5 Myths you should know are Myths if you have a Pet!
With so much information online and offline it is hard to know what to believe and what to feed - so today we are looking at 5 Pet Nutrition - Myths and debunk them!
Nutrients are different from different sources! Iron in spinach or other plant based foods (including nuts, seeds and lentils) is not the same as Iron from animal sources. The iron our dogs and cats need is called ‘Heme Iron’. Heme Iron is mainly found in meat, organs, fish & shellfish.
Iron is needed for oxygen transport in the blood, it balances the haemoglobin and myoglobin levels, impacting nervous system health and bone and heart health. To be digested, Heme Iron needs to be in the presence of protein so it should always be part of a meat based diet!
Grab some Heme Iron rich Poultry Liver or some delicious Pork Organ Blend or Octopus 🐙 from our shop!
Eggshells are made of ca. 95% calcium carbonate, while bones contain a variety of other nutrients that are by far rarer than calcium! Essential minerals from the bone marrow for example include glucosamine, collagen from joints and connective tissue, and more.
By feeding eggshells alone, you might even be adding to heart issues in the long run as calcium carbonate that does not get absorbed might calcify arteries, clogging them and possibly contributing to strokes
Calcium needs phosphorus to bind and be used in the body (bones supply those two in the perfect ratio for utilization).
You can still feed eggshells but do it with the whole egg! Egg yolks actually contain phosphorus that contributes to absorption!
So yes to eggshells but not unconditionally, not without yolk, and not as a replacement for bone content.
Grab our Beef Cookies for some lean meat mixed with whole Duck Eggs (including shell!)
This is common but wrong advice - many people will feed their pets overcooked rice for an upset tummy. Unfortunately that causes more harm than help. The starchy rice might help diarrhoea short term but it also contributes to inflammation and feeds yeasts.
White rice is a simple carbohydrate - basically a sugar chain. Dogs and Cats do not benefit from this. There is another carbohydrate type that actually does help: Fiber!
Feeding some pumpkin & organic apple mash (including peels) supplies insoluble and soluble fiber. This can actually help against loosies or constipation. It also soothes the tummy, particularly in combination with some meat broth or stock.
Quite the opposite is true! Feeding some furry or feathery bits or whole prey elements is actually very beneficial to your cat or dog’s digestion.
The structure of fur and feathers alone helps floss the teeth and also broom the intestinal wall - it is a detox for the gut lining! This means better nutrient absorption after the cleaning :)
When passing undigested fur/ feathers the sheer volume helps empty the anal sacs as well!
Always introduce new things slowly but do give it a shot!
As few and little supplements as possible is actually the goal of feeding a nourishing diet.
Feeding wholesome takes the need for supplements away - they should only be used topically!
If your pet has an issue or you need to fill a gap, then it can be a consistent thing. So if you can not feed bones - feed bone powder, you can’t feed organs - feed organ powder as a supplement. Or rotate natural supplements for variety and boosting immunity!
Synthetic supplements & many fish oil supplements are hard to absorb and for that reason come in way too high doses. That strains the renal system and can prevent the absorption of real food nutrients in the long run.
Better to boost your furry’s diet naturally!
