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b-naturals dog nutrition newsBy Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health Whatever diet you are feeding your dog, it is important to use several animal protein sources. This is what we call variety, and variety helps to make sure a dog is getting all the nutrients they need. Proteins are made from amino acids and each protein source offers different amounts of the 11 amino acids provided by food. Locking your dog into one or two animal protein sources may cause your dog to have deficiencies in one or more of these. Let's look at what amino acids are, why they are important for your dog, and how to keep a good variety of them in your dog's diet. Amino acids are found in all proteins. But not all proteins are equal. Some amino acids have decreased absorption when fed with a high fiber, plant based (carbohydrates) diet. Plant based proteins are missing some amino acids that are only found in animal based sources. These include l-taurine and l-carnitine. These amino acids are essential for your dog's heart health and these amino acids are easily destroyed by processing and long term, high temperature cooking. Unlike plant based proteins, animal based proteins contain a complete amino acid profile for dogs. And each type of animal based proteins contains different amounts of each of these. For instance, red meat and heart contain higher amounts of taurine and l-carnitine. While animal based proteins (red meat, organ meat, poultry, dairy and fish) contain all the amino acids needed by dogs, they each have varying amounts of these amino acids. Thus, it is important to use variety of these animal based proteins in the dog's diet. Animal based proteins are also rich in the minerals zinc and iron, and vitamin B12. Dogs need iron from animal based sources. Foods rich in iron include red meat, eggs and organ meat such as liver and kidney. If you are feeding a raw diet, please use at least four protein sources, preferably six. An example of a good variety could be chicken, beef, pork and fish. The fish source can be fresh fish (NOT fresh water NW pacific salmon, which can contain parasites) or canned mackerel, sardines or salmon. Additional sources could be yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, turkey, lamb, duck, venison, elk or buffalo. Be sure to add liver or kidney, at about 5% of the daily diet. For cooked diets, be sure not to overcook the meat. I don't recommend crock pot cooking, or roasting meat for long periods. High, sustained heat in cooking can destroy many of the amino acids. Cook the meats lightly. You can freeze recipes for daily portions and it will not harm the amino acid or mineral content in the meats. The same protein sources used in raw diets can also be used for cooked diets. For those feeding commercial pet foods, be sure to rotate brands of food to insure several protein types. If you are using a chicken based food, switch to a beef based food for the next bag, and rotate with a fish protein food a couple of days of the week. Switching brands frequently means getting more variety in your dog's diet. Ideally, I would suggest adding some fresh protein foods to dry kibble, such as yogurt, eggs, beef, chicken, canned fish, pork and more, to help obtain all the amino acids needed, plus sources of iron, zinc and B12. To complete the diet, for whatever method you feed, I recommend adding EPA fish oil or Salmon oil capsules to your dog's diet, at one capsule per 20 lbs of body weight daily. This gives your dog the omega 3 fatty acids it needs for healthy coat and skin, immune system support, and renal, heart and liver protection. For additional nutrients that are harder to find in foods, I would also add the Berte's Daily Blend vitamins. This contains vitamins C, E and B complex, plus vitamin D and A, with kelp and alfalfa added for trace minerals. The Berte's Daily Blend is flavored with powdered chicken liver, which makes this powder tasty and enticing for your dog. Providing a variety of proteins in your dog's diet ensures they are getting all the amino acids they need for good health and keeps meal times more interesting with a variety of flavors and textures. Happy Labor Day to you and your dogs, and here is looking forward to cooler weather!
Rosalie, enjoying a nap after a good meal of chicken necks and pork ribs.
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PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net
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b-naturals dog nutrition newsWe always want our dogs to look great and to perform at their very best. We want our working dogs to have steady endurance and drive. We want our tracking and search and rescue dogs to hold the scent and stay on the trail. We want our agility dogs to have the energy and balance to make the jumps, go through the weaves smoothly and effortlessly, and to handle each obstacle with precision. We need our obedience dogs to stay focused and our Schutzhund dogs to have stamina, courage, and stay on task. We want our conformation dogs to have ground covering side movement and to be happy and confident in the ring. And we all want our dogs to have lean, muscular and fit bodies. A good diet provides the energy, strength, lean muscle mass and mental focus that is needed to achieve these performance goals. Let's take a look at the different diet components and how they help with each of these performance goals. CarbohydratesIt takes a lot of energy to digest food, so it is very important to feed foods that are easy to digest, provide the most nutrients, and use the least amounts of energy. For dogs, that food would be fats and protein. The foods to stay away from are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in plant based foods, which include vegetables, grains and fruit. The two main components in plant based foods are sugar and fiber. Dogs have short and simple digestive tracts which are not designed to ferment high fiber foods and cannot break down the cell walls which are composed of cellulose. The dog's digestive system struggles to digest these foods which takes greater energy, creates more gas and produces large stools of undigested food matter. Carbohydrates are also made up of sugar and sugars can cause the blood glucose levels in dogs to go up and down. This in turn causes a dog's energy level to rise quickly and then drop suddenly. This can create inconsistent energy spurts which can cause your dog to tire out more rapidly. Additionally, fiber binds up the digestive tract which results in a loss of valuable energy. Fat and proteins are much easier for the dog to digest and produce smaller stools. Harder to digest foods mean a full colon, which Dr. Kronfeld, DVM equated to an extra 20 pound handicap on a race horse: FatsFat is the most important energy source for dogs. Fats are dense in calories which are needed when dogs are working hard and are burning large amounts of calories. Fat also helps to protect their cells from damage. The fat a dogs needs is animal fat. These fats are found in meat, eggs and dairy. High fat diets have been the secret for successful sled dog racing teams for years: http://www.livescience.com/animals/080925-sled-dogs.html Another important fat is omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids not only help provide energy, they also help the immune system, fight inflammation, help keep the skin and coat healthy and are heart, liver and renal protective. This essential fatty acid is hard to find in foods and breaks down easily when exposed to heat, light or air. I would recommend using fish oil capsules and give one 1000 mg capsule per 10-20 lbs of body weight daily. For more information on animal fats and omega 3 fatty acids see the link below: http://www.theretrievernews.com/Library/Articles/Veterinary/DoesDietAffectFieldTrialPerfor ProteinsThe second most important energy source for dogs is animal protein. Animal proteins contain amino acids, which when fed in high quality and quantity, produce glucose in dogs. This keeps their energy level on a stable plane. There no energy crash and it will keep the dog focused without mood swings. Feeding a good variety of animal proteins such as beef, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs, dairy and fish provides a wide swath of amino acids and offers better balance to the diet. Each protein varies somewhat in amino acids so providing a good variety of proteins insures the dog will get all the amino acids needed. Amino acids help repair tissue, keep the organs healthy and help build muscle mass. When your dog is on a diet rich in protein sources, and fresh sources offer better quality, there is no need to ever add synthetic amino acids to its diet. HydrationUnlike humans, most dogs do not loose electrolytes during exercise because sweat is not a primary avenue for thermoregulation in dogs. Because most healthy dogs do not lose electrolytes, they do not benefit from electrolyte replacement drinks: Water and Fat Work Together"Fat is used by the body for energy and can be used as a metabolic water source. Fats are highly digestible, very palatable, and are an energy dense nutritional ingredient. It has an energy yield of 8.5 kcal per gram. They are also essential for the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Fat provides a source of metabolic water. Fat metabolism produces 107g of water for every 100g of fat. Protein produces 40g water/100g protein, and carbohydrate produces 55g water/100g carbohydrate. Fatty acid ratio can also help to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators in canine skin, plasma, and neutrophils. Dietary omega-6: omega-3 fatty acid ratios between 5:1 and 10:1 are optimum."www.acsma.org/csmtdbt5.htm. Feeding a high fat diet will help keep your working dog hydrated, but water is equally important. It is essential to always provide fresh water for dogs around the clock. Always remember to bring buckets, spray bottles, water and ice to any and all performance events. This is important in both warm and cold weather conditions. Additionally, "Diets which are moderate in protein but high in fat on the other hand tend to help conserve body fluids, in three ways. First they minimize urine output by reducing the amount of nitrogen which must be eliminated from the body. Second, they provide a more concentrated source of nutrients, thereby minimizing stool volume and fecal water losses. Third, dietary fat contributes ‘metabolic water'. Metabolic water is defined as water produced from the metabolism of nutrients. When 100 grams of fat, protein and carbohydrates are metabolized, approximately 107g, 40 g and 55g of metabolic water are produced respectively. Dietary fat yields more than its weight in metabolic body water."http://www.hilarywatson.com/hydration.pdf. Dogs don't sweat like humans or horses. They only have slight perspiration through their foot pads. However, dogs can lose a great deal of moisture through panting, so it is imperative to keep a performance dog hydrated at all times. The best method for doing this is to feed the dog a moist diet and have water available for them at all times. It is also very important to offer your dog water before, during and after an event, so keep a bucket of water handy throughout the event. At times, you may mean to flavor the water with chicken or beef broth (not with electrolytes, see above) to