Dear Dr. Forsythe: I was wondering what your opinion is about grains in pet foods. I have several friends I met at the dog park who told me that cheap grains such as corn and soybean are real crummy ingredients in dog food, so I switched to a very high protein food which is all natural. My dog is now eating food which is 33 percent protein and has no grain in it at all. I do think he is feeling better but I wanted you to weigh in on it. Thanks for your thoughts on the topic.
Avoiding grains at all cost
Dear Grain Avoider: I must heartily disagree with all the popular broo-ha-ha about the perils of grains in pet foods. While it is true there are a lot of cheap dog foods which contain many inexpensive types of filler such as bone meal and by-products, grains are not a culprit. Corn and soybean are perfectly good sources of energy and not a problem for most pets. Carbohydrates are part of what pets ate “back in the day” when they caught prey: what do you think some of the wild game had in their guts? Grains!!
For the “granola lovers” who think dogs should live as the cavemen did, remember if a dog were to eat a carcass, that meal would consist of muscles, tendons, gut, cartilage, and many other “fillers” they find so distasteful in many of today’s commercial foods. The answer is NOT to feed a product which is 33 percent protein thinking this is helpful to your dog. The truth is such a high percent of protein, on a dry matter basis, is much too high and could actually hurt your pet by taxing his kidneys. When it comes to some ingredients, “more” is not always better, but unfortunately pet owners are sometimes convinced to buy the latest, greatest “feel-good” food with all natural ingredients such as flax seed oil, blueberries, avocado oils, and more. I have had many clients tell me about the evils of corn and soy and rice while citing the benefits of pure chicken, beef, and lamb and other ingredients. I listen politely but I know the information gleaned from the Internet or people at the dog park is not always scientifically based. I also know these opinions are powerful and often bigger and more valuable than any veterinarian’s opinion will ever be! I still believe most super-premium brands of food such as Science Diet and Eukanuba are ideal and grains are not a problem unless a food allergy is involved. The take-home message is to be cautious when jumping on any bandwagon – they go over bumps pretty readily and it’s easy to fall off. I wouldn’t like to see any more pets trampled by the wagon their humans are riding on; thanks for a great question.
Dr. F.
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I have a problem I need some help resolving, and after some soul-searching I’m turning to you for help to find a solution. A week ago I put a deposit down on the most adorable Devon Rex kitten in the world. I was really lucky to get a kitten; they are not easy to come by; a few days after that I finally told my husband about it. I didn’t tell him I left a cash deposit though; after I told him about it and he realized I was supposed to pick up the kitten in three weeks he flipped out and said “no.” We had a long talk about why I bought a cat without letting him know first, but he wouldn’t budge. I am really afraid to tell him we’ll be out $200 if I cancel. Right now we are not even on speaking terms about it. Just the mention of “the kitten” and he looks at me and shakes his head, things are tense. What do you think I should do? I have always wanted a kitten just like this one and I feel like this is a great opportunity. With a new house and a new baby I thought this would be a perfect time.
SS, Sonoma.
Dear SS: I am trying to breathe deeply and exercise all the patience and kindness I can in formulating an answer which will not be offensive or sound rude. With all due respect, there is more than one baby in your house, there are TWO!
What could you possibly have been thinking by purchasing a new kitten for the family without discussing this with your husband first? I think this is showing poor judgment and a lack of maturity on your part. If I were you, I’d call the breeder up and let him or her, know you messed this situation up worse than Dick Cheney on a bird hunting trip. Apologize to the breeder and ask for the deposit back – citing temporary insanity. Then apologize to your husband and start counting your blessings for a new home and a new baby. Last but not least, let your husband know you’d love to get a kitten sometime if possible, and let him pick it out or pick it out together when he is good and ready. I suspect eventually you’ll get the new addition you want and deserve, but by going about things a kinder way, you will establish yourself as a mature person of grace and kindness. Not only that, your husband will get to continue to be the provider all men want to be … Thanks for writing – I know I’m blunt, but this one went straight through to my heart like a poison dart.
Dr. F.
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