What’s Really in Pet Food? The Top 12 Ingredients to Avoid and What Company’s Use Them

Many of us have been convinced that the “healthy”, “natural”, “premium” and “recommended by” labels on pet food must mean that the food inside the bag is good for our pets.

Alongside these words are claims of 100% complete and balanced that leave us to assume we are providing the best food for our dogs and cats, feeding the same dry cereal based diets day in and day out.

Yet, most people do not fully appreciate what goes into these pet foods. 

Pet food manufacturers place images of fresh cut chicken breast, fresh fruits and vegetables and wholesome grains on their packages, yet this is rarely what is actually inside the bag.

What’s the truth? Chances are you are feeding a pet food which contains more than one of the ingredients discussed below.

The pet food industry has a broad range of unsavory options when it comes to what substances may be used in pet food and freedom to print enticing pictures, however misleading, on their packaging.

It is only when our pet’s health begins to degrade and eventually fail, that most people begin to question why. After all, a healthy body can only be as good as what is put into it.

To promote the best health you can in your companion, read and understand the uses of the common ingredients below, learn who uses them, and make sure to always read your labels!

Top 12 Pet Food Ingredients to Avoid

1. Corn, Corn Meal, or Corn Gluten Meal
Years ago pet food manufacturers discovered that pets adore the sweet taste of corn. Corn is one of the most heavily subsidized crops in agriculture, making its market price lower than the cost of producing the corn, and therefore an attractive ingredient for pet food.

The gluten in corn is used as an inferior protein source in pet foods. Corn protein in itself is not a complete protein source and must be balanced with animal proteins to create a usable amino acid profile for pets. Corn protein used exclusively results in muscle loss in carnivores.

The AAFCO definition for corn gluten meal is “The dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.” [9]

Unfortunately corn is often abused as the single most abundant ingredient in many pet foods, contributing to the many diseases linked to high carbohydrate diets, including obesity, chronic inflammation, diabetes and cancer.

The quality of the corn is also a problem as many pet foods use low quality corn containing toxins including mycotoxins and mold which cause damage to a pet’s liver and kidneys. [1]

Carnivores were never designed to obtain the majority of their energy requirements from carbohydrates. In fact dogs, cats and ferrets have zeronutritional requirements for carbohydrates or grains. Veterinary text books agree upon this. Yet the mass of pet foods on the market regularly consist of 50% or higher carbohydrate content.

Eons of evolution have designed carnivores to obtain energy from amino acids (protein) and fatty acids, fat from prey animals through the process of gluconeogenesis.

Other than simple economics there is no reason to challenge the eons of evolution nature has put into place when it comes to feeding carnivores like dogs, cats & ferrets.

When we force such a dramatic change in metabolism and utilize least cost ingredients, adverse effects over the long term become much more likely. The same effects of junk food on humans can be seen in today’s companion animals.

Dr. T.J. Dunn D.V.M.- “There is ample proof that today’s pet dogs and cats do not thrive on cheap, corn-based pet foods. Dogs and cats are primarily meat eaters; to fill them up with grain-based processed dry foods that barely meet minimum daily nutrient requirements has proven to be a mistake.”

2. Wheat
Wheat is another ingredient found in abundance in many pet foods. The repetitive and persistent exposure of wheat to pet animals has resulted in allergies and intolerance’s to wheat and wheat gluten.

This is another starchy crop that should be avoided:

Wheat gluten is also used as an inexpensive protein source in pet foods. Wheat gluten contamination was the cause of the massive 2007 Menu Foods pet food recall, which caused a countless numbers of companion animals to suffer from kidney failure, debilitation and death.

Menu Foods manufactured pet food for hundred’s of common brands. This ordeal would have been avoided if the pet food companies involved used quality ingredients such as human grade meat rather than lower cost cereal alternatives.

Even responsible manufacturers including those of Acana Dog Food confirm that utilizing grains in pet food is used more as a cost measure than for any health benefits.

3. Soy
Along with corn and wheat, soy is one of the most common allergens in companion animals. 

Carnivores were never meant to eat soy, it is commonly used in pet food as an inexpensive substitute for meat protein.