get the dog to drink or you can offer yogurt. Without proper hydration, a dog quickly loses endurance and energy and it can lead to future health problems. http://www.hydrolyte.us/Arleigh%20Reynolds-Hydration%20Strategies.pdf DietNow, let's put this altogether! Let's take a look at the best diet and supplements you can give your dog to provide high energy levels, endurance and stamina, and lean muscle mass. We know what we need to avoid in their diets; carbohydrates and sugars. That includes grains, fruits and vegetables. It also includes any foods or supplements made with maltodextrin, glucose, dextrin, molasses or honey. While these are found in human body builder supplements (and it is questionable they help humans), they create energy peaks and valleys in dogs. What dogs need for energy are fats and animal based proteins. Fresh raw animal fats and proteins are the easiest for a dog to digest and provide the most nourishment. This diet would includes muscle meat, organ meat, fat and bone for calcium with 40% – 45% being muscle meat (beef, pork, lamb, fish), 5% to 10% being beef kidney or liver and the other 50% being meat with bones, which include chicken necks, backs, wings or leg quarters, pork tails, necks or ribs, as well as lamb ribs and turkey necks. If you offer a cooked diet to your dog, then don't feed bone. Bones harden when cooked and can splinter. Cooked diets would include 75% animal based protein, including eggs, yogurt and organ meat and 25% low glycemic (low sugar) vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, dark leafy greens, cauliflower and summer squash. To provide the necessary calcium needed, you would add 900 mg of calcium citrate per pound of food served. The idea of offering an assortment of animal based proteins is to insure your dog is getting all of the amino acids. Animal proteins vary in the type and amount of amino acids they contain. There is no need to add amino acids as supplements when you are feeding a fresh, meat based diet. A variety of meat, eggs and dairy contain the correct balance for what your performance dog will need. Dogs need approximately 2% to 3% of their body weight daily in food, while puppies may need as much as 5% to 10%. This amount can vary due to metabolism, activity level of the dog and growth stages in puppies. And remember; don't keep your working dog too thin. Too little fat can cause a dog to dehydrate faster, and a dog needs to have adequate rib covering for energy. I also feed my working dogs in the morning before an event, but a small, high protein, high fat meal. And you can give a dog an extra boost by giving treats of hard boiled eggs, baked liver pieces, cheese cubes or beef jerky during performance events. And *always* provide a working dog with fresh water at all times possible. Supplements SupplementsThe most important supplement to add to a working dog's diet is omega 3 fatty acids. Fish oil is fragile and can be easily damaged by heat, light or air, so giving fish oil in the form of fish oil capsules offers the best protection. Omega 3 fatty acids help enhance energy, support the dog's immune system, protect the heart, liver and kidneys, and helps promote healthy skin and a glowing coat. The dose is one 1000 mg capsule (180 EPA/120 DHA) per 10 to 20 lbs of body weight daily. The Berte's EPA Fish Oil capsules are an excellent choice for omega 3 fatty acid supplementation, and the Berte's Salmon Oil is equally as good, especially for dogs that may have allergies to other types of fish oil. Next, it is important to supplement with the water soluble Vitamin C and B complex vitamins. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps with capillary health, prevents bruising, helps fight inflammation and promotes ligament and tendon integrity. The dose for vitamin C with bioflavanoids is given at approximately 100 to 200 mg per 10 lbs of body weight daily given with meals. For convenience, the Berte's Daily Blend is a powdered mix that contains 2,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of dry vitamin E and 75 mg of B complex per tablespoon. It also contains kelp, alfalfa and vitamin D and A and dogs find it tasty, due to their addition of chicken liver. Lastly, probiotics, also known as beneficial bacteria, are necessary for any dog in training and for dogs that travel and are involved in performance work. The beneficial bacteria found in most probiotic blends include acidophilus and bifidus. These help keep the correct balance of good bacteria in the digestive tract, help during times of stress and aid with absorption of nutrients. These friendly bacteria are also thought to keep ‘bad' bacterial and fungal infections away. The Berte's Ultra Probiotic Powder contains a blend of probiotics in an economical powder form, and dogs love the taste! Simply sprinkle on top of each meal. In addition to proper supplementation, to keep a dog at their best fitness level, offer high protein, high fat diets and avoid or keep carbohydrates at levels low. Proper conditioning is also very important. You can't accomplish this without proper conditioning. You need to plan for 8 weeks of good conditioning, proper diet and supplementation if you want to bring your dog to top form. Please remember, a top athlete needs to continue these good practices throughout their life to maintain their best fitness level!
Three Champion Trackers, trained and shown by Jeff Shaver and owned by Lew Olson and Jeff Shaver. CT CH Blackwood Langolier, CT Blackwood Jack Frost, and CT CH Evrmor Rose Madder Blackwood
b-naturals dog nutrition news
B-Naturals Newsletter – July 2010 Can Diet Cause Aggression in Dogs? By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
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Can Diet Cause Aggression in Dogs? Last month we dispelled the myth about raw diets being dangerous. This month we're going to address diets causing aggression in dogs. As always, I'm scouring the internet for valid information and research and I read a variety of responses and recommendations on this issue from the perspective of many different authors. These recommendations included reducing protein to control aggression, blaming aggression on not having enough fat in the diet, and current research trying to prove that adding tryptophan to the diet will curb aggression. There were recommendations stating more vegetables should be added to the dog's diet and one suggestion stating you should add 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which is a derivative of tryptophan, to a dog’s diet.
What I would like to do here is examine each of these theories, and look at how a diet may or may not change a dog’s behavior.
Many sources report reducing protein in the diet helps lessen aggression. But the best study I found doesn’t show that: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8575968 :
Effect of dietary protein content on behavior in dogs.
“Results of this study suggest that a reduction in dietary protein content is not generally useful in the treatment of behavior problems in dogs, but may be appropriate in dogs with territorial aggression that is a result of fear.”
This study doesn’t state what type of food was fed, although inference from the total article leads me to believe a commercial, dry dog food was utilized. In that light, the research is limited to this one type of diet, which is a processed food that is heavily laden with starches and carbohydrates.
Newer studies are trying to prove that tryptophan (an amino acid) can help reduce aggression. The idea is that tryptophan helps with the production of serotonin, which in turn helps produce calmness. However, a glitch in the current studies is that tryptophan must be consumed with soluble fiber and the actual production of serotonin occurs during the fermentation process in the gut. Studies have been done with pigs and rats, but the study with dogs was inclusive:
http://www.anu.wur.nl/UK/Research/Feedtechno/
“Aggressive behaviour, as well as anxiety or fearfulness in dogs, can sometimes lead to dangerous situations for the public. By changing diet composition to ensure a high enough tryptophan level and a more constant blood glucose and insulin concentration might reduce these types of behaviour. It is known that fermentable carbohydrates result in lesser fluctuations in insulin levels in the blood and that it can reduce activity in group housed pigs.
The aim of this project is to investigate which carbohydrates (in combination with tryptophan) can be added to dog’s diets without negatively affecting faecal quality (smell, volume etc.), and to investigate whether this can result in reduced undesired behaviour. “
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10953712
Effect of dietary protein content and tryptophan supplementation on dominance aggression, territorial aggression, and hyperactivity in dogs.
“For dominance aggression, behavioral scores were highest in dogs fed unsupplemented high-protein rations. For territorial aggression, [corrected] tryptophan-supplemented low-protein diets were associated with significantly lower behavioral scores than low-protein diets without tryptophan supplements. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For dogs with dominance aggression, the addition of tryptophan to high-protein diets or change to a low-protein diet may reduce aggression. For dogs with territorial aggression, tryptophan supplementation of a low-protein diet may be helpful in reducing aggression.”
While no description of the diets is revealed, my assumption is that these studies are limited to commercially processed dog food diets, which are already high in carbohydrates, use poor quality protein sources and may contain added preservatives. Their conclusion on these types of diets is that they ‘may’ reduce aggression, with no firm conclusive evidence to show that this is the case.
Further, tryptophan may not work the same in dogs as studies done with pigs, rats and humans, who have longer digestive tracts. See effects of 5-HTP on dogs (tryptophan converts to 5-HTP, and 5-HTP converts to serotonin):
http://www.jbc.org/content/224/2/803.full.pdf INCREASE IN TISSUE SEROTONIN FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF ITS PRECURSOR 5-HYDROXYTRYPTOPHAN*
“When 5-hydroxytryptophan is administered to animals, it is rapidly taken up by most tissues and is converted to serotonin wherever 5HTP decarboxylase occurs. Brain levels more than 10 times normal have been reached and maintained for several hours. At these levels laboratory animals exhibit marked central disturbance, the effects being similar to those observed after administering the hallucinogenic drug, lysergic acid diethylamide.”
http://www.byedr.com/medicine/516-medicine-4.html
“Symptoms and signs of the serotonin syndrome include confusion, agitation, diaphoresis, tachycardia, myoclonus and hyperreflexia. In addition, hypertension, coma/unresponsiveness, seizure, and death may turn out if the syndrome is not promptly recognized and treated. There are no reports of the serotonin syndrome occurring near use of 5-HTP in humans. However, it could transpire and the combination of 5-HTP with another serotonergic agent can increase the risk of it occurring. As a side document, there are 21 cases of 5-HTP toxicosis reported contained by dogs. Accidental ingestion of 5-HTP by dogs resulted in a serotonin-like syndrome. Three of the dogs died.”
