Pet Nutrition Pro

Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

Basic Raw Information



Hi friends. I get asked frequently two questions: "How do I balance a raw diet?" "Can you share a raw recipe?" Both are fantastic questions but more complex to answer than some people may realize.



In practice, I have a complete health history of the dog I work with, which often includes bloodwork. This information helps me cater and tailor not only the nutrition recipe itself to the individual dog but also the supplement plan. Bloodwork may reveal a deficiency, potential organ dysfunction, or inflammation, basically any information requiring special attention. This recipe is based on the average healthy dog. If your dog has a medical condition or is extremely underweight or overweight, don't hesitate to contact me for a consultation so I can create the best possible plan and outcome.



Healthful Additions to Raw Feeding:

Blueberries every few days

Raw Goat Milk or Cow Kefir daily or every other day

Bone Broth daily or every other day



Vital Information Regarding Raw Feeding:



Any ground raw meat purchased from grocery stores must be frozen for at least three days.

Why? Grocery stores expect all the meat they grind up and sell to be cooked. Therefore, they often don't clean and sanitize their grinders very well. The meat becomes contaminated with foreign harmful bacteria that the dog's gut usually cannot tolerate.



Do Not Mix Kibble With Raw.

Why? Kibble and raw have different digestion rates and break down very differently within the body. Kibble is chronically dehydrating due to its lack of moisture, as raw meat is usually 70% water. When we mix the two, diarrhea can occur in large quantities.



Alternative:

Give a probiotic; Four Leaf Rover has a few great options. Give raw goat milk and bone broth, and switch your dog to a high-quality wet food such as Zignature if they are on kibble. Move from wet food directly to raw—no mixing is needed.



The Lactose Concern in Milk.

Although dogs don't produce enough lactase to break down milk products properly, and they can experience gastrointestinal discomfort - when we give our dogs raw goat milk or cow kefir, they don't experience any issues. Why? Raw goat milk and cow kefir are not pasteurized, meaning they contain all of their wonderful and naturally occurring probiotic and prebiotic bacteria needed to keep your dog's gut in check. These wonderful bacteria predigest or break down the lactase so your dog can consume the milk or kefir without issues.



The Vitamin D Concern

Dogs cannot absorb vitamin D from the sun. Additionally, they don't manufacture it in significant amounts. Therefore, it must be obtained through their diet. Eggs are a good source. There is no debating about cage-free eggs - the eggs will not contain adequate vitamin D levels if the chickens are kept in tight coops and never see the sun. Small oily fish are another great source. Sardines, anchovies, and other small oily fish must be wild-caught to have significant vitamin D.



The Taurine Concern

Taurine is an essential amino acid for dogs. Unfortunately, many commercial and homemade diets are either chronically deficient in taurine or have taurine blockers or inhibitors such as lentils, legumes, or sweet potatoes. The primary concern with taurine deficiency is that it can cause cardiac health issues, specifically a condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy, which can be deadly. Although my recipe contains heart rich in taurine, this often isn't enough for all dogs, which is why I recommend supplementing with a whole food taurine, and Herbsmith is my favorite.





Why Does Organ Meat Matter?

Organ meats contain many essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain a healthy weight, muscle, shiny coat, and heart health. Diarrhea occurs when we feed too much, and constipation can happen when we provide too little.



Why Egg Shell/Bone is Important?

Bone and eggshells are excellent sources of phosphorus and calcium. They also help to balance the food to prevent diarrhea.



Why is Ginger Root Important?

Ginger root supplies manganese, a joint supporting trace mineral deficient in meat but required for good health.



Why is Kelp Important?

Kelp powder is added to raw diets to provide iodine, which isn't found in meat but is essential for good health.



Why Doesn't My Recipe Contain Synthetic Multivitamins?

Dogs best assimilate nutrients when obtained through their diet.

All necessary and required nutrients can be obtained through diet.



Do All Dogs Get Diarrhea When Fed Raw?

No, typically, diarrhea occurs when the gut or immune system is weak.

In my practice, before transitioning dogs to raw, I ensure that their gut and immune system health is ideal to prevent diarrhea from occurring.

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Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

Harmful & Appalling Ingredients Found in Dog and Cat Food:



1. Ground yellow corn:

Corn is a low-quality and cheap plant-based protein source found in most processed kibble and used as a carbohydrate and energy source. However, dogs can only digest about 54% of the corn in their dog food. Unless it is slow-cooked at lower temperatures, your dog or cat will hardly get any nutritional value from ground yellow corn.