As an additional complication is that an estimated 89% of soy and 61% of corn crops are genetically engineered. GMO, genetically modified organisms or foods are shown to adversely affect our pet’s as well as our own health. What’s more, the estrogenic properties of soy can wreak havoc on a pet’s hormonal system.

Unlike traditional forms of cross breeding, genetic engineering is accomplished through cell invasion.

“The process behind genetically modified food involves a careful re-configuration of genes combining e-coli bacteria, soil bacteria and the cauliflower mosaic virus that causes tumors in plants. They add an antibiotic and then artificially force it into plant cells with a gene invasion technique. All this is so farmers can douse nearly unlimited amounts of Roundup Herbicide on the crops and the plants won’t die.”

Genetic engineering is a big business, when successful the seed is patented and may not be farmed without a license or studied without permission from the parent company. Internal documented studies of GMO crops fed to laboratory animals demonstrated a significant increase in tumor growth, the onset of infertility and decreased life span when compared to those fed the equivalent organic crops.

4. Powdered Cellulose, Dried Beet Pulp, Rice Hulls
Cellulose or Powdered Cellulose is essentially nothing more than 100% filler. “Powdered cellulose is purified, mechanically disintegrated cellulose prepared by processing alpha cellulose obtained as a pulp from fibrous plant material. In other words, sawdust.” Cellulose is commonly used in attic insulation.

Dried Beet Pulp is the left over residue from the extraction of sugar in the production of table sugar. It is used as a filler. Note that the source of dried beet pulp is from sugar beets, not red beets.

Rice Hulls (or rice husks) are the hard protecting coverings of grains of rice. In addition to protecting rice during the growing season, rice hulls can be put to use as building material, fertilizer, insulation material, or fuel.

5. By-Products
By-Products are left over wastes from human food production. By-Products come in two forms: named and un-named. Examples of named by-products include “chicken by-products” and “pork by-products”.

As defined by AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials, the organization that creates guidelines for livestock feed and pet food, “Chicken by-product meal consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.”

Un-named by-products include “meat by-products”. The AAFCO definition, “Meat by-products consist of the non rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals.

It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low-temperature fatty tissue and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hooves.”

By-products are not classified as meat; in many pet foods the exclusive use of by-products creates a food that does not contain any actual meat content, all to minimize costs while depicting premium or healthy imagery through marketing.

By-products, in many cases, are derived from “4-D” meat sources – defined as food animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were presented to the meat packing plant as “Dead, Dying, Diseased or Disabled.”

6. Animal Fat
Unlike “chicken fat” (named animal source), un-named “animal fat”, as defined by AAFCO – “Animal Fat is obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. 

It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words “used as a preservative”.”

Again in many cases “animal fat” includes meat sources from the “4-D” class – defined as food animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were presented to the meat packing plant as “Dead, Dying, Diseased or Disabled.”

“There’s a unique, pungent odor to a new bag of dry pet food — what is the source of that smell? It is most often rendered animal fat, or vegetable fats and oils deemed inedible for humans. For example, used restaurant grease was rendered and routed to pet foods for several years, but a more lucrative market is now in bio-diesel fuel production.”

7. Meat Meal
As defined by AAFCO, “Meat Meal consists of the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.”

What this definition does not mention is the “4-D” class of meat sources may still be legally used in “meat meal”.

8. Meat and Bone Meal
The rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

Recently many pet food companies and rendering plants have undergone scrutiny over their inclusion of euthanized pets in “meat and bone meal”. Ann Martin, in her book, “Food Pets Die For”, exposed this revolting practice and the detection of sodium pentobarbital in pet foods, a veterinary drug used in the euthanasia of pet animals.

“At the rendering plant, slaughterhouse material, restaurant and supermarket refuse, dead stock, road kill, and euthanized companion animals are dumped into huge containers. A machine slowly grinds the entire mess. 