What isn’t explained is that serotonin needs to be fed with soluble carbohydrates and fermented in the gut to excrete serotonin. But dogs are carnivores, and since they wouldn’t eat carbohydrates in the wild, it wouldn’t make sense that they would require serotonin, at least in this form. Why would dogs need this nutrient when their anatomy has trouble digesting large amounts of soluble fiber? What most studies have concluded is that diets with the high levels of carbohydrates creates fecal and gas problems in dogs. The volume of stool is increased significantly, and dogs struggle to ferment and digest soluble fiber in large amounts.
The most logical answer is that dogs don’t need it. What dogs do need, being carnivores to remain calm and keep blood glucose levels stable, is high quality animal protein. In a process called glyconeogenesis, amino acids and fats are converted to glucose. When dogs are fed low amounts of animal based protein, they use carbohydrates for energy. But this type of energy is not consistent and the blood sugars fluctuate, by going up and then falling. This, in turn, creates mood swings. Creating glucose from animal based proteins and fats creates a stable blood sugar level, which keeps a dog calm and focused.
Amino acids are found in proteins, and dogs, as carnivores, specifically need animal based proteins. Plant proteins lack some of the amino acids, which dogs, as carnivores specifically need. This includes l-taurine (for heart health), and l-carnitine (also for the heart and organ health). When dogs get a full complement of amino acids, it is not only calming to them, but helps support their organs, skin, coat, eyes and brain. Meat is also rich in B vitamins and minerals, including iron (which is lacking in plant based foods).
To further substantiate this, William Campbell, author of “Behavior Problems in Dogs”, reports using high quality protein has helped stop hyper-activity in dogs, and used it in his training techniques with success: http://www.webtrail.com/petbehavior/april99.html
Feeding a dog a diet high in carbohydrates, especially starches and grains, will simply create less focus and blood sugar spikes. Additionally, when carbohydrates are higher than 35% of the diet, they have the potential to ‘protein starve’ the dog, in that the dog, being a carnivore, is not getting all the amino acids necessary to sustain and maintain healthy organs, brain function, and healthy coat and skin.
Fats are also a component needed for calmness. Not only is fat satiating (helps make a dog feel full) and helps ward off dehydration, but it also contains essential fatty acids. Most importantly, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Research has shown dogs that display more aggressive tendencies have lower blood serum levels of DHA.
It is important to give dogs animal based sources of DHA (such as fish oils), as dogs have difficultly converting the ALA found in plant based oils. I give my dogs 180 EPA/120 DHA of fish oil per 10 to 20 lbs of body weight daily. Omega 3 fatty acids are fragile and difficult to find in food. I would also suggest using fish oil capsules, rather than bottled oil, as fish oil is fragile and easily destroyed by heat, light and air.
In conclusion, I would recommend a diet of high bioavailable animal proteins, fat and Omega 3 fatty acids to help dogs remain calm and stable. It is important to offer a variety of proteins, to make sure the dog is getting all the amino acids needed, for healthy organs, brain, nervous system function, and healthy skin, coat. If you are feeding a raw or homemade diet, it is easy enough to offer a variety of proteins. If you are feeding a commercial diet, change protein sources often and be sure to add fresh protein sources to the food, such as yogurt, eggs, meat and canned fish such as mackerel or salmon. Please note, not all aggression issues are due to diet. It is always a good idea to fully socialize any puppy or young dog through group training classes and by allowing the dog to experience numerous situations. Good food, good socialization and good training help make a calm, happy and healthy dog!
We wish all of you a very Happy and Safe 4th of July Holiday. Please be sure to keep your dogs a safe distance from all fireworks. While we enjoy the bright colors and loud bangs, it's an activity our dogs aren't particularly fond of! Lew
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We always welcome your comments, so let us know what you're thinking. B-Naturals Newsletter.
PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net
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b-naturals dog nutrition news
B-Naturals Newsletter – June 2010 Is A Raw Diet Dangerous? By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
Good News Reminders!! Did you know that every month you can save money with B-Naturals Free Freight Friday Special? Purchase $75 or more in products and we'll ship your order for free anywhere in the continental US via UPS Ground. Mark your calendars and stock up on all your favorites on Free Freight Friday, June 18th! (For more information, see Product News at the end of the newsletter). Also, pre-order your copy of Lew Olson's new book, Raw and Natural Nutrition For Dogs, through Amazon.com and receive 33% of the list price from now until June 21st. The book ships June 22nd, so pre-order your copy today.
Last week, I wrote a letter to the Delta Society, a nonprofit group based in Washington that offers pet therapy certifications for dogs. Unfortunately, they recently banned dogs in their program that are fed a raw diet. They called ‘protein based’ diets unsafe, in that they may spread salmonella and other bacteria. I am writing this month’s newsletter to dispel these and other myths about a fresh food diet for dogs. Part of my concern of the edict that the Delta Society proclaims, is that they are painting protein as a pathogen containing substance, waiting to infect humans. When I read over the two articles they posted to make these claims (see: http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=638 ), which I analyzed and refuted in my letter to them, I found the tests they cited faulty (not enough dogs in the studies and unequal groups of raw fed dogs to commercial diet fed dogs) and found they ignored government studies on salmonella in dogs and the evidence of salmonella in commercial pet foods prompting numerous recalls. Salmonella is also found in the environment in numerous places, such as ponds, reptiles, dirt and feces. Please note that all the research I found showed that dogs *rarely* become ill from salmonella. From this research I wrote the following to the Delta Society: To the Delta Society: While checking http://www.google.com/ to investigate your claims of raw protein causing a significant shed of pathogens in the dog’s stool, I found the largest amount of information on an internet search shows that dry dog food is the biggest offender of carrying salmonella contamination: http://www.webmd.com/news/20080915/salmonella-risk-prompts-pet-food-recall http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19076207/ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356203,00.html http://pet-nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/salmonella_pet_food_recall_expanded http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/15/AR2008051502363.html http://www.emaxhealth.com/1/117/24691.html http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dog-food-recalled-for-possible-salmonella-problem One expert thinks contamination of pet food is likely to become more commonplace. "There have been problems with pet foods before," said Dr. Pascal James Imperato, chairman of the department of preventive medicine and community health at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City. "If the food had any animal product in it, there could have been contamination, or if it was being processed in a plant where they were also processing animal product, then contamination can easily occur," he said. "There is greater industrialization of the production of food products, both for humans and animals, and these are complex processing systems. Therefore, there is greater opportunity for contamination," Imperato said. "We are likely to see many more of these problems." Secondly, a large percentage of all dogs carry salmonella, regardless of diet. This has been known for some time: http://fsrio.nal.usda.gov/document_fsheet.php?product_id=223 Animal-to-Human — Salmonella can be acquired directly from pets (e.g. cats and dogs), reptiles, and birds. The feces of pets, especially those with diarrhea, contain Salmonella and humans can become infected if they do not wash their hands after contact with pets or pet feces.15 The pets may suffer Salmonellosis as a reverse zoonosis, with infection transmitted from human-to-pet and subsequently back to other humans. Salmonella can also be found in healthy dogs and cats at rates of up to 36 percent and 18 percent, respectively.52 http://www.bravorawdiet.com/recallinfo.html#merck “Here’s what the Merck Veterinary Manual says about Salmonella in pets: “Many dogs and cats are asymptomatic carriers of Salmonellae. Clinical disease is uncommon, but when it is seen, it is often associated with hospitalization, another infection or debilitating condition in adults, or exposure to large numbers of the bacteria in puppies and kittens.” 2 To translate: Many dogs and cats carry Salmonella in their systems (as evidenced by the presence of Salmonella in their feces), but they rarely become ill. It is just a natural part of what lives in their GI systems. When illness does occur it is usually associated with an already ill animal who is already immune-compromised. Illness may also occur when young animals are exposed to very high numbers of the bacteria. This might happen if a puppy finds and licks the inside of an outdoor garbage can that has never been washed and is teeming with bacteria. Research indicates that approximately 36 percent of healthy dogs and 17 percent of healthy cats carry Salmonella in their digestive tract.3 ..The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) agrees with these numbers.4 It is interesting to note that these numbers are based on kibble-fed dogs – which means that Salmonella is a natural part of life for our pets regardless of what they are eating. The resistance to illness in dogs from Salmonella is apparent in a study of raw-fed dogs in Canada. In that study 16 dogs were deliberately fed commercial raw diets contaminated with Salmonella. None of those 16 dogs became ill. Additionally, only 7 of those 16 dogs shed Salmonella in their feces.5 While it was not further studied, one might speculate that the 9 dogs who ate Salmonella-contaminated food but did not shed it in their feces effectively neutralized the bacteria. Even the FDA, in the FDA Consumer magazine, acknowledges that healthy pets rarely become ill from Salmonella contamination.6” 2.http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfle=htm/bc/20900.htm 3.Hand, M.S., Thatcher, C.D., Remillard, R.L., and Roudebush, P. (2000) Small Animal Clinical Nutrition. Mark Morris Institute. Pg. 36-42,188. 4 http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znsalmonellosis.asp 5 Finley, R., et al. (2007) The Risk of Salmonellae Shedding by Dogs Fed Salmonella-contaminated Commercial Raw Food Diets. Can Vet J. Vol. 48 #1. Pg. 69-75. 6 http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/departs/2000/500_upd.html#pigs
