Greg & Amy McLogan | Cape Coral, FL | 239-945-4583

This information is copyright, Amy Tourond 1999 and may not be reproduced without written permission from the author. FOOD NOT FIT FOR A PET
by Dr Wendell O. Belfield, D.V.M.

The most frequently asked question in my practice is, "Which commercial pet food do you recommend?" My standard answer is "None." I am certain that pet-owners notice changes in their animals after using different batches of the same brand of pet food. Their pets may have diarrhea, increased flatulence, a dull hair coat, intermittent vomiting or prolonged scratching. These are common symptoms associated with commercial pet foods.

In 1981, as Martin Zucker and I wrote How to Have a Healthier Dog, we discovered the full extent of negative effects that commercial pet food has on animals. In February 1990, San Francisco Chronicle staff writer John Eckhouse went even further with an exposé entitled "How Dogs and Cats Get Recycled into Pet Food".

Eckhouse wrote: "Each year, millions of dead American dogs and cats are processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials by companies known as renderers. The finished product...tallow and meat meal...serve as raw materials for thousands of items that include cosmetics and pet food."

Pet food company executives made the usual denials. But federal and state agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, and medical groups, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health authorities and the end product frequently finds its way into pet food.

Government health officials, scientists and pet food executives argue that such open criticism of commercial pet food is unfounded. James Morris, a professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Davis, California, has said, "Any products not fit for human consumption are very well sterilized, so nothing can be transmitted to the animal." Individuals who make such statements know nothing of the meat and rendering business.

For seven years I was a veterinary meat inspector for the US Department of Agriculture and the State of California. I waded through blood, water, pus and fecal material, inhaled the fetid stench from the killing floor and listened to the death cries of slaughtered animals.

Prior to World War II, most slaughterhouses were all-inclusive; that is, livestock was slaughtered and processed in one location. There was a section for smoking meats, a section for processing meats into sausages, and a section for rendering. After World War II, the meat industry became more specialized. A slaughterhouse dressed the carcasses, while a separate facility made the sausages. The rendering of slaughter waste also became a separate specialty; no longer within the jurisdiction of federal meat inspectors and out of the public eye.

To prevent condemned meat from being rerouted and used for human consumption, government regulations require that meat be "denatured" before removal from the slaughterhouse and shipment to rendering facilities. In my time as a veterinary meat inspector, we denatured with carbolic acid (a potentially corrosive disinfectant) and/or creosote (used for wood-preservation or as a disinfectant). Both substances are highly toxic. According to federal meat inspection regulations, fuel oil, kerosene, crude carbolic acid and citronella (an insect repellent made from lemon grass) are all approved denaturing materials.

Condemned livestock carcasses treated with these chemicals can become meat and bone meal for the pet food industry. Because rendering facilities are not government-controlled, any animal carcasses can be rendered; even dogs and cats. As Eileen Layne of the CVMA told the Chronicle, "When you read pet food labels, and it says "meat and bone meal", that's what it is: cooked and converted animals, including some dogs and cats."

Some of these dead pets- those euthanized by veterinarians- already contain pentobarbital before treatment with the denaturing process. According to University of Minnesota researchers, the sodium pentobarbital used to euthanise pets "survives rendering without undergoing degradation". Fat stabilizers are introduced into the finished rendered product to prevent rancidity. Common chemical stabilizers include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) both known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction, and ethoxyquin, a suspected carcinogen. Many semi-moist dog foods contain propylene glycol, first cousin to the anti-freeze agent, ethylene glycol, that destroys red blood-cells. Lead frequently shows up in pet foods, even those made from livestock meat and bone meal. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, titled "Lead in Animal Foods", found that a nine-pound cat fed on commercial pet food ingests more lead than the amount considered potentially toxic for children.

I have been practicing small-animal medicine for more than 25 years. Every day I see the casualties of pet industry propaganda. But the professors in the teaching institutions of veterinary medicine generally support an industry that has little regard for the quality of health in our companion animals.

One last word of caution: meat and bone meal from sources not fit for human consumption have found their way into poultry feed. This means that animal products rendered under questionable conditions are fed to birds that may wind up on your table. Remember this when you are eating your next piece of chicken or turkey.

