changed his mind. Then during the initial and typical days of adjustment with some loose stool, we got a kibble with a little higher fiber content (actually it just so happened that Innova had introduced it’s new and improved formula with pumpkin being one of the ingredients) and finally got it right. Now everything is in best order again, the budgets are balanced, so is the food and guess what: My customer just got herself another puppy. It’s cute and small. Right now. The “being small” part will change: It’s a Bull Mastiff. Maybe down the road I have to go through the same scenario once more. Bring it on, I love my job.
All puppies during the early stages of their lives go through a rapid growth and development period. Normally they require at least double, some even 3 to 4 times the amount of nutrients compared to older dogs. Additionally they require higher levels of nutrients. Nutrients, which typically are not available in regular adult maintenance food. When feeding dry or canned food you want to make sure you get the puppy formulas during the first year. These special formulas usually are higher in protein (28%-30%), and enriched with the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, minerals, fats, and other essentials nutrients your puppy needs during the growth period.
When you get your puppy make sure to find out what the breeder or from whomever you get it, was feeding and stay with that same food for at least a while. I have a lot of breeder customers and what we do with many of them is that they increase their puppy price slightly and in return also provide the new owners with an initial food supply. Then slowly start using the food you have chosen to feed going forward and based on the information you received from the breeder and your veterinarian. A pet needs to be switched to a new food slowly to prevent intestinal upset. A typical transition period lasts about 10 days to 2 weeks. Initially start with mixing 10% of the new food with 90% of the old one, then slowly increase the ratio of new to old, feeding each new ratio mixture for about a couple of days until you are at the final point of feeding 100% of the new food. If during the transition period you notice vomiting, loose stools or that your puppy appears constipated, slow down with the new food and take more time. Ultimately your puppy will get used to it.
I never recommended semi moist food for puppies. Based on my and my customers’ experience I also no longer recommend canned food. Canned foods are typically higher in calories and fat. On average they are around 80% moisture, the pet food industry’s fancy name for water. The high moisture content also makes them an expensive food considering the nutrient value of the can. Semi moist foods is on average slightly above 50% in moisture but for preservation uses high salt or sugar content, both of them not being good for your puppy. Similar to canned food you are paying too much for water. Dry foods on average contain 8 to 12% moisture and are made of the same quality ingredients as cans and semi moist. Kibble diets are simply the most economical way to go. They also are convenient, easy to store and use and in my mind for your pup simply better than semi moist of cans.
Dogs on dry foods typically have fewer intestinal upsets usually reflected in diarrhea or constipation. They also have fewer problems with unwanted weight gain. I see no advantage over canned food as far as hair coat or skin quality is concerned. Additionally, some manufacturers and even vets want to make us believe that dry is also better for dental health due to the abrasive nature of a dry kibble. I don’t go along with that theory, in my mind dental health and maintenance is a subject on its own having something but very little to do with food.
Another issue always brought up in puppy food discussions are table scraps. Most vets are strictly advising against them. So are many pet food manufacturers, especially the commercial mass producers. While the manufacturers have a certain intention behind such philosophy, which is simply selling you more of their food, I came to the conclusion that many vets are against table scraps for the simple reason that they don’t want you to feed your puppy junk food. Unfortunately many pet owners don’t make a difference of good, healthy (such as veggies & fruits, meats) and unhealthy, bad (fried food, fatty, heavy sauces, etc.) table scraps. Many nutritionists these days say that dogs that on a good quality commercially prepared dry food are nutritionally better off than their owners are. This has been shown in many studies. And they argue that table scraps are usually high in calories, certainly are not balanced and neither are they fortified with required vitamins/minerals as your dog requires them. This last statement lets me conclude that they are talking about table scraps as an exclusive feed, not what I am talking about, an occasional treat.
Just like you would pick for an adult dog, make sure the dry food you select has a meat based protein source as one of its first two ingredients.
