Cooked Eggs With Spinach
Cooked eggs are a great protein source for your dog. Avoid raw eggs to prevent your pet from getting sick. When you add spinach with the cooked eggs you provide fiber, vitamins A and K which supports their metabolism, weight control and keeps their skin and coat healthy. You can make this spinach omelet with one egg or two egg whites. This recipe should be fed in a small portion to supplement their normal dog food.
Can Dogs Eat Prepared Foods
Heres the dish on prepared dishes: It might be tempting to feed a dog from your plate, but its not a good idea. Many ingredients in prepared meals can be harmful to dogs, including chives, garlic and garlic powder, leeks and onions and onion powder.
And recognizing garlic and onion poisoning can be tricky because symptoms can take days to develop. Because you dont know what ingredients might have gone into that soup, sauce, salad dressing, marinade, pizza and toppings, stuffed potato or confection, curb the desire to offer your dog prepared foods.
You can have your cake and eat it, too, but your dog cant, and thats just the way the cookie crumbles.
What Do You Mean By Whole Foods
When we talk about whole foods, we mean foods that are minimally processed and as close to their natural state as possible.
For a dog, a whole foods diet can include vegetables and grains, but the majority of protein should come from minimally processed meat. Meat is the key protein source for your dog, because dogs need taurine which is only found in meat protein.
Most dog foods are not great examples of whole foods. Thats because the majority of dry and canned foods are highly processed. Processed foods offer less nutrition, lower quality ingredients, and are harder on your dogs digestive system.
Yes, there may be meat in dry dog food but factory processing strips away the natural taurine found in any meat ingredients and adds tons of carbs and starches.
Yes, canned dog food has meat ingredients, but much of the protein content comes from animal by-products, as well as unhealthy artificial gums and thickeners to give it that jelly texture.
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Human Food For Dogs The Basics
There are some key differences, says Dr. Deborah Linder, DVM, research assistant professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts.
Dogs and humans digest and metabolize food differently, and a dogs digestive system cannot break down some of the foods people eat, Dr. Linder warns. And we all know that some of the things we eat are not particularly healthy.
Most commercial dog foods provide a balanced diet with all the nutrients a dog needs. As long as your dogs essential needs are met through an easily digested quality dog food, he shouldnt need anything more. But you can feed your dog some other foods as healthy, low-calorie snacks.
Its perfectly safe to give up to 10 percent of the total calories from treats without unbalancing the diet, says Dr. Linder, a veterinary nutrition specialist and diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition.
Before sharing your table scraps, be aware that there are concerns about human food for dogs beyond toxicity: allergic reactions, raw vs. cooked, bacterial infections from E. coli and Salmonella, weight gain, elevated salt levels, choking hazards and bones that can break teeth or splinter, causing internal blockages or punctures.
Anything you give should be fully edible and not cause an obstruction, Dr. Linder says. The keys to safely feeding your dog are education, moderation and introducing new foods slowly to monitor for adverse effects.
Human Food For Dogs That Will Not Harm
Have you been wondering Is human food bad for dogs? Although we humans try to keep our dogs on their canine diets, we sometimes just cant resist slipping them an occasional human morsel. If youve been wondering what human food is safe for dogs, you certainly do not want to miss this article.
Lets explore the best human food for dogs that are safe and healthy for our canine friends.
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Dogs And Humans Have Different Nutritional Needs
Although dog food is edible, its not a good idea to make it a regular part of your diet on a long-term basis.
Humans have different nutritional needs than dogs, and dog food doesnt contain all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
Take vitamin C, for example.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, critical for good skin health and immune function in humans. Humans cannot produce the vitamin and must get it from food.
On the other hand, dogs can make it in their liver, so it isnt necessary to include it in their food .
Thus, if youre reliant on dog food as your primary source of nutrition, you may be putting yourself at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies over time.
Summary
Certain nutrients in dog food are toxic to humans at high doses, and the total nutrition composition isnt adequate for humans. Thus, it shouldnt be routinely consumed on a long-term basis.
Just because you can eat dog food, doesnt mean you should. Dog food comes with its fair share of risks, especially when it comes to food safety.
Much like human food, dog food can be contaminated with bacteria that can make you sick.
Proper storage and handling of dog food is essential to ensure that its as safe to eat as possible. Always follow storage and handling guidelines noted on the package to ensure safety for you and your dog.
Certain types of dog food are completely raw. Its not a good idea for humans to eat raw or undercooked meat, regardless of whether its intended for dogs or humans.
