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Natural Products For You & Your Pet!
Informational Articles On Pet Food & Pet Health
Education Is The Best Prevention!
How To Read A Dog & Cat Food Label
Do You Know What Your Dog Or Cat Is Eating?
Please take the time to review the list of ingredients printed on your bag of dog or cat food. Ingredients are listed in order of their volume percentages. Compare the ingredients and decide for yourself. Look for a natural pet food that contains the hallmarks of a high-quality food and none of the hallmarks of a low-quality food. A good pet food will contribute to a healthy coat, good energy level, balanced temperament, and flawless health.
High Quality Food Should Contain The Following:
*Superior sources of protein. This means either whole, fresh meats, or single source meat meal. (For example chicken meal rather than chicken by-products.)
*A whole-meat source as one of the first two ingredients. Meat is the most natural source of protein for cats and dogs and contains the amino acids most important to pet health. A mix of meat proteins (such as chicken and fish) helps round out the amino acid profile of the proteins included in the food. If a list of ingredients begins with whole chicken followed by three or more grains and no other meat proteins, it is likely that the food contains considerably more grain than meat.
*Whole, unprocessed grains, vegetables, and other foods. A previously unprocessed food has the best chance of surviving the food-making process with some of its nutrients intact.
High Quality Food Should NOT Contain The Following:
*Food fragments. Fragments are lower-cost by-products of another food manufacturing process such as brewer's rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry), wheat flour, and rice flour. Most foods contain at least one fragment as makers attempt to keep the food affordable. Beware of a product that contains several fragments of a single food. Some food makers do this to disguise an excess of a low-value ingredient. Remember, the law dictates that each ingredient is listed separately by weight. So when you see a list of ingredients that begins "lamb, rice flour, rice bran, brewer's rice. . ." you should be aware that there is far more rice in the product than lamb.
*Meat by-products. Using an animal by-product (or more than one animal by-product) for a food's main protein source is indicative of a low-quality product. (i.e. chicken by-product). Animal by-products are any part of an animal not acceptable for human consumption. Ingredients listed as by-products are not required to include actual meat. Using an animal by-product (or more than one animal by-product) for a food's main protein source is indicative of a lower-quality product.
*Corn products. The presence of corn products - particularly if they are high on the list of ingredients - may indicate that corn has been used instead of a more expensive alternative. About 25% of the corn produced in the U.S. today is genetically modified. Corn is more difficult to digest.
*Corn gluten meal. Corn gluten meal is a concentrated source of protein that can be substituted for costlier animal protein. In many bargain dry dog and cat foods, corn gluten meal provides a large proportion or the total protein in the food rather than more digestible forms of protein such as meat.
Indicators Of A Low-Quality Dog Or Cat Food:
*Generic fats or proteins. Ex. Animal Fat. Animal fat can be just about anything; recycled grease from restaurants or an unwholesome "mystery mix" of fats. Animal protein is far inferior to beef protein or chicken protein.
*Artificial preservatives. BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, and propylene glycol. Have been known to cause cancer.
*Artificial colors. Your pet doesn't care what color his food is and doesn't need daily - lifetime - exposure to these unnecessary chemicals.
*Sweeteners. Corn syrup, sucrose, sugar, ammoniated glycyrrhizin, and other sweeteners are sometimes added to lower-quality foods to increase their appeal. Dietary sugar can aggravate health problems in pets including diabetes.
*Flavors. A high-quality food does not require flavoring to be palatable.
*Poor Sources of Protein - Soybean Meal, Wheat, Corn Glutens, Corn Meal, Whole Corn, Crushed Corn and Ground Corn are commonly used for their protein content in many pet foods. These ingredients are generally poor sources of protein vs. meat. They are often difficult to digest & to use by the body. Also can cause G.I. problems. Meat & bone meal can contain an unknown quantity of bone, which is an inferior protein.
Life’s Abundance Premium Health Dog and Cat Foods are based on a variety of superior whole food ingredients designed to provide 100% complete nutrition in accordance with AAFCO feeding protocols and contains:
No Corn or Wheat
No by-products
No dairy
No artificial colors or flavors
No chemical preservatives added
High quality chicken and fish meal and eggs derived from human-grade processing plants
Nutrient dense with vitamins, minerals, fats and essential fatty acids
Powerful antioxidants from patented grape seed extract process and other natural sources
Probiotics for a healthy digestive tract
Highly digestible and high energy, low fiber carbohydrates
Chicken Meal - Chicken meal is considered to be the single best source of protein in pet foods. Life's Abundance uses high quality, hormone and steroid free chicken meal. This ingredient is very digestible, very palatable, and very expensive. There's more protein in every mouthful of chicken meal than whole chicken because whole chicken contains water and fat. Life's Abundance food also contains high quality egg and fish meal.
Ground Brown Rice - Ground brown rice is the entire product obtained in grinding the rice kernels after the hulls have been removed. Ground brown rice is a high quality source of carbohydrates and natural fiber. Ground brown rice provides excellent nutritional value and one of the most digestible carbohydrates supplying your dog with a superior energy source.
Know The Rules!
What Your Pet Food Label Means
Every pet food has a name, whether it is "Lamb and Rice Dinner," "Beef for Dogs," or "Tuna Flavor Dinner." But what do these labels actually mean? Believe it or not, there are specific regulations for naming pet foods, so it's helpful to know the "rules."
95% Rule - "Chicken for Dogs" must contain at least 95% chicken (excluding water). "Fish and Giblets for Cats" meanwhile, will be 95% fish and giblets combined, but there must be more fish than giblets, since fish appears first on the label.
25% Rule - "Fish Dinner" or "Beef Dinner" must contain 25% fish or beef. If more than one ingredient is named, the two together must comprise 25% of the total, although the second ingredient may be as low as 3%. This means that "Lamb and Rice Dinner" may actually contain a greater quantity of other ingredients, such as chicken and corn.
"With" Rule: If the word "with" appears in the label (e.g. "Fish Dinner with Giblets"), the second ingredient must comprise 3% of the food. An ingredient labeled as a "flavor" such as "Beef Flavor Dinner" doesn't have to contain any beef at all, just something that gives the food a beef flavor.
Pet Food Companies are master marketers. They make you believe that their food is good for your dog or cat because it has a nice label, states it is high quality, states it has fresh vegetables in it or they have a really cute commeral. Please do not fall prey to the commercial pet food companies. Did you know Proctor & Gamble owns Iams and Eukanuba and they test on animals?