With regards to money, like with everything else, with dog food, you (careful, unfortunately not always) get what you pay for. Stay away from economy or super market brands. They are cheap, made of the cheapest ingredients available, useless, will make your puppy a sick dog and very often involved in recalls. Their energy values are lower, they use lowest grade proteins with lower digestibility. This means the majority of the food passes right through the puppy’s digestive system and is not absorbed. Premium brands, which include those classified as Super Premium and Performance, use higher quality ingredients from sources with higher biological values. Because better quality ingredients mean better digestibility, your puppy does not need to eat as much and less waste is produced (which means less to pick up in the yard).
Learn the secrets of how to read and correctly understand the package labels. Remember, the back of the dog food bag does not tell the entire story. This includes important information like for example info on digestibility, i.e. how much of the food is actually being used by your puppy’s body. Talk to your vet, a pet nutritional consultant or a professional breeder about the best food for your puppy. Typically store clerks at the general merchandise supermarket, grocery market or pet super market are not reliable sources when it comes to optimized puppy nutrition. You may find out they may know less than you do.
Your puppy’s feeding schedule will be somewhat dictated by your own personal schedule. Get them used to a strict schedule starting on day 1 or latest day 2. Puppies under six months of age should be fed three times daily; between six and twelve months old, two times daily; and once per day after twelve months of age. Puppies maturing into adults will naturally decrease the number of feedings per day on their own.
Feeding your puppy on a schedule also helps you for house training. After the meals the puppy will need to go to the bathroom. Doing that on a more set schedule makes housetraining easier and faster. Make it a habit to give the puppy some quiet time after the meal. Keep excitement away, for example, do not let the children play with him for the first hour to one to two hours after a meal. It could lead to some stomach upsets that can sometimes be very serious. Still, just a reminder, the puppy will need to go to the bathroom, however.
The amount of food given with each meal should never be dictated by what is on the back of the puppy food bag. Those numbers give you a basic guideline. From my own experience, many puppies need less than what the food manufacturer recommend, some others may need more. Adjust the amount of food to maintain your puppy’s optimal weight. Remember to always have water available with or immediately following the meal.
Quite frequently puppy owners come to me complaining that their dog doesn’t eat enough. The owners feel the dog is not putting on weight or growing as fast as they think he should. They are tempted to somehow encourage their animals to eat more. Don’t do that. Growth rates and appetites of puppies on a good quality food are primarily dictated by genetics. Do not interfere with nature and try to make your dog grow faster than he should or into something he is not. This will only cause problems. Artificially accelerated growth leads to bone and joint disorders. I always say feed them the amounts they want. At the same time, use common sense, puppies sometimes don’t have that and need your help and strict supervision. But principally let their bodies dictate their needs.
While it is good for our business, it sometimes makes me feel uneasy when I see that pet owners buy (and use) treats in bags as large as kibble bags. Treats should never account for more than 10% of your puppy's caloric intake. Your puppy's food is his sole source for the nutrition he needs. Just like you don’t give children chocolate before meal time, do not fill up your puppy with treats before meal time. Good treats for puppies are trip and/or liver products, best freeze dried with nothing added to them and as a 100% single protein source. They provide nutrients your puppy is unlikely to obtain from any other food source. Hard chew treats like raw bones, tendons, possibly a natural rawhide (make sure of US or South America origin), keep your puppy not just entertained and busy but also improve dental health by exercising the gums and scraping the teeth. Make sure you apply the same quality standards for treats as you expect them you’re your puppy food. Treats also satisfy teething puppy's need to chew and all day long are better than your shoes. Treats also should or can be used as training aids rewarding your learning puppy for good behavior. Always supervise your pet when giving treats to avoid accidents.
Finally, something often getting ignored is water. Puppies may seem to drink large quantities of water. That is simply because they need it. Do not deprive them of it. A dog can starve and lose almost all of his body fat and half of his protein mass (muscle) and still survive. However, if this same patient loses 15% of his body water, he will die. Water is the most important nutrient of all. Dogs of any age being fed dry food need water to rehydrate the food in their stomachs for digestion. Puppies need more water per pound than adults do because they are growing. Growth comes through very active metabolism at the cellular level. These processes produce many wastes and by-products that are excreted into the blood. It requires plenty of water to carry these substances to and be flushed through the kidneys. On a daily basis you must allow your puppy to consume what it wants and needs, even if this is on a scheduled basis, like along with the scheduled meals. And make sure the water is always fresh. This is important because infectious agents and diseases such as leptospirosis, Giardia, E-coli, and Cryptosporidium can be transmitted through contaminated water. Always providing plenty of fresh water greatly reduces the risk of disease.
