If you’re a large dog food company trying to maximize your profits, then you might consider dogs as omnivores. However, the rest of us, including most holistic veterinarians, indisputably believe dogs are carnivores. By definition, an animal that indiscriminately eats all kinds of foods, of both animal and plant origin, is an omnivore. Humans are considered omnivores. A carnivore is an animal that consumes only flesh. Cats are carnivores. Then there are the herbivores, animals that feed on plants, such as horses and cattle.
All mammals have evolved over time to maximize their survival. So to determine whether your dog is an omnivore or a carnivore, it’s important to look at the unique physical features that their evolution has created.
We can with undeniably certainty conclude both dogs and cats are carnivores based on:
• Dentition, teeth designed to rip and tear food.
• Shortened gastrointestinal tract (2 feet) of a dog, versus the longer GI tract of an omnivore (40 feet, human) or the herbivore (100 feet, cow).
• Fact that dogs lack amylase, a necessary enzyme to break down sugars
• Inability to convert plant based sources of Omega-3 fatty acids into EPA and DHA
Despite consideration for our pet’s health and in order to maximize profits, most dog food manufacturers produce pet foods with ingredients such as grain, corn, flour, soy, sugar and potato. These ingredients are cheaper than real meat and adversely impact our pet’s health and wellness, because they are difficult or impossible to digest.
Can a dog live on this diet? The answer is yes. But they cannot THRIVE and frequently suffer from many unhealthy and costly symptoms such as:
• Obsessive licking, chewing, scratching and biting his paws.
• Smelly skin, ears & coat odors
• Chronic ear and Yeast infections
• Hotspots, Diabetes, Kidney stones and Urinary tract infections.
The good news is that by simple switching your pet to a grain-free and potato-free diet you will dramatically improve your pet´s health and avoid costly vet treatments. The Paw Depot offers FREE Diet & Nutritional pet advice. If you are interested in more FREE expert advice or putting your pet on a better and more speciesappropriate diet, contact the Pet Experts at Paw Depot at 561-338-7450 or visit the Paw Depot store at 1393 W Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33486. Our goal is to help our furry friends enjoy a healthy, happy and safe lifestyle.