Raw Pet Diets - Part I

Raw Pet Diets Grow in Popularity

Continuing to increase in popularity is the practice of feeding dogs and cats the natural raw diet. While this term describes the condition of the food, a better terminology would be Species Appropriate Nutrition. After all, cats and dogs have never been known to cook their own food and, if circumstances are such that they must fend for themselves, they will eat a wide variety of foods, a good portion of which is raw. Another feature of dogs and cats we cannot deny is that they are carnivores, cats especially. Cats do very poorly unless their diet contains meat.

Exactly why are pet owners turning away from the convenience of food in a bag that has a shelf life of many months to food that requires refrigeration and some preparation? I believe many have finally realized that there are positive nutritional gains from feeding a natural diet and that they can do an excellent job of providing superior nutrition for their animals with fresh real food. Many more simply want to improve their pet’s health.

Drawing from anecdotal reports from my clients, what they notice about their pets on raw food are better energy levels and improved stamina; better coats; healthier teeth and gums; smaller, less smelly and more biodegradable stools; less gaseous emissions from both ends; better well-being; and, of course, improvement in chronic health conditions in many cases.

I have witnessed such a large number of unhealthy pets improve once they were taken off of processed foods that it is difficult for me (and my clients) to ignore these results. The following from the Malmas family is just one testimonial to the raw diet, where many diets were tried with their dog, only to have him simply get worse and worse. I am encountering these testimonials with ever increasing frequency.

“Jack is our 3 yr old Golden Retriever, and he has been struggling with allergies for about 2 years. Obviously, it was difficult to figure out what he was allergic to, so food seemed the best place to start. Over the past 2 years we have tried about 8 different dry dog foods, including special hypo-allergenic brands from the vet, all with different protein sources, different grains, etc…. nothing helped.

We used prescribed allergy medications when he was especially bad, but even that would only give him relief temporarily. Jack was having a very bad week. He had been gaining weight with all the food changes, and his energy was at an all time low. Jack’s paws were red and inflamed and his mouth was raw from scratching. His ears were red and raw, and his face was quite puffy. He also had about 14 lbs to lose.

Dr. Drosdovech recommended putting Jack on a raw food diet. We went through the 10 day transition, and after 5 weeks the difference in Jack is amazing! He has lost 8.5 lbs, his face is no longer puffy, and his paws and mouth are much better. Although his scratching hasn’t completed subsided, he doesn’t scratch nearly as often as he did before and his energy has returned so he is able to play and run like a 3yr old should!”

Not every dog or cat does well on the raw diet and not all of them will readily eat it. However, I have found that most will easily adapt to it and most seem to believe they have died and gone to Heaven!

Problems with the diet can be minimized by slowly transitioning them on to the raw food, sometimes with an Internal Cleanse or Fast. If the pet is a healthy individual, cleansing is usually not required, but it is still recommended to move fairly slowly over 5-7 days. If the pet vomits, has diarrhea, or becomes constipated, it is time to back off and go more slowly.

The following from Dr. Richard Pitcairn, a veterinary homeopath, says it all:
All processed pet foods--whether sold in cans, bags, or frozen packages, in either giant supermarket chains or local health food stores- are missing something that seems to me to be one of the most important "nutrients" of all. This key ingredient is something nutritional scientists have practically ignored. But when it's there, you and I can know it and feel it. It is a quality found only in freshly grown, uncooked whole foods. It's life energy."

My advice is to exercise common sense and not to begin this way of feeding without in depth instruction, but please don’t be afraid to try real food on your pets. My next article will address more on natural nutrition including arguments against this method of feeding as well as the benefits of bone chewing.

Dr. Moira Drosdovech

Holistic Health Care in Brief

Holistic Pet Health Care in Brief

By Dr. Moira Drosdovech
Pawsitive Veterinary Care


There are many modalities in the realm of holistic health care for pets and this article will not go into any one of them in detail. The purpose of this article is to introduce you to a paradigm shift in the way you view your pet’s overall care and to encourage you to do your own research to discover what might be best for your pet.

Let’s start with the long held belief about the need for vaccinations.

