Holistic, organic, raw, and homemade whole foods are all attempts to go back in a time machine when food and livestock was grown and served without herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, wormers, growth hormones, and antibiotics. These days most of these chemicals are part of the plants, fruit, and animals we and our pets eat.

Food and animal production levels have increased due to these chemicals, but their effects on our health are questioned by those desiring food without them. Holistic pet foods like Spots Stew (Halo) began because over 15 years the inventor made food for her sick cat, then her friends, then for millions of our pets. The food label on Spots Stew is easy to read, the ingredients sounding like a normal shopping list. Compare that to a can or bag of food in your pantry, garage, or closet. The stabilizers and preservatives almost crowd the food ingredients off the label. Where the human grade ingredients of Spots ; Chicken, carrots, celery, zucchini, green beans, green peas, turkey, calcium citrate, barley, oats , soy sauce, garlic, kelp, pasta, dicalcium phosphate, chicken liver, zinc gluconate,  ascorbic acid, copper gluconate are easily recognized as whole foods, minerals, and vitamins.

Grains are also recognized to be unhealthful to dogs and cats and food like evo substitute wheat, corn, and rice with veggies and fruit. Our current obesity and diabetes epidemic in humans, dogs, and cats is in part due to our high grain diets.

Of course the down side to these holistic, organic, raw, and no grain diet is the cost. However if you feed your dog, cat, and yourself better medical care will be less. Trips to the vet for itchy skin, ear problems, and stomach and bowel problems due to the allergenic ingredients and chemicals add to the cost of the food, and take years off our pets lives.

I feel that we should feed our pets the best food we can. I believe that holistic, raw, no grain, and homemade food have their place in feeding our pets. In my book, Dog Dish Diet I help you understand how ingredients can help or destroy your pets health. Strong words yes, but after 30 years seeing animals suffer from the “cost effective” rations, strong words are needed.

In my book, Dog Dish Diet, I empower people to take their dog’s health in their own hands. Your dog may have different needs than others of his or her breed, or even be sensitive to food ingredients that their litter mates can happily eat. This isn’t any different than brothers or sisters having allergies to different foods. We all know family members that are are allergic to this or that, or gain weight super-easily if they eat too many “high glycemic” foods….grain products like chips, crackers,cookies, pizza, and bread.

Processed dog food contains meat, grains,fruit, and veggies in a mix that have been shown to meet the immediate nutritional needs of our pets. Many dogs do well on the “mix”, just as some people can eat almost anything. However if your pet has skin, ear, bowel,anal gland, urinary, or a seizure problem the ingredients in the diet may be contributing to or causing the problem. Heart disease, obesity, and diabetes and allergies are linked to food ingredients, why should it be any different in our pets?

I am convinced there is a disconnect between vets, breeders, pet food stores and owners that muddy the nutritional waters, and confuse the average owner. Dog Dish Diet will explain nutrition and will help you choose the type of food and ingredients that will keep your dog healthy and happy!

Next I will go over holistic, organic, and hypoallergenic types of dog foods and what the differences are.

I started cooking dog food to try different ingredients out for clients.Knowing that commercial dog food is usually about 20-30 % protein and the prey that wild dogs eat is more like 60-80% protein, I knew that 20-50% protein would be a good range . Young growing animals, active animals,and  nursing mothers do well higher percentages of protein. Fast growing breeds develop bone growth problems if fed high amounts of protein or carbohydrates, the research is not clear yet.

My usual ingredients are generally a mix of meat, veggies, or rice such as  whole chicken fryers, pork, turkey frozen green beans, zucchini, baby carrots, yams, and brown rice. I use a crock pot because it is so darn easy and we all know the healthiest thing one can eat is soup.

My experimentation has refined the process. I always add more water in the beginning to prevent burned sludge at the top. The water also thins out the fat a bit. I always get asked if I leave the skins on and the fat in. When you begin, it is always a good idea to cook and feed a small amount to get your pet used to the new food. Do not be too surprised if your dog’s stool is soft for a couple days. Yours would be too, if you ate the same thing day after day then ate more fat than you are used to. Fat is a great source of energy and makes a dogs coat healthy, soft , and smooth.More fat in the diet can reduce shedding in some dogs.

Cook the mixture on high for a few hours, then on low for 8-10 hours. The chicken bones will be soft and crumbly.LEAVE THEM IN!! Dogs get their minerals, glucosamines, chondroitins, and monounsaturates fatty acids from the marrow and cartilage. Some of these nutrients come in a pill, in fact I think most of us forget where these things originally came from and why they are important. Then you can decide if your mixture needs more water , to make it the consistency of a stew. Because I crock it for quite a while, I don’t find the need to blend the ingredients.