After it is chipped or shredded, it is cooked at temperatures of between 220 degrees F. and 270 degrees F. (104.4 to 132.2 degrees C.) for twenty minutes to one hour. 

The grease or tallow rises to the top, where it is removed from the mixture. This is the source of animal fat in most pet foods. The remaining material, the raw, is then put into a press where the moisture is squeezed out. We now have meat and bone meal.”

9. Chemical Preservatives: BHA, BHT, Propyl Gallate, Ethoxyquin, Sodium Nitrite/Nitrate and TBHQ
These powerful chemicals are used as preservatives and to prevent rancidization of fats.

BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are petroleum derived preservatives used in food and hygeine products. TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) is another petroleum derived preservative. BHT has been banned from use in baby products in the United States and both BHA and BHT are banned entirely from use in human products in many countries throughout the world. Our pets do not receive the same protection.

Ethoxyquin is used as a food preservative and a pesticide. In pet foods it is typically found in meat and fish based ingredients. Ethoxyquin has been banned from use in human products because it is believed to cause cancer. 

It is important to note that when a manufacturer obtains an ethoxyquin preserved ingredient from a supplier or if it is added to pet food ingredients prior to food manufacture, the manufacturer is not required to list ethoxyquin on the pet food ingredient panel. The same applies to the other chemical preservatives.

Propyl Gallate is used in foods, cosmetics, hair products, adhesives, and lubricants .

The use of these harsh chemicals are known to cause cancer, organ toxicity and are considered neither inert nor “safe”, yet are widely used in pet foods.

Powerful preservatives provide an inexpensive means of providing long product shelf-life. Naturally preserved products may utilize tocopherols (Vitamin E), citric acid and rosemary extract to prevent rancidity.

These natural preservatives are common in truly healthy pet foods as the manufacturers realize that the small additional expense is worth it when it comes to our pets safety.

It is also important to note that pet food manufactuers are not required to list ethoxyquin in their ingredient listings when utilizing “meals” or ingredients obtained from their suppliers that used the chemical to preserve the meals prior to delivery.

10. Sugar
Table sugar is often used to perk interest in the unsavory concoctions pet food manufacturers make. There is no reason for added sugar to be placed in pet food, other than the reason mentioned.

11. Propylene Glycol
Like sugar, propylene glycol is used in many pet foods and treats as a flavor enhancer due to its sweet taste. It is also found in many semi-soft or moist pet products and is another questionable ingredient in pet food. In human uses it is a common ingredient in stick deoderant and make-up as a humectant.

Description of these effects on humans are basically the same as for animals.

It is interesting to note that propylene gycol is the less toxic chemical sister to ethylene glycol, or “anti-freeze”.

12. Artificial Colors
Colored kibble bits are not for the benefit of the dog or cat, they are in fact to make them more appealing to you!

Our pets could care less what color their food is, this is simply another marketing trick to catch your attention in the myriad of pet food labels.

Artificial colours are synthetic chemical dyes that have no place in pet food. Cases have linked FD & C colors to cancer and other ill health effects .

What Company’s Actually Use These Ingredients?

You may be surprised to learn just how tightly the wool has been pulled over your eyes. Following are just a few pet foods that use these ingredients in abundance in their various formulations.

Science Diet / Hill’s Prescription Diet (Owned by Colgate Palmolive)
– Corn
– Corn Gluten Meal

– Wheat
– Soy
– Cellulose
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Meat By-Products
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Beef By-Products
– Pork By-Products
– Animal Fat
– BHA / BHT
– Propyl Gallate

Purina – Makers of Beneful, Pro Plan, Purina ONE, Alpo, Dog/Cat Chow, Friskies, Fancy Feast, Purina Prescription Diets & More (Nestle)
– Corn
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Wheat
– Animal Fat
– Soy
– Sugar
– Propylene Glycol
– Poultry By-Product Meal
– Meat and Bone Meal
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Powdered Cellulose
– Artificial Colours (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2)
– TBHQ

Pedigree (Mars Candy Bar Corporation)
– Corn
– Meat and Bone Meal
– Animal Fat
– BHA
– BHT
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Wheat
– Meat By-Products
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Chicken By-Product Meal