(Dr Belfield is a graduate of Tuskegee Institute of Veterinary Medicine and is now in private practice in San Jose, California. Dr Belfield established the first orthomolecular veterinary hospital in the US. He is co-author of The Very Healthy Cat Book and How to Have a Healthier Dog. This article first appeared in Let's Live Magazine, May 1992.)



Guidelines for Health - Important - Must Read

*  Feed the best whole, raw diet, which is as close to the animal's natural diet as possible (no canned, processed or pellet feeds)
*  Vaccinate as little as possible, if at all (Some states and international quarantine laws require proof of vaccination) 
*  Provide the best possible environment for each particular animal
*  Build up the overall health of the animal throughout its lifetime, rather than treating individual symptoms or diseases
*  Understand the outcome of treatment and learn to take greater responsibility for the health of your animals, rather than surrendering all your power to your veterinarian

There is a growing trend toward feeding natural or home made diets. There are many resources (i.e. books, breeders, pet owners, email lists, videos, etc) available to help you learn about this alternative to processed dog foods. There are diets that advocate grains and dairy and those that oppose it; diets that advocate raw and those who insist you cook the food. As with anything, not everyone will agree. However, do some reading and research to find out which diet will be best for you and your dog. Some great books to start with are listed below. They are available at www.amazon.com. 

*  Give Your Dog A Bone - Dr. Ian Billinghurst
*  Grow Your Pup With Bones - Dr. Ian Billinghurst
*  The Ultimate Diet - Kymythy Schultz
*  The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat - Juliette de Bairacli Levy



~ What Kinetic Dobermans & Unity Weimaraners Eat ~

Our decision to start feeding a natural diet began long ago. We fed bits and pieces of the raw diet for a few years, depending on the availability of the foods needed. As we did more reading and research about the diseases that affect our pets (cancer being a big one), and as more articles and case studies on the content of packaged, processed pet foods were made available, we could simply see no other way than to go to a home prepared diet for our dogs. It took some time to get into a routine of preparation, but after about 3 months, it became second nature. Having seen the benefits, we can see no reason why we would EVER go back to feeding processed food to our dogs.

We receive a lot of email and other inquiries about what we feed our dogs. Keep in mind that we are not nutritionists, vets, herbalists, etc., but we do base our decisions and judgments regarding diet on the above mentioned sources, on personal experiences, and on how the dogs react to what they eat (both good and bad). All animals are different and it is vitally important to decide for yourself what is the right food (and amount) for each individual animal.

The diet is basically as follows. The amounts vary on the time of year, the dog's metabolism, and on how much exercise each dog receives. Our dogs eat twice per day for a few reasons:

* Avoids having picky eaters that can result from free feeding
* Avoids gluttony that can result from free feeding
* Promotes healthy eating habits
* Ensures a more balanced routine
* Lessens the effects of bloat that can sometimes result from a dog quickly eating one large meal


Meat/Veggie Mash

The first meal of the day is a veggie/meat mixture. The mixture consists of 25% raw meat (we usually use a combination of ground beef and pork), 25% raw organ meat (liver, heart, spleen, kidney, tripe, etc.) and 50% raw ground vegetables. This is a higher vegetable portion than most use, but we find that using too much meat can cause more weight gain and also a host of bumps from too much protein. (Remember, all dogs are different). The vegetables must be put through a blender, juicer (mix the pulp back in) or food processor, since dogs do not have the ability to digest or break down the cellulose of the vegetable walls. A mixture of both root and top veggies is best. We normally use carrots, broccoli, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, spinach, squash, garlic (lots of garlic to keep away fleas, ticks, bugs), apples, beets, dandelion, etc. If your dog is hypothyroid, however, cut back on the cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables. We also add eggs with shell), yogurt and cottage cheese to this mixture. 

