I keep hearing the grain free diets for pets is just a fad that isnât all itâs cracked up to be. My catâs food that I chose happens to be grain free but I more chose it because of the high protein and organs in the ingredient list then it being grain free. Is there anything inherently bad about grain free diets? Or are they just a way to up the price tag?
gettingvetted here.
Yep, grain-free diets are a way to up the price tag. They started out as a fad since so many humans were adopting a gluten-free diet, and these days brands often like to claim that dogs and cats should not eat grains as part of their diet since they wouldnât do so âin the wildâ. Since dogs and cats are domesticated, they shouldnât be eating anything in the wild, and are so far removed from their wild ancestors that their ability to digest grains have substantially increased. More recently, grain-free diets have been shown to contribute to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, or heart failure).
However, itâs not just about grain-free diets. The diets that are causing DCM are now referred to as âBEGâ diets â boutique companies, exotic ingredients, or grain-free diets. The apparent link between BEG diets and DCM may be due to ingredients used to replace grains in grain-free diets, such as lentils or chickpeas, but also may be due to other common ingredients commonly found in BEG diets, such as exotic meats, vegetables, and fruits. In addition, not all pet food manufacturers have the same level of nutritional expertise and quality control, and this variability could introduce potential issues with some products.
A diet should not be selected based on ingredients (or lack thereof). Rather, a pet owner should be asking these questions of a company:
1. Does the manufacturer employ at least one full-time qualified nutritionist? This means a PhD in animal nutrition or board-certification (and, ideally, both) by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition or the European College of Veterinary Comparative Nutrition.
2. What are the qualifications of the person who formulates their food (if itâs not the same person as their nutritionist)? This expert should have the same qualifications as in #1.
3. Does the manufacturer own the plant(s) where their food is manufactured? Most small companies do not own their own plants which can reduce the control they have over quality.
4. What quality control measures does the manufacturer practice? These vary widely among manufacturers but strict quality-control measures are critical to ensure safe, consistent, and nutritious food for your pet. Saying itâs the highest quality doesnât make it true.  Nor does having a statement on the label saying the food is complete and balanced.  In fact, many of our studies have shown nutritional deficiencies in pet foods that claim on the label to be nutritionally complete and balanced (and the foods that had those deficiencies would not have met the standards detailed on this list).  Examples of quality control measures the manufacturers should be using include certification of a manufacturerâs procedures (e.g., Global Food Safety Initiative, Hazard Analysis, and Critical Control Points, or American Feeding Industry Association); testing ingredients and end products for nutrient content, pathogens, and aflatoxins; materials risk assessments; and supplier audits.
5. Are their foods tested with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) feeding trials? (this information also can be found on the label â find out how). If AAFCO feeding trials are not conducted, the manufacturer should at least ensure their diets meet AAFCO nutrient profiles through analysis of the finished product (rather than by predicting they meet the profiles based only on the recipe). This information can only be determined by asking the manufacturer.
6. Does the company conduct any research? Do they publish it in peer-reviewed journals?
7. Can the manufacturer provide you with the amount of any nutrient of interest (for example, sodium, protein, copper, or calcium)? They should be able to provide this information not just as guaranteed analysis numbers (which will be only minimums or maximums and are nearly useless), but as the average (or typical) analysis. This should ideally be provided on an energy basis (i.e., grams per 100 kilocalories or grams per 1,000 kilocalories), rather than on an as-fed or dry-matter percent basis, which does not account for the variation in energy density among foods.
8. Can the manufacturer provide you with the number of calories for any of their foods on any requested weight or volume basis (for example, per cup, per can, or per kilogram)?
9. Does the manufacturer bash other pet food companies (especially using information that is based on myths, rather than factual information) in their advertisements or on their websites?
These questions are all based on the checklist from the WSAVA Nutrition Toolkit, which is a very cool set of resources!
The short answer is that grain-free diet verses grain inclusive doesnât matter. What matters is:
1. Well-sourced ingredients
2. Quality ingredients (high protein levels, low carb levels, etc)
3. Minimal processing (low or no heat/pressure)
And importantly, the whole DCM report by the FDA has been debunked. The FDA release that targeted âBEGâ diets was NOT peer-reviewed and used very bad data collection techniques, etc. Essentially, if anyone besides the FDA had released this, their career and credibility would be over.
You can read a peer-reviewed journal article that very neatly destroys the DCM myths that the FDA perpetrated, and that vets still parrot:Â https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/6/skaa155/5857674
The optimal protein to fat ratio for dog, even those with pancreatitis, is 1:1.
This gives the body the ability to use fat for energy and protein to rebuild which is optimal in terms of efficiency and waste. A diet too high in carbohydrates uses a less efficient form of energy and leads to a whole host of issues like inflammation, weight gain, and diabetes. A diet that is low in carbohydrates and fat leads to the use of protein as energy. This is a problem because the byproduct of that process is nitrogen and it puts major stress on the kidneys. By feeding Answers products, your pet will receive the ideal 1:1 protein to fat ratio.