When the first ingredient listed on the bag is corn, it screams low quality to me, and here is why:

Dogs and cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they cannot thrive and, in most cases, survive healthily without high-quality meat. They DO NOT have high enough levels of the digestive enzymes necessary to break down carbohydrates. This is why the only grains, fruits, and vegetables they eat are predigested and found within the intestinal tracts of animals they eat and only in minimal amounts.



2. Meat and bone meal:

Meat and bone meal, according to AAFCO, is:

"The rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach, and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices." This part of the animal, especially in dense meal form, is high in protein, so it will boost the protein percentage in the food, and your pet probably won't mind eating it (dogs and cats often eat some questionable things). Still, meat and bone meal isn't a good quality part of an animal. Plus, it can come from any animal sometimes; this means roadkill, rejected or contaminated grocery store meat, or euthanized animals. Typically, this is also cooked at very high temperatures and lacks nutrients.



3. Soybean meal:

Soybean is a plant-based source of protein. But it's a plant source of protein, which means it's not as good for your carnivore as animal protein. Plant-based proteins are less bioavailable and don't contain all the amino acids necessary, which would be found in meat. Again, it can boost the protein percentage in the food without the manufacturer having to use much or any real meat.



4. Poultry by-product meal:

Poultry by-product meal comes from any or assorted poultry, so it's not quite as generic as "meat by-product meal," but it's not a named protein source. As a by-product meal, it includes "ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices." Again, your dog or cat might be okay with this ingredient, but it is considered a LOW-quality ingredient.



5. Animal fat

Animal fat (preserved with BHA and citric acid). Animal fat is a generic fat. You don't know the source of this fat. It could come from any animal. Additionally, the fat has been preserved with BHA – Butylated hydroxyanisole. BHA and BHT are antifreeze agents. BHA is used as a food preservative, but it has also been linked to cancer. Many pet foods today avoid using artificial preservatives and instead use more natural preservatives such as vitamins C, rosemary extract, vitamin E, and Citric acid. Another preservative to look out for is ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin poisoning has taken the lives of many pets; it results in elevated liver enzymes and liver disease.



Corn gluten meal and brewer's rice are other ingredients in many kibble brands.

Corn gluten meal:

Corn gluten meal is another ingredient often used to boost the protein percentage in dog foods. Indicating that the animal protein sources are extremely low quality and don't have much if any, nutritional value.



Brewer's rice:

Brewer's rice is a by-product of rice milling. It's described as the small milled fragments of rice kernels separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. Brewer's rice is a processed rice product that lacks many nutrients in whole ground rice and brown rice, reducing the quality. It can add texture to dog food, but it's not a desirable ingredient as it is just the discarded or rejected pieces of rice that are not fit for human consumption.



Ingredients that warrant serious concern:

In addition to the artificial preservative BHA (which can cause cancer in pets), when the food contains many dyes and artificial colors, such as titanium dioxide, yellow #5, yellow #6, red #40, and blue #2, are cause for concern. Pets don't need dyes and colorings in their food; some of these dyes have been linked to varying diseases and the development of harmful carcinogens in our pets. Carcinogens are cancer-causing and forming agents that are commonly found in pet food.

When the food also contains menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity) – a synthetic form of vitamin K. AAFCO and other dog food governing departments have not determined that vitamin K is necessary for dogs.

Natural vitamin K is easily found in fish meal, liver, kelp, and other sources and is easy for your dog to metabolize and assimilate through diet.

The same is not true of synthetic vitamin K.

It has been linked to weakened immune systems, hemolytic anemia, allergic reactions, toxicity, and other problems. I would be especially concerned when lentils, legumes, and sweet potatoes are present in grain-free foods, as these ingredients block taurine absorption and lead to taurine deficiency. Dilated cardiomyopathy is linked directly to taurine deficiency and is thought to be the entire cause.

Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

A Holistic Approach to Parasites in Pets:



Intestinal parasites are common in pets. Common causes of intestinal parasites in pets include but are not limited to ingesting a parasite or its eggs in contaminated water and, in some cases, food, licking items, or surfaces contaminated with f***s from an infected animal. They can also spread from pet to pet through their f***s. Luckily, many alternative interventions for parasitic infestations generally have few side effects from the drugs conventional practitioners often prescribe for pets. You can check your pet's stool for parasites or send the sample off to be examined by a lab. Laboratory testing is much more definitive and what I recommend to most pet parents. You can drop off a specimen at your pet's primary veterinary office for analysis, or if your pet doesn't have a primary, you can buy a test kit online without needing a script from a veterinarian.



Alternative Interventions for Parasites:



Pumpkin seeds contain this incredible amino acid called cucurbitin, which paralyzes and eliminates parasites in your dog or cat's intestinal tract. This amino acid can lose potency, so I recommend grounding and giving immediately. You can accomplish this by putting whole organic pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder.

Therapeutic Dosage for Pumpkin Seeds: 1/4tsp per 10lbs of body weight one to two times daily until parasites clear



Raw diets are exceptional for preventing infestations because they maintain the health of the digestive tract and the animal's general health, making their gut less hospitable for parasites.



When fed briefly, coconut oil can kill intestinal worms and works well. It can even rid your dog or cat of tapeworms, roundworms, giardia, and other parasites. When an animal consumes coconut oil, their body converts lauric acid to monolaurin, which is a monoglyceride that has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of viruses, bacterial infections, tapeworms, giardia, and many other parasites as well.

Therapeutic Dosage for Coconut Oil/MCT:

1/8tsp Cats, 1/4tsp Small Breeds, 1/2tsp Medium Breeds, 1tsp Large Dogs, 1tbsp Giant Breeds, up to twice daily

Coconut oil can cause diarrhea in some pets initially.

I recommend starting with half a dose.

However, to prevent parasites, I recommend MCT oil given daily.



When fed daily for two weeks, food-grade diatomaceous earth also works as a deworming agent. All parasites are typically eliminated within a week when fed daily, but it can be provided for up to thirty days safely to eliminate all internal intestinal parasites.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is known to eliminate whipworms, roundworms, pinworms, and hookworms.

Dosage:

1/4 tsp for kittens

1tsp for large cats

1 tablespoon per day for dogs over 55lbs

1 teaspoon per day for small breeds and puppies

How it works:

Diatomaceous earth has microscopic sharpness and a strong drying effect. It can dehydrate the exoskeleton of insects and intestinal worms, ultimately killing and expelling parasites from the body.



Carrots are high in vitamin A and can help expel intestinal parasites.

Coarsely chopped carrots scrape the walls of the stomach and gut as they are digested, removing harmful mucus and even parasites that build up in these walls.



Highly Active Antiparasitic Agents for Severe Infestation:



Olive leaf contains oleuropein, a phytochemical that is effective for expelling parasites from the intestinal tract. Extracts with 12% oleuropein or higher are the most effective.

Therapeutic Dosage For Olive Leaf:

Do not exceed 20mg for cats

Small pup-150mg per day

Medium pup-250mg per day

Large pup-500mg per day

Olive leaf can be given for up to 8 weeks.



Oregon grape is a powerful antiparasitic agent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Oregon grape can be slightly harsh on the liver, so make sure to give with a high-quality milk thistle such as HerbSmith and give your animal plenty of access to water. That being said, it is not safe for animals with liver disease. It is also not recommended for nursing pets.

Therapeutic Dosage for Oregon Grape:

Around six drops per 10lbs of body weight for cats

Around twelve drops per 20 lbs of body weight for dogs

I do not recommend long-term use, especially for prevention.

This herb should be reserved for infestation.



Homeopet Wrm Clear

Homeopet has formulated a homeopathic dilution for pets that focuses on eliminating all present parasites.



My Guide to General Prevention Practices:



(1) Feed a biologically appropriate diet. Raw diet (80:10:10)



(2) Supply a prebiotic and probiotic supplement for maintenance.

Provide digestive enzymes specifically for older pets as their enzymes decrease with age or if your pet is on a moderate to high carbohydrate diet. Along with a gastrointestinal targeted anti-inflammatory and gut healing protocol if gut damage or dysfunction has occurred.



(3) Apple cider vinegar in pet's water.

It creates a more alkaline digestive system, a less desirable environment for parasites, and one where survival is difficult.

Therapeutic Dosage for Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2-1tsp for all pets



The healthier your animal's gut (gastrointestinal tract) is, the less inhabitable it will be to parasites.

Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

Are Foxtails The Meance Veterinarians Make Them Out To Be?



Foxtails can pose quite a threat to dogs.



Foxtail is a generic name for tall, sway-like grasses with groupings of spiky, arrow-like hairs. They look similar to the tail of a fox.



Grasses with foxtails are most common in the Western US states, specifically in California.



Even though foxtails exist and veterinarians are correct about their potential threat to dog health, surgical intervention, and treatment methods aren't always necessary.



If you catch foxtails early enough, you can often easily remove them from your dog using tweezers. It should be noted that foxtails can pe*****te quite quickly and then become very deeply embedded.



When foxtails pe*****te and become deeply embedded, conventional veterinarians often recommend removal surgically, usually under local anesthesia, but in some cases, general anesthesia is used.



However, there is an easier and safer alternative method. In my naturopathic pet practice, I utilize homeopathy to resolve this issue gently, safely, and effectively; no surgery is needed for my client's pup!





Aconitum Napellus 30C is my go-to remedy for any dog that appears to be in shock, stressed, or presenting with any abnormal behavior. I often give this remedy after a dog has been stung by a bee or wasp, especially when they have a foxtail. I give 1-3 pellets every 15 minutes for up to 4 to 6 doses or until I see improvement in presentation.



Chamomilla 30C is best for highly emotional dogs that whine at the slightest touch. I give 1-3 pellets every 15 minutes for up to 4 to 6 doses or until I see improvement in presentation.



Hepar Sulphuris 30C is one of my best remedies for ear and other skin infections. This remedy is indicated for chilly or cold patients. Another indication is high-level sensitivity to pain. Hepar works by drawing an abscess to a head, resulting in helping to draw the infection out. I give 1-3 pellets 3-4 times a day. Discontinue remedy when the infection clears.



Silica 30C can help expel the seed. I give 1-3 pellets of Silica 3 times a day. Discontinue the remedy once the seed is expelled.



Silica 30C is amazing for the expulsion of foreign bodies from tissues. In practice, I often use it for embedded splinters or porcupine quills.

Note: The foxtail often takes 1-2 weeks or longer to surface fully.



Symptoms of Foxtails in the Ear:

Sudden and extreme irritation in the ear

Scratching or shaking his head violently, trying to dislodge the seed

Rubbing the ear with his paws

Tilting the head

Rubbing his ear on the ground incessantly

Ear is red, swollen, and painful to touch

Holistic Pet Practitioner here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

The Problem With Processed Pet Food (KIBBLE):



1. Not Species Appropriate

Kibble is not species-appropriate for our pets.

Let's get technical. Dogs are facultative carnivores. Meaning they have a very high amino acid and meat requirement. They can survive on a plant-based diet, but they cannot thrive. They adapt but can be plagued by all sorts of health consequences of malnutrition. This is why I consider dogs to be obligate carnivores. That being said, cats and (dogs) are obligate carnivores. They are not omnivores, meaning they do not have a choice regarding having meat in their diet. They NEED large amounts of meat to thrive and avoid malnutrition and deficient delated disease. Fruits, vegetables, and occasionally grains are found to be predigested in minimal amounts within the digestive tract of the small animals they are supposed to consume.



Dogs and cats do not manufacture significant levels of the digestive enzyme amylase (the enzyme necessary to break down carbohydrates) present within their bodies. Still, they have PLENTY of lipase and protease enzymes. This makes sense as protease and lipase break down fat and protein, essential for their high-protein diet. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates, which is why it ISN'T found in abundance in the body because dogs and cats do not require it, or expanding on that thought, they do not need plant matter. Their teeth are made to cut meat and chew on bones, and they do not have the teeth required to grind grain.

Coupled with the fact that they don't produce enough digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates, we know that dogs and cats are not omnivores and have no choice regarding meat consumption. Additionally, dogs share 98.8% of their DNA with wolves. They can even interbreed because these two species are so similar. Cats share 95.6% of their DNA with tigers.



The Alternative

Raw food is very beneficial for overall health and is considered species-appropriate, and here is why:

Raw food is fantastic for digestive health.