Then you can freeze or refrigerate it depending on how much you made and how fast you go through it. My three dogs finish off a batch in 4-6 days. I have found in my practice that this mixture of whole, healthful foods will often do more for medical conditions, than any medication I have. If you are spending a bunch on medical bills for your pet, buy my book to feed differently or cook and  understand why your dog may need different ingredients for certain conditions.

“Dog Dish Diet:costs only half the price of an office visit for a lifetime of therapy”

Now that I have lots of feedback from my clients and readers, it amazes me that there could be any doubt that food allergies have such a great role in skin, ear, stomach, bowel, anal gland, obesity, and seizure problems. Veterinarians are still taught that the incidence of food allergies are low, even though thirty percent of my patients respond to elimination of allergens and addition of healthy food ingredients. That is why we need to spread the word. Successful nutritional management of the above chronic diseases will help convince educators and researchers to take another look at canine nutrition, and help avoid needless misery, medications, and money for millions of dogs. When you buy Dog Dish Diet, you are helping spread the message.

Dogs are individuals, with individual needs

The testimonial from Gene Sakahara, a famous figure in Gilroy, is just one example of hundreds that  that I have received.

“Dr. Greg’s book,  Dog Dish Diet, is a great resource in understanding your pet dog’s diet.  I compare it to having Dr. Spock’s baby book handy.  Our mixed Corgi / Chihuahua had a very sensitive stomach.  Dr. Greg’s veterinary experience and knowledge helped our Molly with her doggie diarrhea and promoted her diet to foods that were natural.

If Molly were able to read,she would have advocated me reading Dr. Greg’s book from the outset.  Thank you, Dr. Greg for a wonderful, helpful book.”

Gene Sakahara, retired educator and Garlic Festival demonstration chef.

Another testimonial talking about the real benefits of the Dog Dish Diet.

Whitney and Rocket

Unfortunately, the advice of many veterinarians and commercial dog food ads is that the diet shouldn’t vary. That situation would be similar to us eating the same ingredients and type of food every day for life. Would we trust that one type of manufactured bland cookie could satisfy our every nutritional need?

Human nutrition has been fairly erratic at advising us how to eat. One year grains and carbs are in, the next they are out. Fats are the bad guy, then they are good for you. After extensive research, I have come to the conclusion that the answers to our nutrition questions are all around us. Our native diet consisted of the balance of nutrients and moisture in the world around us.True, we grow and raise most of our food now, but eating it in its “natural state”, balance, and condition is healthier than eating a manufacturers’ idea of healthy food. If human nutritionists can’t agree what is healthy, is it possible that food processing companies and dog food companies have all the answers?

Many veterinarians, breeders, and owners are hung up on percentages, so much so, that they are afraid to vary their dog’s diet. However, that is the way nutrition is taught to doctors and vets. That may make sense if we or our dogs were so delicate. Omnivores evolved to make use of the variety of foods available around them. That is a good thing , and we should help our dog’s keep a good thing going.

A diet from varied sources will provide a better diet, providing the sources are wholesome ingredients. Individuals in both the human and canine species need a bit more or bit less of protein, carbs, fats, and allergens to look and feel their best. That is why I promote wholesome feeding healthful meats , fats, veggies, bones, and fruit.

It is a fact that all dogs do not thrive on one manufactured food source.

Dog Dish Diet:Sensible Nutrion for Your Dog’s Health

Half the price of a veterinary office call for a lifetime of therapy

At least three times a week, I scour the refrigerator for food that Lonna and I aren’t likely to eat, and that I know our dogs will. I do this because I believe that truly balanced nutrition can only result from a variety of healthful foods. For example, I feed  canned Halo’s Spot’s Stew and Royal Canin’s Duck and Potato with healthful oils added, or healthful people food. Two of my dogs don’t do well on most commercial kibble; a long story which I address fully in my book. Even dogs that seem healthy on their daily kibble may feel a bit better, have more energy, or have a better coat with a little variety in their diet. Most people think the addition of people food is a no-no, and I have to admit, I used to be one of them.  These days I believe that the best diet depends on the individual dog, but variety, ingredients, moisture, and low carbs are most important.

Today I found chicken that we had defrosted, but were not going to use, due to changed plans. Sure, we could save it, but my dogs love fresh chicken meat. I cut and micro-waved the chunks for two minutes on high to cook it about 50% done. I have found that cooking it a bit help reduce the nausea in dogs with sensitive stomachs, and my Bichon, Reggie has a sensitive stomach.