It is also interesting to note that humans can transmit salmonella to dogs: http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/GIk9fel/salmonella.html Dogs and cats may suffer salmonellosis as a "reverse zoonosis," with infection transmitted from human-to-dog and subsequently back to other humans. Similarly, outbreaks of Salmonella infections in large animal teaching hospitals have been linked to the introduction of bacteria from infected human personnel, with subsequent spread to animals and then back to other human workers. In one of the studies quoted on your website as part of your proof, in the first article only ten dogs were used to test for salmonella. The authors themselves state: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC339295/ Although these results are suggestive, they are not statistically significant owing to the small number of dogs studied. Larger numbers of dogs or multiple stool samples from each dog might have allowed the results to reach statistical significance. Unfortunately, the limited funding to this private clinic for this study did not allow for the inclusion of more study animals or multiple cultures from individual subjects. And, in another study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1716752/ Since this study was an experimental trial with laboratory beagles, results may not be completely indicative of what would be experienced with owned dogs of various breeds. Determining that the raw food diet was the main source of salmonellae shedding in owned dogs would be more complicated, as they could be exposed to several other possible sources of salmonellae, including other animals; other food items, including treats; the environment; and their owners. www.asph.org/vetmed/ppt/lefebvre.ppt The information below is from your friends in Canada again. This slide has been prepared to show the dangers of raw fed foods for therapy dogs. It did a great job of skewing the results. They show the high incidence of bacteria found in 40 raw fed dogs stools, but somehow tends to downplay the amounts found in dogs fed a dry diet. This study shows:
While this study may show more Salmonella and E Coli in raw fed dogs, it shows higher results for the bacteria Clostridium, Methicillin resistant S Aureus and has Vanomycin resistant enterococci. And the amount of Salmonella and E Coli, while not as high as raw fed dogs, is significant. My conclusion is that, in your hurry to label the raw diet as the culprit, and eliminate its use from your volunteers in your program, you are only putting the spotlight on the issue that all dogs can carry pathogens regardless of diet . This could cause all dogs to be banned from use in any health facility. In essence, I see your new rule as ‘shooting yourself in the foot’. I feel in your confidence and your bias of proving a raw diet could spread pathogens, you forgot to do a full research on the issue. Salmonella is everywhere, including dry dog food, the soil, pond water and even from humans. Understand you are looking at narrow parameters that need a more careful and extensive study on how pathogens are spread and how to use sensible and effective prevention. I don’t see a problem with allowing dogs into nursing homes, hospitals or hospices, as long as good hygiene is applied. That would include bathing the dogs, insuring therapy dogs are flea and tick free, making sure the dog’s are properly exercised (i.e., pottied) before a visit, and carrying sterilization equipment (bleach, bags and paper towels) in case of an accident. All research points out pathogens are spread by stool or saliva. That would mean not allowing the dogs to lick the clients, making sure the coats and skin are recently bathed and trusting your volunteers. Your volunteers are the backbone of your organization, and they do this loving volunteer work without compensation and give the Delta group thousands of volunteer hours. I hope you take this letter in the light it was written, in that sometimes, we need to look at any situation with more study and thought, and understand the healing, joy and encouragement dogs give so many people. Being a patient with serious illness and being away from home often stifles recovery. Pets, as you know, bring hope, happiness and support to begin the process of healing. I hope you rethink your position on this matter, and continue to allow your therapy dog work to bring joy to both your clients and your volunteers. My interest in researching this and writing to you is in memory to my Ch. Blackwood Dante V Lyvngwerth CD and Ch. Bourbon’s Bravo of Blackwood, two Rottweilers I owned who were the recipients of the American Rottweiler Club TRUE award, for their many hours of therapy work. And yes, they both were fed a raw diet. They both worked in the intensive care units of hospitals in Tyler, Texas, for many years. Lew Olson PhD Natural Health
I hope this research and the materials I found help dispel anyone’s fear about a raw diet, and that dogs simply have a different digestive tract than we do. Dogs are carnivores and have a short, simple digestive tract, designed to easily kill bacteria in their stomachs, which has far more gastric juices than we do. For more information on canine digestion, read here: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/digestion-anatomy/ Normal food safety is needed when handling raw meat. This includes refrigerating the food properly and using proper precautions in washing containers, sinks and equipment used to prepare dinner for your dogs. I hope this article gives all my readers confidence in feeding a raw diet and understanding that sometimes common sense, along with a simple 'Google' search, can often dispel any misinformation or fear generated by myths and fear. It is finally Summer time! Happy June and Happy Father's Day to all the Dads! Happy sunshine and summer vacation to everyone! Don’t forget to keep your dogs cool, watered and well fed! Lew
Please help a Rottweiler . . . Give to the Rottweiler Rescue Foundation.
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PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co.
You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2010
b-naturals dog nutrition news
B-Naturals Newsletter – May 2010 Is it Necessary to Reduce Protein in the Diet? By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
There is a lot of misconceptions concerning protein and dogs. So let’s start with the basics and learn exactly what protein is and what foods contain the necessary proteins for a healthy dog's diet. Proteins are made up of amino acids. Each amino acid is important because of the specific way it contributes toward healthy nutrition. The amino acids contribute to important and necessary chemical processes that keep dogs healthy. For instance, carnitine and taurine are necessary for heart health. L-glutamine helps repair and build muscles. Arginine helps keep blood vessels dilated and stimulates the immune system. Lysine helps with bone growth and absorption of calcium. Cysteine helps in skin tone and elasticity, and is required to manufacture taurine. There are two types of amino acids: essential and non-essential. In order for essential amino acids to be available for dogs to assimilate and use, they must be present in the foods dogs consume. The non-essential amino acids can be supplied in the diet or the dog’s body can synthesize them. The essential and non-essential amino acids are listed below:
Essential Amino Acids Arginine, Histidine, Isolueucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Threonine, Valine and Taurine*
*Taurine has been considered a non essential amino acid in dogs, but recent studies have indicated that it may likely be conditionally essential.
Non-essential Amino Acids
Alanine, Asparagine, Aspartate, Carnitine, Cysteine, Glutamate, Glutamine, Glycine, Lycine, Hydroxlysine, Hydroxyproline, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine
With these in mind, understand that not all proteins are equal. While carbohydrates do contain and offer some protein value, they are missing the essential amino acid, taurine. Additionally, many plant sources lack lysine, arginine, methionine and tryptophan. While we as humans are omnivores, dogs are carnivores. They need all the amino acids offered by animal based sources, which include meat, organs, dairy and eggs. The amino acids from plant sources are incomplete for dogs, and unless the amino acids from animal based sources are present in the diet, serious nutritional deficiencies can occur. Plant sources include grains, fruit and vegetables. Additionally, cooking food at high temperatures (which is done during commercial dog food processing) also destroys some amino acids. When these amino acids are destroyed the dog's body craves them, which results in your dog requiring more protein to thrive and maintain good health.
Now that we know what proteins are and how much dogs need them for good health, let’s look at some 'mistaken' information on when to reduce proteins.
Senior Dogs Dog owners are often advised to reduce protein for senior dogs. This is false information. Senior dogs (and humans) have a more difficult time digesting, metabolizing and storing proteins. For this reason, older dogs need not only more protein in their diet, but higher quality proteins. Higher quality proteins are easier to digest, and offer the amino acids needed for good skin, coat and organ health. Senior dogs often require more protein than adults. For more information and further reference, see: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/dogs-and-protein/ and http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/senior-dogs-and-special-needs/
Liver Issues Most liver problems do not require a reduction in protein. Amino acids are important in keeping the liver in good health and helping a compromised liver repair itself. If the dog has a shunt condition, certain proteins do need to be avoided and these would include red meats and organ meat. These contain higher amounts of ammonia which are to be avoided with shunt disorders. However, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese and occasionally poultry can be used as protein sources for these dogs. For more information on diets and other considerations for liver conditions, please see: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/liver/
Kidney Problems Oftentimes dog owners are told to reduce protein in the diet if kidney disease is suspected. They are often told reducing protein will prolong the health of the kidneys. But new studies have found this is not exactly true. It isn't reducing protein that helps, but rather reducing the phosphorus (a part of protein) levels that help. However, reducing phosphorus isn’t helpful until the renal values in the blood work show elevations in creatinine and BUN. A general rule of thumb is when the BUN values go over 80, and creatinine levels are over 2. Along with these two levels, indications of the kidneys inability to handle phosphorus also results in an elevation in the phosphorus level. At this time, reducing phosphorus will help with comfort as less phosphorus will be filtered through the kidneys. High phosphorus foods include bone, organ meat and egg yolks.
So before jumping the gun and reducing protein (necessary nutrients for good renal health), check the blood work to determine when you might start needing to reduce the level of *phosphorus*. For dogs being fed a raw diet, lowering phosphorous levels might mean removing bones and organ meat and adding carbohydrates for fiber (firm stools). For those feeding home cooked diets for your dog, it may mean removing organ meat and egg yolks and using low phosphorus carbohydrates. Don’t reduce the *quality of protein,* simply reduce the level of phosphorus.
Important Note on Kidney Disease and Diagnosis:' Should your dog receive a kidney failure diagnosis, always run tests for problems that could cause ‘acute’ renal issues (treatable). Understand that ‘old age’ does not cause renal failure. Some tests to consider include: sterile urine culture for urinary tract infections, leptospirosis blood titer, blood work and ACTH stim test for Cushing’s and Addison’s Disease and a blood test for Tick Borne Diseases. All of these can cause elevations in BUN, creatinine, low specific gravity, and protein in the urine.
