| Dogs exhibit traits of being carnivores. Their pointed | | | | safety any day of the week. |
| canine teeth, designed to rip and dig into flesh, their | | | | According to the National Research Council, proper |
| short intestinal tracts and the canine's need for | | | | nutrition should be based on a variety of nutrients |
| calcium and protein perhaps would incline us to | | | | necessary for a balanced diet. As in the case of Mrs. |
| categorize them as such, but more accurately they | | | | Smith, the switch to a vegetarian diet containing |
| can be classified as onmivores since they also eat | | | | carbohydrates brought immediate relaxing and stress |
| vegetables, apples, cantaloupes and corn. | | | | reducing results. She did well on a homemade diet |
| There is no scientific proof that dogs cannot be | | | | mixed and incorporated with dry as well as |
| vegetarians. In fact, considering the dog food recalls | | | | commercial vegetarian dog food. It is best to hold |
| of this past year, meat diets may be more | | | | back on most soy based crops however, since non |
| dangerous than ever believed or thought. Consider | | | | organically farmed soy is commonly sprayed with the |
| the chemical hormones, antibiotics and herbicides as | | | | dangerous herbicide Roundup. The best vegetarian |
| well as farm toxins. Absence of prepared meat dog | | | | foods contain no preservatives and are |
| food may even prevent cancer, heart attacks and | | | | supplemented with ground whole rice, barley flour, |
| strokes. Meat based products also stimulate | | | | vegetable oil and carrots. Supplements to enhance |
| dopamine and norepinephrine, brain chemicals which | | | | crude proteins can also be added if lacking in the |
| reportedly stimulate fright, fight and flight responses | | | | natural diet. In addition, Mrs. Smith's diet includes a |
| in canines. | | | | greater variety of tastes besides just her kibble. |
| Take the case of Mrs. Smith, a now 5 year old ex | | | | Stagnant diets can become too acidic, less than |
| racing greyhound we rescued from the Florida | | | | desirable PH chemistry which is suspected to be |
| racetracks. She had been fed the standard industry | | | | cancer or viral causatives. |
| food, popularly referred to as the "raw 4-D meat | | | | To add variety Mrs. Smith also enjoys peas, corn, |
| diet." Most of the meat came from cattle and horses | | | | baked squash, pitted olives as well as small dabs of |
| that have been derived from dead, dying, diseased | | | | olive oil spread on whole wheat toast. Among her |
| and down or disabled slaughter animals. These | | | | favorites, as do the human members of the family |
| animals, in order to get them to the kill box at the | | | | enjoy are small pizza slivers as well as small pieces of |
| slaughterhouse were most likely pumped up with | | | | pasta with tomato sauce. |
| penicillin, trimethorprim as well as any other drugs. | | | | Going green for Mrs. Smith has brought a renewed |
| Cases of contaminated meat riddled with anthrax, | | | | calmness and vitality. No more racing for her, but a |
| botulism and salmonella have been reported. At the | | | | comfortable bed in the family room, regular exercise, |
| price of $.50 a pound however, and each dog | | | | periodic well visit calls at the vet and wholesome |
| consuming approximately one to two pounds per | | | | vegetarian foods have transformed a scared, skinny, |
| day, economy would probably beat out wellness and | | | | nervous race dog into a loved family member. |