An Overview of Dog/Cat Nutrition

Welcome to “From A Dog’s Eye View”. I’m your host Susan Coleman. Today I will be talking about a subject that overwhelms most pet parents - what to feed your dog or cat. As I am talking to you, I am sharing a power point presentation I prepared for my clients, created by Shih Ying-Fa. This presentation will be divided into two separate podcasts. In part one, I will be sharing with you some history on how and when pet food started to be sold in stores, how it is processed, and what ingredients are mandated by the regulatory agency that oversees pet food manufacturers. In part two, which will be released in two weeks, I will help you make the best and most affordable decision on food for your dog or cat, which ingredients are healthy and which ones to avoid. I will also give you some suggestions and personal favorites, including what I feed my cat and dog.I have to preface this presentation by disclosing that I am not a veterinarian or a certified pet nutrition specialist. However, I am a certified herbalist and can suggest herbs/supplements for various health conditions or for just maintaining optimal health. While I was conducting my research (which is an ongoing process) about pet nutrition, it propelled me to research human food. I started looking at ingredients of the everyday food I was consuming and was shocked. I thought I was eating healthy, but I wasn’t. I took a class from a naturopath about how what we expose ourselves to, can directly affect our health. I learned about ways to use food and supplements as medicine and as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. I will share the supplements I currently give my cat and dog in part two of this presentation. I recommend consulting a holistic or integrative veterinarian for professional advice when considering making any changes to your pet’s diet. It is wise to make sure your pet is in good health before making any drastic changes such as introducing new and/or raw food. I will briefly discuss the benefits of raw food and when and how to make that switch over. I will also provide names and contact info of two holistic vets in the Cleveland area. I have contacted both of them expressing my interest in having them as a guest, so hopefully in the near future I will be able to share their expertise.So, let’s get started.How To Select the Best Food For Your Pet and Why It is So ImportantWith so many dog and cat food brands available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. When talking about pet food, I feel it is important to make people aware of the following:* the evolution of the dry food many of us feed our pets * the regulatory commission that overseas the pet food manufacturers * how a dog and cat’s anatomy determines what they should consume* ingredients to avoid* ingredients that are beneficial My MissionMy goal is to increase your awareness of the importance of making healthy food choices for your pet so that they can not only live, but also thrive on the food you give them. My MotivationMy presentation also addresses some cat nutrition since it was due to my cats and dog at the time that propelled me to research this broad and confusing subject. I had four cats (one is not pictured) and a dog who were all having symptoms. My cats were throwing up frequently and one of them was actually pulling out his fur because he itched so much. My dog, Hank the Corgi, would have intermittent bouts of throwing up bile and sometimes undigested kibble. Hank also would have diarrhea that didn’t even resemble diarrhea. I was getting very tired of picking up puke!When and Why I Changed What I Feed My PetsEvery one of my pets were tested by a veterinarian for parasites and several health conditions that could cause some of these symptoms. They were all under 5 years old and every single test came back clear and free of disease. I was beginning to think that these symptoms were normal. I asked if it was food related, but I never got a definitive answer. It was around this time, in 2016, that I started working at Petco as a dog trainer. The first question I asked the manager was “With all of the food in this store, what is the best food for my dog and cats?” The manager directed me to the aisle where the highest quality (supposedly) of food was. I tried one on Hank and within days, he had the absolute worst gas you could imagine. I know some of you listening can relate to this! There was something in that food that did not agree with Hank. This doesn’t mean that every dog who consumes that brand of food will have gas. It just means that it didn’t agree with my dog.My life was about to change as far as what I would ultimately feed my cats and dog. There was a mandatory meeting for all of us Petco employees.with a rep from Bi