Heart Conditions While I have rarely heard of any recommendations to reduce protein for dogs with heart problems, it is more important than ever to give good, high quality proteins for this problem. Taurine and carnitine are important for heart health, and these amino acids are found in meat. Remember, high heat can destroy these amino acids, so use raw or lightly cooked meat. And the best source for these two amino acids is heart itself such as pork, lamb, beef and chicken hearts. These are an excellent food source for dogs with heart problems. Remember, heart is a muscle meat, *not* an organ meat, so heart can be fed daily as a large part of the diet.
Allergies Occasionally, someone mentions they want to use a vegetarian diet for their dog with allergies, as they were told allergies are caused by proteins. But what they aren't considering are these two important facts: carbohydrates contain proteins and dogs need animal based proteins. So, rather than give up animal based proteins, it is more beneficial to use an elimination diet to discover what foods the dog is allergic to. This simply means limiting the dog’s diet to one protein and one carbohydrate. In this manner, we can observe how the dog reacts to these foods. If the dog tolerates them after a few weeks, another protein is added. If the dog reacts, it is removed and another one is tried. For more complete information, here is a link to Christie Keith’s article on allergies: http://www.caberfeidh.com/Allergies.htm
So, what is the answer to the question of when to reduce proteins? Practically never! On occasion, it may be necessary to reduce phosphorus in chronic renal failure, or change protein types in liver shunt issues and in food allergies. But lowering protein amounts in the dog’s diet removes much needed nutrients for organ health, skin and coat, immune system and the ability to thrive.
Easy Protein Dog Snacks and Training Treats -Boil beef liver for ten minutes, and then bake in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes on each side. Cool and cut in small cubes, and keep refrigerated. -Hard boiled eggs make great treats. Serve whole to large dogs, or cut into smaller pieces for small to medium dogs. -Cheese cubes are great for dog treats. You can use regular cheese or low fat or mozzarella for reduced calorie treats. -Freeze plain yogurt in an ice cube tray, and pop out individual cubes as treats. -Boil Turkey hearts for 15 minutes, and then bake in the oven at 250 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Keep refrigerated. Turkey hearts also make great receptacles for hiding pills! -Slice chicken breasts in strips, boil lightly for a few minutes, and then bake in the oven at 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Keep refrigerated between uses.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's and Mom's-to-Be!
SRR Blackwood Penny Lane-Winner – 4 month - Winner Best Puppy Female at the ARC Sieger Show
Product News Raw and Natural Nutrition For Dogs, by Lew Olson PhD is now available for preorder through Amazon.com! This book will be available for shipping June 22, 2010.
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PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co.
You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2010
b-naturals dog nutrition news
B-Naturals Newsletter – April 2010 How much should I feed my dog? By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health A common concern for dog owners is trying to figure out how much to feed their dog, especially when switching to a raw or home cooked diet. When we fed kibble, the amount of food we fed our dog was easy. The instructions were right on the back of the bag, so feeding became second nature. But, when we decided to make the choice to feed a fresh food diet, it suddenly seems baffling! How much food to feed your dog can vary and the total daily diet consumption depends on the dog's age, weight, metabolism, and size. A general rule of thumb when feeding a fresh food diet is to feed a daily amount of food equal to 2% to 3% of the dog's ideal weight – not necessarily the dog's current weight. For an adult, the percentages above are the best guide. Some dogs may need less if they are less active or overweight. Dogs that are underweight or dogs that participate regularly in performance events or lead an active life style may need more. Each dog is different, so use this guide as a starting point and then watch your dog’s weight as you feed and adjust the total amount of food as needed. If you have to dig to find your dog's ribs, then feed a little less. If you can see your dog's ribs, then add slightly more to the diet. Here is a handy chart for a guideline on how much to feed daily: 100 lb dog – 2 to 3 pounds of food daily (4 to 6 cups) 75 lb dog – 1 ½ to 2 pounds of food daily (3 to 4 cups) 50 lb dog – 1 to 1 ½ pounds of food daily (2 to 3 cups) 25 lb dog – 8 to 12 ounces daily (1/2 to ¾ cups) Some dogs that have been spayed or neutered may need less food. Simply adjust the amount accordingly. Do not try and cut back considerably, but instead reduce the amount of food by 10%. For more information on how to help your dog lose weight, read this article on weight loss in dogs: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/pudgy-pups/ Special Consideration for Toy Breeds Breeds under approximately 15 pounds are considered ‘toy breeds’. Most often, toy breeds have a higher metabolism. Toy dogs need to be fed more frequently (3 to 4 times a day) and because of their higher metabolism, they may need more food. Toys breeds may need from 3% to 5% of their body weight in food daily. Use the guide below for the approximate amount for food for toy breeds. Food Guide for Toy Breeds Less than 15 Pounds 15 lb dog – 8 to 12 ounces daily 10 lb dog – 5 to 8 ounces daily 5 lb dog – 3 to 4 ounces daily Remember, these amounts are a guide for what you want the dog to weigh. So your dog is overweight, feed them the percentage needed for their *target* weight. These numbers can vary, as I mentioned before, due to metabolism and activity levels. They may need slightly more or less, but monitor their condition by the ribs. If you can easily feel them, they are fine. If you can’t find them, it is time to feed slightly less. Puppies and Young Adults I most frequently get questions on how much to feed puppies. Puppies do have a higher metabolism and they go through some rapid growth stages. Consequently, puppies need more food than adult dogs. A general rule of thumb is that puppies can eat anywhere from 5% to 10% of their body weight daily. So a 10 pound puppy may need up to one pound of food daily. Puppies also require more frequent feedings. I feed puppies at least 4 times a day, up until about 4 months of age. Their growth rate is rapid at this time, and frequent feedings (rather than one or two large feedings) help during this time. At about 4 months, I reduce the feedings to 3 times a day. Sometime after teething (which generally starts about 4 months and ends about 6 months), you may want to reduce the meals to twice a day, except in the case of toy breeds, which need at least 3 meals a day. Puppy appetites may wax and wane, between growth spurts and also during teething. Teething can make the gums painful at times, so softer food may be used to help when this occurs. Conversely, puppies may desire more recreational bones at this time, to help with the process of teething. For more information on feeding puppies a raw diet, the following newsletter provides a feeding guide with instructions: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/puppy-raw-diet/ Senior Dogs With all the commercial foods for senior diets and weight control foods, you might think our seniors need less food. But that is not necessarily true. The guidelines used above for adult dogs are the same for our senior dogs. If a dog is less active due to illness or arthritis, less food may be desired. But for the most part, senior dogs still need a good diet as high quality proteins in good amounts is necessary for organ functioning. Rather than reducing the amount or quality of food, you may want to reduce the amount of fat in the diet and reduce or eliminate any starches and grains. It is these high calorie carbohydrates and fats that are the primary cause of weight gain. In a raw diet, this is easy to do. Simply cut out the carbohydrates, choose leaner meats, and remove the skin from any chicken. Use low fat yogurt and cottage cheese, and reduce the number of eggs in the diet. In cooked diets, I would recommend the low glycemic (sugar), low fat recipes found here: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/low-glycemic/ See the following newsletter for more information on why senior dogs need animal based protein and fat and useful tips for the special needs of your senior: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/senior-dogs-and-special-needs/ I hope these guidelines are helpful. Please email me if you have any questions. Each dog is an individual with their own unique needs, so the amount food served daily depends on the dogs age, activity level, hormones (spayed or neutered) and size. Keeping your dog fit and healthy is the best gift you can give them, so along with a good healthy diet, don’t forget the daily walks and fun activities for both mental and physical health! Your dog will appreciate it! Happy Easter to everyone . . . and please, keep the Easter Chocolate and other candy away from your pups!!
Tripper, Maggie and Penny, enjoying warmer weather!