To each veggie/meat mix meal we sometimes add:

* 1 tsp cold pressed flax seed oil, marine oil or salmon oil 
* 1/2 tsp cod liver oil during the winter
* 400 IU Vitamin E
* 1000 mg Vitamin C (not Ester C)
* 1 Multi B tablet
* 1tsp kelp/alfalfa mixture (50-50) - good for coat and eyes
* Note: There is a fabulous all in one supplement called Daily Blend, available at www.b-naturals.com 

The adults get approximately (2-2.5 cups) per meal. We prepare the mixture once a month, and freeze daily portions in Ziploc bags or plastic containers. 

Our dogs eat the above mixture for 4 of their morning meals per week. They fast one meal a week, and the other two morning meals are composed of either muscle (beef heart, chicken gizzards, etc.) or organ meat (tripe, liver, kidney, etc.).

Raw Meat and Bones

The evening meal consists of raw chicken or turkey parts (backs, wings or necks are best), raw pork necks, raw lamb shoulders or necks, beef necks, canned sardines in water, canned tuna, or raw fresh fish. The bone must be present. You can purchase meat grinder that will grind the bones if you are hesitant about feeding the bones whole. However, if the bones are raw and fed raw (do not expose them to heat at all before feeding), the bone is soft and quite digestible. It will not splinter if fed raw. Each adult dog eats 2 large chicken backs or 5 chicken necks per meal or 1 turkey neck or 2 cans of fish. 

It is vitally important to change the protein sources frequently. For this reason, we will substitute beef necks or whole raw fish for the chicken meal (smelts, sardines, mackerel, tuna, trout, salmon, etc). Once a week we also try to give a large bone for recreational chewing (beef knuckle bones are excellent). This keeps the dogs' teeth clean and free of dental disease.

Remember: the larger the dog, the larger the bones he should be fed. Contrary to what you might think, a larger bone is much safer because in encourages chewing. The chewing also helps release critical pre-digestive enzymes, thereby making the meal that much healthier.

Although we have mentioned exact amounts above, this is only a guideline. We do not stick to these amounts religiously, nor to the types of vegetables. The key to feeding this diet is not to strive for balance with every meal, but balanced diet over a few days. It is best to vary the diet as much as possible. We try to fast the adult dogs for one meal per week (though it is sometimes unbearable to be pestered by them until the next meal ). This aids in allowing the dogs' systems to cleanse themselves of bacteria and also rest their digestive tracts. 

Puppies also get yogurt, cottage cheese and fresh goat's milk (when available) in small amounts once or twice a week separate from other foods. We feed fruit (i.e. bananas, pears, melons) as treats separate from all other foods. We feed minimal amounts of grain, but do add bran, oats, or barley on occasion for variety. 

The Cost
After shopping for prices on bulk chicken, we now purchase our chicken backs or necks for .49/lb at Publix Supermarket, and we can purchase whole chickens for .69/lb at Costco. We buy ground beef at supermarkets in bulk for 1.49/lb, get organ meat from a local butcher, beef necks from the butcher for .50/lb. If you don't have a butcher near you, go speak to a few grocery stores in your area, and see what kind of prices you will get for buying in bulk. Vegetables can be expensive in the winter, but ask around for the overripe produce or plant a garden yourself! Our greatest costs are the oils and supplements and the equipment (freezer to store everything, grinder, juicer, containers, etc). There are several buying co-ops set up, as online email groups. You can usually source good prices on meat through these co-ops. Sometimes supermarkets will sell off their nearly expired meat for a substantially reduced price as well.

How to Travel
When we travel with the dogs, we pack a cooler full of dog food. We pack the cooler when all the food is still frozen. This way it thaws slowly. If we are going for a long period of time (more than a week), we pack a few coolers and either continually buy ice, or if we're in a hotel, we ask for a room with a fridge/freezer. We have never had a problem doing this, aside from leaving dog food in the hotel room refrigerators!

Please remember these are our personal guidelines. We encourage you to do your own research and find a method and diet that will work best for your dogs. Consult the links section of this website for more links and information on feeding a raw diet to your dogs!

Starting the BARF (Bones and Raw Food) Diet 
~From the Raw Dog Canada email List - join at www.yahoogroups.com~

Welcome! If you are just starting your research on the BARF diet you may want to take a moment to review this information. It will give you the basics for the feeding program. I also encourage new members to read and learn all they can before beginning to feed their dogs this way, but be sure that what you learn comes from a reliable source that understands the concept of evolutionary nutrition! Once you understand the simplicity of the program, feel free to ask members on the list for any help you require. We're here to help...