What's Really For Dinner For Your Pet?
The Truth About Commercial Pet Food
by Tina Perry
Cow brains. Sheep guts. Chicken heads. Road kill. Rancid grain. These are a few of the so-called nutritionally balanced ingredients found in the commercial pet food served to companion animals every day.
More than 95 percent of US companion animals derive their nutritional needs from a single source: processed pet food. When people think of pet food, many envision whole chickens, choice cuts of beef, fresh grains, and all the nutrition that a dog or cat may ever need -- images that pet food manufacturers promote in their advertisements. What these companies do not reveal is that instead of whole chickens they have substituted chicken heads, feet, and intestines. Those choice cuts of beef are really cow brains, tongues, esophagi, fetal tissue dangerously high in hormones, and possibly diseased and even cancerous meat. Those whole grains have had the starch removed for corn starch powder and the oil extracted for corn oil, or they are hulls and other remnants from the milling process. Grains used that are truly whole have usually been deemed unfit for human consumption because of mold, contaminants, poor quality, or poor handling practices. Pet food is one of the worlds most synthetic edible products, containing virtually no whole ingredients.
Pet food manufacturers have become masters at inducing companion animals to eat things cat and dogs would normally spurn. Pet food scientists have learned that it's possible to take a mixture of inedible scraps, fortify it with artificial vitamins and minerals, preserve it so that it can sit on the shelf for more than a year, add dyes to make it attractive, and then extrude it into whimsical shapes that appeal to the human consumer. For this, pet food companies can expect to earn $9 billion in sales in 1996.
Scraps And Byproducts
For years, many care givers have tried to avoid feeding their companion animals people food leftovers, having been warned by veterinarians about the heath problems they can cause. Yet much scrap material from the human food industry is ending up in dogs and cats dinner bowls. What the consumer purchases and what the manufacturer advertises are often two entirely different products, and this difference threatens the animals healthy, especially as they age. Learning to read ingredient labels and taking the time to read them carefully is crucial to making an educated choice when purchasing pet food. Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight (heaviest first) under standards established by the Center for Veterinary Medicine for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The name of the product (in most states) is dictated by the regulations of the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The trouble is, AAFCO standards can lead to deceptive product names due to the weight and volume variations between wet and dry ingredients. Also, the average consumer has no idea what the definitions for the listed ingredients mean. Preservatives, vitamins, minerals, flavorings, and cereal make up most of what the companion animal eats.
It is not happenstance that four of the top five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of major multinational food production companies: Colgate Palmolive (which produces Hills Science Diet), Heinz, Nestle, and Mars (see The Corporate Connection). From a business standpoint, multi-national food companies owning pet food manufacturers is an ideal relationship. The multinationals have captive market in which to dump their waste products, and the pet food manufacturers have a direct source of bulk materials. Both make a profit from selling scraps that originate from places far worse than the dinner table. In his 1986 book Pet Allergies veterinarian Al Plechner sums up what goes into companion animals food: Condemned parts and animals rejected for human consumption are routinely rerouted for commercial pet foods. A similar fate applies to so-called 4-D animals. These are food animals picked up dead, or that are dying, diseased, or disabled, and do not meet human-food qualifications. They are processed straightaway for companion animal consumption. Little goes to waste. Says Plechner, Food processing refuse of all sorts winds up in your animals dinner bowls. Moldy grains. Rancid foods. Meat meal. The latter is ground-up slaughterhouse discards often containing disease-ridden tissue and high levels of hormones and pesticides, the very things that may have contributed to the death of the steer or hog. A decade later, his words still apply. When cattle, swine, chickens, lambs, or other animals meet their ends at a slaughterhouse, the choice cuts -- lean muscle tissue and organs prized by humans -- are trimmed away from the carcass for human consumption. Whatever remains of the carcass (bones, blood, pus, intestines, ligaments, subcutaneous fat, hooves, horns, beaks, and any other parts not normally consumed by humans) is, according to the pet food industry, perfectly fit as a protein source for cat and dog food.
The Pet Food Institute, the trade association of pet food manufacturers, acknowledges in its 1994 Fact Sheet the importance of using byproducts in pet foods as additional income for processors and farmers. The purchase and use of these ingredients by the pet food industry not only provides nutritional foods for pets at reasonable costs, but provides an important source of income to American farmers and processors of meat, poultry, and seafood products for human consumption. Many of these remnants are indigestible and provide a questionable source of nutrition. The amount of nutrition provided by meat byproducts, meals, and digests varies from vat to vat of this animal protein soup. A vat filled with chicken feet, beaks, and viscera is going to make available a lower amount of protein than a vat of breast meat. James Morris and Quinton Rogers, professors with Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of California at Davis Veterinary School of Medicine, assert that there is virtually no information on the bio-availability of nutrients for companion animals in many of the common dietary ingredients used in pet foods. These ingredients are generally byproducts of the meat, poultry and fishing industries, with the potential for wide variation in nutrient composition. Claims of nutritional adequacy of pet foods based on the current AAFCO nutrient allowances (profiles) do not give assurances of nutritional adequacy and will not until ingredients are analyzed and bioavailability values are incorporated. Meat byproducts, the catch-all term of the pet food industry, is a misnomer because these byproducts contain little if any meat. Byproducts contain little if any meat. Byproduct are animal parts leftover after the meat has been stripped from the bone. Chicken byproducts include heads, feet, entrails, lungs, spleens, kidneys, brains, livers, stomachs, noses, blood, and intestines free of their contents. What the pet food manufactures fail to mention is that most byproducts, digests and meals are also filled with other substances, such as cancerous tissue cut from the carcass, plastic foam packaging containing spoiled meat from supermarkets, ear tags, spoiled slaughterhouse meat, road kill, and pieces of downer animals.
Canned Cannibalism
Another source of meat that isn't mentioned on pet food labels is pet byproducts, the bodies of dogs and cats. In 1990 the San Francisco Chronicle reported that euthanized companion animals were found in pet foods. Although pet food company executives and the National Renderers Association vehemently denied the report, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the FDA confirmed the story. The pets serve a viable purpose by providing food stuff for the animal feed chain, said Lea McGovern, chief of the FDA's animal feed safety branch. Because of the sheer volume of animals rendered and the similarity in protein content between poultry byproducts and processed dogs and cats, rendering plant workers say it would be impossible for purchasers to know the exact contents of what they buy. In fact, Sacramento Rendering cited by inspectors five times in the past two years for product-labeling violations.
