NUTRITIONAL TRUTHS(reprinted with permission from Royal Canin) By products provide valuable nutrients for your pet: AAFCO* defines by-products as suitable for animal food; they are the clean internal organs including liver, lungs, heart as well as cartilage, bone and muscle tissues By-products are a valuable source of energy, vitamins and minerals for your pet Quality by-products are safe and used by pet food companies that follow strict guidelines and standards Grains provide valuable nutrients for your pet: Grains such as corn and wheat are excellent sources of quality protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Many grains are more digestible sources of protein than meat. No evidence to support claims that grains cause health problems excluding the rare dog with a true allergy1 Many “grain free” diets substitute with potato or tapioca (for the grains), which contribute fewer nutrients than grains1 Wheat gluten provides a valuable source of protein for your pet: Wheat gluten is more than 80% protein, 99% digestible and has an amino acid profile similar to other proteins (meat) Chicken Meal is an excellent source of protein for your pet: Chicken meal is dehydrated and defatted chicken and provides a very digestible source of concentrated protein Flax does NOT contain omega-3 fatty acids for your pet: Most veterinary research supporting benefits of omega-3 fatty acids including benefits in dermatitis, arthritis pain, kidney inflammation, and heart disease2, have been done evaluating EPA and DHA (found only in certain marine plants and fish) Flax requires conversion by your pet to achieve EPA and DHA, a conversion which is “uniformly poor”1 Food allergies – not all pet foods are created equally: Food elimination trials are the only way to diagnose food allergies in dogs One recent study showed that none of the over the counter (venison) diets tested were suitable for an elimination trial since they all were tainted with common pet food proteins3 Your veterinarian is the most reliable source for accurate information and management of your pet’s health Organic No official rules govern labeling of organic pet foods but they must comply with USDA National Organic Program regulations No scientific data to back up the “claim” that organic is healthier for pets Organic diets frequently use flax seed as source of fatty acids Flax seeds do NOT contain EPA/DHA Is a description of process (under which plants/animals are grown/raised), does NOT refer to quality of the raw material Raw FDA: does not advocate a raw meat, poultry, or seafood diet for pets No published, peer-reviewed articles supporting health “claims” for raw diets Published reports exist of gastroenteritis and death in animals eating contaminated raw meat foods Natural: Solely from plant, animal, or mined sources not having produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process; exceptions include artificially sythesized vitamins, minerals, or other trace nutrients All Royal Canin® diets contain ingredients (meat, cereals, fats) of natural origin Human-grade & Holistic: Not defined by AFFCO and therefore cannot be accurately used to describe a pet food
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 15:21:51 +0000
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