The Myth of 100% Complete Processed Pet Food

photo by Nyboer Creative

For anyone (like myself) who was forced to “enjoy” a “meal replacement” diet at any point in their lives, you know just how dull and dreary a liquefied diet can be. After I endured the grueling task of having my braces tightened every six weeks, I enjoyed such a diet as my gums and teeth were too sore to chew for a good 3 to 7 days at a time.

I could not conceal my misery during those weeks, nor after a surgery I had which again landed me back on the liquid diet train. Heck, even liver and vegemite were beginning to look appetizing by the end!

It was shortly after my boring diet of mush and protein junk shakes that I would fall ill (those things are NOT 100% complete, let me tell ya…) and be stuck on the couch sucking back chicken noodle soup. As I looked at my dog during those days, I felt a stab of pity and guilt. This poor creature has been eating the same “100% Complete” pet food for the past 3 years without ANY variation in his diet, apart from a biscuit or two a day. What was I doing to my pet?!

Not only does common sense alone tell us that eating the same thing for every meal for more than even a DAY is incredibly dull, but it also tells us that there is no way that some food made mostly from cooked, processed grains and ground up excess animal bits can possibly be nutritious for our pets.

“Gourmet.”   “Balanced.”   “Delicious.”

What a joke. No matter how “premium” or how highly recommended a certain processed pet food is, they all contain the same junk: loads of grains (also known as ‘filler’) and left over animal parts that have been deemed unfit for human consumption. Wonder why? Because they lack the important nutrients that we human beings require to sustain ourselves.

Here’s a reality check for you: these mulched up horse and cow hooves and hairs also lack the essential nutrients that our pets need to be healthy and to survive.

Think of living on a 100% fast food diet. Sure, we’d live and be alright – for a while. But as time passes and as our bodies continue to lack the nutrients necessary to live a QUALITY life, we begin to deteriorate. Illness befalls us, our mental state begins to decline due to improper nutrition, and we usually begin to feel chronically sick after a while.

This is what we are doing to our pets.

Not only that, but due to the inferior products that are used to create this “Completely Complete!” pet food these “left over’s” that are ground up for our animals’ consumption are often plagued with disease. Do any of you pet owners recall the Melamine issue just a few short years ago? This disease that was found in dog and cat foods alone caused disease and deaths for many of our beloved pets. Many animals that suffered from Melamine poisoning now live with chronic issues that have not only nearly obliterated this animal’s quality of life, but it has also nearly obliterated these pet owners’ wallets, given the rather large vet bill they receive on a regular basis – and this is only one of the several issues that have arisen recently.

So what’s the answer? A raw food diet. Just as we humans should have raw foods be the basis of our diets, so should raw foods be for our beloved pets. It will take a bit more planning and thought, as you will need to create a meal plan for your pet to ensure that they are receiving the necessary nutrients. But despite what vets and pet food companies may lead you to believe, this is far easier than it may seem. Check out a couple of websites on the raw food diet for pets and take some of their suggestions down. Try it out once or twice a week at first to see how you and your pet adjust, and I promise you – you will definitely have a happier, healthier pet and a MUCH cheaper vet bill in the long run!