Vaccinations:
Most pet owners are aware that there is a controversy surrounding vaccinations in the veterinary field. Evidence supporting the view that vaccines given every year can be harmful in some pets is mounting. Many veterinarians, including some research scientists and veterinary colleges, believe that puppy and kitten vaccinations provide your pet with adequate immunity for life or a good portion of it, just like childhood vaccinations are good for life. Many veterinarians are advocating the use of one vaccine at a time (eg. for dogs, first just Parvo, then 3-4 weeks later, just Distemper) to reduce the stress on the immune system. Remember, it is your pet and you are ultimately responsible for its well-being. If you choose not to vaccinate at all, then it is important that you do so with full knowledge and that you take steps to ensure they are kept on a superior level of nutrition and are kept lean and trim. Your pets should still be seen once a year for physical examinations and twice a year for senior pets.

In my opinion, it is absolutely unnecessary in almost every case to administer vaccines annually and you may cause irreparable harm by continuing to do so. I very rarely vaccinate beyond the initial puppy vaccines other than for perhaps Rabies. Of critical importance is the fact that vaccines are only approved for use in HEALTHY animals. That means free from any disease, including things which seem quite minor like skin and ear problems, but also includes behaviour problems, arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, bladder infections or history of cystitis, and many more.

Caution should be exercised when deciding to give any vaccines and no vaccine should be given without a comprehensive educational discussion beforehand. Blood tests to measure antibody levels, called Titres, are useful tools to help in the decision making process. Please spread the word to others you know with pets that they need to look at both sides of this issue before they subject their pets to any more vaccinations. I still see far too many pets subjected to a slew of annual vaccines in spite of current information, even the availability of vaccines that are licensed for every 3 years. Buyer beware.

Heartworm (dogs):
Fortunately, there have been no positive tests in any dogs that have lived their entire life in Kelowna, even those traveling outside Kelowna, and very, very few in the Okanagan in the last several years. For this reason, I do not council clients to put their dogs on heartworm preventative medication unless they are traveling to an area where there are lots of cases. Just like any other drug, heartworm medicine has a systemic, or whole body, effect. The fewer chemicals we put in and on our pets, chances are the healthier they will be. Use of the heartworm medications in the last few years as a routine dewormer is overkill, in my opinion, as it is very rare that we find any adult dogs with intestinal worms. Have your dog’s feces checked before indiscriminately deworming. Parasites are not as common as you might think.

Nutrition:
The food we put in our bodies to a huge extent determines how healthy we are. It is no different for pets. If you choose to feed processed pet foods to your pets, it is a good idea to supplement with fresh foods on a regular basis so they too can take advantage of the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals present in fresh raw fruits and veggies. The feeding of natural foods to pets, including meat, is gaining more and more support amongst pet owners, breeders and holistic veterinarians alike. The reason is because it is proving to be beneficial. Yes, it is controversial, but I see the benefits every day at my office and hear the testimonials daily. Do not be afraid to check it out and make up your own mind. Your pets will love you for it!

Exercise:
It won’t matter what you feed your pet and how few drugs and vaccines they are subjected to, if you do not exercise them, they will suffer the consequences. The biggest drawback to little or no exercise would be obesity problems, which now is seen in over 25% of the pet population. The feeding of grain-based diets (dry foods) and lack of daily activity is taking its toll on North American pets. Daily exercise improves your pet’s stamina, health, mental well-being and much more. Cats aren’t much into regimented exercise, but they do enjoy good playtime. So get going and enjoy your pets!

Medicines:
Having practiced a conventional style of veterinary medicine for many years and switching to a more holistic approach in the last few, I have seen the good and bad points of each modality. Many of our every day medical problems are potentially treatable with homeopathy and other alternative modalities as a first resort rather than as a last resort and with far fewer side effects. Each time your pet has a problem, consider how you would like yourself or a family member treated and choose the same for your pet.

I have covered a number of topics here, but only briefly. Please keep in mind that this article reflects my opinions only and should not be taken in place of a visit to your veterinarian. Questions or comments may arise and I am more than willing to address them for you. Please call at the office 862-2727 or e-mail drmoira@gmail.com.

Dr. Moira

Feeding Cats as Nature Intended

Feed your cat as Nature intended

By Dr. Moira Drosdovech

www.pawsitivevet.com

Although commonly accepted that commercial dry food is an adequate 100% complete balanced diet for cats, I have many concerns with this line of thinking.

