FEBRUARY 2022 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 47
COMPANION NUTRITION
WHAT FOOD IS BEST?
BY ALLISON MATOS
Raise your hand if your New Year’s resolution
had to do with changing your
dietary habits. Well, perhaps your pet
should follow suit.
Look no further than the origins of commercially
prepared food many feed their
pets today, according to Clinical Pet Nutritionist
Bronwyn Farley.
“In 1950, General Mills acquired Spratt’s
one-size-fi ts-all recipe,” she says. “This
was the beginning of Purina and other
major food companies such as Pedigree,
Royal Canin, and Greenies, all produced
by Mars Inc. The one-size-fi ts-all mentality
paired with over-processed foods
and over-vaccinating left us facing over
6 million cancer diagnoses.”
The National Cancer Institute reports
that one of four dogs will be diagnosed
with cancer — one out of two dogs after
the age 10.
“‘My dogs have been fi ne on an all-kibble
diet’ is a statement I hear frequently,
and yes, dogs can survive on kibble,” she
says. “All dogs are ok … until they aren’t.
Knowing that there are better healthier
alternatives is half the fi ght.”
Many experts agree that the best
course of action is a balanced diet
that includes proper nutrients, protein,
and fats, and knowing the right
amount of food to provide without
overfeeding. Christine M. Filardi, behavioral
nutritionist, owner of BowMeowRaw,
and author of Home Cooking
for your Dog has seen the benefi ts
of a homemade diet for many of her
clients.
“I would rescue very sick animals
that came home with a
ton of medications and once
we started them with a human
grade diet, their health drastically
improved,” says Filardi.
It turns out the secret to proper nutrition
likely dates back thousands of years, well
before pet stores and commercial grade
pet food became the norm. Filardi recommends
giv- ing your pet a variety
of diff er- ent foods over
the course of
three to four
days.
“When animals
are
in the wild,
they never
eat the
s a m e
me a l
every
day, so rotate proteins, fruits and
vegetables and depending on your pet,
a human-grade probiotic may be benefi
cial,” says Filardi.
If the cost of a homemade diet has you
concerned, consider this: Not only does
the price of kibble and processed foods
continue to rise, but these options typically
contain salt, fats, and sugars which
can lead to dental disease, obesity, and
other health-related issues, all of which
are extremely costly to treat. Another
great tip: Ditch supplements like fi sh
oil and give your pet sardines or anchovies,
foods that contain a direct source
of the nutrient. They’ll defi nitely thank
you for it!
Remember to slowly incorporate
changes to your
pet’s diet and talk
to your veterinarian
about your pet’s specifi c
dietary needs.
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Processed dog food can lead to
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