Raw food can help naturally expel and prevent intestinal parasites and intestinal infections from occurring. Raw food also starves cancer and inflammatory cells. Fruits, vegetables, and sometimes grains are found to be predigested in minimal amounts within the digestive tract of small animals they consume. The most species-appropriate diet is the raw food ancestral diet, an 80:10:10 ( 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organ) or whole ground animal. This supplies all the needed nutrients, including plenty of taurine, abundant in the heart muscle, and some other meats such as beef tongue. A taurine deficiency can cause dilated cardiomyopathy. Although dogs can manufacture this amino acid in small amounts, it is still required in the diet. Cats cannot manufacture taurine even in those small amounts, so their requirement is slightly higher than dogs and is mandated in their diet. When pet manufacturers switched to grain-free food formulations and added lentils, legumes, and sweet potatoes to their food, taurine absorption was inhibited, and a fatal heart disease that was almost nonexistent became prevalent. Taurine inhibitors should be avoided.



2. Oxidization Of Fat

The fat within kibble oxidizes and becomes rancid when exposed to light, air, or heat, which increases free radical damage throughout the body (linked to cancer). When you open your pet's bag of kibble, the air gets in, and oxidation occurs. Air, light, and heat all increase the oxidation process of the processed kibble. Oxidation may occur before you even open the bag during shipping and processing. And every time the amount of oxidation increases so does the health risks associated with consuming the rancid fats within the kibble. The fats and oils in the dry kibble are very susceptible to oxidation. So, every time you open the bag, the fat particles break down into more minor compounds, such as malondialdehyde (a marker of cancer risk), and the fat within the food becomes rancid.



Problems with rancid fat in food:

Rancid fats destroy vitamins and minerals, which leads to vitamin and mineral deficiency and overall chronic malnutrition in our pets, making them more susceptible to disease, injury, or illness.

Dogs and cats are often vitamin D deficient because they cannot absorb it from sun exposure. It has to be attained through diet, but most diets are chronically vitamin D deficient due to low-quality sources, whether supplemental or food. In lab studies, pets suffered vitamin, fat, and protein deficiencies when fed diets with rancid fats.

Rancid fats have also been linked to many other health issues, such as malnutrition, hair loss, diarrhea, liver and kidney disease, reproductive problems, cancer, and even death.



3. Overcooked & Processed

Kibble is overcooked and processed at extremely high temperatures.

It contains very few nutrients because of overcooking and using low-quality ingredients, so they add tons of synthetic vitamin and mineral premix, which is less bioavailable than whole food sources. As we previously discussed, dogs are essentially obligate carnivores just like cats, meaning they NEED high-quality meat in their diet to survive and thrive. (We know this because they have plenty of the digestive enzymes necessary to break down meat protein but not many enzymes that break down carbohydrates and plant matter.) Most kibble contains low-quality meat and many plant-based proteins and amino acids that aren't bioavailable to our pets.



4. Digestibility

Our pet's digestive tracts were made for digesting raw meat with a high water content. Pets on kibble typically pass substantial stools daily, often multiple times a day, because their body doesn't absorb much, if anything, in their dry food. Because of the high water content, raw passes through the digestive tract much quicker. The body assimilates almost everything, so the stools are small and infrequent. Pets barely drink water on a raw diet because they are so well hydrated by the water and moisture within their meat. Finally, the digestive systems were made to tolerate the bacteria within the meat, which is why the gut microbiome of raw-fed dogs is typically so healthy, and they continue to pass small stools and do not present with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or gastrointestinal symptoms as dry fed pets can.

Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

Dangers of Antiparasitic Drugs for Pets



Conventional vets often prescribe antiparasitic drugs or dewormers when your adult dog, cat, puppy, or kitten tests positive for intestinal worms.



Many veterinarians will also suggest worm preventatives to help reduce the risk of your pet getting worms. Additionally, many veterinarians and breeders will deworm kittens and puppies at every check-up before six months without testing for parasites.



However, deworming medicines, also known as worming meds, have side effects and can cause long-term problems for our pets. (It is also important to note that healthy adult dogs and puppies shouldn't need routine deworming.)



Antiparasitic agents work by poisoning the worms, but they aren't selective with what they destroy within the system. So, these drugs can also kill or destroy the beneficial organisms or bacteria in your dog's gut.