Grease And Grain
The most nutritious dry pet food is no better than the worst if an animals will not eat it. Pet food scientists have discovered that spraying the kibble or pellets with a combination of refined animal fat, lard, kitchen grease, and other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans makes an otherwise bland or distasteful product palatable. Animal fat is mainly packing house waste or supermarket trimmings from the packaging of meats. Animals love the taste of this sprayed fat, which also acts as a binding agent to which manufacturers may add other flavor enhancers. The pungent odor wafting from an open bag of pet food is created by this concoction. Restaurant grease has become a major component of feed-grade animal fat over the last 15 years. Often held in 50-gallon drums for weeks or months in extreme temperatures, this grease is usually kelp outside with no regard for its safety or further use. The rancid grease is then picked up by fat blenders who mix the animal and vegetable fats together, stabilize them with powerful antioxidants to prevent further spoilage, and then sell the blended products to pet food companies. Rancid, heavily preserved fats are extremely difficult to digest and can lead to a host of animal health problems, including digestive upsets, diarrhea, gas, and bad breath. Once considered a filler by the pet food industry, the amount of grain products included in pet food has risen over the last decade as the American population has focused its attention away from consuming beef and toward a healthier diet of grains and vegetables. Commonly two of the top three pet food ingredients are some form of grain products. For instance, Alpo's Beef Flavored Dinner lists ground yellow corn, soybean meal, and poultry byproduct meal as its top three ingredients. 9 Lives Crunchy Meals lists ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, and poultry byproduct meal as its top three ingredients. Of the top four ingredients of Purina's O.N.E. Dog Formula -- chicken, ground yellow corn, ground wheat, and corn gluten meal -- two are corn-based products from the same source. This is an industry practice known as splitting. When components of the same whole ingredient are listed separately (ground yellow corn and corn gluten meal) it appears that there is less corn than chicken, even when the whole ingredient may weigh more than the chicken. Soy is another common ingredient in many pet foods. It is used by the manufacturers to boost the claimed protein content and add bulk so that when animals eat a product containing soy they will fell more sated. Tofu is suitable for humans, but most forms of soybean do not agree with a dog or cat's digestive system. Like many other pet food ingredients, soy is virtually unusable by an animal's body. Being obligate carnivores, cats have little ability to digest any nutrients from soy. The problem is worse for dogs because they lack the essential amino acid to digest soy products. Soy has also been linked to bloat and gas in many dogs.
Additives And Processing
Pet food industry critics note that many of the ingredients (such as corn syrup and corn gluten meal) used as humectants to prevent oxidation also bind water molecules in such a way that the food actually sticks to the animal's colon and may cause blockage. Blockage of the colon may cause an increased risk of cancer of the colon or rectum. Two-thirds of the pet food manufactured in the United States contains synthetic preservatives added by the manufacturer. Of the remaining third, 90 percent includes ingredients already stabilized by synthetic preservatives. Because most pet food contains large percentages of added fat, a stabilizer is needed to maintain the quality of the food. Sodium nitrite, often used as a coloring agent, fixative, and preservative, has the ability to combine with natural stomach and food chemicals (secondary amends) to create nitrosamines, powerful cancer-causing agents, according to A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives. Many pet foods advertised as preservative-free do not contain preservatives. Almost all rendered meats have synthetic preservatives added as stabilizer, but manufacturers aren't required to list preservatives they themselves haven't added. Premixed vitamin additives can also contain preservatives. In the 1003 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, veterinarian Philip Roudebush reported finding low concentrations of synthetic antioxidant preservatives in all analyzed samples of products labeled as chemical free or all-natural. Other types of additives depend on whether the pet food is semi-moist, dry or canned. Because semi-moist food contains 25-50 percent water, antimicrobial preservatives must be used. Propylene glycol was frequently used in cat food until it was pulled in 1992 for causing a variety of health problems. Processing greatly alters the nutritional value of the food ingredients. Veterinarian R. L. Wysong states in Rationale for Animal Nutrition: Processing is the wild card in nutritional value that is, by and large, simply ignored. Heating, freezing, dehydrating, canning, extruding, pelleting, baking and so forth, are so commonplace that they are simply thought of as synonymous with food itself. Because the ingredients that pet food companies use are not wholesome, and harsh manufacturing practices destroy what little nutritional value the food may have had in the first place, the final product must be fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Questionable Nutrition
How, then, can any pet food be guaranteed to be 100 percent complete or nutritionally adequate? As long as it meets the AAFCO minimum standards, such a guarantee can be on the label. Yet in 1994, feed tests conducted by the New York State Agriculture Department showed 7 percent of all pet foods analyzed failed chemical analyses for guaranteed nutrients. Other states report similar findings, with failure of analyzed feed ranging from to 12 percent. Even if a pet food meets AAFCO standards, certain nutritional requirements (for example, lysine) can vary between species by as much as seven-fold. Although manufacturers clam that millions of companion animals can thrive on a diet consisting of nothing by commercial pet food, research and an increasing number of veterinarians implicate processed pet food as a source of disease or as an exacerbating agent for a number of degenerative diseases. For example, kidney disease is on of the top three killers of companion animals. According to Plechner, the extra protein and harsh ingredients of many pet foods place an overload on the kidneys. Left untreated, the toxic buildup leads to vomiting, loss of appetite, uremic poisoning, and death. Wysong adds, In the last few years, large statistical studies have shown the link between the diet (of processed foods) and a variety of degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease, allergies, arthritis, obesity, dental disease, etc. After extensive research, the Animal Protection Institute (API) published a Pet Food Investigative Report to educate companion animal care givers about pet food ingredients, ingredient definitions, labeling, and dietary ailments resulting from processed commercial pet food, including the most commonly know brands. Yet, whether such food is purchased at the supermarket, pet store, or from a veterinarian, it makes little difference in terms of the quality -- only in the cost. Since the report was published earlier this year, API has conducted more research on holistic pet care and pet food alternatives, but still claims that the vast majority of pet foods available on the market today provide less that optimum nutrition for companion animals.
It is sad to think that the food provided by animal care givers to their four-legged friends could be hazardous to the animals'; health and longevity. Care givers should assume responsibility for providing as healthful a diet as possible for the animals in the care. Consumers should be informed: speak with a holistic practitioner or herbalist, or consult your veterinarian (but be aware that a veterinarian's knowledge of nutrition may be limited to the two weeks of nutrition he or she had veterinary school 20 years ago). Although the ideal solution would be for companion animals to be fed only wholesome homemade and/or vegetarian diets, this is not an optician for everyone -- the cost and time commitment is sometimes prohibitive. By taking more moderate steps, however, care givers can still greatly improve a companion animals' diet and quality of life.
