How Healthy Are Your Pets?
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Pet Health
How nutritious is your pet’s diet? While many of the commercial pet foods available today are convenient for pet owners they fall short in providing the best nutritional value. Many of the pet foods are created from unregulated “by-products” which are usually low-quality protein sources and refined grains. Further, the nutrient content is lowered even more due to the high heat required for processing and long storage times.
Your pet’s diet is an important factor for maintaining robust health. Nutrient deficient food, environmental pollutants, and stress can have a detrimental effect on your pet’s natural defenses against germs and disease. Holistic veterinarian Barbara Fougere advises pet owners that give prepared food to their animals to buy the best quality they can afford. In most cases, higher quality ingredients cost more, but she feels the results are usually worth it.
Sadly, our pets suffer many of the same degenerative diseases as humans. Just as our human bodies need nutritional supplements to fill the gaps in our daily diet, our pets have the same need for these essential nutrients in their diet. Supplements can help your pet maintain optimal health and vitality.
Enzymes can play an important role in aiding in the proper digestion of the food consumed by your pet. They enable the body to break down food into components that can be used for energy and the absorption of nutrients. Enzymes are usually present in raw foods. Without the correct enzymes, your pet will get little value from even the most nutritious food. Unfortunately, most commercial pet food products have little or no enzymes due to the source of the ingredients and the high-tech processing. This lack of enzymes puts a strain on your pet’s digestive system. Both young and old animals need a daily source of live enzymes to meet their body’s needs. Enzymes can help boost their immune system, cleanse toxins, and fight free radicals.
Another important consideration for your pet is joint health. Unfortunately, our pets are susceptible to joint pain and discomfort just like humans. This can be caused by age, physical stress, heredity, improper breeding, diet, and obesity. Prescription drugs can help to lessen the discomfort, but typically do little to address the underlying cause of the problem. Proper diet, exercise, dietary supplements, and weight maintenance can go far to improving and maintaining joint health. Four such supplements that support joint health are Coral Calcium, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, and MSM.
Health Benefits
As mentioned above, food-grade enzymes can play an important role in helping with the proper digestion of nutrients. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates. Lipase breaks down fats and oils. Protease, Bromelain, and Papin break down proteins. Cellulase aids in the break down of fibers. The break down of the various components in the food is necessary for the nutrients to be delivered to the bloodstream, cells, and organs.
Coral calcium provides calcium and magnesium for bone and teeth support and to strengthen the immune system. MSM, Chondroitin Sulfate, and Glucosamine help nourish and lubricate joints, enhance mobility, and help with the maintenance of connective tissue like tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.
Scientific Studies
In the book “Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats”, holistic veterinarian Shawn Messonnier explains that alfalfa contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll (which acts as an antioxidant). Dr. Messonnier states that, “alfalfa is purported to be one the best herbal therapies for arthritis, often fed to animals who need to gain weight, can make the urine alkaline which is useful for bladder conditions, and is helpful for older pets who need increased mental nutrition.” Also, the vitamin K in alfalfa is helpful for pets with breeding problems.
In an open trial study reported in a 1982 issue of Pharmatherapeutica, doctors evaluated the appropriate use of glucosamine sulfate. For this study, 252 doctors monitored 1,506 human patients receiving 500 mg of glucosamine sulfate three times per day for a duration of thirty-six to sixty-four days. The pain the patients experienced was evaluated at rest, standing, and during exercise. Doctors observed improvements in therapeutic efficacy as “good” in fifty-nine per cent of the patients and “sufficient” in thirty-six of the patients. The total patients receiving some benefit from glucosamine was ninety-five per cent. Both the doctors and the patients rated the glucosamine sulfate results as significantly better than vitamin therapy, cartilage extracts, and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
In the book “The Miracle of MSM”, Dr Ronald Lawrence discusses the results of a double blind study he conducted on the effectiveness of MSM on degenerative joint conditions. Sixteen patients between the ages of fifty-five and seventy-eight were randomly divided into two groups. The first group had ten patients and received 2,250 mg of MSM daily. The other group of six patients received a placebo. All patients had degenerative joint conditions and suffered severe pain from several months up to many years. Nine of the ten patients in the MSM group reported a decrease in pain. At the four-week checkup, the MSM group reported an average improvement of sixty per cent and at week six a eighty-two per cent improvement. The people in the placebo group reported a twenty per cent improvement at the four-week checkup and eighteen per cent at six weeks.
References:
Jacob, Stanley W., Lawrence, Ronald. “The Miracle of MSM.” Berkley Books: New York; 1999.
Messonnier, Shawn. “Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats.” Prima Publishing: California; 2001.
Tapadinhas MJ, et al. “Oral glucosamine sulfate in the management of arthrosis; report on a multi-centre open investigation in Portugal.” Pharmatherapeutica (3, pg. 157-68): Clayton-Wray Publications: London; 1982.
Resources:
Pitcairn, Richard H., Pitcairn, Susan H., “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.” Rodale Books: Pennsylvania; 2005.
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