For dogs and cat health. Not just heart health. But general health too.
Amino Acids. Are you familiar with what they are? I know this gets just a little bit technical, and it may not be super exciting, but please read this for your pets' health.
Amino acids should be viewed as the building blocks of health for people and pets. The best sources of amino acids are FRESH FOODS.
I'm sure many of you have heard of the 'great' grain free food debate. It's still on-going and there is STILL no proof of what is causing a rare Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. When the report first came out last summer, they blamed Taurine deficiencies. Turns out that most of the dogs tested with this DCM, don't even have a Taurine deficiency in their blood. In about 8 months they've gone from blaming grain free foods for blocking Taurine, to 'oh - well, just go back to a grain based food from large corporate companies and the dog will be fine'. WHAT! Yes really... Keep in mind that "they've" (scientists) have been debating this issue for over 20 years! Really? Yes really... Lamb and rice used to be blamed. Then Beet Pulp. Now grain free and they still don't know. So scientists just don't know.
So while these scientists are kicking around what could be making our pets sick, what I do know (not being a scientist) is a bit of biology. The biology of the dog/cat is that they are carnivores. That they are more than 95% the same as wolves and tigers. The amino acids they need come from animal protein.
So with my extensive, non-scientist, Google, research over the last many many months, I am confident this comes down to TUMMY health, a lack of fresh foods and a lack of amino acids. This is why I have been talking about adding some kind of fresh food to your pets' diet regularly. Even just goat's milk can change their lives and health dramatically. While I'm confident that the dry foods we carry are the best on the market and they are supplementing properly for your pets' health, I don't believe any animal (human or otherwise) should eat an all cooked-only diet for their entire lives.
Let's improve their tummy health by providing some fresh food. Here's why.
Amino acids. While no vitamin, mineral or amino acid is more important than another, Taurine is in the news and it is what's blamed for the DCM issue that keeps popping up... Because the affected dogs have not really shown a deficiency in Taurine, with my research I believe it is that their tummies aren't absorbing nutrients from food properly... Since dogs can synthesize their own Taurine from Cystine & Methionine, (but those amino acids are ALSO sensitive to cooking), adding something like RAW goat's milk to their diet can help their digestion due to its massive content of naturally occurring probiotics and enzymes. Raw goat's milk is also loaded with an amazing content of amino acids from fresh animal based protein. Cats cannot synthesize their own Taurine so it must either be added OR the cat must be fed fresh animal protein.
Keep in mind that the sulfur amino acids mentioned above are also responsible for healthy skin, hair, and eyesight just to name a few. Sulfur belongs to the same group in the periodic table as oxygen! The same group as oxygen! Beyond those three listed above, Dogs & Cats need another 19 amino acids that are the building blocks of good health. 22 total. The best way to get amino acids for your pets (and for yourself) is feeding some fresh food and improving tummy health.
If for some reason you just can't do RAW Goat's Milk, then crack an egg for your dogs a few times a week (preferably organic only as factory farmed eggs have been proven to not contain all the elements an organic egg does). Also add a powdered digestive enzyme and probiotic with fresh water. We stock 3 at the store with a 4th coming in next week.
I thank you all as always for putting your trust in me and my store and the products we carry... I ask you to continue to have faith that adding some fresh food to your pets' diets makes a HUGE difference in their health and vitality.
At Wags to Whiskers, we continue to expand our fresh lines of foods and add ins regularly and continue to focus only on the BEST dry, canned, freeze dried, dehydrated foods available.
While I am not a veterinarian and I am not giving medical advice, I am working to get information to the pet-loving people out there as much as I can. Information is power in helping you to decide what is best for your pets. Much love to you all, and to your pets.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Janelle
Wags to Whiskers
815-436-5957