Eukanuba (Proctor and Gamble)
– Corn Meal
– Chicken By-Products
– Beef By-Products
– Meat Broth
– Meat By-Products
– Wheat Gluten
– Powdered Cellulose
– Dried Beet Pulp

Whiskas (Mars Candy Bar Corporation)
– Corn
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Wheat
– Animal Fat
– Powdered Cellulose
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Soy
– Ethoxyquin
– BHA
– BHT
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Turkey By-Product Meal

Iams / Iams Veterinary Formulas (Proctor and Gamble)
– Corn
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Meat By-Products
– Animal Fat
– Powdered Cellulose
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Ethoxyquin

Royal Canin / Medi-Cal (Mars Candy Bar Corporation)
– Corn
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Powdered Cellulose
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Soy
– Wheat Gluten
– Meat By-Products
– Chicken By-Products
– BHA
– Propyl Gallate

Ol Roy (Walmart)
– Corn
– Wheat
– Soy
– Corn Syrup
– Meat and Bone Meal
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Animal Fat
– BHA
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Sodium Nitrate
– Artificial Colors
Ironically there is no ingredient information available on the website, so you must view it in store.

Fancy Feast (Nestle Purina)
– Meat By-Products
– Poultry By-Products
– Artificial Flavours
– Artificial Colours
– Sodium Nitrite
– Meat Broth
– Wheat Gluten
– Soy

Kibbles ‘n Bits (Del Monte)
– Corn
– Soy
– Wheat
– Animal Fat
– BHA
– Corn Syrup
– Propylene Glycol
– Artificial Colours (Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, Blue 1)

Cesar (Mars Candy Bar Corporation)
– Chicken By-Product Meal
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Corn
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Animal Fat
– Meat By-Products
– Poultry By-Products
– Sodium Nitrite

Nutro (Mars Candy Bar Corporation)
– Corn Gluten Meal
– Wheat
– Wheat Gluten
– Dried Beet Pulp
– Powdered Cellulose
– Soy
– Rice Gluten

Totally Ferret (Performance Foods Inc.)
– Wheat
– Corn
– Chicken By-Products
– Dried Beet Pulp

“Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog or a cat to eat something she would normally turn up her nose at.”

What to Do Next?

We can see that any pet food can claim “healthy” and “natural” when such is not the case. “Recommended by” statements also have little impact on the quality of these pet foods.

Beyond some of the appauling ingredients they contain, many pet foods contain only 10-20% meat content, while some that only utilize by-products and inexpensive vegetable proteins contain no meat whatsoever. Not exactly what dogs, cats and ferrets as carnivores require.

Quite simply quality pet foods do not use these ingredients. Clearly pet foods found in supermarkets and even chain pet stores do not have the best interests of your pets at heart.

It’s not surprising that most of these pet food companies have been involved in various recalls, including the devastating Menu Foods recall in 2007.

The majority do not make their own food and in the case of Menu Foods, one of the major sourcers to the above companies, used cheap ingredients sourced from abroad (China) that resulted in the poisoning of thousands of pets, including kidney failure and death.

Recently a nationwide class action law suit was filed against the majority, if not all of the above companies for their misleading claims and questionable ingredients. 

It is clear that people are getting the message about pet food quality.

Comments:

   Elayne Boosler Thank you for posting!

“}” data-testid=”ufi_comment_like_link” href=”https://www.facebook.com/groups/tailsofjoy/permalink/10154652065941531/?comment_id=10154667056031531&notif_t=group_comment&notif_id=1472395069444810#” role=”button” style=”color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;” title=”Like this comment”>Like · Reply · August 22 at 1:10pm

Jeff Deering So , raw food then ?