WHAT YOU FEED IN THE BARF DIET

Raw Meaty Bones (RMB) The most important thing you need is a supply of raw meaty bones for chewing but more importantly for eating. These form the basis of the diet. Most people feed chicken or turkey wings, necks, backs or carcasses. These pieces consist of bone, cartilage, fat and a little bit of flesh. The optimal RMB is 50% meat to 50% bone. Other meaty bone sources should be evaluated for the required balance of these components according to the needs of the dog being fed. White meats seem to be healthier for dogs than red meats. This may be because they are higher in essential fatty acids unlike red meats which are higher in saturated fats and associated with degenerative conditions such as arthritis. However, it is important to try and feed variety, so try to incorporate other meat (beef, lamb, pork...ostrich) several times a week. Raw meaty chicken bones can be fed to all sizes, shapes and ages of dogs. For example, raw chicken wings can form the basis of a small dog's diet whereas large dogs might be fed turkey necks, wings, chicken backs or even an entire chicken on occasion! Lamb shanks, including breasts, chops, legs and ribs are also valuable and should be fed on the bone. Not a lot of people feed pork or rabbit, but it can be used to provide variety in the diet. Beef is very popular as dog meat, however as the bones are very hard they are usually not as easily consumed by smaller dogs as is poultry. Most beef bone cuts are better utilized for eating exercise and teeth cleaning.

Besides these smaller eating bones, your dog will need larger, less meaty bones. These bones provide eating exercise, they clean the teeth, massage the gums and satisfy a psychological need that dogs have. Bones are your dog's most important source for minerals, especially calcium. They provide quality protein, fats, fat soluble vitamins and cartilage. Are bones dangerous? Perhaps there is a small percentage of risk, however, dogs have evolved to eat bones and it would be rare that a problem might arise. If fed raw, they are soft and chewable. It is NOT recommended that cooked bones be fed as they become brittle and have the potential to splinter. If you prefer to NOT feed whole RMB, have a dog that is missing teeth, who does not eat carefully, or has difficulty digesting whole bones, then it is recommended that the RMB be ground. 

Meat & Fish
Any ground muscle meat is acceptable such as beef, lamb, rabbit, deer... An all meat diet has the potential for disaster, however a meal of pure meat is fine now and again. Fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) can also form a part of the weekly balanced diet. If a lot of fish is to be fed, then the whole fish must be used and vitamin E should be supplemented.

Offal
Organ meats are a small part of the BARF diet, about 10 - 15%. They should be fresh, raw and include liver, kidney, heart, brain, tripe... In it's raw state it is nutritionally valuable food with first class protein, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.

Vegetables
The use of vegetables must be stressed as their omission in the diet may contribute to ill health. Vegetables should form 15 - 25% of the overall diet. Use any vegetable (with the exception of onions) such as green leafy, beet, spinach, celery, cabbage family, capsicum, root and/or fruits such as tomato, apple, oranges, pears, mangoes and banana. The wider the variety the better, as each contributes to a full spectrum of nutrients. Fruits should be fed when over-ripened where they provide the non-complex carbohydrates or simple sugars as opposed to the slow releasing energy from the complex carbohydrates. The bulk of the veggies used should consist of 'low glycemic,' green leafy vegetables and ripe fruit. 'Low glycemics' are foods, which do not cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels. Homes with one or two dogs can utilize scraps and peelings along with other vegetables and fruits. Vegetables must be processed before they become nutritionally beneficial to your dog. This does not involve cooking, but does require a food processor or grinder that will be able to totally crush the vegetable and fruit matter. Once prepared it can be fed as a 'soup', 'patty' or 'cake', depending on the amount of juice and pulp content of the mix.

Meats and Fish
Any ground or chunked muscle meat is acceptable such as beef, lamb, rabbit, deer... Fish can also form a small part of the balanced diet. If a lot of fish is to be fed, then the whole fish must be used and vitamin E should be supplemented. Sardines are recommended on a regular basis, mixed with other foods, as it supplies the omega 3 fatty acids.

