There is increasing interest in natural dog health. Many humans are choosing to follow a more natural diet as they are worried about preservatives and chemicals added to foods, and these same additions could quite possibly cause diseases in dogs. Commercial dog food tends to be full of fillers which while they may not be harmful may not be particularly beneficial.
Some health professionals are sure that giving dogs a more natural diet may help maintain them in optimum health. They believe that this kind of diet will give them a nice shiny coat, healthy skin and a healthy body. It has been found that such diets can improve any digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhea.
some dogs benefit from this kind of food if they have allergies. It can be very beneficial for those who are suffering from kidney and liver problems to follow a diet that is natural and organic. Some people choose to provide home-cooked food for their dogs which is high on protein and low on grains.
This can be very beneficial to animals that have chronic problems such as ear infections or allergies. However it takes a lot of time and effort to create menus that are nutritionally sound. It needs to include a lot of high-quality ingredients and a lot of variety to ensure the nutrients come from a lot of different sources.
Good foods to include are all sorts of different meats including chicken, lamb, fish, pork and turkey. It can also include heart liver and kidneys and also cottage cheese and yogurt. One important additive is calcium. This is especially true if you are feeding him a lot of meat as meat contains phosphorus which need to be balanced out by calcium.
It is possible to buy Calcium supplements or to use ground eggshells or bone meal. Organ meat such as liver and kidneys is much more nutrient dense so should be fed in smaller quantities. Protein should make up about half of the diet, and you can also use canned fish a couple of times a week.
Carbohydrates can be included in home-cooked diets and can include potatoes and sweet potatoes but should be a quarter or less of the whole diet. Grains that are beneficial include white rice, brown rice barley and oatmeal and it's best to use a variety. Vegetables are also good for dogs and our best steamed. Leafy greens provide the best source of nutrition however other good vegetables include carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. It's quite difficult to balance a cooked food diet as cooking does destroy some of the nutrients.
Good supplements include fish oil and digestive enzymes. You may find probiotic's useful especially if your dog has had to take antibiotics. There is a lot of advice on special diets for dogs who are ill, but it is always worth checking with your vet first before you follow these diets. A lot of research has been done into the efficacy of herbs, so if your dog is ill it may be worth looking into which herbs would be safe to use. Natural dog health remedies may prove quite effective.