“}” data-testid=”ufi_comment_like_link” href=”https://www.facebook.com/groups/tailsofjoy/permalink/10154652065941531/?comment_id=10154667056031531&notif_t=group_comment&notif_id=1472395069444810#” role=”button” style=”color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;” title=”Like this comment”>Like · Reply · 5 hrs

Jessica Ferklempt It’s so worth it to take the time to make homemade food. You can make it once a week and just stick it in the freezer. I know people keep pushing raw food, but it makes me uncomfortable. Just get a protien and cook it with veggies and brown rice, or the grain of your choice. If you have a bone, you can make bone meal. It isn’t complicated, just use a cowbell grater. Cats need more protien in the mix.
I also give the dogs a bit of dry food. They prefer their homemade wet food. Surprisingly, the cat prefers dry food, but she will eat some of the wet food, too.
For cats and dogs with sensitive tummies, I suggest not including corn in the veggies. Also, lamb is a great protien for sensitives. I hope my suggestions help. I am by no means an expert, but I’m exasperated with the commercial food that’s available. Making food at home gives you control of what your baby is eating.

Unlike · Reply · 2 · 5 hrs

//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

If Your Pet Stops Doing This, Get Help Fast! It’s a True Emergency

Discover the #1 most telling sign of this common disease. And if your pet ever gets to the point where she stops doing this, it’s a giant red flag and you need emergency care, pronto!

Or it can mean organ failure and death within a day or two.

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is unfortunately a quite common problem in cats. FLUTD is used to describe a group of conditions affecting the bladder or urethra. 

A few of the most common include:

• Cystitis, which describes inflammation of the lining and wall of the bladder and can result in a collection of blood, mucous, and cellular debris in the bladder. 
• Bacterial infection, which can result from the blood, mucous, and other debris associated with tissue inflammation. 
• Urethral blockage or plug/urolithiasis resulting from the crystallization of minerals and irritation of the lining of the bladder and urethra, which causes the formation of clay-like material that creates a blockage. 

Blockages are considered life-threatening when they cut off the flow of urine out of the urinary tract. Male cats are more likely to acquire urethral plugs than females.

Uremia, which is caused by an accumulation of toxic wastes in the bloodstream resulting from an untreated urethral blockage.

Risk Factors and Causes of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

FLUTD is seen equally in male and female cats typically between the ages of 2 and 6, and about half the cats that experience one episode of FLUTD will have a recurrence.

In about two-thirds of kitties with FLUTD, it takes the form of feline idiopathic cystitis (bladder inflammation).

Additional risk factors include: 

• Use of an indoor litter box exclusively 
• A dry food (kibble) diet
• Lack of exercise and overweight/obesity 
• Environmental stress 

Causes of FLUTD include:

Anatomic abnormalities	Uroliths (stones)
Behavioral abnormalities	Cancer
Cystitis	Neurologic disorders
Urinary tract infection	Trauma

Signs Your Cat May Be Dealing With FLUTD

The primary symptom of FLUTD is urinating outside the litterbox. That’s why I always recommend a veterinary appointment when a cat’s litterbox habits suddenly change.

Other signs your kitty may have lower urinary tract disease include: 

• Frequent or prolonged attempts to urinate 
• Straining to urinate 
• Crying out while urinating 
• Blood in the urine 
• Excessive licking of the genital area 

If you think your cat might have a problem in the lower urinary tract, it’s important to make an appointment with your veterinarian to determine what’s really going on and what’s causing it.

If your pet isn’t passing urine (a situation more commonly seen in males than females but can happen to either sex), this is a life-threatening medical emergency and you should seek immediate care.

Once a cat’s urethra is completely blocked, the kidneys can no longer do their job. This can lead to uremia, a ruptured bladder, organ failure, and death within just a day or two.

Management and Prevention of FLUTD

Cats with feline lower urinary tract disease need to drink more water, urinate more, and eat a moisture-rich diet.

The first goal is to increase kitty’s water intake. Many cats don’t like to drink still water from a bowl, so if yours is one of them, consider a pet water fountain.

Kitties are attracted to moving or flowing water, so a fountain should encourage more drinking.

K&H CleanFlow™ Reservoir Pet Bowl – Free Shipping Click Here to See Details

Another important goal in managing FLUTD is to switch cats eating dry food to canned food, and then preferably to a fresh, balanced, and raw diet. Feeding your cat only dry processed food can make her chronically dehydrated.