Tonight we are having guests for dinner, and Lonna bought an 8 lb turkey to cook. I oiled it up with canola and spiced it up with Andy’s Rub, and put it in the oven to cook. I would have used olive oil, but we ran out of it, and I had to use the dogs’ canola oil. (I use oils in rotation with eggs and other ingredients to add healthy omegas to my dogs’ dish diet). After we have carved off and used what we want, I think I’ll crock the remaining meat, cartilage, and bones on the carcass with water, green beans, and yams, for the dogs. It will take a few hours on high, then eight or so on low to make everything juicy, and the bones and gristle crumbly. My dogs love my crock pot food, and in fact my cats have started eating it regularly too! I usually use 50% chicken (whole fryer) and 50% veggies (green beans, carrots, yams) with enough water to make a thick stew( cats like it thicker than dogs)in my crocking. This kind of variety is great for dogs (and cats)

If you want to learn more simple things you can do to help your dog’s chronic medical conditions, you will find it in the pages of   Dog Dish Diet:Sensible: Nutrition for Your Dogs Health

“A lifetime of therapy  for half the price of a veterinary office visit”

This weekend I will be in booth 205 on the south end of the cow palace spreading the word about Dog Dish Diet, my book with simple advice about feeding your dog to cure and prevent many chronic problems. Come look me up! All breeds will be there, it should be fun! Come check out our booth to ask questions, check out the book,or  get  free veterinary and behavior advice. K9 ambassadors (www.k9ambassadors.net) will be in the booth with me answering common behavior questions and talking about their methods of training

The book  may save you 100’s to thousands in vet bills over the life of your dog and only cost about 1/4 the price of a vet visit for a lifetime of therapy.

105th & 106th Annual GOLDEN GATE KENNEL CLUB
ALL-BREED DOG SHOWS (January 30th, & 31st, 2010)

On January 4^th, I had the pleasure of being interviewed on the Robin Falls Kids radio show. It was great fun talking about Dog Dish Diet: Sensible Nutrition for Your Dog’s Health and having the chance to reach people with my most important message: Our dogs (and cats) are individuals and need to be fed accordingly. Once pet owners understand this critical fact (and believe me that is a big step because most pet food is created for every dog or cat) they can start adjusting the diet for the needs of their individual pets. That’s where Dog Dish Diet comes in. I teach you what to look for, how to adjust the diet, what ingredients to eliminate and what foods to add.

The co-host of the show, Barbara Hodges, asked me a very important question. She asked me why I wrote Dog Dish Diet. I launched into the story of what my own animals taught me about their individual needs and how the scientist in me had to align what my dogs were “telling me” with what I had learned in vet school. And that’s all true, but I left out the number one reason why I wrote the book. So here it is: I love animals and I want their lives to be as healthy and happy as possible.

On a Mission to Teach the World How to Feed Their Pets

I spend 30 percent to 40 percent of each day in the office treating conditions (symptoms, really) that I know are caused by well-intentioned pet owners who are feeding the wrong things to their pets. Back to my original point, they are not feeding their individual dog; they are using some cookie-cutter (one-size-fits-all) dog food. In short, they must be feeding someone else’s pet because they are certainly not feeding their dog.

My own dogs taught me the importance of the RIGHT ingredients when I found that a diet I fed to my Dalmation with the touchy stomach stopped the seizures in my other two dogs. That was 10 years ago, and ever since I’ve been teaching my clients how to feed their dogs (and cats) as the individuals they are. After these many years ofsuccesses treating dogs and cats with nutrition, I realized that there must be millions of pets suffering needlessly from being fed the wrong dog foods. That is the second reason I wrote the book.

Veterinary medicine needs to catch up with what doctors and nutritionists are learning about the importance of diet on people’s health. We’re learning to eliminate the wrong (bad) fats from our diets; we’re adding more fruits and vegetables and trying to limit our addiction to fast food and carbohydrates. We’re also paying more attention to how our bodies react to foods. Some reactions are very dangerous, such as allergies to shellfish and peanuts, others just prevent our bodies from functioning at their best, such as mild allergies to wheat and dairy.

Our pets can’t proactively change their diet. They can’t speak to us and say their tummy hurts or their body can’t tolerate beef. They can only show us through their symptoms:

• Weight gain
• Reoccurring diarrhea
• Chronic vomiting
• Constant hotspots and flaky, itchy skin
• Often red, goopy ears
• Repeated urinary infections
• Too many upset stomachs and bowel irritations

As pet owners, you have one important decision to make. You can pay your vet to keep treating symptoms or you can buy and read Dog Dish Diet and fix the actual problem once and for all.