Additionally, these drugs can cause deeper imbalances beyond the gut - causing dysfunction in the immune system, liver, and kidneys. Lack of beneficial bacteria within the gut microbiome can lead to allergies, inflammation, loss of appetite, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This can affect essential systems like your pet's digestive and immune systems. It can also affect how your dog absorbs nutrients from food and even supplements, leading to malnourishment and deficiency no matter how high quality the diet is or how often you feed your pet. Additionally, these drugs are processed in the liver like many other prescription drugs, which can harm liver health.



Some Known Side Effects of Deworming Drugs:



Lethargy



Vomiting



Diarrhea



Loss of appetite



Seizures



Liver damage



To learn more about holistic parasite prevention and alternative interventions, check out the post on "A Holistic Approach to Parasites in Pets.

Holistic Pet Practitioner Here-



Mac Rider BCHPC, CCN, CFN, CCHS

Grain-free Pet Food & Dilated Cardiomyopathy The Real Connection:

Taurine is essential for dogs and cats to maintain health and well-being. Taurine is abundant in most meats, especially in the heart muscle and tongue.
There is a link between legumes, lentils, sweet potatoes, and taurine deficiency. I consider these foods taurine inhibitors, and you'll soon learn why.

But first, let me tell you a story about the commercial kibble industry.

Sweet potatoes, lentils, and legumes were added to commercial kibble as "grain-free" food became more popular. The industry decided to add human nutrition logic to our pets and make kibble "healthier" by removing grains. Unfortunately, this caused an increase in taurine deficiency in many pets and a deadly condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy.

The reason for this increase in taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy is that lentils, legumes, and sweet potatoes all inhibit or block taurine absorption. Although kibble companies have tried to remedy this issue by adding synthetic taurine, its absorption is still blocked by inhibitors.

Taurine deficiency symptoms and complications are dilated cardiomyopathy, seizures, collapsing, fainting, excessive panting, bloody urine, urinating pain, generalized pelvic pain, abdominal pain, moderate to severe blindness, digestive issues, and even death.

Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a heart muscle disease in pets characterized by the heart becoming enlarged.

As the heart enlarges, its chambers dilate, and it becomes more challenging for the heart to pump blood. Heart valves may begin to leak, which can cause a buildup of fluids within the chest and abdomen, eventually leading to a condition known as congestive heart failure, which can be fatal.

Dilated cardiomyopathy was almost nonexistent, and very few cases were reported yearly. However, grain-free food causing taurine deficiency in dogs and cats has become more prevalent. It affects more dogs and cats annually, but it is occurring in younger pets in devastating numbers. Taurine deficiency is the cause of dilated cardiomyopathy.

When plant-based ingredients are used in high amounts in commercial pet food, these plant-based ingredients are deficient in taurine and other essential amino acids.

Taurine and other amino acid deficiencies are also linked to increased dilated cardiomyopathy cases. Many professionals think it is inaccurate to say that grain-free diets are responsible for or cause dilated cardiomyopathy, as this implies that diets rich in grains are a healthier choice. However, grains-rich diets are associated with and linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, gut dysbiosis (imbalance of bacteria within the gut microbiome), chronic inflammation, and much more.

Feeding a diet rich in animal-based proteins instead of plant-based proteins is essential to prevent health issues from developing.

Taurine and amino acids are found in most animal-based proteins, but they are plentiful in poultry, small oily fish, brain, heart muscle, and liver of animals. Amino acids are found in lesser amounts in the following sources: beef, goat, lamb, dairy, and eggs.

Lamb-based raw diets and processed diets are often deficient in amino acids like taurine, which is why balance is essential for species-appropriate nutrition to be achieved. Feed variety.

Supplying various animal proteins in your dog or cat's diet is crucial to avoid health issues, including dilated cardiomyopathy.

You can always have your veterinarian test for taurine deficiency and have them perform an echocardiogram if you are unsure and want to confirm that your animal is in good cardiovascular health. Species-appropriate raw diets that are meat-based and rich in organs like liver, heart, lung, and kidney are best to prevent amino acid deficiency and avoid dilated cardiomyopathy from developing. Avoid legumes, lentils, and sweet potatoes to prevent taurine deficiency.

My Favorite Whole Food Taurine Supplement:
https://www.herbsmithinc.com/taurine-boost/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7MGJBhD-ARIsAMZ0eeu2DaqVcCVPQQr8H3eFka4znsP9d4MjYKbAyEPmSQkRBfhCWGgGOsUaAmWpEALw_wcB