Does Pet Food Affect Pet's? 

Susanna McIntyre, BVSc MRCVS 

I feed my dogs and cats on Prize Choice (frozen raw minced meat and bone) mixed with liquidized raw vegetables and Pet Plus, with raw chicken wings, drumsticks and quarters 2-3 times weekly.  They sometimes have fruit snacks as well.  They are really healthy and rarely suffer with fleas, ticks or worms. Is this anything to do with their food?  How does Pet Plus help?

Naturally, dogs and cats are designed to eat whole herbivorous animals.  Dogs also graze on fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains.  Herbivores spend much of their time chewing vegetable matter into a pulp to improve its digestibility.  By consuming the gut contents of these animals, dogs and cats obtain numerous essential dietary ingredients which may be missing from a diet comprising parts of animals rather than the whole and which are certainly missing from processed pet foods!  Feeding a supplement such as Pet Plus provides this “grass soup” element in a more civilized form.

When we go on holiday in Scotland in the summer, I take the dogs out for a walk early in the morning and collect freshly killed rabbits from the road for their breakfast.  They really enjoy that! That’s their Full Scottish Breakfast!

The guts of the herbivorous prey are full of partly digested vegetation (prebiotics) which supports the huge number of bacteria (probiotics) living in the gut; they continue the digestion of the vegetation.  All animals need a healthy selection of intestinal bacteria (flora, probiotics) to maintain a healthy digestion which is crucial to their overall health.   

The probiotics in Pet Plus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum, have been chosen as the two most important Lactobacillus species for dogs and cats.  Naturally found throughout the gastrointestinal tracts of healthy animals, these micro-organisms help to defend the body against invading pathogenic bacteria.  Probiotic organisms produce lactic acid and keep the colon environment slightly acid to prevent the growth of harmful organisms; furthermore, lactobacilli are known to produce several antibiotic compounds to further inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms.  Due to the prevalence of broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment which kills the beneficial organisms as well as harmful bacteria, healthy intestinal flora may be lacking.  Supplemental replenishment of probiotics quickly returns the flora balances to normal.  In addition, Lactobacillus organisms have been found to significantly contribute to the reduction of lactose intolerance symptoms.  Yet another benefit of probiotics is their ability to regulate bowel movements and halt diarrhoea. 

As if that wasn’t enough reason to add Pet Plus to your pet’s diet, there are even more essential ingredients! 

Alfalfa is considered highly nourishing and is a rich source of many trace minerals in addition to providing magnesium, iron, B vitamins, chromium, vitamin C and b-carotene.  It is also a prebiotic, supporting the all important gut flora.  Chlorophyll has been shown to have a cleansing action on the body, detoxifying and preventing odours.

Barley and wheat grass are important cereal grasses.  When harvested during their early growth, they not only function as prebiotics to maintain the health of the probiotics, but also they supply vitamins and minerals at levels comparable to the green leafy vegetables.  These green foods are rich sources of b-carotene, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxin (B₆), folic acid, calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, selenium, potassium and numerous other essential phytonutrients.  Additionally, these grasses supply antioxidant activity; recently, the compound 2’-O-glycosylisovitexin has been identified in barley grass which exhibits antioxidant activity greater than that of vitamin E.  Antioxidant nutrients such as those found in cereal grasses are important in maintaining health, largely because of their role in neutralizing free radicals, the main cause of disease.  Antioxidants cannot work properly in isolation so a whole food source is essential.

Flax seed and safflower petals are rich natural sources of the essential fatty acids which play a critical role in the maintenance of a healthy skin and coat.  The essential fatty acids are vital to healthy metabolism and the total health of both dogs and cats as they are part of the structure of every cell membrane.

Taurine is included in the cat formulation as cats synthesize limited amounts of this amino acid. Taurine deficiency is an important consideration for cats as they use more per day than they can synthesize. Cats require taurine for both bile metabolism and vision. Since cats conjugate bile salts almost exclusively with taurine, large amounts of taurine are excreted each day. Taurine deficiency can result in low weight, poor survival, reduced growth, cerebellar dystrophy, vision impairment and myocardial failure.  For this reason, taurine supplementation is considered essential for feline health. Taurine deficiency has also  been implicated in epilepsy in dogs.

The following digestive enzymes are also present in Pet Plus to aid the digestion of the food.

Protease digests proteins to produce amino acids and since dogs do not synthesise essential amino acids, it is of utmost importance that the diet be digestible.  Amino acids are important building blocks, being used by the dog’s body to build muscles, metabolic enzymes, neuro-transmitters and many other biochemicals.  Amino acids supply nitrogen for the synthesis of all other nitrogenous compounds, as well as a back-up supply of energy.

Amylase, glucoamylase and cellulase digest starches and cellulose, respectively, to produce free glucose and break down the plant cell walls to release their nutrients.  Dogs require glucose to supply energy for all life functions.  This is provided by the pulverised raw vegetables which form an essential part of our dogs’ daily diet.  Although fibre digestion is not considered essential for canine health, the break-down of some fibre has been shown to be beneficial, supplying a source of supplemental energy. 

Lipase digests dietary fats, releasing free fatty acids and glycerol.  Dietary fat is a concentrated source of energy supplying four times as much energy as either protein or glucose.  Fats are important to canine health.  Fats act as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins (e.g. A, D and K), build cell membranes, form prostaglandins, leukotrienes and hormones.  Proper assimilation of fats is also important for a healthy skin and coat.

The following two ingredients help the body to repel parasites.

Brewer’s yeast in the dog formulation is a rich source of the B-complex vitamins and is high in the minerals magnesium and phosphorous.  Combinations of brewer’s yeast and garlic have also been found to be effective in reducing flea infestations on dogs.  In addition, brewer’s yeast has a pleasant taste that supports compliance.

Garlic is naturally high in iodine, sulphur, phosphorous, iron, potassium and selenium, as well as the vitamins B₁ and B₃.  This herb/vegetable is well known for its beneficial effects on both the immune and cardiovascular systems.  Garlic has been shown to kill worms and repel fleas.

To summarize, this whole food supplement contains the micronutrients dogs and cats would naturally have obtained for themselves in the wild by eating whole raw animals, especially the gut contents, with dogs and to a lesser extent cats also grazing on fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.