Join the Dog Dish Diet Brigade

One woman listening to the Robin Falls Kids show commented in the online chat room that she found it refreshing to listen to a vet talk about nutrition rather than pushing medicine and more vet visits. Eureka! And that brings up is the third reason why I wrote Dog Dish Diet. I want more than pet owners to understand the importance of diet and foods; I want to generate awareness in my own profession. We were trained to treat more than prevent. Our nutrition course focused on what kibble is made of, instead of on why we feed cookies to carnivores. Many dogs and cats are fine with dry food. Many others, however, need different ingredients and healthful additions to the diet to feel and act their best.

If enough of you read my book, change what (and how) you feed your pets, and talk with your vet, we can make many more pets happier and healthier. And just maybe, together we can get both the veterinary community and commercial dog food producers to look at feeding dogs and cats differently.

Winter has arrived, and with the cold weather we often experience the creaks and groans due to trauma, age, and wear and tear on our joints and bones. And this discomfort is in not only true for us. Our pets can be affected the same way. You may notice your dog’s reluctant to climb stairs, jump up on the couch or go to walks. You may discover that your cat has stopped jumping up on the counter. In fact, an elderly cat with arthritis in its back or joints may even find it hard to climb into the litter box. What to do?

As humans, when our bones and joints speak up, we often turn to nutraceuticals such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM or anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Our pets can enjoy pain relief from achy joints in cold weather by using the same types of nourishing nutraceuticals and anti-inflammatory drugs. The glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM products work by providing the cartilage and joint fluid the nutrients they need to do their job. The joint fluid needs to be thick, slimy and gooey to keep the cartilage-coated bones apart, and the cartilage needs to stay thick and smooth to slide with minimal friction. Too much contact or friction may wear off the cartilage coating of the bones causing the dreaded “bone on bone” contact. Once this happens, inflammation, swelling, and pain follows. Once the cartilage is compromised, nutraceuticals can help thicken joint fluid and encourage a bit of “patching“ but the damage has been done.

The most important therapy for joint pain is weight reduction. Heavier weight causes more friction of inflamed bones and joints. The best path to weight loss in your dog or cat is to feed less kibble or dilute it with water or vegetables.

The next step is to nourish healthy, compromised, or damaged joints with glucosamine, chondroitin, omega oils, and antioxidants. Those types of ingredients are available in pills, liquids and powders, which you’ll find in the nutrition sections of supermarkets, nutrition stores, pharmacies, vet hospitals or online.

Dog Dish Diet has recommendations for types and amounts of oils and nutraceuticals you can buy from your supermarkets. The past six months or so I have been using an antioxidant mixture to help with painful backs, hips, and joints. It’s a powder that contains red wine extract, grape seed extract and other plant-derived antioxidants that help combat inflammation in the joints.

When Karen Serafin first told me about  how the mixture could help her King Cavalier  Spaniel Herbie’s back, I knew from my experience with the healing power of nutrition that these weird-sounding nutrients had wonderful nourishing properties. So we tried the mixture called PetHealth OPC Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs & Cats, and Herbie became pain free and only needed the pain relief provided by anti-inflammatory medications on occasion.

One of the nice aspects of this nutraceutical treatment is that it is free from the side effects typical with ibuprofen-like drugs that can cause stomach and bowel problems in dogs and cats. This is a  natural mix of healing antioxidants that can truly help. Since Herbie,I have used PetHealth OPC on 20 patients with good results, and I have read as many strong testimonials from other people who have used the mixture with their pet patients. Thanks to OPC, keeping  your pet free from pain may now be easier and more healthful. This is a healthful blend of antioxidants that work to defend the body against inflammation.

If this sounds like something you would like to try with your pet, you can order it through my account on Market America. You pay the same price whether you order through me or not. But in the interest of full disclosure, I will earn a small affiliate payment from each sale. I just wanted you to know. So if this doesn’t offend you, you can order PetHealth OPC Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs & Cats by clicking here. The link will take you directly to the sales page.

Call-in Number: 646-595-4478

April Robins of the Red River Writers has invited me to appear on her radio show Robin Falls Kids–Chirp with April & Katy the Dog. April is starting the year off with a tribute to animals. It’s going to be great to talk about Dog Dish Diet: Sensible Nutrition for Your Dog’s Health and answer callers’ questions.

