Nature's Logic 100% Natural Pet Foods

Hidden Ingredients: More Harmful Than what You Are Avoiding?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 18:57:00 +0000

Concerned pet parents are frequently asking us if Nature’s Logic diets include a list of various ingredients, such as chicken, beef, cheese, fish etc. Usually these requests come after a visit to the vet where allergy testing has been done. The results of most allergy testing are an endless list of foods and other things, which their pet should avoid.

What is often then recommended is an expensive so called hypoallergenic clinical or prescription diet made from low quality ingredients that can only be bought from the vet. Though it can sometimes sounds like the only option, is it really the best for the pet?

The short note below is from a recent email we received. The email simply asked,

Hi, do you have a dog food formula without cheese?

Before this pet parent declined Nature’s Logic because of less than 1% of cheese in most of our diets, I wanted to make sure they knew more about Nature’s Logic and a little more about other diets, which they might not have known.

Here was our reply:

Yes, All of our diets contain a small amount of cheese powder or cottage cheese.

However, the intolerance to milk products is usually always lactose, we have had our food tested for lactose, and the results come back that none is detected.

But, are you aware, that many ingredients in natural products contain hidden processing aids such as whey, sucrose, corn and soy products? Most of these processing unseen aids are in the following ingredients in pet diets:

· All added vitamins and minerals in pet foods contain one or more of the following: corn products, soy products, MSG, whey and/or sucrose.

· All the added fat-soluble vitamins are preserved with BHT.

· Added synthetic amino acids such as taurine and dl-methionine can contain some of the processing aids mentioned above.

· All Natural Flavorings or Natural Chicken Liver Flavoring contains soy and MSG.

Nature's Logic does not use any added vitamins or mineral, amino acids or natural flavorings, I would suggest to you that our diets are freer of potential allergens than a diet without a small amount of cheese but containing added synthetic vitamins, minerals, amino acids or natural flavoring with these hidden allergens.

Nature’s Logic diets are very successful in helping dogs and cats with food sensitivities, and I hope you will consider trying them. You may also find this article How Natural is Natural, of interest to you. It further illustrates the misleading nature of the word “natural” on pet food labels.

From experience, we see phenomenal results when Nature’s Logic is used to treat dogs and cats with skin and digestive allergy issues. We believe this is due to two factors. One is due to the absence of the many allergens hidden in the synthetic supplementation found in other foods. The second factor is due to the nutritional benefit of the pet receiving the complete natural spectrum of real food vitamins, minerals, amino acids and all accompanying cofactors of which there are thousands present in real, whole food.

Nature is Best

The evidence in good nutritional literature is always substantiating how nature is the best place to get your nutrients and those for your pet. That is what Nature’s Logic is all about, supplying all essential nutrients for your pet from real foods and never from the chemical plants where they need to add many undisclosed ingredients which could result in unsolved problems for your pets.

For more information www.natureslogic.com

Weighing the Difference: Protein Slurry vs. Protein Meal

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 18:40:00 +0000

Dry kibble pet food labels can be confusing to interpret because some of the main ingredients are not what they appear. Ingredients in pet food are listed in descending order by their weight. This predominance by weight includes the water weight when the product is mixed and not the actual weight after the product has been extruded, baked or dried. For example, a dry kibble which uses an ingredient such as “beef” as the first ingredient, which is actually an emulsified slurry, will contain anywhere from 55% to 65% water pre-extrusion and drying. So if the recipe is 70% beef and 30% potato, this company could legally market its diet as containing 70% meat and 30% potato.

Let’s Do The Math

If beef was 70 pounds at 55% moisture and dried potato flakes were 30 pounds at 10% moisture going in to the extruder, once this product is extruded and dried down to 10% moisture (the moisture level required for stable shelf life of dry kibble) a huge percentage shift in ingredient weight has occurred. The 70 pounds of beef, which contained 55% moisture, now contains 10% moisture is reduced down to 35.35 pounds and the potato, which went in at 10% moisture, still weighs 30 pounds in the end product. AAFCO allows a company to say a product like this includes 70% meat and 30% potato when in reality the end product has approximately 55% meat at 10% moisture and 45% potato at 10% moisture.

