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Over a period of two or three
days wild dogs eat a variety of foods of different types and remain
perfectly healthy. There is no need to make every meal "complete
and balanced" or to even attempt to achieve this. Dogs fed a
variety of foods from day to day will have all of their nutritional
requirements met, and remain perfectly healthy. We need to relax about
this whole concept, because advertising has been telling us the exact
opposite for so many years.
RAW NOT COOKED Raw foods contain rich sources of healthy
nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, enzymes,
anti-oxidants, and vitamins. Cooking causes changes to nearly all of
these nutrients. In the wild, dogs feed exclusively on raw foods and
their digestive system is designed to process raw foods. Many people
make up a home cooked stew for their dog not understanding that the
cooking process makes many of the nutrients change, or combine together
with other chemicals so that they can, no longer be digested, or become
unavailable for use. The food intake of a dog needs to consist of
supplies of Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals, and
Water. Proteins are needed for building new structures and
chemicals in the body and are easily found in a large variety of foods
including meats and vegetables. The body is able to build its own
proteins from food materials supplied if they contain all of the
essential Amino Acids. Lack of protein is not usually a problem,
however, oversupply leads to larger quantities of toxic ammonia
compounds which need to be excreted from the body. This places
extra stress on the kidneys as they perform this function. One indicator
of this is the urine burnt patches on the lawn. An adequate supply for
most dogs is 10 to 12% of daily food intake, with most dry dog foods
containing from 25% to 35%. A small quantity of quality protein from
egg, cottage cheese, or lean beef and other fresh meats will do the job.
We Australians seem to have an unrealistic belief that the more protein
the better. Carbohydrates are most beneficial in the form of fiber,
which is essential in the maintenance of a healthy functioning digestive
system. They are also needed for energy supply and are easily found in a
large variety of foods, and the body is able to break down excess
supplies of proteins and fats to function like carbohydrates as an
energy source. Lack of carbohydrate is not usually a problem, however,
excess supplies will be converted to fat and stored, leading to an
overweight dog. Fats are needed for a large variety of functions in
the body, and can be found in a large variety of foods including meats
and vegetables. Both Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids must be
part of the regular food intake. The Omega-6 group is more stable and
more easily found in foods, and the Omega-3 group is less stable and
less common. All fats and oils are affected by light, heat, and air,
leading to breakdown, and they become more and more rancid with time.
For these reasons the supply of
essential
fatty acids in the diet can be a problem, and may lead to health
problems if deficiency remains over a period of time. The main
cause of many skin problems which commonly occur in dogs is the lack of
all required essential fatty acids in the diet, in adequate quantities.
Many of the so-called allergies and rashes, are in fact an essential
fatty acid deficiency. Any processing of foods such as cooking, and
exposure to heat, light, and air, will contribute to the breakdown of
essential fatty acids. The age of food is therefore very important, the
fresher the better, as storage of foods where light, air, and
temperature variations occur, will contribute to its deterioration. The
only alternative is to add preservatives to foods to slow down this
breakdown process. The body is unable to manufacture the essential fatty
acids. Dr. Billinghurst highlighted the essential fatty acids during his
presentation, particularly the Omega-3 group, recommending the need to
pay attention to this component of daily food intake. You can supply all
necessary essential fatty acids in adequate quantities by choosing foods
containing high quantities of them.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS Essential fatty acids are found in raw
meats such as, chicken, rabbit, and beef, with chicken containing the
best balance of both
types. Animal
sources high in Omega-3's are lamb's liver, raw eggs, and brains, and
plant sources include oats, mushrooms, baked beans, spinach, and
bananas. The addition of oils containing even higher concentrations of
the essential fatty acids is another alternative. Cod liver oil is
also an excellent source of the Omega-3 group, but it must be fresh, and
once again free from exposure to heat, light, and air. Vitamin A
toxicity may result from the over use of cod liver oil as a food. How
long has the bottle been sitting on the shelf ? What temperature
variations has the bottle been exposed to during transport and storage ?
Has heat been used during the extraction process ? Is the container
opaque to prevent transmission of light, and totally air tight ?