Tina Perry Is An Animal Advocate With The Animal Protection Institute.
Reprinted From The Animals' Agenda
Nov/Dec 1996
The Benefits Of Feeding An All Natural Diet To Your Pet
For LESS than a cup of coffee, there is NO excuse NOT to feed your pet an all natural food/diet!
I've heard it over and over, "I would really like to feed my dog healthier, but not at that price!" or "My cat really loves the food, but I'm going to be broke in no time flat!" or even "I love my dogs, but my husband would go through the roof if he found out they are eating healthier than we are!"
What the majority of pet owners fail to understand is that by feeding an all natural & holistic food to their dog or cat, they will actually be saving money in the long run. How, you ask, at $1.15 a pound? First of all, we feed much less food (20% to 40% less) because the food is all natural with no fillers and by-products. Second, there are enormous savings to be made by not having all those vet visits and harmful medications to fix your pets' allergies (the #1 reason why pets are seen in the vet's office) and immune disorders (which can lead to chronic and serious conditions that require careful treatment. Allergy symptoms include, but are not limited to, itchy skin and bodily eruptions, inflamed ears, excessive licking of the front feet, digestive upsets (gurgling, gas and a tendency toward diarrhea), inflammation of the toes and an irritated rear end (anus, genitals) with licking and dragging of the rear on the floor.
Feeding all natural will greatly reduce the physical and mental speed of premature aging in our pets, associated with a lifetime of poor nutrition. Several degenerative diseases, such as cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, arthritis, skin problems, bowel problems (such as Pancreatitis), and even diabetes have been found to either be hurried up or slowed down very much by what is eaten. Please keep in mind that by also feeding a properly put-together home-made or raw diet will provide these same benefits, and more!
Scientists have demonstrated that as animals and people eat unsuitable food, or unsuitable amounts of food, they age or degenerate more rapidly, and as they do, they become more prone to disease...which can lead to extremely high, and perhaps unmanageable, veterinary bills. Are you asking yourself yet, "why hasn't my vet recommended a diet change yet?" Yes, I would ask that of them too. Unfortunately most vets receive little education in vet school on canine & feline nutrition, other than what the commercial pet food company reps tell them! And believe it or not, but many vets make a lot of money by retailing the same pet foods they were taught about, by these company reps, in vet school. Since feeding an all natural diet to my Boxers for four years, my vet has only seen them for routine vaccinations and spay/ neuter. In fact, I am one of the lucky ones who has an open-minded vet, who refers many of his patients to me, who he believes their symptoms are diet-related. I'm very honored he does this.
As with us humans, pets are just as susceptible of suffering a variety of diseases and illnesses due to a weakened and compromised immune system, some of which are irreversible. Just to name a few, our pets are more susceptible, and less likely to combat and resist the following conditions/diseases by a weakened immune system:
· Parasites (e.g. mange)
· Cancer & leukemia (in cats)
· Frequent colds or flu
· Recurrent bacterial infections & viruses
· Fungal disease
· Slow wound healing
· Frequent injury
· Allergies
· Respiratory inflammations
· Diabetes
· Aging dogs and cats
· Frequent vet visits for minor ailments
Pet owners are beginning to understand that treatment for existing conditions for their pets should not be the only way they deal with health problems. Preventative care is critical for animals, just as it is for humans. ANIMALS have emotions, attitudes and personalities just like humans. To care for an animal, it is helpful to observe the animal and learn how to distinguish between normal regular behavior and behavior that is unusual and out of balance. Pets often reflect the emotions of the people close to them and the environment in which they live. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, worry or depression can lead to disease because they deplete the physical body of its natural vitality, there by compromising the immune system's ability to function properly. My philosophy is that what an animal eats, (the quality of nutrients, along with proper supplementation), as well as the purity of his environment, is the foundation of his overall well-being. By staying as close to the ways of nature and eliminating harsh chemicals from their diet and environment, we have seen miraculous changes take place in the lives of countless pets, as well as their delighted owners that I have known through the years. By feeding all natural foods or a properly prepared homemade/raw diet, you are boosting your pet's natural immune defenses, improving it's health, increasing it's athletic performance, bolstering it's overall nutrition and adding years to it's life expectancy.
Your Pets Golden Years
Caring For Aging Pets
Companionship and commitment to your pet has always been important, but these things are even more so as they age.
Recognizing your pet is getting older - The rate at which a pet shows signs of aging depends on a variety of factors, such as breed, size, and general health. Commonly, giant and large dogs age more quickly than do medium-size or small dogs. Miniature and toy-breed dogs, as well as indoor cats, tend to live longer.
As your pet ages, changes occur in its physical condition, which warrant additional care aside from the annual veterinary checkup. Usually these changes are a result of deteriorating body functions such as hearing or vision, or possibly symptoms of disease.
Most dogs live between 10 to 15 years, and the average lifespan of cats is 20 years. Many pets do live to a ripe old age, but often experience the same aches and pains of old age that humans suffer. While it's impossible to breathe new life into an old pet, there are ways to reduce suffering and provide comfort to our tired old friends.
Aging Tips
Begin with regular checkups. Once your dog or cat enters mid-life, it's a good idea to let your vet take a look at least once a year. Middle age in dogs is generally considered to be around the age of seven, and eight to ten for cats. Regular checkups will allow your vet to more easily identify changes and illness based upon an initial baseline examination.
Exercise
Keep those legs and paws moving. Daily exercise can help keep your pet slim and flexible, as well as help starve off age-related disorders like digestive problems. Although many experts recommend walking your pet for at least 20 minutes, twice a day, most admit any amount is helpful -- and it's good for you too!
Obesity
Study after study reveal similar findings. The number one dilemma in the pet population is obesity. This is the a big contributor to age-related problems like arthritis and heart disease. In cats, it can lead to diabetes. In fact, cats that already have diabetes may be able to get it under control, just by trimming surplus pounds. However, be careful about sudden changes in diet. Don't rush to make them if your pet is already slim and healthy.
