Feeding your pet the proper diet is integral to their health and well-being. In the wild, animals do not have access to cooked or prepared foods. So, why would you feed them an unnatural diet that their bodies are not designed for?
There are a number of aspects to how your pet’s body is built and functions, that support the claim that raw pet food is a healthier, better choice for your pet. Their digestive systems are designed to handle raw meat that is free of carbohydrates and other filler material commonly found in commercially-produced pet foods.
Dogs and cats are both carnivorous predator animals and have teeth that are designed for ripping flesh and crushing bones. They do not have the necessary teeth for grinding and mashing plant-based foods. There are also vital enzymes that are missing from your pet’s saliva. These enzymes are used by plant-eating creatures – including humans – to break-down fibers prior to swallowing. Many commercially produced pet foods contain carbohydrate and high-fiber filler materials that are non-essential to your pet’s diet and thus difficult to digest properly.
Commercial pet food manufactures include many additional ingredients in their products that are designed to increase the shelf-life of the pet food. Many brands have 40-60% of carbohydrates as wheat or corn. There may be nothing bad with that for humans, but a dog or cat does not need nor is built to digest large quantities of carbohydrates. The stomach of the dog is short and acidic. It deals well with large quantities of protein which digests within a few hours. Carbohydrates on the other hand, may stay in the stomach for up to 12 hours, and may even start fermenting.
Preservatives, stabilizers are added and then also vitamins and minerals. Considering that all the meaty and grain ingredients are thoroughly cooked there are a lot of enzymes, vitamins and nutrients that don’t ‘make it’ by the end of the process. That is why they are artificially added later.
Although they are required to list the prime ingredients in their pet food that have been added during the manufacturing process, pet food producers are not required to include those ingredients that their suppliers may have added to various fillers before being purchased by the manufacturer. What this means is that your pet is being fed harmful ingredients that you may not be aware of or have any control over.
Your pet brings lots of joy and companionship, and you provide them with the same. Diet and well being is an important aspect of the bond and relationship you have formed with your pet. The food you provide your pet is essential to how healthy they are and how energetically and happily they will live out their lives while in your care.