The 100% Myth -- Problems Caused by Inadequate Nutrition
The idea of one pet food providing all
the nutrition a companion animal will ever need for its entire life is a myth.
Cereal grains are the primary ingredients
in most commercial pet foods. Many people select one pet food and feed it to their dogs and cats for a prolonged period of
time. Therefore, companion dogs and cats eat a primarily carbohydrate diet with little variety. Today, the diets of cats and
dogs are a far cry from the primarily protein diets with a lot of variety that their ancestors ate. The problems associated
with a commercial diet are seen every day at veterinary establishments. Chronic digestive problems, such as chronic vomiting,
diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease are among the most frequent illnesses treated. These are often the result of an allergy
or intolerance to pet food ingredients. The market for "limited antigen" or "novel protein" diets is now a multi-million dollar
business. These diets were formulated to address the increasing intolerance to commercial foods that animals have developed.
The newest twist is the truly "hypoallergenic" food that has had all its proteins artificially chopped into pieces smaller
than can be recognized and reacted to by the immune system.
Dry commercial pet food is often contaminated
with bacteria, which may or may not cause problems. Improper food storage and some feeding practices may result in the multiplication
of this bacteria. For example, adding water or milk to moisten pet food and then leaving it at room temperature causes bacteria
to multiply.8 Yet this practice is suggested on the back of packages of some kitten and puppy foods.
Pet food formulas and the practice of
feeding that manufacturers recommend have increased other digestive problems. Feeding only one meal per day can cause the
irritation of the esophagus by stomach acid. Feeding two smaller meals is better.
Feeding recommendations or instructions
on the packaging are sometimes inflated so that the consumer will end up purchasing more food. However, Procter & Gamble
allegedly took the opposite tack with its Iams and Eukanuba lines, reducing the feeding amounts in order to claim that its
foods were less expensive to feed. Independent studies commissioned by a competing manufacturer suggested that these reduced
levels were inadequate to maintain health. Procter & Gamble has since sued and been countersued by that competing manufacturer,
and a consumer complaint has also been filed seeking class-action status for harm caused to dogs by the revised feeding instructions.
Urinary tract disease is directly related
to diet in both cats and dogs. Plugs, crystals, and stones in cat bladders are often triggered or aggravated by commercial
pet food formulas. One type of stone found in cats is less common now, but another more dangerous type has become more common.
Manipulation of manufactured cat food formulas to alter the acidity of urine and the amount of some minerals has directly
affected these diseases. Dogs also form stones as a result of their diet.
History has shown that commercial pet
food products can cause disease. An often-fatal heart disease in cats and some dogs is now known to be caused by a deficiency
of the amino acid taurine. Blindness is another symptom of taurine deficiency. This deficiency was due to inadequate amounts
of taurine in cat food formulas, which itself occurred because of decreased amounts of animal proteins and increased reliance
on carbohydrates. Cat foods are now supplemented with taurine. New research suggests that supplementing taurine may also be
helpful for dogs, but as yet few manufacturers are adding extra taurine to dog food. Inadequate potassium in certain feline
diets also caused kidney failure in young cats; potassium is now added in greater amounts to all cat foods.
Rapid growth in large breed puppies has
been shown to contribute to bone and joint disease. Excess calories and calcium in some manufactured puppy foods promoted
rapid growth. There are now special puppy foods for large breed dogs. But this recent change will not help the countless dogs
who lived and died with hip and elbow disease.
There is also evidence that hyperthyroidism
in cats may be related to excess iodine in commercial pet food diets.9 This is a new disease that first surfaced
in the 1970s, when canned food products appeared on the market. The exact cause and effect are not yet known. This is a serious
and sometimes terminal disease, and treatment is expensive.
Many nutritional problems appeared with the popularity of cereal-based
commercial pet foods. Some have occurred because the diet was incomplete. Although several ingredients are now supplemented,
we do not know what ingredients future researchers may discover that should have been supplemented in pet foods all along.
Other problems may result from reactions to additives. Others are a result of contamination with bacteria, mold, drugs, or
other toxins. In some diseases the role of commercial pet food is understood; in others, it is not. The bottom line is that
diets composed primarily of low quality cereals and rendered meat meals are not as nutritious or safe as you should expect
for your cat or dog.
What Consumers Can Do
- Write or call pet
food companies and the Pet Food Institute and express your concerns about commercial pet foods. Demand that manufacturers
improve the quality of ingredients in their products.
- Call API with any
information about the pet food industry, specific manufacturers, or specific products.
- Print out a copy
of this report for your veterinarian to further his or her knowledge about commercial pet food.
- Direct your family
and friends with companion animals to this website, to alert them of the dangers of commercial pet food. Or request copies
of our Fact Sheet on Selecting a Good Commercial Food.
- Stop buying commercial
pet food. Or if that is not possible, reduce the quantity of commercial pet food and supplement with fresh foods. Purchase
one or more of the many books available on pet nutrition and make your own food. Be sure that a veterinarian or a nutritionist
has checked the recipes to ensure that they are balanced and complete.
- Check our sample diets you can make yourself.
- Please be aware
that API is not a veterinary hospital, clinic, or service. API does not and will not offer any medical advice. If you have
concerns about your companion animal's health or nutritional requirements, please consult your veterinarian.
