Posted on 02/04/2021 12:49:20 PM PST by Red Badger
Some types of human food might be easier for your dog to digest than dry pellets of dog kibble, according to a new study. Whether or not that more natural ancestral diet results in a healthier dog is another matter, but at the very least, it could get your pet to poop much less (up to two-thirds less, in fact).
The idea that human food is bad for dogs is relatively new, and is historically grounded in marketing, not science.
For thousands of years, humans have been feeding their scraps to canine pets who have slowly evolved to digest them. Commercial dog food, on the other hand, is only a century-and-a-half old and it probably arose as a way to make food waste more profitable.
Today, after decades of unsubstantiated marketing, many pet owners are under the impression table scraps are dangerous for their dogs, while kibble is full of all the nutrients their canines need.
In recent years, however, as the history of 'Big Kibble' has come to light, and certain pet foods have been recalled for safety concerns, homemade alternatives have become much more popular, and many pet owners have begun making the switch to healthy, fresh, organic, grain-free and minimally processed commercial options.
Those words certainly sound healthier, but does that mean they are the best choice? The truth is, we simply don't know yet.
Many commercial pet diets have not been rigorously tested or compared in great detail, even though they technically meet standards for 'complete and balanced nutrition'. It's also unclear how to determine what a dog's 'natural' ancestral diet actually contained and what impact modern food might have on their overall health.
That said, some of the first research on human-grade dog food has now found several perks of skipping the kibble. Feeding dogs a mix of meat and vegetables that we ourselves would enjoy appears to make dogs poop much less than dry food.
When a dozen beagles were given a standard diet of kibble for four weeks, the canines had to eat significantly more to maintain their body weight, the authors say, pooping up to three times as much as when they were given a diet of human-grade ingredients. Compared to fresh ingredients, kibble made dogs poop 1.5 to 1.7 times more.
This implies the nutrients in human food are easier for dogs to digest. What's more, the latter two diets also appeared to modify bacteria in the canine's gut in a way that kibble couldn't.
"As we have shown in previous studies, the faecal microbial communities of healthy dogs fed fresh diets were different than those fed kibble," says nutritional scientist Kelly Swanson from the University of Illinois.
"These unique microbial profiles were likely due to differences in diet processing, ingredient source, and the concentration and type of dietary fibres, proteins, and fats that are known to influence what is digested by the dog and what reaches the colon for fermentation."
The results largely align with previous research, which found fresh or raw meat diets can also alter a dog's microbiome, yet further research is needed to determine how this ultimately impacts a dog's health.
In 2018, Swanson and her colleagues fed eight beagles either a kibble diet, a grain-free roasted diet, or a raw diet. Analysing their physical activity, urine, stool, and blood, the authors found roasted diets were easier to digest than kibble, while both grain-free and raw diets resulted in lower blood sugar levels and higher levels of fat.
But that doesn't necessarily mean these foods are any healthier. A few years ago, some grain-free boutique dog foods were linked to a form of canine heart disease, leading the United States Federal Drug Advisory (FDA) to caution against that type of diet for dogs.
Besides, apart from the health of our pets, there's also an environmental impact to consider. If every pet dog is fed human-grade meat, fish, and vegetables, the consequences for carbon emissions and climate change would be immense.
As such, some scientists are advocating we swap kibble and human-grade food for insect-based diets, which can produce 25 times less greenhouse emissions per kilogram of farming than beef, while using 47 times less land, and using about 20 times less water.
In the end, Swanson says as long as a diet is shown to be safe and meets the nutritional needs of your dog, she considers it an acceptable option. If you want to pay more for premium ingredients, that's up to you.
"To me, the most important thing is testing these new diet formats and products before they are commercially available," she said in 2018.
Until we know more, that seems like a measured approach.
The study was published in the Journal of Animal Science.
https://academic.oup.com/jas/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jas/skab028/6123189?redirectedFrom=fulltext
My brother owned a couple of retired racing Greyhounds that he fed a raw meat diet. You don't need to feed them Grade A meet. Because of their short, fast digestive system they're able to eat lower grades of meet without problems.
Racing Greyhounds are fed a raw meat diet, mainly because it's cheaper and healthier for their active lifestyle. The dogs also didn't care if the meet was frozen or thawed. One aspect of cooked meat rarely talked about is that cooking meat kills off a lot of the nutrients dogs need, such as in bone marrow.
