| Even though Americans spend over $10 billion a year on pet food, people just can’t help indulging their animals with human food as a “special treat.” Those puppy eyes, the floppy ears- there’s really no way to resist giving them just a little taste under the table. But what is safe for a human’s stomach may not be safe for an animal’s. Sharing human food with pets is not good practice for an animal’s diet and can, in some cases, be fatal. Rich foods that are high in fat, such as meats with heavy gravy or sauces, can cause discomfort and stomach pain in pets. During the holidays, veterinarians commonly see an increased number of cases of stomach problems and pancreatitis. The story veterinarians often hear during the holiday season is of a pet sniffing out a juicy turkey or some savory stuffing, overeating and then becoming sick. Classic signs of an irritated or inflamed pancreas include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Onions and garlic, while safe for humans, contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia in cats and dogs. Onions present the highest risk of toxicity to pets, as just a single serving can result in anemia. Garlic, however, is less toxic than onions and it requires a large amount of garlic to cause a dog or cat to become ill. Some studies even show that small amounts of garlic can actually be beneficial to the health of dogs (such as in canine nutritional supplements). Grapes and raisins are another human food to avoid giving pets. To date, veterinarians have not discovered the exact reasoning why they are so dangerous to animals. Little has been linked to the type, brand or amount consumed, but it has been shown that grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in pets. As most pet owners know, chocolate is the biggest no-no for animals. Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that acts as a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms as they contain ten times the amount of theobromine than milk chocolate. A 22 pound dog can be seriously affected by ingesting just a quarter of a packet of cocoa powder or half a block of cooking chocolate. Giving your pup a piece of chocolate cake or even letting him lick the chocolate icing on the cake could cause him to become ill. Additionally, when a dog or cat is affected by an overdose of chocolate they can become hyperactive. The diuretic affect of chocolate may cause the dog or cat to pass excessive volumes of urine and the animal may be unusually thirsty. Even more dangerous, theobromine can cause a dog or cat’s heart to beat very rapidly or irregularly, which could result in death if the pet is exercising or overly active. http://www.i-pets.com/rpet21.html
RAW FOOD vs. DOG FOOD
Many people choose to feed their dogs raw food or the BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food) Diet. This diet consists of raw meaty bones, vegetables, offal (the organ part of the protein source), recreational bones, and proteins like cottage cheese and eggs with the shells. Proponents of this diet claim that it keeps their dogs healthier than commercially prepared diets.
The following are some pros and cons of both diets:
Testing: People who advocate raw diets claim that the diet is tried and true and has been tested positively for centuries on wild dogs. They say that since commercial diets have been around since only the 1950's, there is no long term testing that has been done on this food. Proponents of raw food claim that the increase in allergies, dysplasia, and other health condition is as a result of dogs being fed commercial dog food.
People who believe in commercial dog food point to the millions of dollars each year companies such as Purina, Iams, Hill's, and Nutro spend on scientific and field testing of their products. They believe that commercial dog food contains all of the nutrients that a dog needs to grow and be healthy and that since the BARF diet is complicated, expensive, and difficult to prepare, many people do not properly understand it and are not appropriately feeding their dogs.
Grains: Advocates of raw feeding say that dogs cannot properly digest grains and therefore do not feed them. They feel that the commercial market uses grains because they are inexpensive fillers.
Proponents of commercial dog food say that as dogs are omnivores, it is only natural that they require the nutritional benefits of grains. They feel that people who feed raw food are depriving their dogs of this nutrient.
Raw Ingredients vs. Cooked Ingredients: People who feed their dogs raw food diets feel that nature intended for animals to eat their food raw and that cooking damages the chemical makeup of foods and that cooking the food actually damages an animal's immune system.
Those that feel that commercial food is the way to go, claim that there is no difference between cooking the animal's food and cooking human food. That all of the nutrients are still active in cooked food providing healthy meals for animals.
Additives: People who believe in feeding their dogs raw food feel that no additives are needed and that their animals are getting all of the nutrients they require. They feel that the commercial food companies use additives to enhance the palatability of their food effectively "addicting" a dog to it.
Commercial food advocates say that additives such as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are essential to giving the dog the proper balance of nutrients he requires, while raw food is missing some essential vitamins and minerals.
Variety: Those who feed raw food feel that dogs need variety in their diet and that commercial food is very boring for them.
Commercial food advocates say that dogs have very sensitive digestive systems and that variety actually can cause things such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Whether you choose to feed your dog the BARF diet or commercial food, it is important to be educated on what a dog's nutritional requirements are. You should also consult your veterinarian for his recommendation on diet. http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dogsarticles/Raw-Food-Vs-Dog-Food.html
so.. commercial dog food better ? or raw food better?
aiks i was so confusing after i read through this 2 articles vet told me never give nike eat our food.. but in fact i saw some dogs (those being feed naturally, sisa makanan etc) grow healthier throughout many years hmmm mayb i shouldn't blame my dad of giving them eat our food? i was so fed up sometimes but but.. hmm if anyone have the time to read tru this post mayb u can give your opinions? i would like some comment for this post. thanks
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