Example of a Kibble Formula Using Fresh Beef

How an Ingredient panel is allowed to appear:

Ingredients	Pounds of Ingredients in a 3,300lb Batch
Beef (Fresh Meat slurry containing 55% moisture)	1,000
Potato Flakes (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Oats (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Rice (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Beef Fat (Sprayed on after processing and drying)	200
Total Pre-Extruded weight of batch mixture	3,300

How the same Ingredient Panel would appear if put in actual order of final processed weight of each ingredient:

Ingredients	Pounds
Potato Flakes (Still at 10% moisture)	700
Oats (Still at 10% moisture)	700
Rice (Still at 10% moisture)	700
Beef (Fresh Meat now extruded and dried down to 10% moisture)	505
Beef Fat (Sprayed on after processing and drying)	200
Total Yield of batch after extrusion and drying	2,805

As you can see the final product is not meat based food but a potato, oat and rice based diet. The highest protein the example above could be guaranteed for is 24% protein.

Now, take a look at the example below using Beef Meal.

Example of a Kibble Formula Using Beef Meal

How an Ingredient panel appears:

Ingredients	Pounds of Ingredients in a 3,300lb Batch
Beef Meal (Goes in at 10% moisture)	1,000
Potato Flakes (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Oats (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Rice (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Beef Fat (Sprayed on after processing and drying)	200
Total Pre-Extruded weight of batch mixture	3,300

How the same Ingredient Panel would appear if put in actual order of final processed weight of each ingredient:

Ingredients	Pounds
Beef Meal (Goes in at 10% moisture)	1,000
Potato Flakes (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Oats (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Rice (Goes in at 10% moisture)	700
Beef Fat (Sprayed on after processing and drying)	200
Total Yield of batch after extrusion and drying	3,300

This example could easily be guaranteed for, well over, 30% protein.

Meal Means More

The same quality meat and poultry can be used to make high quality “meals” which have the moisture already removed. These quality meals also contain an excellent amino acid profile contrary to what some people incorrectly say. Using high quality meals also allows a manufacturer to put more animal protein into a diet because the water has already been removed.

The Real Picture

For many companies, putting “meat” or “poultry” as the first ingredient is purely a marketing ploy which is misleading the consumer as to how much real meat protein is in the final, dried product. If the actual end dried weight of the “meat” or “poultry” was listed by their weight after the product is dried, then these ingredients would be listed much further down in the products ingredients list and would never be listed as the number one ingredient.

What about Nature’s Logic?

Nature’s Logic achieves high protein content in its kibble by using dried forms of quality beef, chicken, duck, lamb, fish, venison, and rabbit from the beginning of the dry food production process. Using dried meal, instead of fresh or frozen protein sources, results in a higher final protein content in our dry foods. For more on Nature's Logic click here.

What About GMO’s and Protein?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:17:00 +0000

Nature’s Logic frequently receives calls on whether the animals it uses for its proteins consume any GMO ingredients. The answer to this is, “does any company really know 100% for sure the answer to this question?”

First of all Nature’s Logic uses no GMO ingredients in any of its diets. Furthermore, Nature’s Logic knows that the New Zealand grass fed lamb and venison have not consumed any rations containing GMO’s. This would also be true of the sardines harvested in the North Atlantic off the coast of Norway used in the new fish diet.

The answer becomes difficult when it comes to animals raised and fed rations elsewhere. Even if the grain rations fed to chickens, rabbits, ducks and cows are certified organic, that certification does not apply to the added synthetic vitamins and minerals and amino acids used to fortify the rations fed to these animals. Undisclosed GMO soybeans are most likely used as the protein source in the manmade proteinate minerals. There are also many processing aids used in synthetic vitamins and Natural Flavorings; all ingredients in the rations of these animals. These undisclosed processing aids are products from both soy and corn and again are most likely GMO forms of these ingredients, even if the ration is certified organic. But if you disregard the processing aids possibly made with undisclosed GMO’s, what about the many synthetic supplements synthesized from soybean and corn. Not only do the chemical companies make the synthetic vitamins, the chemical companies create the GMO corn and soybean seeds. So which do you think are used to synthesize the vitamins?

Even grass fed range cattle in the USA are supplemented year around, but especially during the winter with cattle cubes or protein licks that are fortified with the synthetic vitamins and minerals containing the undisclosed ingredients above which certainly could contain GMO corn and soybean.

So in conclusion, there is certainly a good possibility that even most grass fed cattle and most-all poultry and rabbits fed rations could be eating some GMO ingredients. The same is true of the organic turkey, beef, and chicken people are buying at the health food store. Also, without exception, synthetic fortification is added to all kinds of certified and natural processed food. The next time in a health food store, look at the long list of added synthetic vitamins and minerals in health drinks, replacement meals, processed health bars, cookies, most flours and breads, cereals, and the list goes on. All of these added synthetic vitamins and minerals most likely contain ingredients made from GMO’s.

