any pet owners do not think about the fact that dogs and cats are carnivores. Every characteristic of their bodies’ digestive system and bone structure dictates this fact. Your pets have a short digestive tract, their lower jaw is fixed and does not move from side to side, they have sharp canine teeth with jaws designed and used for grabbing, tearing, crushing and gulping. The most prominent characteristic is the presence of anal glands.
Dogs and cats are "carnivores" (meat-eaters).
Unlike herbivores and omnivores, carnivores do not have the ability to “chew” their food, nor do they have enzymes in their mouth to break down food like we do. The enzymes they utilize to break down food are in the stomach. Therefore, they gulp their food instead of chewing it.
A study conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles by renowned biologist Robert Wayne reveal that a dog’s DNA has only a 1% difference from that of the Gray Wolf. The one percent difference only defines size, shape, coat type and breed. The dog’s digestive system and nutritional needs are identical to those of their counterparts in the wild. Even though our pets are domesticated, dogs remain carnivorous.
Additionally, an international team of scientists discovered that the biggest and perhaps most fearsome of the world’s big cats, the tiger shares 95.6 percent of its DNA with our cute and furry companions, domestic cats.
Dogs and cats cannot digest vegetable fiber in its whole, raw form. For example, if you feed your pet a piece of raw carrot, your pet will expel a piece of raw carrot. However, if ground to a pulp, as is found in the stomach lining of carnivore’s prey, they can digest it. Carnivores will also forage for berries and avocados because they taste good and they are soft enough for their digestive system to process correctly. Nonetheless, there is no nutritional value in fruits and vegetables for carnivores.
Carnivores can’t process or break down grains and carbohydrates like omnivores can.
Pet food companies use grains such as wheat, corn, soy, rice, oats and barley (carbohydrates) as binders and fillers. The problem? Carnivores can’t process or break down grains and carbohydrates like omnivores can. When carnivores eliminate these things, it leaves a toxic residue in their digestive tract that their bodies cannot absorb. This residue, along with the other toxins in commercial pet food, creates a yeast infection that the body tries to expel, resulting in ear infections, warts, excessive shedding, cysts and other skin irritations.
Dogs and cats are barely surviving on commercial pet food. They are completely reliant on what their caretakers feed them. Caring pet owners are becoming educated on the value of providing their pets with raw meat, the substance of which is nutritionally complete and biologically correct for their pet’s genetic make-up.
Consider the actual meat source incorporated into commercial pet food. The meat found in most commercial pet food is USDA Feed Grade (animal grade) meat and is not classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The commercial pet food meat source usually consists of the leftover scraps collected off the floor of the slaughterhouse or meat processing plant. Protein amounts on pet food labels’ “Guaranteed Analysis” can claim anywhere between 20 – 40% protein. However: On the average, less than 1% of that protein comes from the animal parts and pieces that were scraped off the slaughterhouse floor. More than 95% of that protein is derived from all the other toxic and harmful ingredients used to make the commercial pet food.
The dog’s and cat’s bodies must work excessively hard to replenish the depleted body fluids and stomach acids that the dry pet food is soaking up. Anal glands become full, swollen, infected and impacted, causing tremendous discomfort and pain. Due to the lack of natural living proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and probiotics in commercial pet food, we see an alarming rate of hip dysphasia, joint and muscle problems, mild to severe arthritis, brittle nails and teeth, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, body ailments and cancers. For the love of your pets, isn’t it time to give them what they need?
The dog’s and cat’s bodies must work excessively hard to replenish the depleted body fluids and stomach acids that the dry pet food is soaking up.
