Showing posts with label Before. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Before. Show all posts

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Three Things to Know Before You Feed Your Cat Homemade Cat Food

Cats that eat homemade cat food are much healthier then cats that eat commercial cat food but some of our food is poison to them. Cats can not have onions, garlic, or chives. Anything in that vegetable family is off limits. It is poison!

Cats also can not have tomatoes, raisins, or chocolate. I've heard of a cat dying from eating just one cherry tomato. Now I'm not telling you this to scare you because your cat will live a much longer, healthier life with homemade food. I just want you to be aware that there are danger foods.

Food

Did you know that cats are truly lactose intolerant? Milk will not kill them but it will make them feel bad. Cats don't have the enzyme to break down the sugar in the milk. If you want to use milk in your homemade cat food use lactose free milk. Lactose free milk is just milk that has the sugar already broken down. You can buy it at any grocery store.

Cats need a lot of Taurine. Taurine is an primary amino acid that is required for the digestion of fats in the small intestine. Taurine is also required for a cat's nervous theory to work, for their sight (without sufficient taurine a cat will lose it eye sight within two years), and for their muscles to work properly. Cats have to get this amino acid from the food they eat. Taurine is found in raw meats. Again this is just something you need to be aware of.

Three Things to Know Before You Feed Your Cat Homemade Cat Food

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Food for Dog With Allergies - Find Your Dog's Allergies Before choosing The Food

No two dogs are the same. For that reason, it isn't easy to determine what may be a food allergy and what is not. Some of the base allergens are grains such as soy, corn and rye. There are proteins that also give dogs some grief in the dog food allergies department. There are dogs that may be allergic to cooked meats and not to raw. Rarely are dogs allergic to chicken, but it cannot be ruled out.

If dry skin is causing itching, it may be a lack of fatty acids in your dog. Some of these may be worsened in the winter by indoor heat. Something as uncomplicated as additives may be all that is requisite to relax the scratching and the itching. It will lubricate the skin and coat.

Food

If you see that your dog is licking, chewing and biting their feet or other parts of their body, dog food allergies are the usual cause. Most pets and dog nutritionists will invite a separate protein source than the dog has been eating. Lamb was once on the list of unusual proteins, but manufacturers have started using lamb as a base and this has lowered its value on the uncommon protein list. Some of the more uncommon proteins are buffalo, rabbit and venison. Some will advise fish as a protein.

Most vets are willing to sell you hypoallergenic dog food. These are very expensive. You can of course prepare your dogs food at home at a much lower price and with tiny effort. There are formulas ready that are grain free and protein free for starters. You can add your uncommon protein to any of these and see how your dog reacts. Often it can provide relief for dog allergies.

If you are switching to a new food, it should be done moderately to prevent intestinal distress. One recommendation is one part new food to 3 parts old food with gradual increases in the amount of new food over a 5 or 6-day period.

Home cooked diets are also gaining in popularity for dog food allergies. It is vitally leading that you verbalize the proper proportion of meat to carbohydrate. Consulting with your veterinarian is one way. There are also sites online that have easy to result instructions and a lot of data ready for you to work with. Eliminating grains and base protein might be the first step, but combining the right ingredients is vital.

Food for Dog With Allergies - Find Your Dog's Allergies Before choosing The Food