My brother would vary their diet to include raw chicken/turkey, ox tails, etc., as well as the cheaper cuts of beef. He would also include an occasional raw egg or as a treat, canned sardines.
Keep in mind that a dog/cat is able to eat most any type of bone, including fowl as long as it's not been cooked. Cooking is what makes the bones brittle.
Another benefit to feeding the dog/cat raw meat with bones is that the bones/ligaments/tenons clean the dogs teeth while they eat, so there's no need for teeth-cleaning visits to the vet. My brother's vet was impressed with how clean his dogs' teeth were and how healthy their gums were.
The majority of the commercial dog food contains grain which does two bad things to dogs. First it makes their poop larger in volume and softer. The softer poop means that their scent gland doesn't get squeezed as it should. When the dog eats raw meat with bones, it results in small, hard poop, which squeezes their scent gland as it should. Also, the grains get metabolized into sugar which gives them a lot of extra energy, which can cause behavioral problems. Fed a raw meet diet the dogs are a lot calmer.
If your dog/cats is already eating commercial dog food, the best way is to transition them over gradually. Personally, I think your cats would transition a lot quicker because a lot of cats already eat the prey they kill. Even so, it only takes a couple of weeks.
Here's a web site that discusses the process. See: Transition to Raw Dog Food | Guide
“As such, some scientists are advocating we swap kibble and human-grade food for insect-based diets, which can produce 25 times less greenhouse emissions per kilogram of farming than beef, while using 47 times less land, and using about 20 times less water.”
Huh? Insect diet...greenhouse emissions?
I dont know about cats but I know that your dog will offer advice if you ask the right way.
I grew up in a house that always had bushels of food of various types in the basement. On Friday nights our family would turn out all the lights and light candles then get some popcorn and watch the monster movies. The dog hated to be left out. She would run down in the basement and pick out a giant carrot or an apple or a pear or something and bring it back upstairs so she could eat with us.
Over the years all my dogs have always eaten human food, especially the fat, trimmings, and drainings from our meat. Not a one has ever had heart problems (because those claiming that it hurts dogs are extrapolating a lie the government told to hurt you to their dogs but thats another discussion). I continue the practice of letting them get their own bonuses from bushels or right from the garden. Food scraps from the kids, whatever they pick up from my occasional butcherings, and whatever ground squirrel they catch or road pizza they find seems to keep them happy. I dont mean to mislead you, I do keep a bowl of kibble type food out for them but they hardly ever eat any of it.
Its not just carrots and apples and other things you might have already guessed. One of my dogs had a taste for beets nearly as strong as a woodchuck and she absolutely loved radishes. You could always tell the days she ate a few too many radishes because she emitted enough gas to power NYC for a week. Others learned that they liked to steal squash, acorn type in particular. One might think that the rinds are dangerous but since they are eating them raw there are no big sheets peeling off to cause blockage. Since its raw the gnawing of the ribs punches particles off the ribs about the diameter of the dogs tooth. They seem to be quite happy about it.
Sometimes it takes some time to learn. For example, I know they like spinach after theyve tried it. I had a newfoundland that discovered that he liked it so much that in his old age at our meal times he liked to start with a spinach salad with a drizzle of olive oil.
I had a St Dane that used to take a lot of long walks with me when I was younger. Raspberries grow wild here everywhere to the point that its nearly a sort of weed. She watched me enough times that she just started picking her own berries. Sometimes she would pick a few grapes too. Thats a sure way for your dog to damage their kidneys or so they say. Maybe but the small amount she ate never effected her in any way.
Despite what some people will tell you, and maybe specifically because of the fact, none of the dogs Ive owned ever over ate when they had constant access to food their entire lives. They dont eat until they puke and even the ones that are supposedly prone to stomach problems dont have those problems when they know they have no reason to gorge.
Like so many things, I think much of what we are told is fact is really a lot of BS some “expert” made up somewhere along the line and no one ever stuck their neck out to expose it as the lie it is. Youve probably heard that you can NEVER give a dog onions because they will develop skin problems and terrible itching. Never seen it, my dogs eat onions and garlic. They dont care and they dont have problems. Maybe its an early exposure thing like kids and peanuts. My dogs, like my family, drink milk all their lives and neither the people nor the dogs have had any problems.
