dog food recall, better alternatives

[Guest guest]

There are great alternatives to the large dog and cat food companies,

who sell food containing all sorts of disgusting things (like ground up

tumors from the floor of slaughterhouses).

My dog Myshkin has been eating vegan food for 8 years now. She is 15

and thriving. I know there are lots of other people on this list

feeding their dogs veg food.

 

Myshkin's current favorite food is V-Dog, but there are at least five

brands of veg dog food sold at Rainbow, Whole Foods, etc (both canned

and dry), and many people cook their own.

 

Myshkin's favorite snacks are oatmeal, broccoli stalks, carrots,

cauliflower and apple slices. Before she went veg she wouldn't touch

this stuff. Her coat is soft and shiny and she's living much longer

than I expected her to, considering that she is a big dog. I am very

lucky.

 

Alex

 

Helpful links:

 

http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHome_gi_meatlessMeals.asp

 

http://petamall.com/compan.asp

 

http://petamall.com/PLPShop.asp?RecordID=212

 

Picture of Myshkin the Happy Veggie Dog:

http://www.v-dogfood.com/tails-gallery.htm

[Guest guest]

I want to second Alex’s mention of

the veg alternative for dogs. I currently have two dogs, one who is 14 and has

been veg for ten years the other a hyperactive cattle dog who is about four.

Both absolutely glow with health and energy. Even my vet has commented on how

healthy they look when they have been in for shots or injuries. I have also

always used veg food for the various rescue dogs I have fostered and all have done

equally well.

 

I have fed various brands of veg dog food

and all seem to work fine. As Alex said there are many brands to choose from. For

the sake of the animals whose misery goes in every bag and the sake of the

health of your dog(s), I can’t recommend trying a veg option enough. And

I’d be happy to answer anyone’s questions about my experience if

you want to e-mail me privately.

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Behalf Of Alex

Bury

Monday, March 19, 2007 5:00

PM

 

dog food

recall, better alternatives

 

 

 

 

 

There are great alternatives to the large dog and cat

food companies,

who sell food containing all sorts of disgusting things (like ground up

tumors from the floor of slaughterhouses).

[Guest guest]

I will also add my positive experience raising vegetarian dogs. I

have been raising many dogs veggie since the early 70s before there

were so many brands of veg dog food available. Back then I cooked

various grains ( rolled or flaked for quick cooking) and supplemented

with soy protein, nutritional yeast, and vegetable oils. It is much

easier now.

 

In fact I have found that many Feed stores and Big Box pet stores

stock vegetarian foods - like Petsmart and Petco as well as you local

feed stores. Brands include Nature's Recipe, Natural Balance, Avo-

derm, Natural Life, Wysong (Vegan). There are probably more out there.

My first veggie dog was a Black Lab/ Irish Setter mix who lived a

healthy 19 years before dying peacefully with no illness or even loss

of appetite. Currently I have a very active 11 y.o. Border Collie /

Australian Shepherd mix. Several of my dogs have been converted to a

veggie diet when they are adults after I take over their full care.

And I have raised veg dogs from puppy age as well.

 

Experiment with the various foods and supplement with fresh raw

fruits and veggies. My dogs have always loved playing fetch with a

carrot instead of a stick which they happily munch away when I let

them stop the game. And I cannot eat an apple without giving them

some, including the core! I usually mix a couple of the brands to

create a mix that both suits them nutritionally and keeps the coat

smooth and shining. Adding a little high quality oil helps too. Watch

how water much they drink after a meal (food is too salty) and

examine their stool when starting them on a new food to see how it

suits them. Since dogs will scarf down almost anything you put in

front of them you can't count on them telling you what they like

(unlike cats).

 

And if friends and family (or even vets) question your food choices

claiming dogs are clearly carnivores you can politely let them know

dogs are actually omnivores. In the wild they eat only fresh raw meat

as about 25% of their diet (and it is always eaten alone without any

other types of food). The rest of their diet is made up of grasses,

berries and other plant based foods.

So I reply if they can be domesticated to eat cooked cow combined

with grains (something they would not do in the wild) then they can

be raised on a plant based diet alone.Many find that doggie breath

and body odor are greatly reduced if not eliminated after changing to

a veggie diet.

 

Here are some websites with more info or just google vegetarian dogs

http://www.ivu.org/faq/animals.html

http://www.vegetariandogs.com/

 

I am also happy to reply to private emails with more questions.

 

 

Eric Borgstrom

(707) 480-8403

eric