As to my customer: While all of this while being interesting but really wasn’t anything new to her since we had discussed it before, we still had to come up with an idea as to how to soften the financial burden she was carrying due to her puppy’s humongous appetite. We ended up with the idea of feeding a varied diet of Innova Large Breed Puppy kibble and the AFS raw. This way, as a much more economical solution, the kibble would take over a large part of the diet and still be supplemented with the best possible, a raw diet. Doing so, right in the beginning of the transition we ran into a few minor, but typical and normal problems. Initially the puppy was already spoiled and at first refused the kibble, however shortly after that changed his mind. Then during the initial and typical days of adjustment with some loose stool, we got a kibble with a little higher fiber content (actually it just so happened that Innova had introduced it’s new and improved formula with pumpkin being one of the ingredients) and finally got it right. Now everything is in best order again, the budgets are balanced, so is the food and guess what: My customer just got herself another puppy. It’s cute and small. Right now. The “being small” part will change: It’s a Bull Mastiff. Maybe down the road I have to go through the same scenario once more. Bring it on, I love my job.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Feeding your cat for health and longevity – A basic primer
Nutrition is one of the most important keys to our pets’ health and longevity. One of your most important responsibilities as a cat owner is to provide your cat with the necessary nutrients required for its growth and maintenance. To do this, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of what cats need in their diet.
Cats are obligate carnivores and, when it comes to nutritional needs, have very different requirements from dogs. What actually is an obligate carnivore? Our domesticated cats are strict carnivores. Cats rely on nutrients in animal tissue to meet their specific nutritional requirements. In nature, i.e. the wild life, cats are hunters consuming prey high in protein with moderate amounts of fat and minimal amounts of carbohydrates. Cats also require more than a dozen nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. These nutrients are the building blocks of a number of structural body tissues. They are essential for chemical reactions such as metabolism and catabolism, they transport substances into, around, and out of the body, they supply growth and maintenance energy and they provide palatability.
Important to remember about nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, is that your cat needs the correct amount, but no more and no less. It is easy to have either too much or not enough when it comes to vitamins and minerals. The use of supplements not only is unnecessary but also can be potentially dangerous to your cat's health. A key point to remember is that cats are neither dogs nor people. Because of their unique metabolism, what might be good for you or your dog might be detrimental to your cat. A high quality cat food normally assures an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in your cat's diet. Such a diet does not require supplements and they never should be added without consulting your vet.
Another important nutrient is water. Water helps to regulate body temperature, to digest food, to eliminate waste, to lubricate tissue, and to allow salt and other electrolytes to pass through the body. Make sure your cat always has access to clean, fresh water.
Commercial cat foods are available as dry, semi moist and canned formulas. These products differ in water content, protein level, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility. Dry food typically contains 6 to 10 percent moisture. Depending on the specific formulation, meats, poultry, grain or their respective by-products, fish meal, fiber sources, milk products, vitamin and mineral supplements are combined, extruded, and dried into bite sized pieces. The pieces are then covered with flavor enhancers, such as animal fat, which give them increased palatability. The primary advantages of dry cat food are lower cost and convenience in allowing "free choice" feeding. However, dry food may be less palatable to a cat, and, depending on the types and quality of the ingredients, may also be less digestible than moist food. When feeding dry food, it is important to store unused portions in a cool, dry location, and not to use the food after its expiration date. To save money, cat owners normally buy large amounts of dry food that can sometimes last for 3 to 6 months. Checking the expiration date before feeding it to your cat is very important. Lengthy storage decreases the activity and potency of many vitamins and increases the likelihood that fats have become rancid. Store dry cat food in an airtight container, which helps to prevent nutrient deterioration and maintain palatability.
