Big Dog Pet Foods Blog
Oils ain't Oils - the truth about Oils (Omega 6 & 9) What every trainer should know.
Wed, 30 Nov 11
We have all heard this statement before, but do we really understand what this just might mean in the animal industry, and for our own personal health? When we discuss oils, for health and performance, essentially we are chasing the “essential fatty acid (EFA)” component of the oils. These are the “essential” fatty acids that the body does not manufacture; therefore we need to obtain them from our diet. The presence of fatty acids in our diet is now considered an absolute necessity for maintaining and promoting health. It is important to remember that EFA’s must be provided and available in their “natural” state, or form. This is the most important point when deciding on the oil you are about to supplement with. If we get this wrong, we can be absolutely sabotaging the very reason why we are trying to include oils in our performance animal’s diet.
How much should I feed my Dog?
Wed, 26 Oct 11
As a general rule of thumb we can use the following table as a guide line. The table reflects volumes of foods in grams and also converts it to number of Patties for those of you who are feeding Big Dog BARF Patties (which weigh 250g each) This is recommended as a guide only and no one knows your dog better than you. Consistent monitoring of your dogs weight is important, and adjustments to the volumes might be required. Remember just like you or I, every dog is different, has different energy requirements, and metabolisms. What is right for one dog may not be right for the other. Please ensure you monitor your dogs’ weight, and adjust their feed accordingly if you notice weight gain or weight loss. Other important factors to take into account might be • Current life-stage (Age) • Exercise levels • Climate (temperatures)
Feeding BARF to a Diabetic Dog - is it safe? What is recommended?
Mon, 17 Oct 11
Barf or raw food is a great alternative............especially for a diabetic dog.....the dry food is the very culprit as to why the blood sugars are spiking and the need for insulin injections. Insulin acts as the balancer for blood sugar spiking helping to bring it back to a normal level. Another inclusion though in the diet for this dog that I would recommend is Magnesium. I would believe it has been on a "dry' diet most of its life, and therefore would have exceptionally low levels of this mineral. Why? Cereals, have very poor levels of Magnesium. Cereals are grown in the ground, and our over-farmed, polluted soil, now has very minimal Magnesium levels. The other reason why he/she wouldn't be receiving adequate levels is cereals also have 'phytates," these combine or attach themselves to the good vitamins and minerals being fed to the dog, and results in these nutrients being unavailable for absorption.
Thaimine, Vitamin B and Sulphur Dioxide in Pet Foods - What you should know
Sun, 17 Jul 11
The recent stories on the addition of “Sulphur Dioxide,” used as a preservative in Petfood and depleting the Thiamin (B1) levels, is a welcoming story that helps to get the message across to the consumer of the dangers of a billion dollar industry praying on the un educated, due to the massive marketing dollars that are available through the huge profits made from a bag of overly manufactured and heat-treated by-product called “biscuits and kibbles.” We also then have to include the “canning” procedures and also included would be the cooked foods that are presented to the consumer as healthy choices for their beloved family member. Simply put, these foods are very similar to feeding children “Fast food” twice a day, the ultimate conclusion – malnourishment! They contain a by-product produced from these companies, and realise that with some more fancy additives, and synthetic vitamins added, then this represents a balanced meal for the dog and cats. This is a pure profit driven choice.
