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Words of Wisdom About Nutrition and Pet Health From Dr. BarnettLet the pet nutrition truth be toldHere is what poor pet nutrition from carbohydrates is doing to pet health. Externally we see overweight pets, excessive stool volume, poor hair coat quality and itchy, scratchy skin. Internally, organ systems are fat laden, unhealthy and struggle to function and survive. As we treat our pets for what the veterinary profession considers a higher incidence of disease or the earlier onset of normal age related diseases; few of us, including the veterinary community, trace this pet health problem back to its origin - the pet diet. What about natural and organic pet foods? Are they any better at promoting feline and canine wellness? A small amount of improvement may be found in the meat quality and processing, but the carbohydrate amounts remain and in some cases have been set at an even higher level. There is nothing natural or organic about feeding a pet diet with high levels of carbohydrates to dogs and cats. I also know people who believe that a vegetarian pet diet contains acceptable nutritional values for their dog or cat because it fits within their own belief system and lifestyle. This is anthropomorphic reasoning and it is dangerous at best. The Nature Channel frequently provides stories about wild animals and their eco-systems. When natural habitat is removed or the food chain is disrupted animals become stressed and are forced to adapt. How well they adapt determines whether they survive or not. In-between survival and death there are many different levels of poor feline and canine wellness. Pet Health Fact:"While we are casually going about our daily lives, our plants and animals are dying off at an ever increasing rate. One animal and plant every hour of every day becomes extinct and is no more. That's 17,520 per year. This is a generational legacy that I for one am not proud of." Your Recipe For "Optimum Pet Nutrition"
Most people should be aware of the pet health benefits derived from supplementing today's highly processed pet foods. Yet, pet food manufactures warn against the use of supplementation. The question is not whether you should add a nutritional pet supplement to a pet diet; but why not, what to use and how much is needed to make a difference? I have been providing pet nutrition supplements to the veterinary profession for the past 25 years and I can tell you that millions of pets have benefited from their use resulting in a remarkable increase in feline and canine wellness. Pet Supplements vs. Nutritional TreatsMost pet supplements today fall into the category of nutritional treats. I have a different theory about supplementation that comes from an understanding of pet health and how nutrients are digested, absorbed and utilized. Common sense dictates that if you are going to take a marginal pet diet and attempt to make it better with a pet nutrition supplement, the supplement must be significantly better than the food. This can only be accomplished if the supplement is totally complete - contains 100% of all essential nutrients; is highly concentrated so a small amount can actually replace a large portion of the pet diet; and, is fully balanced - which facilitates optimum absorption and utilization of all nutrients being fed. Pet Health Fact:Pet nutrition needs change constantly throughout life. Today's pet diet has a
fixed protein - calorie ratio, which is not adjustable. Supplementation allows for
adjustment - I call it fine tuning the pet diet to achieve optimum Feline and
Canine wellness. You can't buy a better pet supplement for optimum pet health! |