Kibble Quandary A Fresh Look at Pet Food
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by Julie Peterson
ating healthy is Contaminants aren’t We are seeing more a family affair, the only concern. “Up to cancer, neurologic and that includes 50 percent of commerconditions and kidney cial foods are composed the family pet. However, what works for humans of meat meal and bydisease, and there may be less than optimal products,” says Armaiti is evidence that the for Fluffy or Fido, as May, DVM, owner of Dr. increase in these each requires a speMay’s Veterinary House diseases may be due cies-specific, nutritionCalls, in Los Angeles. ally balanced regimen. These can include to harmful ingredients Most pet parents opt for meat from dead, dying, in commercial, commercial dog or cat diseased or disabled meat-based foods. food that comes in a bag animals, and even or a can, but many are rendered dogs and cats ~Armaiti May beginning to consider from animal shelters, more natural options. “Kibble is often the says May. “We are seeing more cancer, neumost economical way to feed your pet. But rologic conditions and kidney disease, and its processed state makes it the least optithere is evidence that the increase in these mal,” says Angie Krause, DVM, at Boulder diseases may be due to harmful ingredients Holistic Vet, in Colorado. in commercial, meat-based foods.” Canned food is also heavily processed Healthy Alternative Diets and potentially toxic. In 2017, Clean Label Project, a nonprofit testing laboratory, com- Owners that switch from commercial foods report their animals display thicker coats, pleted a study of 1,084 pet food products, brighter eyes and greater energy. However, screening them for more than 130 toxins and contaminants linked to cancer and oth- dogs and cats require specific ranges of vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates, so it’s er conditions. Results showed cadmium, a heavy metal, in 94 percent of the products, important to ensure that nutritional needs along with arsenic and lead. are met and a healthy balance is maintained. 44 Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition
Pet food recalls have prompted some families to start cooking for their charges, but it’s not as simple as sharing the family dinner. “There are online calculators that can help you create and balance recipes for dogs and cats. Balancing a diet can be tedious and often requires added supplements,” says Krause. Seeing a four-legged friend thrive was worth the extra time and cost for Yvonnda Stamp-Agent, a homemaker from Rockvale, Tennessee. Emma, a schnauzer mix, suffered from itchy skin, anal gland leakage, kidney crystals, vomiting and other problems. “We switched to home-cooked wild salmon and flounder protein with fresh organic vegetables and fruits, along with vitamin and mineral supplementation.” Emma recovered and is now an energetic 5-year-old.
n Raw The biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) diet, as described at BarfWorld. com, contains raw meats, vegetables and cooked grains and legumes. Proponents say it improves health from tooth to tail. “Buddha, my orange tabby, is 22 and no longer has an issue with hairballs,” says Kim Bolin, a Reno, Nevada real estate agent, who has fed raw for three years. Stephanie Krause, in Keego Harbor, Michigan, says her three dogs are more relaxed, probably from the time and effort needed to eat large bones—and they haven’t needed a teeth cleaning since going raw. “After eating raw bones, there was plaque laying all over the floor.” The BARF diet can be homemade, although most choose prepared frozen or freeze-dried products to ensure nutrient balance or to avoid handling raw meats. Angie Krause says the diet is controversial, largely due to human health risks from pathogenic bacteria.
n Vegan and Vegetarian For ethical and environmental reasons, homemade or pre-made, plant-based diets for companion animals are becoming more popular. “If the 163 million dogs and cats in the U.S. were their own country, it would be the fifth-largest meat-eating country on
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