| I have a written a few articles on premium dog food | | | | Unfortunately, current pet food regulations allow |
| and premium cat food. Some articles even have | | | | manufacturers to use ingredients that you would |
| included the importance of supplements, treats and | | | | never knowingly give to your dog or cat. In fact, you |
| even the bones you give as a reward. So you can | | | | may be shocked to learn what some brands of pet |
| only imagine how important it is to feed our pets the | | | | food really contain. For example: the use of |
| proper nutrition. This nutrition comes daily from the | | | | by-products (feet, bones and intestines, etc.), |
| food we decide to give them. It is extremely | | | | chemical preservatives (BHA and BHT) and grains |
| important to feed premium, quality foods for their | | | | that are often difficult to digest (corn, wheat, gluten |
| health and in some cases their mental well being. | | | | and soy), which are often used as a protein source |
| This article is especially important to me because of | | | | instead of meat. |
| the recent pet food recall including dog and cat food. | | | | Be Aware of Undesirable Ingredients |
| Please visit your vet immediately if you see any signs | | | | By-products - basically this is what is left over when |
| that may appear "abnormal" behavior. It may have | | | | the good cuts of meat are taken for humans. Bones, |
| nothing to do with what they ate but it is better to | | | | intestines, heads, feet, tendons, ligaments and other |
| be safe than sorry. | | | | body parts are known as by-products. |
| As I write this article on March 25, 2007, the recall | | | | Grains like soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten |
| has widened to include all wet food as a safety | | | | are often used as protein sources; however, they |
| precaution regardless of the date code, reports the | | | | are generally inferior and difficult to digest. |
| Globe & Mail. Retailers have been asked to | | | | Chemical Preservatives like BHA, BHT and ethoxoquin |
| remove all of these foods. The "recall" list can be | | | | can be very harmful to pets. |
| found by visiting menufoods.com/recall/. | | | | Freshness - Large manufacturers make pet food in |
| As you may or may not have heard there has been | | | | tremendous batches that can last for a very long |
| a huge pet food recall on numerous brands of dog | | | | time, so you may be feeding food that is six months |
| and cat food that may contain aminopterin, rat | | | | to a year old. |
| poison. Yes, rat poison. At this time there is no news | | | | These are only some things to stay away from. |
| as to how it got into the food. It has been reported | | | | Look to see if your dog or cat food contains |
| this has been the cause of at least 16 deaths as well | | | | vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and bacteria cultures |
| as more that are very ill and receiving treatment. | | | | to name a few. |
| What can separate the premium food from | | | | Remember, what your vet recommends as premium |
| mainstream? | | | | dog food might be the farthest thing from healthy. |