Semi-moist food contains approximately 35 percent moisture and often resembles ground or whole meat tidbits. Meat and meat byproducts are primary ingredients. They are combined with soybean meal, cereals, grain byproducts, and preservatives. The cost is generally mid range. These foods may be more appealing than dry cat food to some cats. Semi moist food can also be fed free choice. However, after the package is opened, palatability decreases and spoilage increases because of dehydration.
Canned cat food has a moisture content of at least 75 percent, making it a good dietary source of water. It is generally the most expensive type of cat food, but it also is highly palatable to most cats. Different varieties are available in great numbers, which can be helpful if your cat is a finicky eater. Canned food has the longest shelf life when unopened, but any unused portion of opened canned cat food should be refrigerated to maintain quality and prevent spoilage. Gourmet canned cat foods generally feature meats, such as kidney or liver, and whole meat by-products as primary food ingredients. Some brands, however, may be nutritionally incomplete, and it is important to read the nutrition labels carefully on such specialty cat food items to ensure that they have a nutritional guarantee.
This is your basic list of options. It is incomplete though. I have yet to address other options such as raw food, food mixes and home prepared diets. Stay tuned as I will do so in a subsequent article. For now, after giving you the most popular what should be your choice? High quality (!), not mass produced, commercially prepared cat foods have been scientifically developed to give your cat the correct balance of nutrients and calories. At least that is what their manufacturers claim. Always remember that critical judgment is in order here. Basic minimum nutritional requirements for cats have been established by the Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) Subcommittee of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Pet food manufacturers use these standards in producing cat foods.
When shopping for a healthy food for your cat, reading the label on the bags is the best way to compare the different products. Understanding the labels and knowing how to read them gives you a good initial idea. Pet food manufacturers are required to supply certain nutrition information on the package. Labeling regulations are established by AAFCO and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All pet foods that carry an AAFCO approved nutritional guarantee, referred to as the "AAFCO statement," are considered to be complete and balanced. These standards were formulated in the early 1990s by panels of experts on canine and feline nutrition. A food may be certified in two ways: By meeting AAFCO's published standards for content, or by passing feeding tests or trials. Most researchers agree that feeding tests are superior in assessing the nutritional adequacy of a food.
Throughout a cat's life, there are stages during which a cat requires different nutrients. These stages include growth, adult stage, pregnancy and lactation and senior stage. The nutritional claim on the label should state the stage of a cat's life cycle for which the food is considered to be a complete and balanced product. It should also state that it meets the requirements of the AAFCO. Feeding a cat a product that does not have a nutritional claim on the label is not a guarantee for a complete and balanced diet. Many products state that they have been formulated for "all life stages," which simplifies things for owners with multiple cats of different ages or circumstances.
Read the ingredient list when choosing your cat food. It names all ingredients used in the product, including flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and preservatives. These ingredients are listed in order of decreasing proportional weight. Meat, meat by-products, or seafood should be listed among the first few ingredients. This is an indication that the food probably contains enough animal source ingredients to supply protein or essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. Nonetheless, addition of some nutrients (e.g., the amino acid taurine, and B vitamins, including thiamine and niacin) may be necessary to offset the fiber content of the diet or degradation of nutrients that occurs during the manufacturing process.
Once you have determined that a food is complete and balanced, choosing between the types of food may be a matter of what your cat prefers. Some cats like canned food, some like dry food, and some like a combination of the two. Today's high quality cat food market offers an almost overwhelming abundance of well formulated foods for cats of all life stages, so you can choose the ones that work best for your cat.
Is there anything else you should consider? Environmental conditions can affect a cat's eating habits. For example, heavy traffic areas, noise, the presence of other animals, dirty food containers, or nearby litter boxes can deter a cat from eating. You don’t eat in your bath room. Try to be sensitive to your cat's eating behavior. Make necessary adjustments to provide optimum feeding conditions.