Supplements
Why should you give your cat or dog a nutritional supplement? All pets have different nutritional requirements. Age, activity level, environment, genetic and breed are determining factors. Although a good premium food will provide a solid foundation, food alone cannot supply all the nutrients necessary to fulfill those unique requirements. The Advanced Daily Supplement is specifically formulated to provide your dog or cat with the additional nutrients necessary for good health. Plus, it contains powerful plant nutrients to help support a healthy defense system to fight off free redicals.
Antioxidants
Antioxidant Health Bars for Dogs contain the following all-natural and wholesome ingredients that provide over 70 antioxidant compounds and other important nutrients: Stabilized rice bran (a patented and non-chemically treated RiceX stabilized rice bran and germ), carrots, spinach, eggs, apples, peanut butter, barley and flax seed oil.
These ingredients are particularly important for the following reasons: stabilized rice bran provides powerful antioxidant compounds. Carrots can promote healthy eyes and cardiovascular system. Spinach can promote strong bones and muscles. Eggs can promote an overall strong and healthy body. Apples can promote a healthy GI tract and also help remove heavy metals and toxins. Peanut butter can provide essential oils and proteins necessary for every system in the body. Barley can help aid healing and fat metabolism. Flax seed oil can promote healthy skin and coat and help support a strong immune system.
Water
Many pets naturally drink less as they get older, which can cause dehydration. All the more reason to keep water bowls filled with fresh, clean water. It may also be of great importance to keep water bowls in different parts of the house. This is particularly important if your pet doesn't get around as well as it used to.
Dental Care
Dental problems are common for both older dogs and cats if their teeth are not being brushed. Dental tartar, a mixture of minerals and bacteria, will build up eventually and cause gingivitis. If untreated, this can lead to gum recession and pocketing, allowing the teeth to lose their supportive attachments and to become loose. Routine dental cleanings are necessary to prevent these problems in humans. Pets are not much different. Preventing dental problems by cleaning and at-home care is crucial to avoid more serious troubles later in life. Gourmet Dental Treats promote healthy teeth, gums & fresh breath.
Separation Anxiety
Though your pet may never have shown any anxiety over being left alone or away from you before, older pets can become anxious in your absence. Separation anxiety can result from the discomfort of degenerative changes related to aging or medical problems.
Minor Diseases And Ailments
Older pets are prone to a host of minor diseases and ailments. Any unusual lump deserves your vet's attention because they could be a sign of cancer, infection or a warning of several other disorders.
Shortness of breath may foretell a problem. If your dog or cat often appears to be short of breath or winded, a visit to the vet is advised. This could be a sign of heart problems.
Changes in appetite may be a precursor to kidney failure and several other disorders, which can become apparent through your pet's eating habits. As a general rule, pets that do not feel well, will refuse to eat.
Although pets do commonly lose weight as they age, any dramatic weight loss should be brought to your vet's attention.
Feeding The Senior Dog
Except for the fact that a senior dog may be set in its ways -- and unhealthy ones at that -- they need to follow the same rules the younger ones do, with some exceptions. Frequently, smaller meals will aid digestion. The higher-quality the protein, the better; and it shouldn't be reduced be reduced unless a veterinarian tells you to. Some senior dogs have a tendency to gain weight. The Life's Abundance Weight Loss Dog Food actually works and will keep your dog in robust good health with a shiny coat and the energy to live life to its fullest. As a complete weight loss system for dogs give them Wholesome Hearts Low Fat Dog Treats.
Feeding The Senior Cat
Feed smaller portions more frequently -- three or four times daily. This eases the stress on internal organs, keeps the immune system strong, and keeps your cat's energy level from falling. Don't feed your cat baby food. The calcium/phosphorus ratio is wrong for felines and can worsen many health problems.
Your cat needs a high quality daily supplement because all cats have different nutritional requirements. Although a good premium food will provide a solid foundation, food alone cannot supply all the nutrients necessary to fulfill those unique requirements. A deficiency of just one or more nutrients can leave your cat vulnerable to disease. Nutrients that specifically support your cat's natural defenses are vital to good health.
Your Pets Bones & Joints
In many ways, scientific study of anatomy is a celebration of the body's ingenious architecture. Just the mere fact that babies are born toothless for the practice of breast feeding and then sprout teeth months afterwards is a suggestion that such phenomena that occur in the body are no accident. Though the body is truly an amazing design, much can go wrong especially as we all age, humans and pets alike.
As humans live life and our bodies begin to endure the aging process, arthritis and osteoporosis (among many other things) become a major concern. If we don't take good enough care of our bones and our joints via our diet and physical activity, they will begin to show their dissent. The same goes for our pets. Taking care of our pets' bones, joints and surrounding tissue is something that we don't often think about and most certainly should. Therefore, this article is dedicated to the proper care of our pets' bones and joints.
The Joint: An Inside Look
Our animals' joints consist mostly of bone, part of which is covered with a softer substance called cartilage. Without knowing it, human beings strive to be just like cartilage! Cartilage is delicate, yet strong enough to tolerate the pressure that the world and everyday life puts on it. It is also smart enough to produce joint fluid to protect it and act like a cushion. Other parts of the joint include muscles, which are the "active organs of motion", the tendon, which is a thick tissue that attaches muscles to bones, cartilage and other parts of the joint and then there are the ligaments, the strong bands that attach bones to each other. The health of the bone and joint depends on the individual cells that make up these tissues, which should have specific nutrients in order for them to function properly.
Why Our Pets Develop Stiffness
Though dogs and cats can develop stiffness when they are young, like us they typically develop this problem as they age. Because pets age much faster than we do, we must be sensitive to their bodies' needs according to their biological process, not our own.
Joint stiffness occurs for several reasons. First, which can happen at any age, is the result of an injury to the bone, joint or surrounding tissue. If an injury isn't nursed back to health properly, the stiffness that comes with an injury will remain for an indefinite amount of time, even become painful and permanent. Second, genetics and the physical structure of certain animals also play a major role in the health of their joints. Large breed type dogs such as the German Shepard, Golden, Lab and the Great Dane have genetic predispositions to hip and elbow problems. The cute dog breed known as the Daschund (popularly known as the "hot dog") and others designed with the long back, often have back problems because of the stress of that lengthy back bone. Also, certain small breed type dogs including the Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle have a genetic makeup that contributes to knee problems. Last is the age factor. The older our dogs and cats become, the longer their joints have been responsible for carrying the weight around and the cell and biochemical changes that occur with age take their toll on the joints. The incidence of joint problems in cats is far more common then one would think. Many an older cat displays the discomfort of age but because they don't run after the garbage man or go for walks or retrieve balls, we don't recognize the changes. What are the changes you might ask? While they once slept in bed with you, they no longer choose to jump into the bed or limp on and off, especially when walking on hard surfaces. Or, they may decide that being held in certain positions elicits pain so they become fidgety when held.
