Come. Sit. Heal.
Stanley, Outer Sunset
What to Feed Your Pet
The doctors at Healthy Pets believe that proper nutrition is the cornerstone of good preventative medicine. We recommend you feed your pet the freshest, meat-based pet food free of chemical preservatives and by-products. We recommend, and this isn't for everyone, supplementing commercial diets with freshly prepared vegetables and fresh meat and dairy. This allows for variety in the diet, which is indispensable for maintaining a healthy body.
How Should I Choose My Dog Food?
"Even high quality or 'premium' brand dog foods lose some of their nutritional value during the process of becoming kibble or canned food." Dr. Ilana Strubel tells Baywoof readers. Read more
What to Avoid
There are thousands of commercially available pet feeds you can find in supermarkets, pet stores, veterinary hospitals or on-line. Many of these advertise as high quality or premium brands, but many are not. The ability to read and understand the list of ingredients on a bag of pet food is as important as reading the labels on our own foods. Ask yourself if the ingredients you see are something that you would offer to your family or eat yourself.
Taking it to the Next Level
For those willing to prepare their pets meals from scratch, we can provide highly nutritious recipes. Natural or raw meat diets are far superior to most commercial diets because they use fresh uncooked meats and bones, lightly steamed or ground vegetables, raw fruit and table scraps. Raw ingredients, especially meats, provide lipids and essential amino acids in their unaltered (uncooked) state, live beneficial bacteria (pro-biotics), active enzymes, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and easily absorbable minerals. Feeding a natural or raw meat diet even once a week can help maintain healthy bowels by providing digestive enzymes and beneficial bacterial flora.
Raw foods are not for every pet.
Most veterinary patients are weakened by years of sub-optimal nutrition. Please talk to a veterinarian about a safe transition or supplementation program. With time, most pets can regain a strong intestinal tract and enjoy a variety of food.
Diet can be a powerful treatment tool, and as effective of a remedy as a pharmaceutical medication, especially when dealing with chronic health problems. Food can be used to modulate inflammatory diseases, strengthen the intestinal tract, or help the body fight cancer cells. At Healthy Pets, our doctors see each patient as unique in how food is processed and absorbed. A close working relationship with a veterinarian is the first step any pet owner can make to assure a proper diet for their pet.
Diet and Nutrition
From the Healthy Pets Kitchen