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Free Freight Friday is Friday, April 16, 2010. Any orders placed on this day only over $75.00 will be shipped freight free (continental US only) via UPS Ground. Mark this date on your calendar! NOTE: Qualifying orders will have freight deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed. Website News – Twitter and B-Naturals! Have you heard of Twitter? Well, if you haven't go to https://twitter.com/BNaturals and see what it's all about. Now you can follow B-Naturals on Twitter for product updates, coupons, newsletter, and more! Go explore, see what's new, and as always, we welcome your comments. Please send your comments to B-Naturals Newsletter. PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co. You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2010
b-naturals dog nutrition news
B-Naturals Newsletter – March 2010 How Do I Know if I am Feeding a Nutritionally Balanced Diet? By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health A common concern for dog owners who are feeding a home prepared diet is whether or not it is ‘complete’. People worry that it won’t be nutritionally balanced and that their dog will miss essential nutrients that can only be found in commercial dog food. It is important to keep a few things in mind when comparing fresh food diets to commercial processed pet foods. Let’s take a look at dry food vs. fresh food and compare them. Commercial dog food is a mixture of ingredients, (proteins, carbohydrates and fats, with added minerals, amino acids, vitamins and preservatives) that together, intend to replicate fresh food that can be offered in a bag. Pet food companies use many of the same foods we use for a raw or home cooked diet, but they process them at high heat temperatures and add additional carbohydrates (grains, starches and fiber) so that the finished product can maintain a long shelf life. Dog food is made in large processing plants. The ingredients are placed in large vats and cooked at high temperatures for up to 2 to 3 days. This high heat destroys some nutrients (water soluble vitamins and some amino acids found in meat), so they are added back in supplement form to keep these diets ‘complete and balanced’. The food is heated a last time and put through the extruder that forms the various kibble shapes. Food dye and flavoring is also added to make both a pleasing odor and color for the dog owner and to make the food palatable for the dog. It is necessary that pet foods strive to be ‘complete and balanced’, as dogs are eating the same formula day in and day out. Dog food companies follow nutritional guidelines set by the National Research Council, however while nutritional recommendations may change, the NRC doesn’t provide yearly updates. The NRC made changes in 1972, 1974, 1985 and 2003. In their last symposium, obesity was addressed, in that 1 out of 4 dogs and cats in the western world is are overweight. The report states the NRC has tips to keep dogs healthy, yet nowhere in this study was the idea of feeding less fattening starches and grains mentioned; nor feeding higher quality of proteins proposed. This may be partly because such a formula wouldn’t maintain a long shelf life and would be expensive to create. http://www.dsm.com/en_US/html/dnpus/an_c_intro.htm http://www.springerlink.com/content/f871523404606743/ http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct03/031015b.asp Trying to obtain the quality of fresh food is difficult, if not impossible, in a commercial processed dry food. This task would include using high quality animal based proteins, not heating the proteins to temperatures that cause taurine and l-carnitine to be lost, and keeping the quality and the quantity of fats needed fresh. Dry dog food needs high amounts of carbohydrates to maintain shelf life, however added carbohydrates is a contradiction to the NRC nutrition standards for dogs, which shows no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates. Using fresh foods, whether raw or lightly cooked, offers a wide variety of amino acids which don’t need to be improved upon or added to be complete. The fat in the food is fresh and the variety broadens the diversity of foods for your dog to enjoy. You don't need to build food to meet standards as you are serving fresh, high quality foods that already contain the nutrients that dogs require to thrive and remain healthy. These foods are served fresh, either raw or lightly cooked, with little or no loss of nutrients. They are foods your dog would eat naturally, so the minerals, vitamins, fats and proteins are complete. The only mineral that needs to be added is calcium and that is only *if* you are feeding a home cooked or raw diet with NO bones (you wouldn’t serve cooked bones, as they are too brittle for dogs to safely consume). Home prepared foods are naturally palatable for dogs and the flavors haven’t been destroyed by heat and over processing. We are able to use a variety of high quality ingredients (no by products or preservatives) and we aren't dependent on large amounts of cereals, carbohydrates and fiber. Fresh food is moist, making it easier to gulp and digest for a dog. Dogs are not meant to ‘chew’ their food. They are carnivores and designed to tear and swallow food, as their teeth are not made to grind and pulverize. That gives them tooth decay and gum disease. The worry isn’t whether home prepared diets are ‘complete and balanced’, but rather to look more closely at commercial dog foods and determine if their single protein source based food with fixed ingredients is truly a guarantee that a dog is getting everything it needs? Certainly if you were to choose to feed a dry dog food, then it would seem wise to switch brands frequently to give variety in the protein and nutrients in the diet. If commercial food is the only option, then switch brands with each new bag and add fresh foods. You can add up to 50% of the diet in plain yogurt, meat, eggs and canned fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon. The variety of a fresh food diet naturally contains a good balance of minerals, amino acids, fats and fat soluble vitamins. When you add raw meaty bones to the equation, you have calcium plus the addition of phosphorus for good balance. Why try to duplicate what Mother Nature provides so perfectly? The supplements I recommend adding to any diet include the water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and B complex (which don’t store well), vitamin E, and omega 3 fatty acids (to balance the over abundance of omega 6 fatty acids found in most foods) by giving 1 EPA fish oil capsules (1000 mg) per 20 lbs of body weight daily. For puppies, dogs undergoing stress, travel, illness, or frequent change of dry food diets, I recommend giving the Berte's Ultra Probiotic Powder. Probiotics helps keep the good flora and fauna in the system for good digestion and better immunity. For puppies on a raw diet, I recommend vitamin D. You can find this, as well as vitamin C, E and B complex in the Berte's Daily Blend. Simply add fish oil capsules and the Ultra Probiotic Powder. For adult and senior dogs, I recommend the Berte's Immune Blend, which also contains vitamin C, E and B complex, plus probiotics and enzymes. Fish oil capsules are still recommended, as they can help fight inflammation in our seniors and they are heart, liver and renal protective. A very Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all, may March bring us all warmer weather! Penny & her Poodle Spring is in the Air
Product News
"Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs" written by Lew Olson, PhD. Lew's book is ready for preordering now! Reserve your copy at the link below: http://www.northatlanticbooks.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781556439032
Aspen Flexile Plus: Aspen Flexile Plus is now ready for shipping. *Aspen Flexile-Plus Joint Support formula with Glucosamine HCL, Chondroitin Sulfate, Boswellia, and Bromelain. (*Replaces Berte's Flexile Plus #6492) Free Freight Friday is Friday, March 19, 2010. Any orders placed on this day only over $75.00 will be shipped freight free (continental US only) via UPS Ground. Mark this date on your calendar! NOTE: Qualifying orders will have freight deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed. Website News – Twitter and B-Naturals! Have you heard of Twitter? Well, if you haven't go to https://twitter.com/BNaturals and see what it's all about. Now you can follow B-Naturals on Twitter for product updates, coupons, newsletter, and more! Go explore, see what's new, and as always, we welcome your comments. Please send your comments to B-Naturals Newsletter. PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co. You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2010
b-naturals dog nutrition newsB-Naturals Newsletter – February 2010Calcium – Balancing Your Dog's DietBy Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
One of the most common questions asked when changing diets, either to raw, home cooked, a mixture of raw and home cooked or adding fresh food to kibble, is how to maintain balance in the diet. Let’s look at the meaning of the word ‘balance’. Most commonly it is referred to as the calcium/phosphorus ratio in the diet. Phosphorus is quite abundant in all foods. Calcium, however, is harder to find in foods. Commercial pet foods add calcium to bring the calcium/phosphorus ratios into balance. In the wild, dogs will consume bones from their prey which gives them the additional calcium needed. In a raw diet, we simply prepare the meals so half of the diet is raw meaty bones and the other half is muscle meat, along with organ meat, and some vegetables, eggs and dairy, if preferred. The bone contained in 50% of the diet brings the calcium/phosphorus ratio into the balanced range. The bones we're referring to are the softer bones that are more easily digested, such as chicken necks, chicken necks, chicken backs, pork necks, pork ribs, pork tails, turkey necks and rabbit bones. The harder bones, such as beef, venison, elk and buffalo bones are utilized for ‘recreational’ bones, or to satisfy the dog’s chewing needs. In a cooked diet, the most common ratio of food is approximately 75% animal based proteins, to 25% carbohydrates. These carbohydrates most often include vegetables, and less frequently, grains. We add these mostly for fiber, and any calcium in these foods is often not utilized by the dog. While we may add yogurt and cottage cheese, which are calcium rich foods, the calcium levels in these are high enough to balance themselves, but not the rest of the diet. So to help bring the calcium level up high enough to balance the diet, we add 900 mgs of calcium, per pound of food served. Three sources for this calcium are calcium carbonate, calcium citrate or ground eggshells (also calcium carbonate). Calcium carbonate or calcium citrate can easily be found at any grocery or drug store and usually come in tablets that are 500 mg to 600 mg. These can be divided or ground up and added to the diet. To use eggshell calcium, simply save eggshells, dry them overnight and grind in a coffee bean grinder. ½ teaspoon of ground eggshell is approximately 900 mg of calcium. You may save ground eggshell in a covered container in the refrigerator. For those choosing to add fresh food to commercial dry dog, you may add up to 50% of the diet without adding extra calcium. Once you feed more than 50% of the total diet in fresh food, you need to add calcium per the weight of the extra amount of food. This would not apply if you are feeding a calcium rich food for one of these meals, such as raw meaty bones. Once the calcium balance is in place, there is no need to add other minerals. Food, especially animal based products, are rich in minerals. Most minerals need to be in balance with *each* other, so don’t add any unless directed by your veterinarian. Generally, all I add to the diet after the calcium is EPA fish oil capsules (a source of omega 3 fatty acids). I add one fish capsule per 10-20 lbs of body weight daily. I also add vitamins E, C and B complex. These vitamins can be found in either the Bertes Daily Blend, which also contains kelp and alfalfa (good for trace minerals) or the Bertes Immune Blend, which also contains probiotics, enzymes and l-glutamine. The calcium balance is very important for puppies, as they need calcium to help with the development of bones and teeth. But equally important is not over supplementing with calcium. Never add calcium to a commercial dog food and do not feed more than the recommend amount of calcium (900 mg per pound of food served) in a homemade diet. I hope you found this newsletter helpful.
Sending a Happy Valentine's Day hugs and kisses to you and your dogs!
