Pets Need Wholesome Food Also
A Hassle Free Guide To Natural Homemade Pet Food — Totally 100% Free To Read
Promoting Natural and Holistic Health For Dogs and Cats Online Since 1994

Healthy Food — Healthy Pets

Love Is Essential For A Healthy Pet

Dogs and cats deserve a wholesome raw meat diet

Is Your Pet Ready For Bikini Season...

Or is your beloved dog or cat suffering with a weight problem? Despite the explosion of reducing diets into the marketplace a large percentage of dogs and cats in America today are still suffering (and I do mean suffering) with excess body weight. I am sure that many of you have tried such diets and found that a small amount of weight loss occurred at the onset. In my experience, after a few months, the pet's weight stabilizes. If the pet is unfortunate enough to be continued on such foods, there is usually a loss of coat and skin condition within two years.

Why don't these foods work? As with the pet food industry in general, there is more attention paid to marketing than nutritional common sense. The manufacturer's have attempted to apply to carnivores (dogs and cats) the strategies popular among people for weight loss . For example, reducing diets are very high in insoluble fiber and low in fat. The idea is to fill the pet with low calorie bulk. However, by nature, carnivores eat high calories with little bulk. How can anyone expect a diet that is so out of synch with the biology of the animal to move that animal in a direction of health? The first point to ponder is that wild carnivores don't have weight problems. It seems sensible to contrast and compare the lifestyles of our pets and their undomesticated counterparts.

One of the glaring differences between the nutrient content of domestic pets versus wild carnivores is carbohydrate content. Pet foods supply a large percentage of their calories in the form of complex carbohydrates from ingredients such as corn, wheat, barley, rice and soybeans. Wild carnivores ingest virtually no complex carbohydrates. If we look at the livestock industry, we see that cattle are intentionally fed grain to fatten them and cows are vegetarians. If a vegetarian animal gains weight on starches, why wouldn't carnivores? The primary reason carbohydrates are used in pet foods is because they are an inexpensive source of calories. There is NO nutritional reason of which I am aware for carnivores to eat carbohydrates. The calories from carbohydrates are used to replace those that would normally come from the higher protein content of the wild diet. Corn is cheaper than chicken.

The next obvious difference between ‘domestic' and ‘wild' foods is processing. The multitude of steps involved in converting the ingredients of a pet food into the final product rob the diet of many vital substances and create a food in which the protein is more difficult to digest and utilize. Raw meat is far more easily digested and metabolized. The result of high carbohydrate, lower protein and processing is a diet from which the typical pet can readily absorb calories but not much else. This drives the pet to continuously seek food to meet his/her nutritional requirements. He/she gets fat but is still malnourished and the cycle continues.

Another difference is frequency of feeding. A wild carnivore tends to live a gorge and fast lifestyle versus free choice feeding. Having food available all the time can stimulate the digestive tract and encourage an animal to eat when he/she wouldn't otherwise.

There are many other differences between the diets of domestic and wild carnivores but these three should be enough to get any thinking person's attention. If my theory is correct, than one would expect that an overweight pet to lose weight by switching to a diet that simulates a wild carnivore diet. Can you imagine putting a fat dog or cat on a high protein, low fiber, low carbohydrate diet? Most vets would expect the pet to gain even more weight. As the saying goes, The proof of the pudding is in the eating. After years of using natural feeding, I can say that most chronically overweight pets will return to beautiful condition on a natural feeding program. It takes time to occur but it is worth it. Not only do most overweight pets lose inches, but they gain muscle tone and skin and coat condition. Believe it or not, most underweight pets will fill out on the same program. Why? When you give the body what it needs to function optimally, it will if it can.

I don't want to leave everyone thinking that diet is the only reason pets can be overweight. Lack of exercise, chronic diseases and emotional problems are other factors. My recommendations are as follows:

For a pet that is mildly overweight, try a natural feeding program. There are many books and recipes available. Unfortunately, many of the natural recipes also include the use of cereals and other starchy foods. Look for a program that does not contain these items.

For pets that are significantly overweight, try a natural feeding program under the guidance of a knowledgeable practitioner.

If after four months, there is no significant improvement in the pet's condition, this is an indication that there is something else out of balance with the pet's health. Seek assistance from a holistic practitioner.

