1. Dry Food Cleans Your Pet’s Teeth
Take a look at your companion’s mouth. These teeth are designed to bite, tear and chew raw meat and bones. When pets eat dry food, chances are they swallow it whole or, when they manage to bite a kibble or two, it simply shatters – it does not scrape the lower parts of the teeth or along the gum line. In fact, kibble contributes to tooth decay and gum disease. A carbohydrate source (usually grains) is necessary to form dry foods – chunks of kibble collect along the gum line and between the teeth and promote bacterial growth, plaque and tartar.
Feeding diets higher in protein and providing raw bones is often the best approach to achieving optimum oral health.
2. Changing Formulas or Brands of Food Is Hard on Your Pet’s Stomach
Pet food manufacturers have a vested interest in perpetuating this myth – they want a customer for life! Variety is crucial and what nature and evolution dictates. A healthy dog or cat can switch foods from meal to meal easily and without issue, provided they are high-quality foods. The more variety pets eat, the more variety they can handle (just like us!) If your dog or cat has been eating the same food for an extended period of time, it is wise to transition new foods gradually to avoid stomach upset and/or diarrhea. Digestive enzymes (like OptaGest and Prozyme) can help when switching foods by maintaining a healthy gastro-intestinal system and providing maximum absorption of nutrients. If your pet experiences “upsets” when changing foods, introduce variety more slowly.
3. People Food Is Bad for Dogs and Cats
Most holistic veterinarians encourage feeding healthy leftovers and other “people” food as an excellent way of supplementing your pet’s regular fare. Use common sense and avoid foods that are sugary, salty or overly fatty; instead, choose treats like meats, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fruits and vegetables. Not long ago, we didn’t have the convenience of feeding kibble (just ask your parents or grandparents.) It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that “farm” dogs who eat mostly raw meat, bones and leftovers, are often the healthiest animals.
4. Only Complete and Balanced Meals Should Be Fed
Again, pet food manufacturers have a pretty big interest in promoting this myth. Is every meal you eat “complete and balanced?” Rather than focus on each meal, ensure that your pet’s diet is balanced over a period of time. Again, variety is key.
5. Ash Content Is a Primary Factor in the Development of Urinary Tract Disease
In the 80s, many veterinarians thought ash was a major factor in the cause of FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease), formerly known as FUS. Since then, it has been established that there are a variety of causes, but ash is no longer considered one of them. Research is proving that the leading cause of the problem is commercial pet foods. Most kibbles are high-grain, which creates a more alkaline urine; a meat-based diet, such as a cat would eat in the wild, creates an acidic urine. A high-protein diet is the best way to maintain a low urinary pH naturally. Cats eating a high-quality raw and/or canned diet have far fewer problems than those eating primarily kibble; the high meat and moisture levels help prevent crystal formation (increased hydration is very important.) Another important contributing factor to FLUTD is stress; reducing stress is essential when trying to control urinary tract disease. Supplementing your cat’s diet with Wysong C-Biotic pH products can offer further protection against the development of crystals.
6. Annual Vaccination Boosters Are Necessary
Mounting evidence suggests that annual vaccinations are often an underlying cause of many health issues, from allergies to cancer. Vaccination needs should be assessed according to each pet’s health and lifestyle. A simple blood test for titres can give an indication of immunity. In order to ensure adequate and appropriate protection, an annual consultation with your veterinarian is important.