NUTRITION

Nutrition, or better said, proper nutrition, is the key to the success of the majority of problems encountered in the pet population today. Many of the conditions I see on a daily basis such as musculoskeletal conditions, digestive problems, skin conditions, and allergies can often be helped with proper nutrition. The holistic approach to healing is to simply help the body heal itself; that cannot be done without a good diet. Most commercial pet foods simply fall short of properly maintaining the needs of our pets. Pet food labels are required to list ingredients and a laboratory analysis of what those ingredients consist of. The problem is that our pets are not a laboratory!! They do not digest those ingredients in any fashion resembling laboratory analysis. Percentages of ingredients listed on labels in no way indicate what actually are available for digestion and absorption in the body.

The best nutrition is wholesome fresh foods prepared daily for your pet. I advocate fresh raw meat and vegetables with added properly prepared carbohydrates. The percentage of each of these three main ingredients vary with species and age. Proper supplements must be added to balance calcium, phosphorus and various mineral levels and an appropriate essential fatty acid supplement must be used. The specifics of this are discussed on the initial visit. It sounds like a lot of work but really is quite simple and you are rewarded by the response of a pet receiving good nutrition. Leftovers from our own nutritious meals may also be used if some simple guidelines are used and it saves good food from being thrown away.

There is a company called Sojourner Farms that makes a human quality raw grain and supplement mix to which you simply add water, meat, and vegetables. It is quick, easy and offers a balanced raw diet. You can find complete information on them on their website. Clients I have using this diet are very happy with it. Just follow the link at the bottom of this page.

Many people simply find that fixing fresh foods daily does not fit into their daily routine. For those people we use what we think is a close alternative. I have been interested in nutrition since I started practicing in 1972. In those years I have learned much about pet foods and learning how to "read labels". Over the years I have seen many foods come and go and have personally used countless different brands. I was never totally satisfied with any of them. Some were better than others, but the best were usually only mildly satisfactory in their performance day to day. I guess one way to put it is that many foods were good enough for the average pet, but is your pet and their circumstances average? The alternative to fresh food I use is Flint River Ranch Premium Health food. Flint River Ranch(FRR) uses only wholesome ingredients. They do not use any by-products, commercial meals, products contaminated with chemicals, or any chemical preservative. This does not make them unique, as there are several health foods on the market today that can say the food is essentially human quality. The difference is in the processing. FRR prepares the food and then oven bakes it. This process changes the molecular structure of the starches into an "easier to digest" form. There is less stress to the digestive system and, to my knowledge, this is the only company using this process. I have had a lot of experience using their foods and I can honestly say it is the only food I have never been disappointed in. The change in pet's health is almost always noticeable within a short time. The food is very concentrated and highly digestible resulting in less digestive health problems and smaller stools to clean up. FRR has many advantages with the quality of their food and yet it costs no more, usually less, to feed than any premium commercial food.

An important point to demonstrate the quality and digestability of FRR food is that the company has never had a "bloat" claim against it. The superior manufacturing process that is used prevents this. The oven-baking and "cracked kibbles" only absorb enough moisture to start the digestion process, then they break down. Other meals/products, especially those that are extruded continue to absorb a great amount of water. This, coupled with the ingredients that are used are becoming a problem in animals today.

In summary, nutrition is a major key to unlocking the puzzles of many of the health problems we now see. Many musculoskeletal disorders, digestive complaints, allergies and skin problems can respond to proper nutrition. We can consult to our clients the feeding methods used in preparing fresh food diets. It is not that difficult and the rewards to you and your pet are great. For those who simply can or will not feed freshly prepared foods, there is the option of Flint River Ranch foods. I find many clients use a combination of both and achieve very satisfactory results. For those of you interested in trying Flint River Ranch, you can simply call the company and they will deliver any amount directly to your door. Feel free to order as a customer under my distributor ID number which is FBZ8. Simply call the company at 909-682-5048 and ask to order as a customer under FBZ8. There is no minimum order and it is shipped free to your door by UPS fresh from their ovens. Using this method of ordering, the price you pay is the same price you would pay in my office.