We love visiting the cows that supply the milk for our raw kefir! These lovely ladies spend their days on pastures just north of Omaha, where they are free to roam and graze as they like. As Joel Salatin once said, âWe need to respect that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn or chicken manure.â Just as we invest in species-appropriate diets for dogs and cats, we seek out and honor farmers who are investing in species-appropriate diets for cows, pigs, and chickens - fully supporting a thriving, independent, symbiotic relationship between animals and nature.
âThe shorter the chain between raw food and fork, the fresher it is and the more transparent the system is.â - Joel Salatin.
Building relationships with local food suppliers creates a circle of trust, allowing us to say confidently that we are offering the best product at the best price. Supporting local food systems is one of our principal passions, and we are blessed beyond measure to be able to share that passion with your pets!
real tired of hearing the vegan vs. omnivore arguments when the real superior diet in terms of both cruelty and ecosystem is locally sourced
beef and pork from a farm 10 minutes away from you is more ethical and less detrimental to the environment than quinoa grown in ecuador. the future is food forests. the green revolution is food forests. if we manage to survive this apocalyptic hellscape all of your food, plant and animal, is going to come from within half an hour of where you live. plant a vegetable garden in the meantime
As a trained conservation biologist this is the most important step we can take. You do not understand how many issues we could solve if people bought most of their food from local sources.
September 13th is #NationalHugYourHoundDay!
That's right, today is dedicated to giving your canine companion a furry hug!
The idea behind this day is to observe the world from your dog's perspective.
It is a good time to investigate their habits and environment. You may even discover some hazards as you roam the house and outside. Maybe you'll find some chew toys that are broken and choking hazards, or a hole in the fence. Spend this extra time with your pets and get down to their level. Make sure their environment is safe and dog-friendly! And don't forget to give them some extra hugs today!
Being a responsible dog owner is definitely a multifaceted job. Your dog looks to you to provide nutritious food, exercise, shelter, love, and purpose.
To be a truly responsible dog owner is a tall order - today we honor our community of pet parents who are committed to fulfilling it.
THANK YOU for knowing what youâre feeding - asking questions and independently studying.
THANK YOU for investing in a species-appropriate lifestyle for your particular breed of dog - making sure that their exercise and mental stimulation suit their genetic needs.
And THANK YOU for making room in your home and your hearts for one (or several!) companion animal(s) who needed you.Â
To all the âresponsible dog ownersâ out there, we salute you. Youâve worked hard to improve the world one life at a time.
These pups are Same & Sadie (left to right), and are best buds with Kristen, the manager of our Gretna location.
Bryant Dairy Farm, just north of Omaha, provides our grass-fed raw cow milk for our house made raw kefir.
Getting involved with the farming community in Nebraska has been a true blessing, and being able to bring their products to your pets is the next step in our nutritional advocacy. Supporting farmers who are doing it right is one way that we can positively impact our health, our environment, and our local economy.
Honest, transparent, sustainable farming is the way forward - we are absolutely pumped to be along for the ride!
Today we would like to highlight a couple important aspects of nourishing senior pets!
As the body ages, it requires higher amounts of certain nutrients in order to maintain adequate functionality - one of the most critical being âdigestive enzymesâ.
Feeding foods like raw milk, raw meat, and raw eggs is the best way to supply the body with adequate amounts of digestive enzymes - otherwise, a dog or cat's body will begin using âmetabolic enzymesâ to digest food, leading to many symptoms of rapid aging.
Secondly, high amounts of collagen from bone broth and raw bones. This is the most important ârebuilding toolâ for joints - getting enough collagen, coupled with adequate digestive enzymes, will be enough to minimize or delay most aging symptoms. Ask about adding these nutrients to your senior pet's diet today!
Diabetes Is Not Unavoidable - https://mailchi.mp/65804453ae32/diabetes-is-not-unavoidable
Check out our article on preventing type II diabetes! Disease prevention is MUCH easier than disease solution!Â
The basic principles that govern nutrition are not complicated ones - fresh food is better than processed food. Quality of ingredients effects quality of product. Variety is essential.
All these principles are taken for granted in human nutrition - they just make sense. It seems counterintuitive to assume they donât apply to other mammals - specifically our domesticated dogs and cats.
Feed them like the carnivores they are! This isnât rocket science - it is simple, fundamental, holistic nutrition.Â
Studies have found that being 'moderately' overweight can reduce a dog's life expectancy by two years. Exercise and a proper species appropriate diet are essential to keeping your pet lean and healthy.
Knowing the quality of pet food ingredients is imperative to knowing the quality of the recipe as a whole! You canât have a âhigh qualityâ food when youâre using poor quality ingredients!! Find out from your brand what their sourcing standards are. If they are vague or hesitant to share, thatâs a huge red flag!
