Pet Owners who Worry about what they Feed their pets...

[Mike 03]

I've asked questions about this here and received great, helpful answers that steered me from the kind of junkfood I used to find in my grocery store for my dog and cat to much healthier food.

Just in case anyone is interested, here are three notes of interest:

1. Fans of the old Art Bell "Coast to Coast" will be happy to learn that one of his most recent "Somewhere in Time" programs was a rerun from Ann Martin's first appearance way back in 1997, when she authored the first edition of "Food Pets Die For", which discussed how rendered animals, including euthanized pets, zoo animals and road kill--fur, tags, collars and all--are used in pet food. If you are a member of Streamlink (and a petowner, I should add), I URGE you to catch this program. Martin won a number of awards for her cutting edge journalism on this topic.

2. The third edition of Martin's book "Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food" was very recently released. It has been entirely updated and it now includes her list of healthy pet foods. She also names names when it comes to telling us which canned and dry foods contain the chemicals that are used to euthanize pets at animal shelters.

3. This may be old news to a lot of you, but Newman (Yes, that Newman: Paul Newman) has an organic line of pet foods now. The canned food had been here for about a month, but today I saw there is dry food too. Although this is not a commercial, it is really the first organic pet food I have ever seen in this town.

So, I'm really happy to be able to report this. I've lost so many pets to cancer, and I've always wondered about how much of this has to do with their diet.

Now I have a black lab and I am sparing no expense to feed him the absolute best I can. He's easy to please: he is the first dog I have ever encountered that likes raw broccoli, red and yellow peppers, and nuts.

Cheers to you and your beloved pets

Health and happiness

[Genevieve]

1. One of my toy poodles used to throw up

some yellow slime (bile?) once a week, and she also used to get that
strange gagging reflex once in a while...I think it's called trachyitis?

When I switched from commercial foods to making my own home prepared organic food
that I bought from the Farmer's Market, all of her symptoms vanished.

[Blandocyte]

2. I used to worry

until I realized my dog likes to eat poop. From there, it's all uphill.

[Critters2]

6. Yeah, it's hard to feel bad about what you're buying to feed an animal

who thinks the litterbox is the dessert tray. :)

[mainegreen]

3. I feed my cat gecko.

[Kali]

4. endangered native song birds are tastier

[Critters2]

7. I feed the beagle Poptarts. She loves them! nt

[emilyg]

5. My cats won't eat Newman - I feed

them Friskies and a good dry food.

[Believing Is Art]

15. Cats are so picky

I tried to get mine to eat Felidae and Newman, but he wouldn't touch them. He's finally settled on California Natural Herring & Sweet Potato and Innova Evo.

[Shell Beau]

8. One of my dogs has terrible allergies. He eats Nature's Recipe

vennison and sweet potato.

[flvegan]

9. My dogs are vegetarian.

I don't feed them shit I wouldn't feed myself.

I'm glad you're really considering what you feed your pets. It's very important to not just feed them whatever crap is on sale at the grocery.

Oh, and Mike, your lab will also LOVE LOVE LOVE hunks of raw carrot. Trust me.

[Gormy Cuss]

10. I used to walk a lab and she would do ANYTHING for a carrot.

The challenge with her was to restrict the amount of carrots she ate. Her poo was bright orange otherwise.:D

[Dangerously Amused]

11. Thanks. Bookmarking.

[RebelOne]

12. I don't feed my dogs pet food.

They get human food. I am a vegetarian, but I buy meat for my dogs. No reason I should force my diet on them. Dogs, being descended from wolves, are carnivores and need meat.

[Orsino]

13. Pet owners should consider: what do I want to build my dog out of?

Spend a bit more for good food, and save on vet bills.

[RockaFowler]

16. Do I agree with this

We started cooking food for the dogs ever since my oldest dog got sick on canned food. They are healthier now and . . . they have no fleas. I haven't given them a flea medication in at least 2 years. And no fleas on my kids.

[WolverineDG]

14. Mine eat bird seed, in particular sun flowers

I was wondering why I had sun flowers growing in all kinds of weird spots in my back yard, & then I noticed the puppy eating the seeds. :eyes:

dg

[tabbycat31]

17. I've tried the "good" cat food for my Tabby

and by "good" I mean brands like Wellness, Newman's Own, Chicken Soup, Felidae, etc. Guess what, the little stinker did not even touch them and wouldn't eat it.

I would love to go higher quality than Friskies, but that's what he eats, so that's what I feed him.