Product News
"Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs" written by Lew Olson, PhD. Lew's book is ready for preordering now! Reserve your copy at the link below: http://www.northatlanticbooks.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781556439032
Aspen Flexile Plus: Aspen Flexile Plus is now ready for shipping. *Aspen Flexile-Plus Joint Support formula with Glucosamine HCL, Chondroitin Sulfate, Boswellia, and Bromelain. (*Replaces Berte's Flexile Plus #6492) Free Freight Friday is Friday, February 19, 2010. Any orders placed on this day only over $75.00 will be shipped freight free (continental US only) via UPS Ground. Mark this date on your calendar! NOTE: Qualifying orders will have freight deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed. Website News – Twitter and B-Naturals! Have you heard of Twitter? Well, if you haven't go to https://twitter.com/BNaturals and see what it's all about. Now you can follow B-Naturals on Twitter for product updates, coupons, newsletter, and more! Go explore, see what's new, and as always, we welcome your comments. Please send your comments to B-Naturals Newsletter. PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co. You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2010
b-naturals dog nutrition newsB-Naturals Newsletter – January 2010
Canine Cystinuria
By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
Canine Cystinuria
This month’s B-Naturals Newsletter is written by a wonderful guest author, Christie Keith, who is well known for being a contributing editor at Pet Connection, a pet columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and her work with PetHobbiest.com. She has her own personal website, www.caberfeidh.com, with information on her Scottish Deerhounds and a wealth of excellent health articles. I am delighted she has agreed to write on Canine Cystinuria this month and I hope you all find this information informative and interesting. While Canine Cystinuria is not a common disorder in dogs, it is genetic and can cause serious health problems.
By Christie Keith
Cystinuria is a genetic defect in the kidney tubules; it can affect dogs, humans, and a few other species.
Normal kidneys filter the amino acid cystine and do not allow it to go into the urine. In individuals with cystinuria, this filtering action fails, and cystine passes into the urine, where it can form crystals and/or stones (uroliths). If stones form, they can block the urethra and obstruct urinary flow, especially in males.
There are at least two types of cystinuria that affect dogs, and one of them does not seem to occur in females at all. The other, which affects the Newfoundland and Labrador Retriever and perhaps some other breeds and mixes, is common in both males and females, however, females are less likely to obstruct due to their wider urinary passage.
Dogs who have this defect are born with it, although it can take years to cause symptoms – or never cause any. The Textbook of Internal Veterinary Medicine says, "Not all cystinuric dogs form uroliths; therefore, cystinuria is a predisposing rather than a primary cause of cystine urolith formation. In a study of five generations of offspring from one Scottish terrier, only one of six cystinuric males formed uroliths."
This can make cystinuria a particularly frustrating condition to manage, as even a dog known to have cystinuria may go his whole life without obstructing, while another dog, never diagnosed, can have a life-threatening obstruction as his first symptom. It's not known at this time why some dogs with cystinuria form stones and others do not. Genetic factors probably have the greatest influence on whether or not a dog with cystinuria is a stone former, but there are probably unknown environmental factors involved as well.
Obviously, knowing your dog has cystinuria can enable you to be particularly vigilant for symptoms of obstruction such as restricted urinary flow, reluctance to urinate, or bloody urine. And owners of Newfoundlands, Labradors, and possibly some mixed breeds, can find out if their dog is affected. In those breeds, cystinuria is an autosomal recessive trait, and there is a simple (http://w3.vet.upenn.edu/research/centers/penngen/services/deublerlab/cystinuria.html) genetic test that reliably determines if a dog is affected by, or carries, cystinuria.
Unfortunately, the mode of inheritance is unknown in other breeds, does not appear to be autosomal recessive, and there is no genetic test for the condition.
Diagnosis
It is currently possible to screen the urine of dogs for the presence of cystine, which is considered reliably diagnostic for cystinuria, as normal urine has no, or virtually no, cystine present.
There are three urine tests that can detect cystine. The first is a basic urinalysis. This is only reliable if cystine is present; a negative result doesn't mean your dog does not have cystinuria, but a positive result means he does. This is the least reliable test but the most readily available. Any vet's office can do a urinalysis.
The next-most-reliable test is the (http://research.vet.upenn.edu/SubmitaSample/tabid/554/Default.aspx) nitroprusside test being performed at the University of Pennsylvania. Owners can submit urine for testing without a vet and the cost is minimal, although overnight shipping and special packaging add substantially to the expense.
However, just as with a urinalysis, the nitroprusside test is only reliable if it's positive. A negative test does not mean your dog does not have cystinuria. There is no set number of tests that will "clear" your dog, and no age at which the test can be considered definitive if negative. Since the test is inexpensive and non-invasive, most breeders do at least three for each dog before considering them clear, while still realizing even these three tests might be unreliable.
There is a third test, the urine amino acid quantitation test, or quantitative amino acid analysis, which is performed only in a human medical laboratory. It is extremely expensive but is the most accurate. However, again, a negative test result is not absolutely definitive. Owners interested in this test should contact the University of Pennsylvania and try to arrange testing; a special rate may or may not be available if you go through them. Dr. Paula Henthorn is conducting research on canine cystinuria at the University of Pennsylvania and her address is:
Paula Henthorn Ph.D. Associate Professor of Medical Genetics 3900 Delancey Street School of Veterinary Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010
Dr. Henthorn's office may be contacted by phone at 215-898-9601.
The current state of testing for this condition is best outlined by Dr. Henthorn in (http://web.archive.org/web/20070213000610/http://w3.vet.upenn.edu/research/centers/penngen/research/cystinuria_update.html) this article.
There is no question that the lack of a known mode of inheritance and a reliable screening test is a source of intense frustration for breeders.
Treatment and management
Even those dogs with a confirmed diagnosis are still difficult to manage. One reason for this is that the condition is extremely rare. Many veterinarians will go their entire careers without seeing a case, and will often rely on guidelines found in text books that are less than well-proven.
For example, because cystine is an amino acid, and amino acids are the building blocks of protein, a reduced-protein diet is usually prescribed for this condition. In fact, some veterinarians, including many well-known kidney specialists, feel strongly that cystine stones can be prevented, or the incidence greatly reduced, by feeding ultra-low-protein diets (such as Hills u/d) and alkalinizing the urine with drugs or supplements, and will put intense pressure on their clients to put their dogs with cystinuria on such protocols.
Other veterinarians believe that diet is of minimal or no use in controlling the formation of stones, and that only the drug Thiola is effective for this purpose. You can read some intriguing research on this subject (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11467594&itool=iconabstr&query_hl=4) here.
On the (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCystinuria/) Canine Cystinuria email list, which I own, most of us have found that diet and urinary alkalinization have failed to prevent our dogs from forming stones, and have sometimes caused other problems, including other types of stones that form in alkaline urine. Some of us are also concerned about feeding ultra-low-protein diets to dogs, particularly giant breed dogs, and dogs of breeds prone to cardiomyopathy.
Furthermore, since cystine stones do not dissolve in alkaline urine, if the urine goes into acidity even briefly, stones can form and will not dissolve just because alkaline urine is achieved shortly thereafter.
The use of medications has been more successful. The drug Thiola is effective in preventing stone formation in many dogs, with few reported side effects. In fact, the single most frequently reported "side effect" is the depletion of the owner's bank account, especially for owners of large or giant breed dogs. Thiola is also an "orphan drug," and can be hard to obtain. Information on getting thiola is available from the FDA, (http://www.fda.gov/orphan/proceduresforthiola.pdf) here.
There is another drug that is easier to obtain and somewhat less expensive, cupramine (d-Penicillamine). This drug is associated with more side effects, but if your dog tolerates it, it might be a better choice.
Although it seems very extreme to some, many of us with stone-forming male dogs with cystinuria have had a procedure done on them called a "scrotal urethrostomy." In a nutshell, this is a surgery that redirects the dog's urethra away from the penis and out a new, surgically-created opening in front of the scrotum. This enables male dogs to more easily pass small stones, and can help prevent urinary blockage, the main risk from this condition. While it's not impossible they will still obstruct, it reduces the chances substantially. This surgery is not to be undertaken lightly, however.
The good news is that if your dog does not die of complications of his cystinuria, such as obstruction, recurrent infections, or surgical complications, there is no reason he won't live a normal lifespan. Many dogs, including stone formers and those who have had serious health problems when their condition was first diagnosed, have lived not just normal but longer-than-normal lives.
If your dog has cystinuria, you must watch him carefully for any signs of urinary obstruction: Frequent urination, blood in the urine, frequent urinary tract infections, difficult urination, scanty urination, dribbling urination, evidence of pain when urinating, a reluctance to urinate, or anything at all about their urinary habits that doesn't seem totally normal.
If your dog has formed stones, the most important thing to understand is that this is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate veterinary attention. You have to get those stones out of there and treat or prevent any urinary obstruction.
The most urgent need is to unblock the urinary tract if it's obstructed. This can be done with a technique known as retrograde hydropulsion, which will attempt to push any stones blocking the urethra back into the bladder. This will relieve the immediate obstruction, however, the stones in the bladder still need to be treated. This is usually done with a procedure known as a cystotomy, where the stones are removed from the bladder surgically.
If the hydropulsion does not work, an alternative urinary tract will have to be created by the performance of a scrotal urethrostomy. This is difficult, complicated surgery and should be done by a board certified surgeon. It is expensive and the recovery period can be bloody, although in recent years new techniques have been developed that have reduced the bleeding. A cystotomy will also be performed to remove the stones in the bladder. There is a complete description of both cystotomy and retrograde hydropulsion (http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00413.htm).