Growing Pains
The process of aging takes its toll on the body in every way imaginable. It is only when something begins to hurt do we realize how much we truly use it in our everyday functions. Aging puts stress on the joints and causes tension on bones, muscle tendons and ligaments. As the body undergoes the aging process, here are some of the changes it includes:
Loss Of Muscle Mass
Muscle mass is necessary to help support good, healthy joints. It provides protection to the tendons and ligaments, which make it possible for our joints to flexibly move.
Decreased Production Of Joint Fluid
There is a sack around each joint that contains joint fluid, which protects the bones so that they don't grind together when we move. Age, as well as injury, decreases the production of this fluid causing incredibly painful friction during movement, which also weakens the tendons, ligaments and muscles.
Bone Edges Become Irregular
Have you ever compared the wonderful symmetry and smoothness of a baby's fingers to that of a very elderly person's whose fingers are gnarled and twisted? As we age, the ends of our bones become uneven and grow spurs, which irritate the soft tissue, tendons and ligaments around the bones. The same goes for animals. What ends up happening is the rubbing together of these edges of bones and the bones they're attached to, causes swelling and pain.
Bone Brittleness
As animals age, there is less of the substance that comprises the bone being made, resulting in the overall weakening of their bones. Fractures are not uncommon in the older animal.
Cartilage Erosion
As an animal ages, the cartilage, the soft tissue that covers the ends of bones, begins to wear down. Furthermore, not only does the cartilage wear down, but the body produces less. This causes the ends of the bones to become rough.
In essence, understanding all of this information about the joints is just the precursor for learning how to encourage longevity through proper diet and exercise. We at Life's Abundance will offer a few suggestions that could help support the joints by preventing or easing stiffness.
Keep Your Pets Lean
The less weight your pet has to carry around, the less pressure on the joints in their backs and legs. Long-term studies show that excessive weight gain in large breed type puppies will increase the likelihood of bone problems.
Exercise
Moderate exercise for dogs and cats is the key. For dogs, we recommend swimming, running and climbing. Playing Frisbee or jumping for balls may be too stressful on the joints. For cats, who also respond well to chasing objects, we recommend that playing games with an object for them to chase such as a short plastic fishing pole with an artificial bird or ribbons attached. Or you can simply take a thick piece of chord and drag it up the stairs and all over the house. In a frenzy to get their paws on this object, it will drive them crazy and loosen up their joints in the process!
Foods Rich In Antioxidants
Antioxidants help support the body during the natural process of aging by fighting the inevitable free radicals present that attack the body resulting in a myriad of health concerns, some of which have much to do with the joints.
Life's Abundance New & Improved Agility with Glucosamine & MSM is a holistic joint formula that strives to be the embodiment of the perfect synergy of nature and science. Since healthy bones are dependent upon many factors and biochemical processes, this formula includes individual ingredients selected to support some of these key factors. Thus, rather than containing joint support ingredients only, the Agility supplement expands beyond those limitations. Agility approaches joint health from many perspectives, looking at the whole picture and thus being labeled as holistic. That sets is apart.
Following is an overview of some of the main ingredients the Agility formula provides:
Glucosamine
This is a popular joint support nutrient that the body naturally produces. Glucosamine is prevalently found in shark cartilage, bovine cartilage and shell fish. It is also synthesized in the laboratory. It is the critical building block of some of the substances found in cartilage. This is particularly good for aging pets, for as the body ages, it decreases its ability to make it.
Chondroitin Sulfate
It's not as scary as it sounds. This is another popular joint support nutrient. Like glucosamine, it is also found in shark cartilage. It is also in Green lipped mussels otherwise known as Perna Canaliculi. It forms the building blocks of cartilage and is important in holding water in the joints, thus keeping the joints lubricated.
Green Lipped Muscles
Also known as edible shellfish, they have many of the nutrients that bone and support tissue needs. It is a whole food that contains protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and chondroitin sulfate. It was selected as an ingredient for the Agility supplement because all of its components work together to support the joints. Some of these components are able to provide some of the nutrients the added glucosamine requires for optimum utilization.
Boswellia
Boswellia is an interesting herb. Herbalists use this herb to support many parts of the body including bone, lung and liver. Many holistic doctors agree that a healthy liver is paramount in supporting the health of any portion of the body including the joints. Its frame for joint support is probably through its enhancement of blood flow to the joints and its remarkable ability to soothe.
Fish Oils
Especially rich in long chain omega 3 fatty acids, they are important in bone, muscle and nerve support. Fish oils are included in this formula because they soothe.
Alfalfa
This grass is rich in minerals and antioxidants, used by herbalists for generations for bone support.
MSM
This antioxidant, which contains sulfur, is an important nutritional element for the joints. Sulfur is a mineral that the body requires for many biochemical reactions.
If I could use one word only to describe all of these compounds, I would say "synergy." Synergy means that when these ingredients are combined, they enhance each other!
Why Is Cancer Killing Our Pets?
Vaccines
Over the past decade or so, many veterinarians have become increasingly convinced that a number of vaccines are doing more harm than good for our animal companions. Some remain necessary, even mandated by law, such as rabies. But not all the annual boosters that have been traditionally given now appear to be necessary and they may be leading to several diseases. Among the conditions associated with vaccines are skin allergies, bladder infections and cancer. The U. S. veterinary community is currently reviewing most vaccines protocols.
When it is time to revaccinate your animal, your veterinarian should consider the pet's age, his/her lifestyle (indoor or outdoor), his/her general state of health, the prevalence of the disease in question in the geographic area where you live, whether your animal is pregnant, whether or not you board her/him and other factors. Each case is individual and should be considered as such.
One of the more no-holds-barred statements about vaccines is Dr. Richard Pitcairn's warning: "Giving a vaccine to an animal with cancer is like pouring gasoline on a fire." He also advises not vaccinating pets who have breast tumors or any other growths or tumors. His overall recommendations regarding vaccines are these: Try to get your veterinarian to give single or simple vaccines rather than complex vaccines. Young animals can tolerate a reduced vaccination schedule, but vaccinating is not advised before sixteen weeks of age. Annual boosters should be avoided even though they have been popular. Pitcairn goes so far as to say avoid "any further vaccinations after the initial series as they are not necessary." He adds that the latest official medical opinion is that annual boosters are neither required nor effective, although not all veterinarians will agree with or even know this fact.