Linseed oil or Flax Seed oil as it is also known, has the highest
concentration of Omega-3 essential fatty acids without the vitamin A
problem. It must be food grade quality and not the rancid variety from
the hardware store. The oil used should be extracted by cold pressing in
the absence of light and air, and stored in a refrigerator or freezer
(it will not solidify). Your local health food store should have some in
the fridge, either Melrose brand which is also organically grown, or
Stoney Creek brand which has two types, organic and non-organic. These
are premium products, and at $19.50 per 500mL they are not cheap,
however, one teaspoons a day should be all that is needed to ensure that
no deficiency exists, so it will last for a reasonable period. Goodies
and Grains, at the Central Market have a range of cold pressed oils in
bulk drums, including Linseed. Take your own container to purchase these
oils at even lower prices. I have found a supply at $6 per 500mL, which
requires one additional filtering process to make it food grade. This
product is perfectly suitable for use, and outstanding value for money
Other sources of Omega-3's with lower concentrations, and lower cost,
are Hemp Seed oil, Rape Seed oil (Canola), and Soya Bean oil. Corn oil
and Soya Bean oil have a good balance of both the Omega-6 and Omega-3
groups. Once again these should be labeled as cold pressed. The oils on
the supermarket shelf will have been extracted using heat or steam, or
dissolved by hydrocarbon solvents. They are treated with sodium
hydroxide to improve the taste, and bleached with chemicals or heat to
give a lighter more appealing colour. These processes will greatly
reduce the essential fatty acid content. Do not let the dogs be
the only ones in the household to benefit from an oil supplement. If
your skin and hair are dry take one or two teaspoons of Linseed oil or
similar per day and watch for improvement as a deficiency in essential
fatty acids is rectified. Add to cereal or salad dressings. The
grains such as wheat, corn, and rice are not suited to the digestive
system of the dog, and they get very little benefit from eating them.
Overweight dogs can be fed rice to fill up the stomach and make them
feel full without fattening calories. The grains are the only food group
which needs to be cooked, and quick cooking oats or porridge is
recommended because they have been processed so that the dog can get
some nutritional benefit from them, and they contain a small but
significant level of essential fatty acids. Many dry dog foods contain
more grain than any other ingredient.
FEEDING YOUR DOG The following is a recipe for your own
home made dog food, supplied by Dr. Billinghurst. The mixture you make
can be frozen as patties, or in containers of a size to suit your needs.
Start with 1kilogram of mixed vegetables.- Carrot, pumpkin,
sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, celery, outer lettuce leaves, zucchini,
are some examples. Keep away from the cabbage group. These must be
finely grated, or best of all put through a juice extractor so they are
turned into mush. A food processor, or blender, may also do the job. In
the wild, dogs eat the stomach contents of other animals which have
ground and chewed these plant materials into a pulp. Dogs are unable to
digest vegetables unless the grinding has been done for them. Another
alternative is to freeze grated vegetables so that when they thaw they
are soft, mushy, and juicy. Add half a small tub of plain low fat
yogurt. Add three raw eggs. Add three dessert spoons of Linseed oil, or
Hemp Seed oil. Add 4 teaspoons of fresh Cod Liver oil. Add one quarter
of a Lambs Liver diced. Add two or three cloves of fresh garlic. Add 4
teaspoons of Kelp Powder. Add 4 teaspoons of Brewers Yeast.-If your dog
is sensitive to yeast products use Troy Vit B liquid supplement or a Vit
B complex tablet. Mix thoroughly and place in containers for storage. It is
suggested that this be served as the evening meal, while the morning meal should
consist of raw meaty bones. Raw chicken necks, wings, or carcasses, raw lamb
flaps, raw beef brisket bones, in that order in terms of quantity, are
recommended. Other items which may be added to the evening meal are cottage
cheese, baked beans, sardines, quick cooked oats or porridge, over ripe fruit,
and any left overs from the kitchen. Apple cider vinegar may also be added to
acidify the meal, and as a general tonic containing electrolytes. It needs to be
fresh from the health food store with the mother culture present and not the filtered, pasteurized variety from
the supermarket. Two teaspoons - 10mL - should be adequate, and why not
take a daily dose yourself in half a glass of warm water. Many people
praise the health benefits of apple cider vinegar as a tonic and
"pick me up".
DIARRHEA
Dr. Billinghurst's recipe to treat a case of the
runs is : equal quantities of rice water, made by draining the water
from cooked white rice, and strong black tea, and also add some honey,
lemon, and yogurt. Giving Slippery elm bark or pumpkin (cooked) can also help. It can
be obtained from a health food store.
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