Another step in managing this disease is to reduce inflammation in the body by eliminating pro-inflammatory (high carbohydrate) foods — particularly corn, wheat, rice, and millet. A high carb diet creates inflammatory byproducts in your cat’s body that can ultimately inflame the bladder.

It’s also important to identify potential sources of food allergies in cats with FLUTD.

This often means eliminating both chicken and seafood from your cat’s diet. Most cats with inflammatory conditions need a break from eating just one or two protein sources (typically chicken or seafood) for months or even years on end.

The goal is a minimum three-month break from chicken, seafood or whatever protein the cat has been eating regularly.

In about half the FLUTD patients I’ve treated, we see a reduction in the amount of inflammation in their bladder just by making the switch away from food that is allergenic and pro-inflammatory.

Although urinary tract infections may be an underlying root cause of  FLUTD, it’s most certainly not the only cause of the condition.

I see far too many conventional veterinarians address this chronic problem with poor medicine: simply prescribing (and re-prescribing) antibiotics to cats with chronic urinary issues.

This is terrible medicine for two main reasons. Number one, often the root cause isn’t a urinary tract infection (UTI) at all. Number two, cats are taking antibiotics unnecessarily, while the root cause goes unaddressed.

If an infection is present, often no culture is performed, and cats end up with resistant infections from antibiotic abuse. Or they are given the wrong antibiotic altogether because the veterinarian didn’t identify what medicine the cat needed to clear the infection.

If your vet suggests antibiotics because he or she found bacteria in a sterile urine sample, insist on a bacterial culture to identify the correct treatment.

If your vet tries to offer antibiotics without a UA and culture, I recommend you decline them, and instead seek out a vet who is more cautious and selective in the use of antibiotics.

The Role of Stress in Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

It’s extremely important to focus on reducing or eliminating potential stressors in your cat’s life. Cats with feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), in particular, benefit from a program of stress reduction and environmental enrichment.

According to one study, cats with the disorder showed 75 to 80 percent improvement in symptoms when they were fed at the same time each day, their litter boxes stayed in the same location, and regular playtime was encouraged.

 Stress typically has three different sources: environmental, immunologic, and nutritional. 

1. Environmental stress can be anything from a move to a new home, new living room furniture, the birth of a baby, a divorce, a child leaving home for college, or the addition of a new pet. All these things can create emotional stress in your cat.

You may see no outward signs because cats tend to internalize their stress, but it’s there and it can exacerbate an inflammatory condition. Depending on the environmental stressor, I might recommend a product like Feliway, a calming pheromone spray for cats.

There are also very effective homeopathic remedies available to decrease stress. My favorite is aconitum. There’s also Rescue Remedy, which I use with great success in helping to balance emotional disturbances in cats.

2. Immunologic stress is primarily a result of  unnecessary vaccinations. If you have an indoor-only kitty, the risk of exposure to infectious diseases is almost non-existent, and unnecessary vaccines can put a tremendous amount of immunologic stress on your pet.

3. Nutritional stress is the result of poor quality, grain-based, and rendered diets that contain additives, potentially toxic preservatives, and unnecessary fats, salts and sugar.

Transitioning your cat to a species-appropriate, grain-free diet will reduce nutritional stress. The best choice is a balanced raw diet; second best is human-grade canned food.

Additional Stress Reduction and Environmental Enrichment Tips

Litterbox cleanliness is a key component in managing feline stress. Litter boxes should be cleaned frequently (scooped at least once daily and fully sanitized weekly or every other week).

To see more litter boxes click here

They should be located away from noisy areas, and should give cats easy access to and from them so there’s no feeling of being trapped or unable to escape.

It’s also important to have the right number of boxes (one for each cat in the household, plus one extra), as well as the size and shape your cat prefers. 

In a multi-cat household, especially, access to more than one source of fresh water and food may help reduce stress, avoid inter-cat aggression, and increase water intake.

