Food and Diet Information from Dr. Royal
Posted on December 21st, 2007
PET FOOD DISCUSSIONS
Are we finished talking about problems with dog food? Is anyone still worried about the recalls? Haven’t we heard enough? Aren’t our foods safe again? Is all well?
No. Not all dogs are well. Not all food is healthy food. There is, sadly, still much to be vigilant about. As for the recalls, pet food companies have apparently done their best to monitor for melamine. It looks like the danger from melamine is mostly past. But it is still difficult to completely track the sources of many additives in foods. There are still other important problems with our pet foods. But take heart, it’s not complicated at all and doesn’t even have to be expensive. There are amazingly wonderful foods available. You just have to get back to basics.
WHAT DOGS EAT
I’ve done a lot of work in zoos. One thing I always remember from my zoo work is something we would do with every new animal under our care. We would say “let’s most closely approximate what this animal would eat in the wild; it’s our best chance at keeping the animal healthy.” Then we would deal with any other health problems that came about.
Somehow, we aren’t following these basic rules with our pets. Most dog foods are frighteningly far from approximating what they would eat “in the wild.” Yes, dogs are domesticated animals, but their digestive systems don’t know that. Their stomach and intestines are waiting for their carnivore- based food. And what they get is usually something quite different. There is no perfect food for every dog. But we know the starting point. Dogs are meat eaters. This does not mean feeding just meat; it means a balanced diet that has, as its primary calorie source, a meat product.
I like the Innova-Evo, Orijen, California Natural, Eagle Pack-Holistic blend, Solid Gold, Merricks, Prairie, Burns, Wellness-Core, Paul Newman, and others that are more natural and have no corn and no wheat in them. Also, try to have the protein level at over 28%. These are CARNIVORES!
Some owners have gone to a raw food, but it is best to discuss this with your veterinarian, or call Dr. Royal. They can be a wonderful and healthful alternative for some dogs. Here are some options for raw foods:
Stella and Chewy’s, Nature’s Variety Raw Diets, Real Food Frozen Diet, BARF, Farmore, Paw Naturaw, Primal Pet Foods, and there are more…
JUST SAY NO TO CORN AND WHEAT
What carnivore eats corn and wheat as the main staple of their diet?? I’d have to say NONE. Then why are corn and wheat significant ingredients in their foods? Because they are a cheap source of calories. They do not provide any healthy nutritional support for dogs. It is easy to be leery of wheat after the recent food recalls, but why weren’t we suspicious of it even before it was tainted? Why is it a major part of the carnivore’s diet? It’s time to think about what foods are best for our beloved carnivorous friends. I know they shouldn’t be eating corn or wheat.
There is clearly a connection between nutrition and obesity, allergies, diabetes, endocrine diseases, thyroid problems, seizures and even dental disease. We will medicate these animals without question but we don’t often re-examine the animal’s diet from scratch. I have found that with a proper carnivore diet, many diseases are more easily managed and health is improved significantly.
A BIT OF GASTROINTESTINAL SCIENCE
I believe that most food allergies can be traced to LEAKY GUT SYNDROME (LGS). LGS is defined by: an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to luminal macromolecules, antigens and toxins associated with inflammatory, degenerative changes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. This means that if the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed it is more likely to allow unwanted allergens to pass into the bloodstream. The body will be spending more time dealing with these challenges to the immune system. Therefore putting the allergen response on constant alert. It takes a lot less to stimulate an allergic response under these circumstances.
By changing the diet to one that decreases inflammation in the GI tract, an animal can be relieved of LGS. Suddenly their “food allergies” or “food intolerances” disappear.
A major cause of inflammation in the GI tract of carnivores is feeding corn or wheat. It is best to consider diets that have no grains to avoid inflaming the gut.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to feed a dry kibble for the teeth. Dry food is not better for dental health and doesn’t chip off tartar while they chew. Often it is worse for the teeth. In order to make each kibble stick together wheat glutens and carbohydrates are often used, which then stick to the teeth. Canned food is usually licked off the teeth. Don’t worry if you’d rather feed dry food, or your pet prefers it. There are many terrific dry foods with protein levels above 30% with no corn or wheat that are not too sticky.
Raw diet (properly balanced with vitamins and minerals) is often a great choice, but is not for every pet. It’s easiest to purchase a pre-processed raw food to make sure it is nutritionally balanced. Many dogs improve significantly on raw food; especially dogs with chronic allergies. There are some animals that need more processed food because they are deficient and can’t properly digest raw foods. Owners with small children crawling about in the house should be careful because having raw meat on the floor may pose a risk. Raw may not be appropriate for some immuno-compromised animals. It is good to discuss these options with your veterinarian.
Even with proper diets, there are still some animals that have sensitive stomachs or are just plain picky. For those animals, a complete exam and evaluation may be helpful. It is often useful to keep several items on hand and use as needed:
- White rice (not minute rice) (add extra water and overcook till gloopy)
- Unsweetened canned pumpkin
- Stage II meat baby food jars (make sure there’s no onion powder in it)
- Canned tripe
- Plain yogurt with active cultures
OVERWEIGHT ANIMALS?BIG, EASY SOLUTION TO BIG PROBLEM
Overweight animals. We have been feeding diets high in carbohydrates to dogs for too long in this country. When a dog is overweight, we do think about diet, but we often think incorrectly. We take too much from the human side. Weight loss diets for humans include dramatic decreases in fat content. This is often how the geriatric and weight loss animal diets are formulated. But it is not the best way for a carnivore to lose weight. The most important factors for dogs are minimizing carbohydrates and feeding less.
