Suki
11-22-2007, 03:44 PM
I would like to add a little to this article:
http://www.game-dog.com/forums/article.php?a=230
due to the amount of emails i get regarding nutrition, and such, especially to the noobs.
A pretty good rule of thumb is the larger companies that spend a LOT on advertising, (for example: Colgate Palmolive, who owns and manufacturers Science Diet, Proctor and Gamble, who owns and manufacturers and Iams and Eukanuba) are what i deem to be corporate american companies, meaning that they care more about lining their pockets by making a profit, then they do in caring about the health and well being of your pets. A PROFIT is where it's at for them. The pet food industry, for them, is simply another means to make more money for them, and that's it. Companies, such as these, spend more in, in one year, advertising than most smaller, (and better, imo) companies even MAKE in a single year. Foods, such as Hills Science Diet, Purina, Proplan, and Nutro and Kibbles n' Bits, are (Mars/M&M, Nestle) examples of corporate companies. Feed found in common grocery stores are what i would rate as "F" rated feed=or most of them. The proteins used are not REAL meat based proteins, there's heaps of by-products and grain fractions~and if you know anything about a dog's anatomy, it's that their digestive tract, unlike a human's, is very short and a dog's food stays in its stomach for up to 14 hours in order for them to properly break it down and digest it. Therefore the nutrients of the grains are not even utilized by dogs because the food spends most of its time in a dog's stomach instead of its digestive tract=where nutients are obtained. In the processsing of dog food, a certain amount of grains and by products are necessary in oder to hold the food together, but as far as a nutritional stand point for your dog, there really is none.
And being that most dog food bags are sold by weight, guess what adds the majority of weight to that bag????? You got it~grains and by-products. The ingredients in food have to be listed, in order, by weight. So, do your home work and start reading labels, and stay away from the corporate companies.
Also, as far as puppy food and adult formulas, imo, that's just another way for these big wigs to make some extra $ on unsuspecting pet owners. If you buy a GOOD quality feed, no need to switch formulas as your pets grow or age. The "puppy" food that's commonly manufactured is "supplemented" with addtional protein, as pups require a higher percentage while growing, but the sources that are added to a pup's formula, are questionable, at best. and as far as seniors, and "lite" formulas go, more grain is added to these formulas, which, in the long run, will only add weight. Seems counter productive, imo...
So, stick with a manufacturer that manufacturers pet food ONLY, and who you kknow has your PET'S best interest at heart. And even tho i work for a vet, and we "push"/endorse this freakin Sc. Diet and Euk $hit, , i, personally and honestly will pull a client aside and will recommend a better product, so HOPEFULLY, i'm not the one doing his next blood draw, or seeing him here at work, because he/she has food related health issues. So buy some good stuff and save some money in the long run. (less potential vet bills.)
Your pets will be healthier and happier, and will probably live longer, if you do!
http://www.game-dog.com/forums/article.php?a=230
due to the amount of emails i get regarding nutrition, and such, especially to the noobs.
A pretty good rule of thumb is the larger companies that spend a LOT on advertising, (for example: Colgate Palmolive, who owns and manufacturers Science Diet, Proctor and Gamble, who owns and manufacturers and Iams and Eukanuba) are what i deem to be corporate american companies, meaning that they care more about lining their pockets by making a profit, then they do in caring about the health and well being of your pets. A PROFIT is where it's at for them. The pet food industry, for them, is simply another means to make more money for them, and that's it. Companies, such as these, spend more in, in one year, advertising than most smaller, (and better, imo) companies even MAKE in a single year. Foods, such as Hills Science Diet, Purina, Proplan, and Nutro and Kibbles n' Bits, are (Mars/M&M, Nestle) examples of corporate companies. Feed found in common grocery stores are what i would rate as "F" rated feed=or most of them. The proteins used are not REAL meat based proteins, there's heaps of by-products and grain fractions~and if you know anything about a dog's anatomy, it's that their digestive tract, unlike a human's, is very short and a dog's food stays in its stomach for up to 14 hours in order for them to properly break it down and digest it. Therefore the nutrients of the grains are not even utilized by dogs because the food spends most of its time in a dog's stomach instead of its digestive tract=where nutients are obtained. In the processsing of dog food, a certain amount of grains and by products are necessary in oder to hold the food together, but as far as a nutritional stand point for your dog, there really is none.
And being that most dog food bags are sold by weight, guess what adds the majority of weight to that bag????? You got it~grains and by-products. The ingredients in food have to be listed, in order, by weight. So, do your home work and start reading labels, and stay away from the corporate companies.
Also, as far as puppy food and adult formulas, imo, that's just another way for these big wigs to make some extra $ on unsuspecting pet owners. If you buy a GOOD quality feed, no need to switch formulas as your pets grow or age. The "puppy" food that's commonly manufactured is "supplemented" with addtional protein, as pups require a higher percentage while growing, but the sources that are added to a pup's formula, are questionable, at best. and as far as seniors, and "lite" formulas go, more grain is added to these formulas, which, in the long run, will only add weight. Seems counter productive, imo...
So, stick with a manufacturer that manufacturers pet food ONLY, and who you kknow has your PET'S best interest at heart. And even tho i work for a vet, and we "push"/endorse this freakin Sc. Diet and Euk $hit, , i, personally and honestly will pull a client aside and will recommend a better product, so HOPEFULLY, i'm not the one doing his next blood draw, or seeing him here at work, because he/she has food related health issues. So buy some good stuff and save some money in the long run. (less potential vet bills.)
Your pets will be healthier and happier, and will probably live longer, if you do!