First, let’s take a look at what cats really are. Cats are 100% carnivores. In fact, cat species are the only true carnivores we have on Planet Earth. They have evolved and thrived over millions of years to fit their prey, not the other way around. Prey does not evolve to suit a predator.

After over 3000 years in our company, there has been little effect on the physiology and behaviour of cats compared to their wild relatives. They are capable of reverting to a completely wild state after only one generation.

Dry food does not compare to or reflect a cat’s natural diet. For one, it is made with a great deal of grain or grain by-products, in most cases well over 40%. While dogs may relish a bowl of oatmeal or what they can scrounge at the barn from the grain barrel, cats would rarely volunteer to consume grain.

Feeding grain to cats can lead to some potentially serious health problems. One theory is that excess grain will cause obesity in cats just as in humans. Many cats are quite sedentary and unless they burn the energy derived from carbohydrates in the diet, they will wear it in the form of fat! Obesity has become a huge problem in our feline population. That one cup of dry food you are feeding your 10 pound cat is really equal to 2 cups once rehydrated. No wonder they are getting fat!

Physiologically, they are not designed to metabolize a diet high in carbohydrates and I believe these dry diets put extra stress on the pancreas as a result. Diabetes is a commonly diagnosed ailment in cats, especially in those that are obese. It affects as many as 1 in 100 cats. Isn’t it possible that the grain-based dry diets are causing many of these cases?

Another problem with feeding dry diets to cats is the fact that these diets are lacking moisture in any significant quantities. Cats, by nature, are not keen on drinking a lot of water. They have adapted over millions of years to obtaining most or all of the water they need from their prey. Once swallowed, the dry food will absorb stomach juices and water, swell and often be regurgitated, thus a probable cause of chronic vomiting in some cats.

By feeding dry food, we force them to drink more that they wish to and, over time, the vast majority simply do not drink enough. This will lead to a long term state of mild, chronic dehydration. According to the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition textbook, the “volume of water drunk increases as the moisture content of the food decreases; however, cats fed dry foods usually have lower total intake of water than those fed moist foods”.

Kidney failure is extremely common in senior cats and accounts for many deaths. Contrary to common belief, a diet high in protein does not cause kidney disorders or lead to kidney failure, although it can and will exacerbate an already existing problem, whereas dehydration is damaging to the kidneys. Dehydration can also predispose a cat to Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, a painful condition in which the cat has trouble urinating and may obstruct completely, a life-threatening problem.

What about their teeth? Doesn’t dry food keep their teeth clean? Absolutely not, a fact even stated in the aforementioned textbook. “Dry foods are often perceived as providing dental hygiene benefits”, but studies have “found no correlation between food form and periodontal disease progression”. Carbohydrate based foods lead to an unnatural alkaline body environment that will allow mineral deposits, such as tartar build-up on teeth, to develop.

The text goes on to say “The general belief that dry foods provide significant oral cleansing should be regarded with skepticism”. Even special tartar control diets (eg. Hill’s T/D) will still allow plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation to develop, albeit somewhat less than regular dry foods.

So what is a species-appropriate diet for cats? Raw meat and organ meat balanced out to contain all the minerals and other nutrients they need. Most seem to prefer poultry. You may also try small raw meaty bones such as pieces of chicken wings and necks, but not all cats will go for this. If you have ever witnessed a cat eating a mouse or bird, they leave very little behind.

Cats keep their teeth clean by biting and shearing through fur and flesh. This is not possible for most cats, as they don’t hunt, but chewing through chunks of meat will help along with the fact that a protein-based diet keeps the body in an acidic balance, thus minimizing mineral deposits.

This diet is very simple to do, takes little time and is therefore still convenient. Products are available that you mix in to make the meat a balanced diet. Never feed just raw meat, as this is unbalanced. Please look at www.felinefuture.com for more information.

If started when young, raw food is almost always readily accepted. Finicky adult cats can be hard to re-program, sometimes impossible, but it is always worth a try. Their health and longevity will be improved.

For those owners that don’t wish to feed raw foods, the next best thing is a moist good quality food (no artificial ingredients preferred) with very little dry food, supplemented by chunks of meat here and there. You can also try them out on the occasional fruit or table scrap. Of all the fruits, cantaloupe seems to be favored.

Have fun feeding your cat as Nature intended. You will see their health blossom and their enjoyment of life improve.