SENIOR PET DIETS Many people think that once their animal becomes a senior, the diet needs to change. Not necessarily. Kibble manufacturers consider cats seniors at 8 years of age, and dogs, depending on size and breed, seniors around 6 years of age. These manufacturers tell you to give less protein and more fiber. This often results in pets that don't get enough protein because their digestive systems, now working less efficiently, process even less protein. Manufacturers say they do this to lessen the burden on the kidneys, which process the protein leftover from digestion. However, new studies are showing that it is not the amount of protein that needs to be changed as an animal ages, it is the quality of the protein. Raw meat has the high-quality protein that they referring to. The higher the quality of the protein, the easier it breaks down in the gut, which eases the burden on the digestive system. Bottom line - senior pets need good amounts of high-quality protein. The best way to give them this is to feed a raw diet. For pets that are having kidney issues we have a kidney support mix that has shown amazing results in helping to lower the blood kidney values in older dogs. We have also used this product for pets in more acute circumstances. In addition to the high-quality protein cartilage is an ideal food to add to their daily meals if you are not doing that already. Sources of cartilage are feet and tails and ears.....(Never basted though!!!) The cartilage in these items break down into the most natural form of glucosamine and chondroitin and it is more usable in this form. If they need it they use it…if they don’t…it is food. Additional Info |
OVERWEIGHT DOGS AND CATS Sad to say, many of our furry friends today are overweight. However, that is often easily remedied with a natural diet. For weight loss, we recommend feeding once a day, fasting healthy (and nonpregnant, nonnursing) animals at least once weekly, using a lower percent of fat in the diet, and of course appropriate exercise. Animals, like humans, shouldn't lose weight too quickly, but you should start to see the pounds (or ounces) melt off once on a proper diet. Grains, which kibble is packed full of, often add those unsightly bulges. Once you pet is off grains, they will look and feel so much better. It is always a good idea for overweight dogs to have their thyroid hormone level tested (the thyroid is a gland in the throat). This is to be sure that they are not hypothyroid, which is the condition caused by an under active thyroid. Hypothyroidism is discussed later, as is hyperthyroidism, the opposite condition that cats are often affected by. Additional Info |
LARGE/GIANT
BREED PUPS
Much
controversy surrounds the proper way to raise and feed large and giant
breed dogs, it is hard to know who or what to believe. We recommend
reading Dr. Billinghurst's book "Grow Your Pups with Bones"
if you have a puppy or ever might. It is excellent reading and we recommend
his methods of raising puppies. Basically, he recommends feeding large/giant
breeds of dogs the raw diet without grains, yeast or dairy, but to limit
their food so that they grow slower. This does mean growing your pup
lean and hungry, as she shouldn't have access to as much food as she
wants. But puppies can be hungry and be very happy and healthy. In the
wild, they wouldn't get all they wanted every day. Dr. Billinghurst
also recommends that no puppy get more exercise their first year of
life (first two years if it is a large/giant breed pup) than playing
and eating. This means no extended walks or jogs with humans - just
playing with littermates or other friends and eating exercise, which
on a raw diet is a lot of exercise. This is to help prevent the terrible
problems we see every day - hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, panosteitis,
etc. Again, this is all outlined in his book, which we highly recommend
specifically for the puppy information. Additional
Info |
HEALTH CONDITIONS Feed This
Inc. has been thrilled with the result of our diet on many cases. The
most dramatic change will be the condition of your pet's teeth and breath.
Their breath will improve within the first month of the diet and the
teeth have been noticeably cleaner within the first few meals. Bones
are nature's toothbrush. Next you will notice after the first few weeks
of mucous in the stool, hard white stools that if allowed to dry for
a day or two, can be stepped on and turn to dust. Our personal experiences
are: |
SUPPLEMENTS
& HERBS
Vitalzym (replacing Prozyme - Prozyme is still available but due to yeast content in our opinion Prozyme is not optimal) Vitalzym is a brand of food enzymes for dogs and cats. Enzymes are the proteins produced by the body (most come from the pancreas) that actually do the digesting of food. A supplemental enzyme helps animals digest their food and get the most from it. Animals on anything but a raw diet should be given enzymes with each meal, as cooked food is devoid of all naturally occurring enzymes. We do suggest giving your animal enzymes during the transition from a kibble or cooked diet to the raw diet, as it helps their bodies cope with the new food. The transition period length depends on the health and age of the animal - some only require a few days or a week to become accustomed to the raw diet, some animals may take weeks or months. New studies are showing that enzymes can be used in place of pain medication. They are also looking at the enzymes for treatments of certain tumors. Probiotics Probiotics are the exact opposite of antibiotics. 