Remember that cats vary greatly in characteristics such as the amount of food they need to consume to ensure optimal weight and health maintenance. Be careful not to over feed your cat. Over feeding may lead to obesity, unfortunately the most common nutrition related problem in cats. Additionally, an overweight cat is prone to other health problems such as diabetes and arthritis. Commercial pet foods formulated to help cats lose weight are available.
Although many cats are content to eat a single product, some may develop finicky eating habits and become very selective about what foods they will accept. Cats more so than dogs have a reputation for such a behavior. Remember and live by the concept of varied feeding. Feeding your cat different cat foods provides flavor variety, and may prevent your cat from developing an exclusive preference for a single food, so that if a medical condition dictates a change in diet, your cat may have an easier time adjusting.
Also remember that not eating can lead to serious medical problems in cats. This is true for sick cats that lack an appetite, for cats on a diet, and for the finicky cat that refuses to eat. If your cat totally refuses to eat, see your vet.
Cats are obligate carnivores and, when it comes to nutritional needs, have very different requirements from dogs. What actually is an obligate carnivore? Our domesticated cats are strict carnivores. Cats rely on nutrients in animal tissue to meet their specific nutritional requirements. In nature, i.e. the wild life, cats are hunters consuming prey high in protein with moderate amounts of fat and minimal amounts of carbohydrates. Cats also require more than a dozen nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. These nutrients are the building blocks of a number of structural body tissues. They are essential for chemical reactions such as metabolism and catabolism, they transport substances into, around, and out of the body, they supply growth and maintenance energy and they provide palatability.
Important to remember about nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, is that your cat needs the correct amount, but no more and no less. It is easy to have either too much or not enough when it comes to vitamins and minerals. The use of supplements not only is unnecessary but also can be potentially dangerous to your cat's health. A key point to remember is that cats are neither dogs nor people. Because of their unique metabolism, what might be good for you or your dog might be detrimental to your cat. A high quality cat food normally assures an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in your cat's diet. Such a diet does not require supplements and they never should be added without consulting your vet.
Another important nutrient is water. Water helps to regulate body temperature, to digest food, to eliminate waste, to lubricate tissue, and to allow salt and other electrolytes to pass through the body. Make sure your cat always has access to clean, fresh water.
Commercial cat foods are available as dry, semi moist and canned formulas. These products differ in water content, protein level, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility. Dry food typically contains 6 to 10 percent moisture. Depending on the specific formulation, meats, poultry, grain or their respective by-products, fish meal, fiber sources, milk products, vitamin and mineral supplements are combined, extruded, and dried into bite sized pieces. The pieces are then covered with flavor enhancers, such as animal fat, which give them increased palatability. The primary advantages of dry cat food are lower cost and convenience in allowing "free choice" feeding. However, dry food may be less palatable to a cat, and, depending on the types and quality of the ingredients, may also be less digestible than moist food. When feeding dry food, it is important to store unused portions in a cool, dry location, and not to use the food after its expiration date. To save money, cat owners normally buy large amounts of dry food that can sometimes last for 3 to 6 months. Checking the expiration date before feeding it to your cat is very important. Lengthy storage decreases the activity and potency of many vitamins and increases the likelihood that fats have become rancid. Store dry cat food in an airtight container, which helps to prevent nutrient deterioration and maintain palatability.
Semi-moist food contains approximately 35 percent moisture and often resembles ground or whole meat tidbits. Meat and meat byproducts are primary ingredients. They are combined with soybean meal, cereals, grain byproducts, and preservatives. The cost is generally mid range. These foods may be more appealing than dry cat food to some cats. Semi moist food can also be fed free choice. However, after the package is opened, palatability decreases and spoilage increases because of dehydration.
Canned cat food has a moisture content of at least 75 percent, making it a good dietary source of water. It is generally the most expensive type of cat food, but it also is highly palatable to most cats. Different varieties are available in great numbers, which can be helpful if your cat is a finicky eater. Canned food has the longest shelf life when unopened, but any unused portion of opened canned cat food should be refrigerated to maintain quality and prevent spoilage. Gourmet canned cat foods generally feature meats, such as kidney or liver, and whole meat by-products as primary food ingredients. Some brands, however, may be nutritionally incomplete, and it is important to read the nutrition labels carefully on such specialty cat food items to ensure that they have a nutritional guarantee.