The Pet Food Industry
Perhaps the most shocking and informative book about the pet food industry is Ann Martin's "Food Pet's Die For", published in 1997. As Dr. Michael W. Fox, vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, says, "Ann Martin is to the pet food industry what Rachel Caron was to the petrochemical-pesticide industry." Martin spent seven years investigating the commercial pet food industry and what she uncovered isn't pretty. There are several reasons you really do not want to feed your dog or cat commercial foods. Perhaps the most compelling moral reason is that there are rendered, euthanized pets in much of this food. These pets have been mixed with other materials, including some condemned for human consumption: "rotten meat from supermarket shelves, restaurant grease..'4-D' (dead, diseased, dying and disabled) animals and roadkill."
The Minister of Agriculture of Quebec told Martin that dead animals are often cooked with viscera, bones, fat and fur. In both the United States and Quebec, this rendering of pets is not illegal. Martin points to an article originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle in which an employee and ex-employee of a rendering plant admitted that their company rendered approximately 250,000 to 500,000 pounds of animals, scraps and more, including "somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds of dogs and cats a day."
That's enough to make most of us sick, isn't it? Martin, a Canadian writer who lives with several animal companions, went a bit further in her investigations and discovered that some pets are euthanized with sodium pentobarbital and then rendered. This poison does not break down and goes into commercial pet food and feed for cows, pigs and horses. For the detailed report by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine on popular commercial pet foods containing pentobarbital, click here. When you read the report, please know that AD (animal digest) is animal waste (to be polite)!
Two thirds of the pet food manufactured in the United States contains added preservatives, according to the Animal Protection Institute. There are also coloring agents, emulsifiers, lubricants, flavoring agents, pH control agents, synergists and solvents. "Of the more than 8,600 recognized food additives today, no toxicity information is available for 46% of them," the institute says.
EQ (ethoxyquin) is the most common antioxidant preservative in pet foods. It has been found in some dogs' livers and tissues months after the animal stopped ingesting it. Ethoxyquin is manufactured by Monsanto Chemical, the largest manufacturer of bioengineered foods. EQ is listed as a hazardous chemical by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and is considered a pesticide by the USDA. It is used in most US dog food, but is banned in Europe. The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine requested that pet food manufacturers voluntarily reduce the maximum level for ethoxyquin by half to 75 parts per million.
Courtesy of 'New Living' Newspaper
March 2001
Getting Under Your Pets Skin
We all love the feel of our pet's coat against our cheeks. When petting, grooming or cuddling with your pet, do you ever think what the skin and coat is really all about?
Skin is considered an organ, just as the heart, lungs, liver and brain. Organs are made up of millions of cells, which must have good nutrition to function properly. Just as the heart beats and sends blood throughout the body, the skin has its job too. The skin maintains a barrier between the outside world and the interior of the dog and cat. It keeps substances such as dirt, bacteria, fungus, mites and chemicals from entering the body. It is truly a remarkable organ.
Skin is made up of three layers. The top layer is called the epidermis and consists of cells that die and are replaced constantly. If they die too fast, you see dead cells and notice your pet has dandruff. Hairs grow from hair follicles deep within the skin. Each hair follicle goes through a cycle of growth in which old hair is shed and new hair takes its place. Pets shed due to many different factors including genetics, temperature, length of the day and amount of nutrition available for growth. Oil glands are attached to the hair follicles, producing a substance called sebum, a mixture of fats and proteins. Sebum waterproofs the skin, deters bacteria and fungus from causing infection and keeps the coat shiny.
The skin is a complicated and important organ that requires proper nutrition so that it can work at maximum efficiency. A healthy and shiny coat also requires adequate protein, vitamins and minerals, as well as fats (or oil). The nutrients your pet receives from food are sent to the skin and coat last, so it's important that your pet get an optimum diet that will satisfy the nutrient requirements of the entire body. That is why they say that the coat of a dog or cat is a mirror of a pet's health.
Remember to bathe your pet regularly based on the condition of the skin and coat. A dog that romps through puddles and meadows during the summer should be bathed after his play. A dog that stays in the house most of the time, except for walks and rides in the car, should be bathed every 4-6 weeks. Oily dogs should be bathed more often, sometimes once weekly. Cats should be bathed every season to remove the dead hair and skin cells. However, sometimes bathing alone is not sufficient for good skin and coat health.
Life's Abundance Skin & Coat System is specifically designed to sooth the itching and scratching that comes from a variety of sources. It consists of three products that tackle skin health two ways: from the outside, sending soothing herbs and minerals deep within the skin and from the inside, supplying the body with essential nutritional oils and special nutrients to get your pet's skin and coat looking and feeling healthy. The Soothing Mist topical spray (made with aloe vera gel, zinc and other soothing and skin-enhancing herbs) is formulated for irritated areas of the skin. The Revitalizing Shampoo contains natural, wholesome ingredients. It gently cleans away dirt without drying the skin and it works in conjunction with the Soothing Mist. But it's not enough to simply treat an animal externally. Most topical skin applications fail because it's important to tackle skin health from the inside as well as the outside.
Life's Abundance Skin & Coat Formula combines special oils (known as omega 3 fatty acids) with skin and coat support nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E to promote a shiny, healthy and full coat. Since these chewable tablets are made with a special taste appeal, even finicky pets will love them!
With the Life's Abundance Skin Care System, your pet can have a "furry nice" any time of the year! All Life's Abundance products are formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, well renowned holistic veterinarian.
Why Should Your Pet Take Supplements?
It's no mystery why we take supplements. The body is a complicated mechanism that fights every day to preserve its own well-being. Therefore, the body needs plenty of nutritional support that foods can't always adequately provide. Because of high starch content, bleaching and over processing, many foods don't contain enough minerals to adequately support the body. A deficiency of just one or more nutrients can leave the body vulnerable to disease. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that we each have biochemical individuality, so our bodies require different things depending on our age, environment, activity level and genetic makeup. The same goes for our pets.
Every dog and cat is unique and requires specific increases in nutrients for many reasons. Also, our pets' demand for certain nutrients fluctuate. Vitamin B is great support to the body during stressful periods and additional zinc is a helpful nutrient for many breeds; such as, huskies. No matter how well a diet is formulated, there are always nutrients, which are not in the diet.
