By Sean B. Jones, MS, MBA

Every pet owner faces a critical decision when selecting food for their beloved companions—what is genuinely the best choice for their health and well-being? As we dive deeper, it becomes evident that real food, particularly real meat, not only nourishes but also protects your pets in ways synthetic vitamins and components cannot match.

The Superiority of Real Food in Pet Diets

1. Biologically Appropriate Foods

Feeding meat to carnivorous pets like cats and dogs isn't just a preference—it's a biological necessity. Cats are classified as obligate carnivores, meaning their bodies are designed to function optimally on a diet primarily made up of meat. They require specific nutrients such as taurine, arachidonic acid, and vitamin A, which are naturally found in animal tissues, to maintain good health. Dogs, while slightly more omnivorous, are also classified scientifically as carnivores and thrive on a diet rich in animal proteins. This categorization is based on their anatomical and physiological traits that favor meat consumption, including their teeth structure, jaw movement, and digestive enzymes.

2. Complete and Balanced Nutrition

While real meat provides a plethora of necessary nutrients, ensuring a complete and balanced diet requires attention to all nutritional needs. It's crucial to include sources of calcium and phosphorus, which are vital for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Simply feeding meat might not cover all these bases. To ensure that every meal is nutritionally complete, especially when preparing homemade diets, pet owners can use tools like the Animal Diet Formulator. This software, developed by veterinarians and nutrition experts who do not have affiliations with pet food companies, helps design balanced diets that meet all the dietary requirements of pets, without any bias.

3. The Significance of the Label

It's essential to scrutinize the label of what you feed your dog or cat. If you notice the inclusion of synthetic vitamins, it’s an indication that the actual food ingredients alone are not sufficient to meet the minimal nutritional requirements. This reliance on synthetic supplements can be a red flag that the food is not providing a naturally balanced diet. Choosing products that rely less on synthetic additions and more on high-quality, natural ingredients is key to promoting better health and nutrition.

4. The Risks of Synthetic Vitamins

While synthetic vitamins are designed to mimic natural nutrients, they often fall short in their effectiveness and safety. For example, synthetic vitamin D supplements in pet foods have been linked to toxicity and health risks. Excessive amounts of synthetic vitamin D can cause serious health problems in dogs, including renal failure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported multiple recalls of dog foods due to dangerous levels of synthetic vitamin D, highlighting the potential risks of relying on manufactured nutrients【1】.

5. Natural Diet: The Path to Wellness

A diet rich in real foods can prevent many health issues linked to nutritional deficiencies or imbalances often associated with synthetic supplements. Real meat, in particular, ensures that your pet is getting a comprehensive nutrient profile that supports everything from bone health to immune system strength, without the added risk of synthetic overdose or nutrient imbalance.

The Reality of Recalls: A Cautionary Tale

The pet food industry has witnessed several recalls, primarily due to the misuse or overuse of synthetic vitamins. A notable example occurred in 2018 and 2019 when excessive amounts of synthetic vitamin D in several widely sold dog food brands led to recalls after reports of vitamin D toxicity in dogs【2】. These incidents underscore the potential dangers of synthetic additives and highlight the safety of natural, real food-based diets.

Making the Healthy Choice: Opt for Real Food

Choosing to feed your pet a diet based on real food is a decision towards ensuring their long-term health and vitality. Real foods provide a complex matrix of nutrients that work synergistically to promote optimal health, which synthetics simply cannot replicate.

Conclusion: Embrace the Natural Advantage

In the journey towards providing the best for our pets, the choice of their diet plays a pivotal role. Opting for real food over synthetic alternatives is not just a preference but a commitment to their health and happiness. It’s time to return to basics, to the power of nature, which has been nourishing all living beings for millennia.

References

1. FDA. (2019). FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy. *U.S. Food and Drug Administration*. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

2. FDA. (2018). FDA Alerts Pet Owners about Potentially Toxic Levels of Vitamin D in Several Dry Pet Foods. *U.S. Food and Drug Administration*. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-alerts

After Note

During a time of reflection, it's critical to examine the stark differences in dietary recommendations for humans compared to pets. It is almost unheard of for physicians or dietitians to prescribe diets solely composed of processed foods fortified with synthetic vitamins for their human patients. Instead, when nutritional deficiencies arise, most healthcare providers recommend consulting with registered dietitians who advocate for a balanced diet based on whole foods.

Yet, when it comes to pet nutrition, the approach seems markedly different. Pet food labels often present less information compared to human food labels. For examples, the percentage of carbohydrates. Such transparency is rarely found in pet food packaging, where carbohydrate content is seldom listed, and the sum of the listed nutritional percentages frequently does not add up to 100%. This discrepancy raises questions about what ingredients are not being disclosed.

Moreover, the reliance on synthetic vitamins in pet foods is widespread. One must consider whether these foods would meet minimal nutritional requirements if stripped of these artificial enhancements. The prevalent recommendation by many pet care institutions for cats and dogs to consume only processed foods, while warning against the dangers of fresh food, stands in contrast to the principles of human nutrition, which emphasize fresh, minimally processed ingredients.

This juxtaposition invites a deeper dialogue about the standards of pet nutrition and the need for a paradigm shift towards more transparent, wholesome, and less processed dietary options for our pets, paralleling how we treat human nutritional needs.