Anyway, thats my experience. Good luck.
That's because the main ingredient in Kibble is grain, which expands in their digestive system.
The poop is also softer, which means their scent gland doesn't squeezed as it should when they poop.
...
In 2018, Swanson and her colleagues fed eight beagles either a kibble diet, a grain-free roasted diet, or a raw diet. Analysing their physical activity, urine, stool, and blood, the authors found roasted diets were easier to digest than kibble, while both grain-free and raw diets resulted in lower blood sugar levels and higher levels of fat
Again, the main ingredient in most dry dog food, such as Kibble is grain. When the dog eats grains, it gets metabolized to sugar. Just like with children, excessive sugar consumption leads to bad things such as obesity and behavioral problems.
Higher levels of fat translates into a smoother and shinier coat.
One thing not discussed in the article is that a raw meat diet should include raw bones as these clean the dog's teeth and massages the gums, which results in lower levels of tooth decay.
No need to cook any of the meat. Give it to `em raw.
Cooking kills the nutrients they really need.
If you want to really be their friend give them a raw chicken drumstick including the bone. They'll love you for it.
I dont hink it is either but its best to be safe. Just to make sure, instead of beef we could feed our dogs liberals then its all a wash.
My black lab gets either beef broth or chicken broth slightly heated and poured over his kibble. He loves it. His kibble used to sit a little while before he got hungry enough to eat it. Not any more. Ever since I started adding the broth to his food he devours it right away.
I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in their row house off Eastern AvenueMy sister lived there in the mid-80s. We'd park in her driveway, walk to the stadium, buy peanuts from the hawkers on the way, and enjoy amazing baseball. Great times.
Indeed! And we played real life games, even tackle football without equipment.
When I was living with my dog and 3 others their diet was almost exclusively raw chicken backs.
I’d pay some kid to park in their driveway and walk. Memorial Stadium was a great ballpark.
And you’ll need to wipe with a whisk broom.
Have no idea what you are talking about...
I was a hillbilly. We were very poor and did what was necessary to survive.
And no, we didn’t use corn cobs in the outhouse, but did use an outhouse.
We have seven cats. I consider them well fed. They are offered at least 1/4 can of good canned food morning and evening as well as free choice Iams kibble that I consider an average food. Some will eat nothing but canned food and some nothing but kibble while others binge eat one or the other.
I have one svelte gray cat that is gluttonous and bolts her food then trots off for treats. If she gets the urge she will go out and kill a rabbit then eat the whole thing. She never gains an ounce. Oh to be able to eat like a pig and never gain weight.
One of the other rescue kids is a highly modified Siamese named Noodle. He is so fat he can’t clean his butt but remains happy. He will eat anything he can find or run down if it is not too fast.
I have one that has mouth problems, has had a bit of a rough go of life and such so he lives in the house with his sister who is tiny. He comes and goes to the outside. The both get Sheba which I just bought today and am finding harder all the time to get. The math is easy, 4# for 20 bucks or 5 bucks a pound. I’m thinking boiled ground up turkey would be cheaper and better for them and if fortified with a few vitamins better yet. If that I would have to figure out how to keep enough frozen and thawed for them all.
Friskies canned is /$2.20 a pound and turkey could compete well with that as well. I have a crawfish pot with gas burner. Sounds like an all day outside project to put it up in maybe gallon containers and freeze it. I’ll bet a lot someone has a recipe.
Enough of crazy cat person stories.
We had one named King. When we shucked corn and put it out for the horses King would guard the shucks not letting the horses near them. He did not want the shucks of course but he would not let the horses have them either.
We can’t have a big dog out here if we let him run because the people with cattle will shoot them on sight and I won’t keep one penned up.
I did a test run of Paws and Claws from Tractor Supply. The cats refused it. If hungry enough they would probably eat it but would do me harm in retribution. The stuff is horrible. I don’t think even a maggot would willingly eat it.
Thanks for that link. I’m going to give homemade a try soon for the cat gang when I find some decent protein on sale.
I’ve thought about going on a meat hunt and get them a deer, cutting it up good, boiling it down and then macerating it.
Poetic justice would be to feed them coyote or stray dog.
And they never refuse to eat it!......................
Yep! along with the Rachel Ray ‘Hunger in America’ PSA’s.............
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