Foods Dangerous To Dogs
A number of common human foods and household ingestibles are toxic to dogs, including chocolate solids , onion and garlic , grapes and raisins , milk , nutmeg , mushrooms, fatty foods, rhubarb, xylitol,macadamia nuts, as well as various plants and other potentially ingested materials.A full list of poison/toxic substances can be found on the ASPCA’s website.
The 2007 pet food recalls involved the massive recall of many brands of cat and dog foods beginning in March 2007. The recalls came in response to reports of renal failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company, beginning in February 2007. After more than three weeks of complaints from consumers, the recall began voluntarily with the Canadian company Menu Foods on March 16, 2007, when a company test showed sickness and death in some of the test animals.
Overall, several major companies recalled more than 100 brands of pet foods, with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. The contaminant was identified as melamine, which had been added as an adulterant to simulate a higher protein content.
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History Of Medicine = Food
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
Hippocrates
Food is age old medicine. Modern day, conventional medicine has strayed quite a bit from this in the last century or so, but thankfully its making a comeback.
Historically, in veterinary school, and even for human physicians, we dont get much nutritional training at all. Much of the training vets do get is limited and may also be biased. This is why a lot of veterinarians dont really focus on it.
But that doesnt mean nutrition isnt important
When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb
Is It Safe For Humans To Eat Dog Food
Dog food is heavily regulated as an industry and needs to adhere to strict product safety standards. In fact, there is a substantial overlap between human food processing safety standards and pet food safety standards. As a result of these strict product safety standards dog food when handled properly is fit for human consumption.
Dog food product labels need to follow strict legislationregarding ingredients and must be fully traceable. It is essential that all products are manufactured in sterile conditions and must not be detrimental to animal or human health.
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Dog Food Can Humans Really Eat Dog Food
Dogs and humans have evolved together, unlike other species, both people and dogs can survive, if not flourish, on a wide variety of diets,. But when it comes to optimal nutrition, our needs are different. Dogs make their own vitamin C. Humans dont.
Dogs and people require different amino acids. Humans have a more energy-efficient metabolism.
In times of an emergency or economic uncertainty, people often seek innovative ways to survive.
In the wake of food shortages or insufficient funds to purchase groceries, you may find yourself wondering if feeding your dog is a viable option to help you get out of trouble.
After all, if your dog likes leftover human food from time to time, perhaps the opposite can work as well.
This article looks at whether its safe for humans to eat dog food, including the risks to consider if youre considering eating some puppy food.
Chicken / Beef / Turkey
Poultry is a wonderful way to treat your dog to lean protein, and a bit of beef is good for them, too! The trick here is to make sure that its plain: no sauces, seasonings, marinades, etc. All these flavorings can contain excess amounts of sugar and salt thats not good for your dog, plus they can contain ingredients like onions that can actually be toxic to your dog.
Most pups can tolerate a little bit of pork too, as long as it follows the plain rule, but for some, its still too rich. Other meats like rabbit, lamb, and duck are okay, too. However, pups should never be fed processed meat such as bacon, sausage, pepperoni or any other kinds of deli meats. Carcinogenic ingredients and high fat contents can lead to health problems down the road.
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We All Want A Dog Food Brand We Can Trust
With confusing labeling, misleading marketing, and a lack of transparency so common in the world of dog food, a brands integrity can sometimes be more telling than the ingredient list.
Finding the best dog food is a process that requires attention to all details. Its a delicate balance of being conscious of the brand while not allowing what looks like a great brand history, reputation, and production process to supersede awareness of ingredients and the foods appropriateness for your dogs unique needs.
Read on as we list what are the healthiest dog food brands in the market today.
Here at DogFood.Guide we have a dedicated mission to provide dog owners like you with well-researched information so they can provide the best care and nutrition to their dogs.
Our readers rely upon the dog food reviews, articles and recall alerts that we research and publish. We also routinely update and review our own reviews ensuring that any changes by manufacturers are brought to your attention.
DogFood.Guide is maintained by Mary Nielsen & her staff. Mary is an animal lover of both dogs and cats. She and her staff are passionate about animals and work hard to provide you with a wealth of information for you and your dog.
Benefits Of Feeding Your Dog Fresh Real Food
Over the past decade weve wised up, swapping microwaved TV dinner trays for fresh vegetables and balancing yoga poses with lean protein. Our evolving perspective on the traditional American diet has bolstered our understanding of the undeniable power that food has on health.