The show is carried on the BlogTalkRadio network, which is an Internet radio station. You can find more about Robin Falls Kids and BlogTalkRadio by following this link. I hope, too, that you’ll join the callers to wish me well and ask your pet questions. I’m looking forward to this.

Oh, the time! Since I’ve got office hours that day, April has graciously arranged the schedule to make me the first guest. I’ll be on at 3 PM central time–that’s 4 PM on the East Coast and 1 PM here in California and the West Coast. And the call-in number is: 646-595-4478.

I’ll be waiting for your call!

Winter holiday hazards for pets are a reality. But if you know what to avoid and keep away from your dogs and cats, you can all enjoy a safe celebration. Here are some tips for keeping your pets out of danger during the holiday season.

AVOID Holiday Food Items That Could Cause Problems For Your Pet

• Alcoholic beverages
• Chocolate (baker’s, semi-sweet, milk chocolate)
• Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
• Moldy or spoiled foods
• Onions, onion powder
• Fatty foods
• Salt
• Yeast dough

PLANTS

• Lilies that may be found in holiday flower arrangements could be deadly to your cat. Many types of lily, such as Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Easter, Stargazer, and the Casa Blanca, can cause kidney failure in cats.
• Poinsettias are generally over-rated in toxicity. If ingested, poinsettias can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, and may cause mild vomiting or nausea.
• Mistletoe has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems. However, mistletoe ingestion usually only causes gastrointestinal upset.
• Holly ingestion could cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and lethargy.

HAZARDS AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

• Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers, which, if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can also lead to vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, if ingested.
• Electric cords are an obvious danger. Avoid animal exposure to electric cords. Your pet can be electrocuted if it chews a plugged in cable. Cover up or hide electric cords, NEVER let your pet chew on them.
• Ribbons or tinsel can get caught up in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction.
• Batteries contain corrosives. If ingested they can cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Glass ornaments can cut the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract if ingested.

MEDICATIONS

Keep all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs out of the reach of your pets, preferably in closed cabinets. Pain killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, vitamins, and diet pills are common examples of human medication that could be potentially lethal even in small dosages. One regular-strength ibuprofen tablet (200mg) can cause stomach ulcers in a 10-pound dog. Remind your holiday guests to store their medications safely as well.

During the holidays, many veterinary clinics have limited office hours. In some cases, pet owners try to medicate their animals without their veterinarian’s advice. NEVER give your animal any medications unless under the directions of veterinarian. Many medications that are used safely in humans can be deadly when used inappropriately. Less than one regular strength acetaminophen tablet (325mg) can be extremely dangerous to a cat weighing 7lbs. I do have a home first-aid report you can download for free. Look in the far right column of this blog.

OTHER WINTER HAZARDS

• Antifreeze has a sweet, pleasant taste. Unfortunately, very small amounts can be lethal. As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze can be deadly to a cat; less than four teaspoons can be dangerous to a 10-pound dog. Thoroughly clean up any spills, store antifreeze in tightly closed containers and store in secured cabinets. Automotive products such as gasoline, oil and antifreeze should be stored in areas that are inaccessible to your pets. Propylene glycol is a safer form of antifreeze. Low Tox™ brand antifreeze contains propylene glycol and is recommended to use in pet households.
• If you think your pet has consumed antifreeze, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4-ANI-HELP) right away!
• Liquid potpourris are popular household fragrances commonly used during the holiday season. Pets are often exposed to liquid potpourri by direct ingestion from simmer pots or spills, or by rubbing against leaky bottles or simmer pots containing the potpourri, or from spilling the containers upon themselves. Oral exposures result following grooming. Exposure of pets to some types of liquid potpourris can result in severe oral, dermal and ocular damage.
• Ice melting products can be irritating to skin and mouth. Depending on the actual ingredient of the ice melt and the quantity, signs of ingestion would include excessive drooling, depression, vomiting or even electrolyte imbalances.
• Rat and mouse killers are used more commonly during colder weather. When using rat and mouse bait, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your companion animals.

ALWAYS Be Prepared !!!!

Your animal may become poisoned in spite of your best efforts to prevent it. You should keep telephone numbers for your veterinarian, a local emergency veterinary service, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4 ANI-HELP) in a convenient location. If you suspect that your pet has ingested something poisonous, seek medical attention immediately.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
1-888-4ANI-HELP

I liked what this reasonable article from the ASPCA had to say. Thank you for reading my blog this year. Happy Holidays and Bone Appetit, Dr. Greg