It’s also important that food and water bowls are in safe, secure locations. In the wild, cats not only hunt prey, they are prey for other animals. They feel most vulnerable while eating, drinking or eliminating.

This vulnerability creates stress when a cat’s food dish or litterbox is in a noisy or high traffic area.

Increased interaction between you and your cat may also reduce her stress. Petting, grooming, and play activities that stimulate hunting behavior may help. 

Discover what type of toy (prey) she responds to and engage her in play. Increasing your cat’s access to private areas may also be beneficial, especially if there are other pets in the home. 

Your cat needs her own resting place and a hiding place (sometimes these are the same spot) where she feels untouchable.

I have had good success calming stressed out kitties with both Spirit Essences and OptiBalance cat and kitten formulas.

It’s important to remember that conventional veterinarians were not provided with non-toxic alternatives in veterinary school that can be beneficial in treating this frustrating medical condition. 

Often they don’t have the knowledge necessary to offer your cat alternative natural healing options (and there are many).

Working with a holistic practitioner who can offer acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs and beneficial nutraceuticals will insure your cat is being treated as a whole animal, rather than a list of symptoms.

This will hopefully lead to resolution of a condition that is often quite difficult to manage.

Written by Dr. Becker
Images submitted by PNM

PNM FB Comments:

   Donald MacMelville I had a boy who had this problem. One Sunday night he walked into my living room, squatted in front of me and screamed! It was horrible, My vet at the time came in and opened his office and did emergency surgery and saved him. I was so distraught, but this vet saved the day and wanted nothing extra for his trouble, That boy lived to be 18 and will always be one of the loves of my life and that vet (RIP) was a true hero. Dont ignore these signs, ever!

//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The Behavior You Don’t Want to Discourage – No Matter How Bad It Gets

When your dog growls, your first reaction may be to try and stop it. You may even yell at your dog or punish him for growling at you. This may stop the growl, but unfortunately may lead to greater problems in the future.

Why You Shouldn’t Punish Your Dog for Growling

It’s a bad idea to punish your dog for growling, and here’s why:

The punishment may suppress the growl but it will not change your dog’s emotional state. Your dog will still be fearful or uncomfortable and the emotions could easily progress into aggression.

Punishing an already fearful dog will only heighten the tension he’s feeling and may promote aggressive and fear-based behaviors.

Punishing your dog for communicating with you via a growl will hinder communication between you and your dog.

The punishment may damage your relationship with your dog, as he may stop trusting you or associate you with unpredictable, and sometimes scary, reactions.

In short, while you probably don’t want your dog to growl at you, punishing this normal form of communication will only backfire. The punishment will likely make your dog more fearful and potentially more aggressive.

It will also decrease the likelihood that he’ll growl the next time something makes him uncomfortable, which means you’ll lose out on this valuable form of canine-human communication.

If your dog stops growling, you may not receive a warning before he’s pushed past his limit and potentially acts out aggressively.

What to Do When Your Dog Growls

If punishment isn’t an option, what should you do when your dog growls?

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Stop What You’re Doing

If you know your dog may bite soon after a growl, immediately stop, back away and get to a safe place (you should also move away from any unfamiliar dog that’s growling).

If you know your dog may growl but is unlikely to bite, stop what you’re doing but stay where you are.

When your dog relaxes, then move away (which rewards your dog for relaxing, not for growling). If necessary (and you know you can do so without a risk of being bitten), remove the dog from the situation.

Figure Out Why Your Dog Growled

What caused your dog to feel uncomfortable or fearful? Were you trying to cut his nails? Taking his food away? Trying to get him to go outside (or come inside)? It’s important to know what situation caused your dog’s response.

Create a Plan to Make the Situation Less Stressful for Your Dog

You may need to get creative here or even seek the help of a professional positive reinforcement trainer. For instance, if your dog growls when you try to groom him, distract him with treats while someone else does the grooming.

You can also try to redirect your dog by offering a more positive experience, such as playtime, or direct your dog to go to his bed, and then reward the behavior.