  • Russell Swift, DVM, Classical Homeopath

Feel Free To Read Another Article

Your Comments

Your Comments

 




Questions and Answers

Ask Jesse

Do you have questions about holistic health and nutrition for dogs and cats?

Do you have questions about natural homemade food for dogs or cats?

If so, Ask Jesse a question:

Some questions and answers may appear online to help others learn more about holistic health care for dogs and cats and while we're at it, about happiness too!

If you really do not want your question and answer to appear online, just let me know.

Not all questions and answers will appear online. Instead, I like to publish those question and answers that can most benefit others.

You can read and view questions that have been asked in my questions and answers section.

Random Questions That Have Been Asked:




Testimonials

What Others Have Said

To submit your testimonial, just send me .

The following are testimonials shown in random order. In addition to reading these testimonials, you may also want to read The Sick Pet Project.

Read more testimonials.

Thanks Again Jesse!

2005-07-30

My 12 year old male cat, Lynx, was diagnosed with F.I.V., and feline AIDS several years ago. I used to spend a lot of time worrying and money on veterinary bills. When a friend of mine suggested raw foods, I thought it was a terrific idea. It made perfect sense to feed animals that are domesticated a more natural diet. So I immediately started Lynx on the program. Within weeks I started to notice differences in his looks, his energy, and even his temperament. Even my friends noticed the difference in him and want to know my secret. I always tell them about you. Thanks again Jesse for your advice, encouragement, and excellent service.

– Mrs. Anderson

The Wonders of A Wholesome Meal!

2010-03-10

Hello everyone,

We are two Pomeranian brothers Dolce & Gabbana.

We were born on the 18th of November, 2009 in Malta, Europe (near the southern part of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea).

We have been struggling with allergies since we started eating at 4 weeks of age.

When our mother took us home for the first time she immediately realised that there was something wrong with us, Big possibility it was allergies. Mummy took us to the vet with no delay. Our vet changed our food, yet another garbage dry food perhaps even worse from what we where having. It was full of corn, maize, corn, maize. Mummy thought this food was more appropriate for chicken and not puppies. This food only made us feel worse with watery eyes, itchy skin and it just irritated much. So Mummy thought ok I will feed them what I believe is nutritional and healthy – nothing can beat natural food.

So mummy started cooking for us fresh cooked food – 2 parts meat and 1 part vegetables and some boiled apples, pears and raw bananas instead of vegetables for breakfast. Our skin and itching had improved in the first week but our eye irritations and watering got worse. To the vet again. This time the same brand food but a veterinary diet and still with corn plus some supplements such Omega 3, Omega 6, taurine, minerals and vitamins. Since Mummy did not know much about these sources she did not trust it and believed this was another commercial crap. She bought it and the food also but never gave it to us. Now Mummy came to the conclusion that we were allergic to wheat – so no treats, allergic to corn – so no commercial food. Mummy had to find what was harming us in her fresh food diet that she believed in so much.

Mummy began to believe that we had protein allergy. So our diet had been adjusted to boiled duck breast and sweet potatoes. At this point Mummy was worried sick about us and our health at this very crucial time while we are growing from babies to young boys. She was worried that we are going to be weak for the rest of our lives just because she did not know what was the proper food for us. She was feeling irresponsible that she had brought us to her without knowing how to take care of us properly. The love she gave us was not enough for our needs. She hesitated to go to the vet again as she felt that he was not understanding her when she explained natural food was her choice to feed us.

Meanwhile Mummy kept on searching on the internet for a remedy, day and night of course this was how she learned to detect our allergies to wheat, corn and also protein – from the internet. Mummy was worried sick, Saying to her self, but if I don’t feed them protein from meat what can I feed them to make them grow strong and healthy? Vegetables were not enough! Dogs are not vegetarians! It is against their nature. Mummy’s head was spinning now feeling down and sick of not eating herself. Spending nights not sleeping, staying on the internet searching for a remedy for our proper intake and praying to mighty God to help her find a solution to make us healthy and happy. On Friday night or early Saturday morning on March 5th, 2010, Mummy came across Pets Need Wholesome Food Also. She thought, here I am, this is the answer to my prayers!

Mummy kept reading till morning – her eyes filled with tears of joy. She knew this was it. Same diet as she was giving us, which she believed in so much except uncooked! So Mummy has found the key. At least, that was what she was hoping.

