5 Reasons Why You Should Consider All Natural Dog Food

Many people believe that natural dog food is the best dog food available in the market. It is because of the various benefits your dogs may gain in taking this. As compared to the commercialized dog food which is making people believe that it is better dog food, the natural one does not have artificial additives like preservatives, colors, and flavors. Also, it has a very good quality.

With natural dog food, you are assured of its ingredients-where these ingredients come from and what they are for. These are the reasons why many dog owners prefer to buy natural food. To help you in buying the natural dog food in the market, this article will provide you key points or important things to consider before purchasing one.

• Price. Sometimes, there is truth in the saying, "You get what you pay for." The more expensive the natural dog food is, the more it is effective and efficient. However, you can gain discounts when you buy in bulk or when you collect coupons. Shopping online is also a good idea, since it may also give you the chance to save money. By shopping online, there is a greater chance that these online retailers will give you discounts because of the competition. Do not worry about the money. Buying the natural food is a great investment for your pet's health. It could even result in fewer visits to your veterinarian, which can just add to your expenses. One thing which is good to note. This way, you can earn more money for use in other important things.

• Beef meal based foods and bone meal are a "no, no." These fillers may be very hard to digest and they include a lot of gristle. In fact, these fillers are the ones you can find most of the time in the cheaper commercialized foods. Avoid foods which say 'by product' or 'meal,' instead, buy those which are Lamb, Turkey, and Chicken-based.

• Avoid dog food with corn ingredients. The reason is, some dogs are allergic to corn and corn-based products. Also, corn is very hard to digest, so it is not good for your dogs. The cheaper commercialized foods use this also as filler. Barley and rice, however, are way better since they are easier to digest by dogs.

• Foods with too much animal fat should be avoided. What you should buy is a natural food which states the sources of fats, for instance, salmon oil, flaxseed oil, or chicken fat. Food which contains these fats is better for your dogs. The general rule in choosing the best food is to avoid buying products which proudly say they are the better food for dogs, those which are proud about their ingredients. Also, avoid those with vague, generic ingredient names.

• Be careful of the hidden chemical preservatives. Avoid food which includes BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluence), BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole), or Ethoxuquin as their ingredients. Choose those which have natural preservatives like rosemary extract and sage. They are safer for your dogs.

PLANTS THAT ARE TOXIC TO CATS



Cats love to munch on the leaves of plants.  Since they don't know which plants are poisonous, they need us humans to protect them from the dangerous ones!  I have compiled a list of some plants that are poisonous to our fur babies.  This is NOT a complete list of poisonous plants!

One plant I'd like to point out first is the Poinsettia.  They have a reputation of being extremely toxic to cats.  This is NOT true.  They can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach and sometimes vomiting. It has a low level of toxicity and is overrated as a toxic plant.

Now on to the toxic plants....

Tiger lily, Star-gazer lily and Easter lily flowers can cause acute kidney failure and death in cats.

Dieffenbachia and philodendron are part of the Araceae family and can produce a toxic reaction in cats very quickly. Ingesting the oxalate crystals and histamine-release stimulators may result in mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and possibly death.

Marijuana
Cannabis sativa can cause depression of the central nervous system and incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, and even seizures and coma.

Sago Palm
All parts of Cycas Revoluta are poisonous, but the seeds contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Tulip/Narcissus bulbs The bulb portions of Tulipa/Narcissus spp. contain toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities.

Azalea/Rhododendron Members of the Rhododenron spp. contain substances known as grayantoxins, which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and depression of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.

Castor Bean
The poisonous principle in Ricinus communis is ricin, a highly toxic protein that can produce severe abdominal pain, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, weakness and loss of appetite. Severe cases of poisoning can result in dehydration, muscle twitching, tremors, seizures, coma and death.

Chrysanthemum These popular blooms are part of the Compositae family, which contain pyrethrins that may produce gastrointestinal upset, including drooling, vomiting and diarrhea, if eaten. In certain cases depression and loss of coordination may also develop if enough of any part of the plant is consumed.

English Ivy Also called branching ivy, glacier ivy, needlepoint ivy, sweetheart ivy and California ivy, Hedera helix contains triterpenoid saponins that, should pets ingest, can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea.

Schefflera
Schefflera and Brassaia actinophylla contain calcium oxalate crystals that can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing and intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue in pets who ingest.