'Pro' means for, and 'bio' means life, so probiotics help life flourish. Antibiotics, on the other hand, destroy life, i.e. the bacteria in the gut. Antibiotics are designed to kill particular bacteria, but unfortunately, they also kill beneficial bacteria. Beneficial bacteria in the gut help digestion, make vitamins, and can be used for food. The more they flourish the more they edge out the bad bacteria in the gut. We recommend probiotics for all animals transitioning to the raw diet from a cooked or kibble diet, as the beneficial bacteria in the gut most likely need a boost. Also, if your animal is taking antibiotics, we recommend giving probiotics for at least 2 weeks after stopping the antibiotics, to help the beneficial bacteria recover. There are many different strains of beneficial bacteria. Two of the most commonly supplemented strains are acidophilus and bifidus. The kind of non-dairy probiotic we carry contains the acidophilus strain. Probiotics are best given on an empty stomach. If they are given with food, they won't work as well as they could. Keep the probiotics in the refrigerator, as they are heat and light sensitive. Vitamin C We recommend supplementing any diet with additional vitamin C because even with the most well balanced diets, the level of vitamins isn't always what the animal would thrive on. This is usually because of over-farming of our soils, resulting in nutrient-deficient plants and anything that eats plants. Vitamin C is really a fantastic nutrient - we urge you to read more about how vitamin C can help with many ailments and boost health. It can help calm down allergies, scavenge free radicals as an antioxidant, boost the immune system, help prevent skeletal problems and aid in pain control. We use and recommend the calcium ascorbate form of vitamin C, as opposed to the other forms that you may commonly see in health food stores or other stores. Ascorbic acid is the most common form found and is the cheapest, although it is very sour and acidic and can cause tummy upset. Sodium ascorbate is better, but it tastes very salty and many animals dislike it. Ester C is great for humans with a long digestive tract, but the time-releasing abilities of Ester C are rather lost on animals with short digestive systems (like cats and dogs). The amount of calcium in calcium ascorbate is also basically insignificant. Vitamin C is found in fruits and veggies. Cod liver oil Cod liver oil (different than fish oil) is a wonderful source of pre-formed vitamin A, which is a necessary vitamin for many things, including good vision, a healthy liver, a functioning immune system and an excellent antioxidant. Vitamin A can be formed in the body from beta carotene (found in veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes) in some animal; however, cats can NOT form active vitamin A from beta carotene, so they absolutely require active vitamin A in their diets. Dogs can convert some beta carotene to active vitamin A, but no one really knows how well or fast they can convert it, so it is a good idea to supplement them with it too. Quality is very important in a vitamin supplement, which is why we carry a high quality brand. Supplements are usually inexpensive for a good reason! Liver is also a good source of vitamin A. Fish oil Fish oil (different than cod liver oil) is a wonderful source of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) for dogs, cats and even humans. EFA's are tremendously important in many things, including good immune function, good brain function, and good nerves. Again, quality is very important here, and we carry a high quality supplement that actually works, unlike the cheap supplements found on every corner. EFA's can also be gotten from other sources, like high quality flax seed oil or hemp seed oil, but cats again can't take the inactive form of the EFA's in the flax or hemp oil and activate them like they are in the fish oil. So they absolutely require EFA's from an animal source. Dogs can convert some EFA's to the active form, but it is not determined how well or how fast, so it is good to give it to them as well. Vitamin E Vitamin E is another wonderful nutrient used in so many things - like wound repair, as an antioxidant, and for good immune function. Once again that quality is important? If the supplements you or your pet takes aren't high quality, they won't do any good, and may even harm you, so don't skimp on the quality. There are several forms of vitamin E, or tocopherols. D-tocopherols are the natural form of vitamin E, which is much better than the synthetic dl-tocopherols. We also prefer mixed tocopherols (more of a whole) than just alpha-tocopherols. Food sources of vitamin E include seeds, nuts, eggs and leafy greens. Feed This Herbs Milk Thistle Seed Pumpkin Seeds Burdock Root Nettles Red Clover Dandelion Root Dandelion leaves are rich in protein, chlorophyll, vitamin K, magnesium and numerous antioxidants. Their rich iron content helps with anemia. Dandelion leaf’s high magnesium content promotes calm. Their bitter flavor helps digestion of fats. Celery Seed Garlic Alfalfa
Gregory L. Tilford Recommended Herbs FYI
|
FOODS NOT
TO FEED YOUR DOG OR CAT
No grains No animal would ever choose in the wild to eat cooked grains. Grains are a cheap filler to make your pet and the kibble company execs pockets feel full. And like with humans & carbs they become addicted. Also grains plus yeast (see below) equals alcohol.....hmmmm I wonder if this can explain some of the bad behavior we see. Also in large breeds grain will stretch the stomach and loosen the muscles that hold the stomach in place and can cause bloat as well as the stomach or other organs to twist or fold (torsion) Lastly grains deposit a mucous in the intestinal tract...A beautiful environment for parasites to grow and thrive. Sometimes the intestines are so badly coated with mucous your pet may not get most of the nutrients in their food and are begging for more or eating stools that they find a the dog park etc. No Yeast
if you have an itchy dog or a dog with runny eyes or smelly ears this
is probably why Limit Fruits
& Natural Sugars especially if you are dealing with allergies
or yeast issues and sugars feed yeast and helps it to flourish. |
AUTO SHIP
& PAYMENT
Once you have decided that the diet is for your furry family members, just give us a call. We will put you on our AutoShip program. You are not locked in to any commitment whatsoever we only ask that for any changes or to skip orders you give us 7 days notice. And keep in mind that for vacations we deliver to many local boarding facilities. Autoship puts you on a regular delivery every 1-2-4-8-12 weeks. You will receive your delivery on the delivery day for your area. Payments are accepted via VISA or Mastercard. When you are on Autoship your card will be charged automatically and you will have even one less thing to remember. |
RECYCLING
Feed This
Inc. will recycle the plastic food containers, coolers, icepacks, boxes
and liners in which the food arrives. We ask that the containers and
lids are returned fully washed, dried and with the lids off the containers.
Please do not stack the containers unless they are fully dry. Leave
everything in the silver cooler and or box and we will take them each
week when we drop off your new order. |
|
Feed
This, Inc!
Is located in beautiful Sonoma County California P.O. Box 687 Forestville Ca, 95436 Email: Info@FeedThis.com |