This journey to better health has been all-inclusive, spanning across multiple generations and taking shape in schools and communities across the country. But while weve become skilled at deciphering labels in our grocery store aisles, our dogs have been eating from the same bulky mystery bags for years.
Commercial pet food brands yes, even the organic or all-natural varieties are all so highly processed that the nutritional value of any individual organic ingredient is lost by the time it hits your dogs bowl. Feed grade ingredients require heavy processing to kill bacteria, whereas human grade ingredients are packed with fresh, natural nutrients.
While dogs can survive on traditional dry or canned dog food , they experience vast health benefits when they eat fresh, human grade food.Here are a handful of the improvements you can expect when you start to add fresh, real food to your dogs diet:
1. No more guessing games
Fresh food means real ingredients you can actually see in your dogs bowl. Goodbye, mysterious brown balls of kibble.
2. Better, faster, stronger
3. Healthier digestion
4. Better skin and coats
5. More time with your best friend
6. No additives
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The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Pet Food
With a slogan that reads, Smarter, Healthier Pet Food, The Farmers Dog meal delivery service keeps each recipe simple but guided by science.
Its a company that was founded in 2016 by two dog lovers who hated the idea of highly-processed food for dogs being touted as healthy and natural, so they decided to create a pet food line that is nutritionally complete for dogs but perfectly safe to eat for humans.
The two founders, who were roommates, got the idea for the business after a pet dog of one of them became sickly. They experimented with homemade recipes and found the dog getting much better after feeding on healthy, natural foods.
From homemade recipes, The Farmers Dog formulas now are crafted based on the advice of top vet nutritionists.
Each meal is made with human-grade meat and veggies in USDA kitchens to ensure the highest quality safety and quality standards for your pet. Plus, its tested on humans!
Everything is made fresh to maintain nutritional integrity, which by the way, exceeds the industry standards for dogs set by AAFCO.
The brand pre-portions the calories and servings based on your dogs profile that you will create. Everything is customized to your pets exact needs, so you dont have to worry that its not enough.
You can also rest assured that all ingredients are properly identified and labeled with no preservatives or fillers that can cause harm.
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Human Food Safety For Dogs
Almonds:No, dogs shouldnt eat almonds. Almonds may not necessarily be toxic to dogs like macadamia nuts are, but they can block the esophagus or even tear the windpipe if not chewed completely. Salted almonds are especially dangerous because they can increase water retention, which is potentially fatal to dogs prone to heart disease.
Bread: Yes, dogs can eat bread. Small amounts of plain bread wont hurt your dog, but it also wont provide any health benefits either. It has no nutritional value and can really pack on the carbohydrates and calories, just like in people. Homemade breads are a better option than store-bought, as bread from the grocery store typically contains unnecessary preservatives, but its best to avoid it altogether.
Cashews: Yes, dogs can eat cashews. Cashews are OK for dogs, but only a few at a time. Theyve got calcium, magnesium, antioxidants, and proteins, but while these nuts contain less fat than others, too many can lead to weight gain and other fat-related conditions. A few cashews make a nice treat, but only if theyre unsalted.
Cheese: Yes, dogs can eat cheese in small to moderate quantities. As long as your dog isnt lactose intolerant, which is rare, but still possible in canines, cheese can be a great treat. Many kinds of cheese can be high in fat, so go for lower-fat varieties like cottage cheese or mozzarella. Many dogs enjoy their very own dog-specific Himalayan dog chew made of dried cheese .
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Best Tasting Dog Food For Humans
Pet food has a tendency to be gritty and gristly because it includes bones and other ingredients that are tough for humans to break down that animals love to eat.
In order to pick something up that would appeal to humans, you will probably want to select something that is boneless and minimally processed. Dog biscuits are a safe albeit very bland tasting choice. Another more exciting choice would be Beggin Strips and other foods designed to taste similar to bacon and other foods a person might ordinarily enjoy.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate
While people love chocolate , sad to say this people favorite is not sweet on dogs. Chocolate contains compounds called methylxanthines that are toxic to dogs.
The darker the chocolate , the more dangerous, but even milk chocolate and white chocolate should not be given to dogs.
Chocolate ingestion by pets is so common that the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center puts chocolate in its own category separate from other foods. Last year, the total number of calls the center received about chocolate worked out to nearly 50 a day, ranking chocolate fifth among the ASPCAs 2017 Top Pet Toxins.
Be vigilant, especially with so many occasions popular for giving chocolate: Valentines Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Think of it this way: Now you can have that chocolate all to yourself.
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