Dogs are amazing. They are unlike any other species in that they are uniquely suited to lose weight quickly. They don’t go into starvation mode. When they are hungry, they just use their fat. This is an evolutionary strong point for a scavenging animal. A healthy dog can go days without food and have no changes in bloodwork – blood sugar, liver enzymes, etc, are all maintained. If they are hungry, they just work on their own fat, quickly and efficiently. We just never really let them get hungry.
Weight loss doesn’t have to ruin your “food is love” relationship with your dog. It doesn’t have to make you feel guilty. It doesn’t mean that their stomachs have to go empty. I don’t like it when my pets look at me with sad, desperate eyes, so I won’t recommend you suffer through that either. Even the most obese dogs can get to a good weight in 6 weeks if you follow a few guidelinesThey will be happy and feel great. Believe me! They can lose weight, be healthy and love you too. Read on….
(THIS IS NOT TRUE FOR CATS – see below.)
So what are the answers? You have an overweight animal. What should you do?
First, make sure your veterinarian has examined your pet and treated any metabolic problems, like hypothyroidism. Then, let nutrition work for your pet, not against your pet
Don’t bother with “lite foods” or geriatric diets for less active pets — they rarely work fast enough or at all. They are often the “low fat” foods that don’t address the real problem.
If your dog is overweight the first thing to do is just cut the amount of food you’re feeding IN HALF!! Then, if possible, change to a diet with good protein levels that is a LOW CARB, NO GRAIN DIET! There are a lot of good ones out there now. Protein levels shouldn’t be in the low 20% range. That’s not a carnivore diet! You can do better for your dog. There are a number of limited grain or grain-free dry foods, canned foods and raw foods that are easily available. You can find them at many pet food stores and some are even available in grocery stores now.
If you’re changing diets, it’s best to change slowly, over 10 days, a little bit at a time. Use a probiotic (lactobacillus/aspergillosis, etc) to help the bacteria in the gut adapt. You can also use unsweetened canned pumpkin or overcooked gloopy white rice (not minute rice) to help keep stools firm during the transition period.
FEED LOW SODIUM CANNED GREEN BEANS to fill the begging stomach and as treats. Use these especially for animals that eat treats voraciously. They often don’t even notice what you’ve given them. They just want something from your hand. You can feed a lot of these if you need to. They usually don’t cause gas or diarrhea.
OFFER A FEW RICE CAKES FOR FUN. Dogs don’t absorb much of the carbohydrate in a rice cake, and they usually tolerate them well. You can even schmear Stage II Meat baby food or some cheese on them for even more fun (make sure there is no onion powder in it).
Use freeze-dried meat treats - there are all kinds. Dogs love them!
No baked treats (they often have wheat, corn or a lot of carbs in them)
No peanut butter if your dog is arthritic. It can exacerbate the inflammation.
Exercise helps, but is not the main event here. Often these animals can’t exercise. It’s not an excuse for not losing weight!
Dogs who need to lose weight should not be defecating more than 1 x day (unless you are feeding A LOT of greenbeans). This is how you know if you are feeding the right amount. NEVER feed the amount that is on the dog food label – especially if your dog is overweight. The amount needed will most certainly be significantly less than that amount.
Weigh your dog EVERY WEEK. They should have a steady weight loss. Try to determine about how much weight you think should be lost to get to thin. Then divide that by 8. This is about the amount of weight loss you should aim for each week (within reason).
Once a desired weight is achieved, consider a slight increase in the amount of food you’re feeding to maintain that weight. And continue to weigh them often to be sure you have the right amount! Remember that overweight animals are twice as likely to develop arthritis in later years as thin animals.
It’s not difficult to find appropriate diets that maintain healthy, happy dogs at a good weight. I’ve done it with my patients for over 10 years. Your little carnivore will thank you for it. They’ll know you love them just for what they are.
Dr. Barbara Royal 2006Royal Treatment Veterinary Spa
NOTES – FOR OUR CAT FRIENDS
Cats are obligate carnivores, even more than dogs. They have an even greater need for a diet that is low in carbohydrates. But we have to be careful in any change in cat foods.
Cats CANNOT live long without food. They must eat every day or they do affect their liver function rather dramatically. ESPECIALLY overweight cats. So at all stages of weight loss they must eat daily meals. Make sure your cat is eating. If they don’t like what you’re feeding, they will let themselves get very ill rather than eat an unfamiliar or disliked food. Make sure you have options for them.
Like dogs, they lose weight best on an Atkin’s – type (“CATKIN’S”) diet.
This means a diet of mostly Protein and Fat and low in carbohydrates. Again, protein levels in the low 20’s is not enough. If they’ll eat it, they may do better with with canned foods – they have fewer preservatives, more water in the diet for kidney health, and it’s easy to lick off teeth. Sometimes it helps to add some warm water to the food for older cats or cats that have a chronic illness that may affect their sense of smell.
These guidelines especially help fight diabetic tendencies. But be careful changing foods if you’re already giving insulin – you may need to give a lower dose of insulin. Be sure to ask your veterinarian before changing diet.
Offer new foods slowly. Offer them in the morning when they are hungry – it’s your best chance to see if they’ll like it. Feeding twice daily with canned food often works great.
If they don’t eat canned food (many cats won’t, and would rather starve than comply so BE CAREFUL!) choose dry foods that fit the low carb, no grain rules.
They can have freeze dried treats too. AVOID baked treats with carbohydrates and preservatives!
Try to get them exercising with toys and interaction.
Also put the food somewhere where they have to walk, climb (if they still can climb) or do some sort of movement or exercise to get to it.
If the animal hangs out in a room that’s cozy, don’t have the food near that room. Make them leave “cozy” to get to an inconveniently far place to eat. They won’t snack as much and will tend to eat only when they are hungry.
Then watch the pounds come off.
Dr. Barbara Royal 2006Royal Treatment Veterinary Spa
