Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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This Dogs Naturally Magazine article, "Pondering Produce for Pooches" is a smart discussion about whether or not our dogs need to eat their veggies.
"the most common imbalance I find in dogs eating either home prepared or premade raw diets is the feeding of too many vegetables and fruit."
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
REALLY good article! Thanks for taking the time to brig it to us!
Yeah, finding bits of "untouched carrots" during poop patrol should have been a clue!
Gratefully,
Sally and Happy Hannah
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
You are so funny Sally!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
"Unlike dogs, our saliva contains the enzyme amylase which breaks down starch (contained in some vegetables and fruits)."
Well, dogs do produce amylase, it's just introduced further along in the digestive tract (small intestine) and produced in the pancreas. I believe humans also produce amylase in the salivary glands because we chew our food a little better than dogs do and it spends more time in our mouths. (We also produce amylase in our pancreas.)
I love that this has inspired me to do some more research online. It did make make me curious, because I am looking at supplementing Athena's kibble with some organ meat and vegetables.
I found this very interesting article about how dogs evolved their diet as they became domesticated:
http://www.the-.....riculture/
04/09/13- OSA Diagnosis ~ 04/23/13- Left Forelimb Amputation ~ Carboplatin Chemo (6 total)
July 2006-November 18, 2013
I will always love you, Athena.
Okay, I came back to add a little more, since I believe this article may be slighly misleading at first glance. Cellulose and starch are not the same thing. Us humans eat vegetables, but our bodies can not digest cellulose either. This is that "dietary fiber" that food labels refer to. Cellulose digestion requires the cellulase enzyme, which is in rumnant animal guts (also how termites can live on a diet of wood.) Starch digestion requires the amylase enzyme.
04/09/13- OSA Diagnosis ~ 04/23/13- Left Forelimb Amputation ~ Carboplatin Chemo (6 total)
July 2006-November 18, 2013
I will always love you, Athena.
I remember hearing about that study a few weeks ago, the anti-grain-free crowd was all over it, saying that dogs can indeed eat and digest grains.
Just a note about starch and dogs: Wysong makes a starch-free food that is perfect for dogs fighting cancer. A little off topic but relevant since we're talking about starch.
All kibble contains at least one form of carbohydrates and starches (rice, oats, barley, corn, other grains, potato, peas, tapioca, etc.) in order to decrease costs and bind the kibble formula together. Wysong says that grain free diet manufacturers have only removed high quality grains, such as rice, in favor of other starch ingredients, such as potato and peas, which aren’t any more nutritious.
The underlying issue, says Wysong, remains the same: carnivores are not designed to consume a constant diet of starch.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I switched Athena to Evo Weight Management kibble after her diagnosis since she needed to lose weight--- but it was also the lowest carb dry food I could find. When she was younger, I remember bringing home a bag of high quality dog food (Blue Wilderness), trying to get her off the junk with corn as the main ingredient... She refused to eat it!, so she was on Pedigree large breed most of her life. I kind of feel guily about it now. :/
The grain-free
advertised food seems to be targeted to people that don't read the labels. Replacing corn with potatoes doesn't make the food any better, like your quote says. I like the idea of that starch free food, too.
04/09/13- OSA Diagnosis ~ 04/23/13- Left Forelimb Amputation ~ Carboplatin Chemo (6 total)
July 2006-November 18, 2013
I will always love you, Athena.
Thanks for sharing! My insights (and Rene knows this is one subject I try to keep up to date) are that first, dogs are not wolves. They may share an ancestry, but they are not wolves. Dogs evolved to be scavengers, not just carnivores or herbivores. As a result of this shift, their nutritional requirements do differ from that of wolves. I personally think there needs to be more clinical research on dog nutrition and our vets need to keep up with it (and stop pushing science diet). What information that is out there is scattered and sometimes pure conjecture!
I do believe that dogs need some grains and veggies/fruits for vitamins and minerals and fiber that is usually added into kibble, but it should not make up the majority of the diet. Those fruits and veggies should be cooked a long time until mushy or puréed to make up for the lack of amylase (and keep from finding carrots during dooty duty)
All I know for sure is that switching my dogs to a home diet based on research (settled on a version of dr. Pitcairn's recipes) has done wonders for my dogs over the last 3 years: Healthy weight, healthy skin and coat and teeth, reduction of allergies/ear infections and lots of energy, even as they age.
Barret was diagnosed with Hemangiopericytoma May 16, 2013. Front left leg/scapula/pectoral muscle was amputated on June 11, 2013 and we've never looked back. Follow our story on http://barret.t.....pawds.com/ and read my column on That Pet Blog
Ugh! I don't know what to believe. There's probably supporting evidence out there in the blogasphere that says feeding fruits/veggies is good for our pups. *sigh* In our efforts of wanting to do exactly right by our babies we stress out over these things.
I feed Libby a grain free kibble (Merrick) which, according to petfoodadvisor.com is a 5 star food (out of 5 stars possible). I also add a bit more protein (chicken or beef) along with a small amount of veggies (yes, the rainbow). I read that article and now I think not only am I giving unnecessary veggies but I'm substituting one starch (corn) for another (potatoes and or peas) and that's not good either. They are about #7 & 8 on the ingredients list but still, they are in there.
I am happy to say there is no trace of the veggies in her "business", but I'm left wondering if I'm feeding her properly?
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
It's so hard with so much information out there. Almost makes you yearn for the days when the only choices were Alpo or Kibbles N Bits. OK, maybe not, but still, it's a lot to take in.
In the end what matters is that you are aware of what you're feeding your best friend, and making some kind of effort to feed healthy and stay within your budget. Seems like everyone here is on the same page with that, we all love our animals enough to be conscientious about what we feed them, that's what counts. Don't beat yourself up too much OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I've had pugs for the last 14 years- I think they are about as far away from a wolf as you can get 
. So I don't pay too much attention to trying to feed the pugs like their 'ancestors'.
When I was growing up my parents would buy what was on sale to feed our family dogs- that's what I learned. When I was starting out on my own I didn't have much cash so I did the same thing.
I've done some research, learned from people here, talked to a holistic vet. My goal now is to keep the pugs healthy, lean, feeling and looking good. I feed a combo of home made mixed with a dehydrated mix and add in some supplements. Bottom line is we do the best we can for our pups.
Karen
I agree, everyone here is doing the very best they can for their pups, whether feeing raw, homemade, or high quality kibble (or some combination of those). It warms my heart 
I only wish that more veterinarians were more well versed in dog nutrition.
Barret was diagnosed with Hemangiopericytoma May 16, 2013. Front left leg/scapula/pectoral muscle was amputated on June 11, 2013 and we've never looked back. Follow our story on http://barret.t.....pawds.com/ and read my column on That Pet Blog
Thanks for the input. I won't beat myself up....much 
I agree with everybody here, we do the best we can with the information we have.
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
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