The body knows what it needs and it has its ways of communicating these things to us. It is up to us to pay attention to our animals' behavior as well as their appearance to make sure they're getting all the nutrients they need. For instance, is your cat sleeping more than usual these days? Or does your dog have less of an appetite? Perhaps they need supplements. It doesn't hurt to try supplements to see how your pets respond to them. You may see a drastic change in their mannerisms or their appearance. When we give our pets supplements in conjunction with healthy well-balanced meals, their bodies intelligently draw what they need from the supplements and allocate them properly.
Rather than taking a specific vitamin or mineral in calculated amounts, herbs deliver many nutrients in various amounts to the parts of the body that require it. And what's so special about our Advanced Daily Supplements?
For Cats...
Our Cat Supplement consists mostly of herbs and whole foods (or whole ingredients). Whole foods are widely understood as foods that are not man made, altered only in the actual manufacturing of the product but in no other way. Nothing is added and nothing is taken away. Whole foods contain many nutritional components and perform several functions to the body at large, as opposed to just one single targeted benefit. The body takes what it needs from whole foods and allocates it to whatever part needs it most. Whole foods can be anything from fruits and vegetables, to fish and nuts. This particular formula contains whole ingredients that include flax seed meal, fish meal, chicken meal and plenty of medicinal plants, which all help to support the body and keep it in balance.
For Dogs...
Our Daily Supplement For Dogs is rather unique because among other things, it contains the rather unusual Ester C (Calcium Ascorbate), which is non-acidic, rich in calcium and other minerals and better absorbed than regular Vitamin C. It is usually not added to dog foods because it was once thought that dogs don't require C because they manufacture it in their liver. This way of thinking about dogs is archaic because we must now consider the way dogs' eating habits have evolved from years of domestication. Out in the wild, dogs ate prey that had intestines filled with grasses that contained C. Now at home, they eat the foods we give them and they occasionally take a bite out of the neighbor's lawn. Now, it seems as if dogs aren't getting enough C. Vitamin C, considered a vital antioxidant, supports the bone, teeth and gums, blood vessels and the immune system. Nutritionists consider it a "conditionally essential" nutrient, meaning that it is needed in higher amounts during certain times in the animal's life such as sickness, separation anxiety, stress from shows, visits to vets and confinement due to long distance trips.
Getting Into Dr. Jane's Head...
Many of the supplements on the market today are formulated with some kind of theory in mind as to what herbs, antioxidants and other whole foods promote balanced hearth. Scientists through years of experimentation and rigorous study, form their own chiseled opinions on what they believe should be the quintessential supplement for our pets. By the time the information reaches the average consumer, often the scientist's initial intentions have been watered down and sugar coated by advertisers whose primary purpose is to sell the product as opposed to educating about the product. How often do we really get the inside scoop as to what the formulator's original vision was for the product? How often do we learn what idea kept the scientist from sleeping at night? Aren't scientists artists in their own right?
With this in mind, our very own Dr. Jane has been kind enough to take out some time and share her vision for the Advanced Daily Supplement with Phytonutrient Power for Dogs and Cats.
Dr Jane states: When I looked at Life's Abundance and the nutrients a pet is most apt to require more of, I came up with this formula because: I wanted to give dogs and cats the added nutrients without giving them too much because more is not necessarily better. I also felt it very important to create formulas which were as holistic as possible—not just the addition of nutrients, but specific ones that the pets should have and probably would not otherwise get.
I feel very strongly about liver support. The liver works very hard to eliminate waste from the daily metabolism of eating, breathing, living, etc. Even a supplement requires work by the liver. That's why it is so important to support the liver, especially with the amount of toxins pets are exposed to. I also wanted to support the immune system. Not only with antioxidants—which give support one way—but by giving support to the individual ceils that make up an active immune system. That's why I chose the beta sitosterol for our Advanced Daily Supplements.
How To Introduce Your Pet To Natural Foods
Because All Natural and Holistic Pet Foods are concentrated for better nutrition, palatability and digestibility, you will actually feed from 20% - 40% less than other foods. Your pet's breath will improve dramatically, you'll have less waste to scoop and, in the case of cats, litter box odors will decrease dramatically (something the whole family will get excited about).
We believe Life's Abundance is a vastly superior food and that after using it for four to six weeks, you will see a positive difference in your dogs and cats, including sleeker coats, brighter eyes, cleaner breath and increased energy.
Because this food is so different from the majority of pet foods on the market, we recommend that you introduce it to your pets slowly, especially for cats. Over the course of about 7 to 10 days, add a little Life's Abundance to your pet's regular food, each day increasing the amount of Life's Abundance and decreasing the amount of the other food until you've switched the food completely. Example: first two or three days, mix 3/4 of your regular food and 1/4 of the Life's Abundance; next two or three days, mix 1/2 of your regular food and 1/2 of the Life's Abundance; then for two or three days, mix 1/4 of your regular food and 3/4 of the Life's Abundance. Then all Life's Abundance! Naturally, start with less food and work your way up to bowel tolerance (when firm stools begin to loosen).
The most common (and only) complaint I've ever heard from my customers is that their pet has loose or runny stools after switching over completely to Life's Abundance. Their first instinct is to return the food and go back to feeding the ole stand-by (previous fed commercial food). Stop right here - Before even 'feeding' this idea for one more moment, realize again that Life's Abundance is highly concentrated and highly digestible (remember we need to feed LESS?). The first thing to do is cut back on the quantity of L.A. fed. And second, give a tablespoon or two of canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) found in the supermarket. Pure pumpkin works both ways...it hardens loose stools and loosens hard stools, rather quickly too! Freeze in tablespoon sizes, just in case.
After you've switched completely, and bowel tolerance is normal, don't forget to add fresh fruits, vegetables and meats periodically...in between meals, as snacks!
Because Life's Abundance foods are all natural and formulated to help the animal's body heal itself, it starts a cleansing process. Bio-available vitamins, chelated minerals and nutrients are first digested in the stomach - then absorbed into the blood through the intestinal walls. For this reason, Life's Abundance encourages that any diet change to an all-natural food be made over a period of time to allow the cleansing process to take place slowly. This is very important, as any abrupt diet change will upset a dog and cat's stomach and often cause diarrhea. A gradual change is an ideal way to introduce your pet to Life's Abundance and achieve optimal results.
If you want to feed your pet the very best and get paid for doing so please take a look at our Life's Abundance Referral Program. We pay you to tell other people about Life's Abundance and you could get your own pet products free!
