Dogs will eat just about anything. Sometimes that's the problem. Obesity, high blood pressure, kidney failure--all the ailments of mankind are now attacking man's best friend. Modern dog foods and diets are implicated in a host of diseases and maladies that affect dogs. There are ways, however, to ensure that your pet has a healthy life, and diet seems to be the key. There are several well-known diets for dogs; they all have their downsides but overall they are perfectly healthy.
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Commercial Dog Food Diet
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Most pet owners feed their dogs commercial dog food purchased at the grocery or pet supply store. However, with the massive recall in 2007 of certain commercial pet foods, the safety and quality of this dog food has come under question. In the 2007 cases, the culprit turned out to be contaminated wheat gluten from China. Contamination, however, is not the only concern of veterinary researchers. Some ingredients common in commercial dog food have been connected to a number of diseases and disorders in dogs, including allergies, obesity, chronic ear infections, and kidney and heart disease. Veterinarians at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine suggest that consumers look for commercial dog food that is labeled with a guarantee from The Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO.
All-Natural Dog Food Diet
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Some dog foods, commonly sold in pet supply stores, are marketed as "all natural." This dog food is usually organic and contains no chemical additives. Chicken, brown rice, vegetables and organic grains usually comprise this quite expensive dog food.
B.A.R.F. Diet
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Adherents to this type of diet are not suggesting a diet rich in vomit. BARF stands for Bones and Raw Food, or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, depending on whom one is speaking with. The diet is touted as a return to a dog's evolutionary diet. Based on raw meat, finely ground bones, vegetables and fruits, this diet does have its detractors. According to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, 99 percent of the raw meat dog food samples in the study were contaminated with bacteria such as E coli. Furthermore, Dr. Jeffrey LeJeune, a microbioligist at The Ohio State University says that, because of food-borne illnesses, raw meat should never be fed to a dog. Other problems with this diet include intestinal perforations from bones.
The creator of the B.A.R.F. diet, Dr. Ian Billinghurst, claims that this is the healthiest of all diets for dogs as it mimics what they would eat in the wild.
Veterinary researchers at the University of California at Davis say that dog owners need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of any change in a dog's diet.
Vegetarian Diet
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People may be surprised to learn that a dog can remain healthy on a vegetarian diet. According to Dr. John Bauer, M.L. Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, if a vegetarian diet for a dog is carried out properly, it can be just as healthy as an omnivorous diet. Dr. Bauer explains that, in the wild, especially during harsh climatic conditions, if there is no meat around a dog will eat whatever is available, usually plants and vegetables, and there is no known negative health effect from this diet. He cautions, however, that finding a balance of protein in a vegetarian diet for a dog can be a bit tricky. Luckily, there are new commercial brands of vegetarian dog foods coming on the market frequently.
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