Sitting there was Misty. Misty's person was very concerned about the almost frantic activities that she exhibited even right after meals. A "rib check" on Misty made it very, very clear that Misty was not short-rationed when it came to mealtime but still there was the evident behavior that had Mr. Carabunch
asking for help.
Canines have evolved as hunters and scavengers and those members of the canine
family closest to us have been more successful as scavengers. Just check
around town and get proof of that! The feral canines are NOT out there forming
hunting parties. They are slinking around every food stand, butcher shop, and
unattended garbage bag seeking an easy meal. Either way it has been a world of
feast or famine which means that our loving canine buddies come with a genetic
program that dictates, to many of them, to eat when the eatin's good because
it could be a long time between meals. It matters not that meals appear at 8
A.M. and 6 P.M. for our own buddies. Genes do not know about clocks.
Not very long ago I would have suggested that Misty's problem was purely one
of genetic predisposition to eating whenever possible and simply ignore the
shenanigans! After all, Misty was a long way from death's door as a result of
starvation.
Or was she!
Misty is one of millions of dogs being fed a totally grain-based diet which is
loaded with carbohydrates and that is not a natural food for dogs. While her
ribs are hard to find under the layer of fat she is, indeed, a hungry dog.
Hungry for real food.
Many people ask why dogs eat grass or garden plants and while there are
certainly no definitive answers based on scientific studies* a logical
approach is that they eat those things because in the course of routine living
those items embellish their diet. Wild canines eat anything they can get their
teeth into when they are hungry and that includes berries, greens, fallen
fruit, fish, insects, etc. These things are available and have nutritive
values. They eat feces for the very same reason; there is nutrition in those bodily
discards and vale la pena! Do keep this in mind any time you want to think
that dogs are people in little fur jackets. We do not routinely eat feces;
dogs do!
While dogs are entrepreneurial their needs clearly lean in the direction of
meat and bones, not grains! If you have any doubts just check out their
teeth, compare them to yours, a cow's or horse's and try to convince me they
should eat grains! (Cats, incidentally, are true carnivores and should never
be fed any commercial dry food.) Time and again caring, loving people take the
time to cook rice to add to their dogs' food. And, they are adding grain to a
grain filled food. (The dogs love it, incidentally, because it is so much more
"real" than what comes in the package of their processed dog food!) How much
better it would be to give their dogs some real bones (always RAW),
food-processed (or steamed) leafy green vegetables**, eggs (yes, raw!), and
even slices of fresh fruit as a treat.
There are many resources to back up the message I bring but your vet is not
likely to be one of those resources. Vets learn about nutrition from dog food
companies. Dog food pays the bills. But, there are many vets walking a very
different road these days and what they have to say influenced Mr. Carabunch
and now, Misty is a happy camper indeed. Taken off of a commercial product and
given what is known as "biologically appropriate raw food" (BARF!) she rests
after eating. Doggie siesta time, oh yeah! Misty's nutritional needs are
being met.
*The money available for nutritional research comes from dog food companies.
They are not about to research anything that would bring a cloud over their
lucrative business.
**Dogs cannot break-down the cellulose in vegetables so therefore the
presentation of vegetables should mimic what is found in the gut of an animal
they might kill. Food processors do a commendable job of meeting this goal.
With fruits the best would be the overripe fallen fruits, especially when
starting any diet change. Many dogs, not unlike their human companions, resist
any change so it is best to approach change slowly.
For more information about a nutritional improvement over commercial processed
food check the library and read Dr. Ian Billinghurst's (an Australian vet)
book, Give Your Dog a Bone. Check there soon for the book Natural Nutrition
for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze, a nutritionist.
And, for more information on this very important subject, check the internet
for information on raw diets for pets for some suggestions. Any diet change
may cause intestinal upsets; that is true when one switches from one
commercial food to another. Digestive enzymes truly aid in this transition but
often all one needs to do is make a gradual change as is always recommended
when changing from one commercial food to another.
"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things man
will not himself find peace." Albert Schweitzer. |