This is your basic list of options. It is incomplete though. I have yet to address other options such as raw food, food mixes and home prepared diets. Stay tuned as I will do so in a subsequent article. For now, after giving you the most popular what should be your choice? High quality (!), not mass produced, commercially prepared cat foods have been scientifically developed to give your cat the correct balance of nutrients and calories. At least that is what their manufacturers claim. Always remember that critical judgment is in order here. Basic minimum nutritional requirements for cats have been established by the Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) Subcommittee of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Pet food manufacturers use these standards in producing cat foods.
When shopping for a healthy food for your cat, reading the label on the bags is the best way to compare the different products. Understanding the labels and knowing how to read them gives you a good initial idea. Pet food manufacturers are required to supply certain nutrition information on the package. Labeling regulations are established by AAFCO and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All pet foods that carry an AAFCO approved nutritional guarantee, referred to as the "AAFCO statement," are considered to be complete and balanced. These standards were formulated in the early 1990s by panels of experts on canine and feline nutrition. A food may be certified in two ways: By meeting AAFCO's published standards for content, or by passing feeding tests or trials. Most researchers agree that feeding tests are superior in assessing the nutritional adequacy of a food.
Throughout a cat's life, there are stages during which a cat requires different nutrients. These stages include growth, adult stage, pregnancy and lactation and senior stage. The nutritional claim on the label should state the stage of a cat's life cycle for which the food is considered to be a complete and balanced product. It should also state that it meets the requirements of the AAFCO. Feeding a cat a product that does not have a nutritional claim on the label is not a guarantee for a complete and balanced diet. Many products state that they have been formulated for "all life stages," which simplifies things for owners with multiple cats of different ages or circumstances.
Read the ingredient list when choosing your cat food. It names all ingredients used in the product, including flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and preservatives. These ingredients are listed in order of decreasing proportional weight. Meat, meat by-products, or seafood should be listed among the first few ingredients. This is an indication that the food probably contains enough animal source ingredients to supply protein or essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. Nonetheless, addition of some nutrients (e.g., the amino acid taurine, and B vitamins, including thiamine and niacin) may be necessary to offset the fiber content of the diet or degradation of nutrients that occurs during the manufacturing process.
Once you have determined that a food is complete and balanced, choosing between the types of food may be a matter of what your cat prefers. Some cats like canned food, some like dry food, and some like a combination of the two. Today's high quality cat food market offers an almost overwhelming abundance of well formulated foods for cats of all life stages, so you can choose the ones that work best for your cat.
Is there anything else you should consider? Environmental conditions can affect a cat's eating habits. For example, heavy traffic areas, noise, the presence of other animals, dirty food containers, or nearby litter boxes can deter a cat from eating. You don’t eat in your bath room. Try to be sensitive to your cat's eating behavior. Make necessary adjustments to provide optimum feeding conditions.
Remember that cats vary greatly in characteristics such as the amount of food they need to consume to ensure optimal weight and health maintenance. Be careful not to over feed your cat. Over feeding may lead to obesity, unfortunately the most common nutrition related problem in cats. Additionally, an overweight cat is prone to other health problems such as diabetes and arthritis. Commercial pet foods formulated to help cats lose weight are available.
Although many cats are content to eat a single product, some may develop finicky eating habits and become very selective about what foods they will accept. Cats more so than dogs have a reputation for such a behavior. Remember and live by the concept of varied feeding. Feeding your cat different cat foods provides flavor variety, and may prevent your cat from developing an exclusive preference for a single food, so that if a medical condition dictates a change in diet, your cat may have an easier time adjusting.
Also remember that not eating can lead to serious medical problems in cats. This is true for sick cats that lack an appetite, for cats on a diet, and for the finicky cat that refuses to eat. If your cat totally refuses to eat, see your vet.
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