Perhaps as an offshoot of the organic,
natural, anti-preservative, anti-meat
popularity, many dog owners want to
try feeding their dogs one of the chic
raw-food diets or make their dog a
vegetarian.
Interestingly, both the Tufts
University School of Veterinary
Medicine and the Cornell University
College of Veterinary Medicine recently
published articles on these diets.
The consensus - fruits and vegetables
are generally safe but not that
nutritious for dogs. They are considered
fillers and with their high water and
indigestible fiber, they do not provide
the nutrients dogs need to thrive.
Tufts suggests that fruits and vegetables
be used only for snacks in lieu of salty,
high-fat commercial products.
Vegetables safe to feed a dog include
carrots, peas, corn, broccoli, green
beans and cauliflower. Not recommended
are onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.
Neither school supported feeding a dog
raw meats because of the possibility
of bacteria.
The meat we humans eat is contaminated,
according to the FDA and USDA, with
microbes, viruses and parasites. That's
the main reason why we cook meat.
Dogs are susceptible to food-borne diseases,
such as E. coli and salmonella, just as we are.
Why would you risk your dog's health to
be fashionable?
Both Cornell and Tufts disputed the claim that
cooking destroys nutrients and in fact, studies
show that cooking increases digestibility.
This is true even with starchy vegetables such
as potatoes. These are easier digested if they
are well cooked and eaten before they get
cold.
I only feed my dogs a top-quality, balanced commercial dog
food because of the time and difficulty involved
in trying to make nutritious homemade meals.
The brands I recommend are Purina Pro or ONE,
Royal Canin, Nutro and Wellness.
If you want to determine if you're feeding your
dog too many calories, use the Pet Food
Calculator from http://www.toybreeds.com/treats.htm.
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