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WHY PORK SHOULDN’T BE FEED TO DOGS
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For one, PIGS are SCAVENGERS and will eat ANY kind of food, INCLUDING dead insects, worms, rotting carcasses, excreta including their own, garbage, and other pigs. There are many diseases carried from swine to man, particularly parasite infestations. Also, Pigs do not have sweat glands which mean that toxins are not eliminated.
Although, Pork (this includes bacon, ham, pork chop, etc.) in itself is as harmless to dogs as chicken, beef or any other meat, there is a slight risk of your dog being infected with trichinosis by eating pork.
Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a worldwide, food borne disease caused by an intestinal roundworm, uncommon in the United States.
Both humans and pets that eat raw or undercooked meat of infected animals can develop the disease. Undercooked or raw meat of infected animals contains the roundworm. The disease can lead to muscle soreness and pain together with swelling of the upper eyelids in mild cases but can lead to more severe symptoms.
If you would like to feed pork but want to take all necessary precautions, it is recommended that the pork be frozen for 3 weeks to kill the parasite. The most important precaution is to make sure that all fresh pork and pork products are properly cooked. Other raw and undercooked meat should also be avoided, especially meat from wild animals.
Another reason why dogs shouldn’t be fed Pork is the fact that Pork is very rich and contains a thick fat that is indigestible to dogs. It irritates their stomach and can cause them to become very ill (High fat content food causes pancreatitis and pork and turkey skin is the leading cause).
GLUTEN ALLERGIES
Another problem that dog owners are left dumbfounded and confused is when their dogs suffer from some kind of allergy. There are a lot of different kinds of allergies that your dogs may already have or acquire in the future. But today I will be focusing specifically on GLUTEN
SENSITIVITY.
I actually received an email from a subscriber about how she didn’t know that cause of her dog’s allergy was which resulted in a lot of
medication for her dog. But after she changed to another dog food, her dog’s allergy became better and in a few more days was gone. It seems that the allergy was because of her dog’s reaction to gluten. So, thank you very much for sharing your story. : )
Let’s talk more about GLUTEN SENSITIVTY shall we?
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GLUTEN SENSITIVITY
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Gluten allergy, medically described as celiac disease, is a fairly common food allergy in canines. It can develop at any point in a dog’s life and manifests a variety of symptoms, including skin and bowel problems. After diagnosis, a lifelong change in diet is usually required to treat the condition.
But what is GLUTEN?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat and many other flours that’s often added to commercial pet food. Dogs, like humans and other animals, can develop a sensitivity or allergy to it if through repeat exposure or as an acute reaction to a single exposure. Gluten allergy causes the inflammation and destruction of the interior of the small intestine, thus preventing nutrients and vitamins from being properly absorbed.
Moreover, gluten irritates the large intestine, causing colitis, which results in bowel problems. Food allergies at large account for about 10 percent of dog allergies.
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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
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Symptoms of gluten allergy include itchy, flaky, and subsequently irritated skin as well as upset bowels. Other symptoms include hypertension, weight loss, lack of energy and changes in behavior.
In the past, the only way to diagnose a food allergy was to replace the existing diet with one containing none of the same ingredients. Today, a simple blood test can indicate an allergy, although the exclusion diet is still widely employed.
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WHAT TO DO?
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Gluten is ubiquitous in processed pet food and treats and is sometimes omitted from listing on ingredient labels because of its implicit presence in other substances (this includes wheat, cereals and products of animal or vegetable origin). As such, foods explicitly labeled gluten free or homemade meals are the best option for dogs with gluten allergy.
A true allergy cannot but cured, thus the allergen must be removed from the animal’s diet and avoided. A lifelong food can gradually become an irritant or even an allergy over time, thus making initial diagnosis difficult. While a homemade food is the best option for pet owners, there are many varieties of gluten-free diets, although getting a dog to change foods can be difficult. Other common food allergies in dogs include corn, soya, preservatives, beef, pork, chicken, milk, eggs and fish.
To truly limit your pet from developing allergies would be to make your own pet food and include a quality supplement. For more information on both please visit Pamper Pet Care today.