After she read and understood all which was very plain and easy for her to understand, she went to the freezer, got the fresh meat which she had bought and packed in portions the previous day for us. Mummy thought she would start off with chicken breast minced, although, there was a time that she was beginning to think that we where allergic to chicken meat but after she read the story of the The Sick Pet Project, it encouraged her to give it to us. She thought this is for sure more wholesome than the poor meal of 2 parts sweet potatoes and 1 part cooked duck breast which we have been eating for 3 days now.

So Mummy prepared the well blended vegetables which consisted of carrots and peas and defrosted the chicken mince by putting it in a plastic bag and soaking it in warm water: For this time she had learned not to use a microwave for our food. Than she broke some eggs, washed the shell and removed the white lining inside and also removed the parts which where printed with ink for date of consumption, then she crushed them as fine as possible by putting them in a plastic bag and crushed them further with the rolling pen several times. Unfortunately, in Malta we do not have a homeopathic veterinarian, let alone a place where to buy the homeopathic remedies for pets.

By now it was 6 o’clock in the morning. Mummy had realised that we where hearing her all the time so we were not sleeping in our playpen. While Mummy always gave us breakfast at around 7:30 AM or 8:00 AM, she could not wait to start giving us this wholesome meal and start us fresh on this what she called miraculous raw diet. We where so starving that we ate double the portion we normally eat. Mummy started crying and showered us with kisses and cuddles and telling us that now we were on the road to recovery, good health and happiness. We had a very nice sleep afterword and Mummy was very much concerned about our reaction to the new diet so she kept watching us constantly while we where sleeping like two little angels.

When we got up we where rather upset because it was our digestive system. Mummy thinks we needed some FloraZyme LP according to what she understood in her reading but unfortunately Mummy did not have any on hand, neither could she go buy it nor make it her self for us like she did the calcium. So Mummy decided to rub our tummy and stomach with warm hands after some time one of us went to the washroom on the nappy to get relieved, that was me Dolce, and immediately I started playing and running with my toys. Gabbana was still upset looking up at Mummy with mercy. He did urinate quit a few times, not only on the nappy but wherever. His urine was very clear like water. Meanwhile, five hours has passed and Gabbana had no sign of apatite.

This time we were not so keen on the food both of us. Not much of a nice taste like the food we are use to. So Mummy decided to mash some peanut butter in it because that is our favourite treat. We ate it all from Mummy’s hands, given with love.

My brother Gabbana still has not been relieved and he was sleeping again when Gabbana got up went to the nappy pad and got relieved. Seeing us happy playing and full of life was a great relief for Mummy! We have been fed 4 times a day as usual but much bigger amount, almost double of what we normally ate. Although we are very small, we still have managed to take big meals until this morning. I, Dolce, weigh 1.6 Kg and my brother Gabbana weighs 2.1 kg. Today is our fifth day on the wholesome meal raw diet. At our first meal of the day we ate the usual big meal and after some small pieces of pear and bananas. At our second meal we ate a little less and our third meal was less for Gabbana. Gabbana always seemed to be the strongest.

In these 5 days, we had become two complete different puppies – no excessive itching, no eye irritations and the rough hair patch on the lower part of our back and tail begin to get smoother. Mummy had helped it a little by messaging some olive oil on it too. It is unbelievable how much benefit we have had from the wholesome raw diet in just 5 days. We are already feeling and looking healthier – and much more playful, relaxed and obedient. And all this was not possible without the help and amazing educational information to our Mummy of how to feed and make wholesome meals for us (http://www.pet-grub.com/).

We have no words to thank you enough Jesse. You are a God sent gift to us and those like us. May God be with you and bless you always!

– Dolce & Gabanna


Dolce and Gabbana

Chloe Is Doing Well — Thanks Jesse

2007-01-31

ChloeHi Jesse, you have helped me so much. Chloe has gained 4 lbs since I added the Thyro GO, Rena GO, Pet GO and the Vitamin C with rutin. She rarely gets diarrhea now. I hope you know how lucky I feel to have found you. Thanks for everything!

PS: Chloe was chosen to be an Ambassador for the Animal Adoption Center (a no kill shelter) and as of 1/15/2007 she is registered with Therapy Dog Inc.

– Mary Jane