Healthy Oils
The BARF diet requires that a health promoting oil be included as a source of omega3 and omega6 essential fatty acids. These oils are vital for your dog's health. What you will be looking for is flax oil or salmon oil. You will also need cod liver oil. When feeding these oils, appropriate antioxidants must also be used - such as vitamin E. These healthy oils must be kept refrigerated or frozen in order to maintain their integrity. Ordinary vegetable oils from the supermarket are not recommended.

Yogurt - Eggs
Dairy foods are not required by the dog, in an evolutionary sense, however, high quality yogurt or kefir contains essential bacteria for bowel health and for general health. You will need to find a sugarless brand from the health store or make your own. Eggs are a cheap source of top quality protein, vitamin A, minerals - and if free range they also contain good amounts of fatty acids. The entire egg - shell and all is fed. Egg yolks are excellent 'skin food'.

An optional requirement - Grain?
The short and simple answer is that grains did NOT figure as part of our dogs [or cats] evolutionary diet. On that basis, grain is not biologically appropriate for our pets. The only way grains may be used in the diet is when they are freshly sprouted and then processed along with the other vegetable matter.

Vitamins
For optimal health your dog will definitely need extra vitamins. These may include the B complex, vitamin E and C along with some kelp and/or alfalfa. With the exception of vitamin E, these vitamins can be frozen.

How Much To Feed?
The amounts required will depend on the age, activity level and metabolism of your dog. The adult dog that has reached maturity might be fed a minimum of 50% raw meaty bones. The other 50% of the diet would consist of meat, fish, fruit or vegetables, organ meats, an occasional porridge meal plus supplements and a very small percentage of left-overs. Puppies have different requirements in that they need a minimum of 60% raw meaty bones and 40% of the other foods outlined.

Approximate Guidelines for Average Dog @ 1/2lb per 25lbs
Weight of dog 60% RMB - whole or ground 40% Vegetable Mixture
10lbs.............2.5oz............1.5oz
25lbs.............5oz...............3.5oz
50lbs.............10oz.............6oz
75lbs.............15oz............10oz
100lbs...........24oz............16oz

About Bacteria
A dog's immune system is designed to handle bacteria such as Samolella, E.Coli and Campylobacter jejuni. It is much more adept at this than the human body. If dogs are fed nothing but heat sterilized food, you are depriving them of the opportunity to develop an immune response to these and many other organisms. Handling raw foods for your dog requires the same care as your 'human' food does. Raw food will spoil if left unrefrigerated for an extended period of time. Excess food not eaten, should be refrigerated for the next feeding or discarded. Keep raw meat separate from other foods; wash working surfaces, utensils and hands with hot soapy water after each feeding. Simple!

How to make the switch?
Some owners just go 'cold turkey' and never look back. Some dog's may have a looser stool for a day or so...some just blend into the change like they have always eaten this way... others are so excited about eating now they will follow you around begging for more. Depending on the history of your dog, you may have to make a more gradual change or simply make the switch and go with what ever comes from it -literally! When you are ready to begin take it slowly. Try to keep the diet simple at first. This is particularly important for older/middle aged dogs that have been eating a cooked diet for most of their life. Start with chicken or turkey necks or backs only for the first couple of days and remove any excess fat. The only other thing you might add at this point would be some yogurt or a probiotic supplement. Keep meals small to begin with and don't overfeed. Once the dog is digesting the raw meaty bones, add some veggies with a bit of lean ground meat. After a week or two, you can start adding the other foods like eggs and offal (leaving a little bit more fat on the chicken if necessary) and then start adding supplements if you want to. Don't do it all at once. I would also suggest that with dogs new to the BARF diet that you stay away from the harder or fattier bones for awhile. Give them time to re-develop their digestive system first.

You can do it!
Lots of people watch their dog deteriorate on commercial foods simply because they either don't know what else to feed, how to feed it or that they do need to feed something better in order to obtain or maintain optimal health. When dogs are switched to bones and raw food, health problems either improve or disappear. By making such a remarkably simple but profound change in your dog's diet you will quickly discover what so many other dog owners on BARF Canada and around the world already know. BARF!