Try to Eliminate Stressors to Your Dog

Dogs get stressed out too and, just like in people, the stress can add up. If you’ve had houseguests, for instance, a dog that’s used to a quiet household may be on edge.

If you then take him to the groomer or a storm occurs (and he’s afraid of thunder), he’s likely to be even anxious than normal. This is the perfect storm to elicit a growl from your dog, even in a situation where he ordinarily may be calm.

Overall, the more you can reduce stressors from your dog’s world, the better, and for cases where the stress cannot be eliminated, at least be sure your dog has a safe, calm place to retreat to (such as a cozy crate).

To Address Growling, Address Why Your Dog Is in Fear

Growling is a symptom of larger issue; a sign that your dog is afraid and unable to tolerate a given situation. There’s no need to punish the “symptom” of growling, as it’s simply your dog’s way of telling you that something’s wrong.

Instead, figure out what’s making your dog uncomfortable and then come up with a plan to address it.

In cases where the fear-triggering scenario cannot be changed (such as taking your dog to the veterinarian or cutting his nails), use techniques such as distraction to diffuse the tension. 

As mentioned, you can also seek the help of a behaviorist or other trainer to help your dog become less fearful.

One final thought — growling among puppies or dogs that are playing is typically perfectly normal and does not need any intervention at all.

As long as your dog is showing no other signs of aggression, you can assume that occasional growling during play or tug is all in good fun.

By Dr. Becker
Images submitted by PNM

//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

A New Secret Ingredient In Your Dog’s Favorite Treat Might KILL Them

We know our dogs. We know quirks, kinks, and the spot that makes their leg shake when we scratch it. And, of course, we know what their favorite treat is.

Some folks give their pups biscuits from a box; others prefer a rawhide bone that will entertain their pooch for hours; and then there are those who like to treat their dogs to something similar to what we humans eat, like chicken, salmon, cheese, or apple slices.

These foods have always been doggy-friendly and keep our best friends healthy and happy.

But what if we told you that there is one pup-approved snack we’ve always been told is okay for a dog to eat but now, thanks to a new ingredient, can actually be as deadly to a dog as chocolate? Believe it or not, it’s true, and if you see your dog acting strangely, it may be a result of this.

According to a finding by the ASPCA, there is a new ingredient in a popular food item that most Americans have it in our refrigerators or pantries at this very moment that if ingested by a dog can kill them. In fact, I just ate it this morning. Now I know to think twice about feeding it to my dog…

The new ingredient is called “xylitol,” a substitute sweetener that is naturally sourced, safe for diabetics, and has great dental benefits for humans.

Flickr user Nina Helmer

It sounds great for people, but it’s deadly if consumed by a pup.

Flickr user Aura Beckhofer-Fialho

XYLITOL: Safe or Dangerous? (For Humans)

It is now being used in peanut butter. A favorite of many dogs.

According to the ASPCA, it is also used in sugar-free gum and mints, nicotine gum, chewable vitamins, oral-care products, and baked goods. “It can be purchased in a granulated form for baking and as a sweetener for cereals and beverages.” So it’s imperative that you check these items and keep them away from your pet if you have them at home.

To dogs, xylitol is extremely dangerous. Tiny amounts of the sweetener can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and can lead to liver failure. This chart shows how a tiny amount can affect different dogs

Preventive Vet

It is also important to note that if you see your dog doing this, called “head pressing,” it may be a sign that they have ingested xylitol. Head pressing is a symptom of toxic poisoning, infection of the nervous system, a tumor, or head trauma.

Peanut butter brands it can be found in are Nuts ’N More® and Krush Nutrition, so it is important that you always read labels. Of course, many brands you’d find in the supermarket aisle are perfectly fine.

Amazon

If you really want to play it safe, making your own peanut butter from scratch is easier than you think. Just roast a pan of peanuts, stick them in the blender, and add with just a pinch of salt. Your taste buds — and your dog — will thank you.

You can even find a homemade peanut butter recipe, here!

Please SHARE and help everyone you know keep their dogs safe!

By Elyse Wanshel

Top image submitted by PNM

//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});