If the hydropulsion is successful and surgery is not an option or needs to be delayed, it is possible to dissolve the stones with Thiola. Existing cystine stones cannot be dissolved with diet or supplementation.
For more information on canine cystinuria, please visit http://www.caninecystinuria.com, or join the Canine Cystinuria email list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCystinuria/.
Happy New Year to everyone and may 2010 bring much prosperity, good health and good fortune!
Blue girl, born December 16th, 2009. Life is good!
Product News
Berte's Flexile Plus: Berte's Flexile Plus will be undergoing a formula change that we feel will further enhance the current ingredient profile We are adding chondroitin sulfate back into the formula. The newly enhanced Berte's Flexile Plus will be available to ship in late January. We apologize for any inconveniences and appreciate your patience. We will post updates on our website as to product availability. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at servicedirect@b-naturals.com or toll free 866-368-2728.
Free Freight Friday is Friday, January 15, 2010. Any orders placed on this day only over $75.00 will be shipped freight free (continental US only) via UPS Ground. Mark this date on your calendar! NOTE: Qualifying orders will have freight deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed.
Website News – Twitter and B-Naturals!
Have you heard of Twitter? Well, if you haven't go to https://twitter.com/BNaturals and see what it's all about. Now you can follow B-Naturals on Twitter for product updates, coupons, newsletter, and more! Go explore, see what's new, and as always, we welcome your comments. Please send your comments to B-Naturals Newsletter.
PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co.
You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter.
Copyright Lew Olson 2009
b-naturals dog nutrition newsB-Naturals Newsletter – December 2009 Feeding Tips for Enhancing Your Dog's Nutrition By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! Lew Olson and B-Natural's would like to say 'Thank You' to all of Enter Code FREESHIP09 at Checkout In order to show our appreciation for your business, we are offering Free Shipping
Feeding Tips for Enhancing Your Dog's Nutrition Improving nutrition for our dogs is a common goal we all share. The best way to achieve this is by feeding fresh foods to your dog. With the New Year coming, I will present some ideas to help achieve these goals for the New year. The most frequently asked questions I receive are about how to balance home prepared meals for dogs. So in this newsletter, I will recap three types of feeding; raw diet, home cooked and mixing kibble with fresh foods. Feeding a dog isn’t restricted to one method. While dog food companies may have you believe that their food is the only safe and complete method for full nutrition, there are a variety of ways to feed your dog, and the best method is to use fresh ingredients. Dogs need to eat about 2% to 3% of their body weight daily in food. Puppies need more, from 5% to 10% of their body weight, due to growth. These percentages can change slightly, due to the metabolism and activity level of each dog. Calcium ratio is important. Commercial dog foods provide this balance, so we don’t need to add calcium to store bought pet food. In raw diets, we feed a diet of approximately 40% to 50% raw meaty bones, which provides the correct calcium needs. In homemade diets, we add calcium carbonate or calcium citrate, at 900 mg per pound of food served. When fresh food is added to dry dog food, you can add up to 50% of fresh food without worrying about adding more calcium. Raw Diets Raw diets are easy to prepare, as there is no cooking involved. You will need a freezer, a good pair of meat scissors, storage containers and freezer bags. I feed raw food in two meals. One meal is muscle meat, with additions of about 5% organ meat (liver or kidney), yogurt or cottage cheese and eggs. The other meal is raw meaty bones, often comprised of chicken necks, chicken backs, chicken leg quarters (for larger dogs), turkey necks, pork ribs, pork neck bones, pork tails, lamb ribs and canned mackerel, salmon or sardines. Variety is important in any diet, as each protein provides a different array of amino acids. Using a variety insures a better spectrum of nutrients. I use no carbohydrates in my raw diet (dogs have no requirement for them), but you may add small amounts of fully cooked or pureed vegetables if you desire. For complete recipes and instructions: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/raw-diet/ Home Cooked The biggest error I see in home cooked meals is giving too little animal protein. A home cooked diet needs to be about 75% animal protein. For the rest of the diet, use vegetables. The vegetables really don’t offer much nutrition value to dogs, *but* they do add fiber, which helps keep the stools firm. Good vegetable choices include (cooked) zucchini, broccoli, dark leafy greens, cauliflower, green beans, and for dogs without sugar issues, sweet potato, white potatoes and carrots. Good meat sources include ground beef, chicken, pork or lamb, as well as beef , pork, lamb, turkey or chicken hearts (considered a muscle meat, not an organ meat) or any variety of these meat choices. White fish is also good, as well as canned mackerel, salmon or sardines. You may also use dairy choices of plain yogurt or cottage cheese and eggs. For more details on recipes and preparation: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/cooked-diet/ For dogs that have issues with sugar (yeast problems, diabetes, allergies, etc): http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/low-glycemic/ Mixing Kibble and Fresh Food Some people aren’t quite ready to go to home cooked or raw, but want to begin offering better quality foods with their commercial dog food. An easy start is to add fresh food to your dog’s commercial diet. Since dog food is already high in carbohydrates (for shelf life and inexpensive ingredients) I suggest only adding animal proteins and fat to commercial foods . You may feed up to 50% of the diet in fresh food without needing to add calcium. These foods can include meat (cooked or raw), eggs, plain yogurt or cottage and canned fish, such as mackerel, salmon or sardines. You may also feed raw meaty bones, but when starting, feed these separate in one meal, away from dry dog food. It is thought that these foods (raw bones and kibble) may compete for digestion in the gastric juices in the stomach. However, you can add any of the above foods in the first paragraph with kibble. Supplements The same supplements are needed for each of these diets. The only exception is calcium carbonate or citrate, for the home cooked meals. The most important addition would be EPA Fish Oil Capsules. The omega 3 fatty acids found in animal based oils such as fish oil offer renal, heart and liver protection. Omega 3 oils are also good for skin and coat health and they improve and support the immune system. And in neonates and newborns, it helps with eye and brain development. It is best to use capsules rather than bottled fish oils, as light, heat and air destroy the fragile omega 3 fatty acids rather quickly. Recommended dose is one capsule per 20 lbs of body weight daily. That dose can be increased in certain health conditions and to improve skin and coat. The next important group of nutrients includes the vitamins C, E and B complex. Vitamin C and B complex are water soluble and easily destroyed in storage (i.e., commercial pet food) and cooking. Vitamin E works together with omega 3 fatty acids, and is also an antioxidant (as is vitamin C). You can find these three vitamins in the Bertes Daily Blend, along with kelp and alfalfa, which offer a rich source of trace minerals. This product comes in a powder and is easily applied to raw, home cooked or commercial foods. It contains flavoring with chicken liver that makes it appealing to dogs. A third group of supplements are useful for digestion. The two main components are probiotics and enzymes. Probiotics are a blend of beneficial bacteria that help keep the good bacteria thriving in the digestive tract. These help prevent gas and assist in digestion. Enzymes help to predigest fats and proteins in the digestive tract. They also help with better utilization of the food and assist dogs who may have trouble with diarrhea or loose stools. Bertes Ultra Probiotic Powder is an excellent blend of good flora and fauna and can be easily applied to any food choice. The Bertes Zymes are an animal based enzyme capsule, which can be given whole or opened and applied to food. The Bertes Zymes is helpful for dogs that have trouble digesting fats, or suffer indigestion. And, if you want both the vitamins and probiotics and enzymes, the Bertes Immune Blend has vitamins C, E and B complex, as well as probiotics and enzymes. While this product is useful for dogs with specific health problems, it is also a good choice for healthy dogs at half dose. The Bertes Immune Blend comes in a powder form, which is also easily applied to any type of food. May your holiday season be joyous and your dogs be well fed! Lew
Sara, a Berte's Girl for 9 Years! Willow, Enjoying the Cold Weather!
Product News - Free Shipping (continental US only) via UPS Ground between 12/6/09 and 12/21/09. Enjoy your holiday shopping for your Fur Kids this season without the worry of added freight costs! Freight will be deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed.  Website News – Twitter and B-Naturals! Have you heard of Twitter? Well, if you haven't go to https://twitter.com/BNaturals and see what it's all about. Now you can follow B-Naturals on Twitter for product updates, coupons, newsletter, and more! Go explore, see what's new, and as always, we welcome your comments. Please send your comments to B-Naturals Newsletter. PO Box 217 Rockford, MN 55373 1-713-303-5639 — Lew Olson 1-866-368-2728 — Toll Free – Product Orders/Questions/Comments or 1-763-477-7001 — Phone 1-763-477-9588 — Fax Product Orders Click this link for Orders, Shipping and Product Updates – bnaturals1@aol.com Click this link for Consults, Seminars and Catalogs – lewolson@earthlink.net DotBravo Co. You have permission to copy and distribute this newsletter to others provided it is not distributed for profit, proper credit has been given by the author, and the article has been copied and distributed in its entirety. You may not post this article on any personal or professional website; however with permission from the author, you can provide a link to the newsletter which will bring your readers to the B-Naturals.com website. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: You have been put on this email distribution list because you have previously contacted Lew Olson or B-Naturals for either consultative advice or product information. If you feel you are on this list in error or you would like to be removed from this distribution list, please send an email to B-Naturals Newsletter to unsubscribe to this newsletter. Copyright Lew Olson 2009 |
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