Every Nature’s Logic product excludes the use of any manmade synthetic vitamins, minerals, amino acids, or Natural Flavorings thereby probably avoiding more GMO ingredients than any other brand on the market. It also chooses ingredients with no or minimal processing aids to avoid unwanted and undisclosed ingredients. Taking these steps to insure the purest products for consumers is always our aim and goal.

A Closer Look At Cans

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:29:00 +0000

It was reported a few years ago that more canned pet food diets were fed in Europe than dry food. That might not be the case now with the marketing from big commodity diets chasing dollars, but it was the case for certain not long ago.

A couple months ago we published an article where we highly recommended adding moisture to dry pet food to make it more genetically proper for dogs and cats since their prey diet would be very high in moisture, not dry like kibble. Canned food is high in moisture, which makes it more genetically proper for a carnivore assuming the ingredients are proper and healthy.

Scott Freeman, founder of Nature’s Logic expressed, “In my years taking consumer calls, I have heard it all. Recently, and not for the first time, a consumer thought they ought to feed kibble because it cleans teeth and that canned or wet food rots teeth.” Well, kibble does not brush teeth, and neither does canned food, but both can be either positive or negative for dental health. If a canned food or a dry food is high in carbohydrates and low in animal protein, either can certainly create a welcoming environment in the mouth for plaque growing bacteria. On the other hand, a kibble or canned food that is high in animal protein and low in carbohydrates can help create a healthy environment that is less inviting to plaque growing bacteria. Add to that some raw meaty bones at least once a week, and you can have a very healthy canine dental check up.

So what about cans? There could be a case made that feeding pets canned food could be better than dry kibble. First of all, the positive about all canned diets is moisture. This is important for both dogs and cats, but especially cats, which are more prone to dehydration and urinary tract blockage. Secondly, feeding canned food is less likely to cause obesity because it would not be free fed like dry. Canned food also has fewer calories per the same weight or volume serving as kibble. If the canned diet is of high quality, just add a little probiotic/enzyme supplement to the top, and you have something almost as good as raw or just as good as the current high pressure pasteurized (HPP) frozen diets or cooked refrigerated diets. The refrigerated so called “fresh foods" are nothing but refrigerated canned food being marketed in a different way in order to make them look different even though it is not.

Nature's Logic canned foods are 100% real food and natural ingredients just like Nature's Logic kibble and frozen diets, and they also do not contain any synthetic vitamins or minerals. They contain 95% animal ingredients including muscle meat with some bone, organ meat and fat. The other 5% is a concentrate of added dehydrated fruits, veggies, plasma protein, and monmorillonite clay. By adding on top a small amount of Nature's Logic All Food Fortifier Supplement, which contains probiotics and enzymes, this would create a meal that would rival any HPP frozen foods or refrigerated fresh foods, and also be less expensive than those products.

Scott Freeman reports, “We receive praises about our canned food all the time from consumers, and I personally have gotten excellent results from them with my own dog. I especially like the nice, firm stool from feeding a high moisture and high animal protein content canned food.” They are certainly a very good option for pets dealing with loose stool, obesity, diabetes, finicky eaters, and urinary tract and bladder issues.

Things to Consider About Cat Food

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:10:00 +0000

From Scott Freeman, Founder of Nature's Logic

________________________________________________

Most typical dry cat foods do not incorporate enough meat and sometimes no organ meat to be really carnivore appropriate. These insufficient diets not only must use synthetic vitamin and mineral packs, but also added synthetic taurine and other synthetic amino acids such as dl-methionine. If using a proper percentage of meat and organ meat, there would be no need to add these synthetic ingredients. Almost all of these added synthetic supplements and amino acids are made in China, and most are toxic and some lethal at high levels. Many site in their documentation the LD50 levels. LD50 is the amount, if fed, that would be fatal at that dosage to 50% or more of the test animals. Here is an example of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of synthetic Taurine showing the LD 50 levels and other toxicology information. (see Section 11. Toxicological Information)

Almost without exception, dry cat foods are coated with hydrolyzed poultry liver taste enhancers. This form of MSG is very addictive to cats and causes a challenge to convert cats off of MSG coated dry food to high quality, high animal protein, 100% real food. But one should not give up on converting cats over from these addictive dry diets. These palatant coatings are also undesirable because they contain an acidic chemical called sodium acid pyrophosphate. This is what gives many cat foods that acidic smell along with synthetic added dl-methonine. Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (SAP) is also very toxic and lethal at a certain level and because of this, also has a determined LD50 level. (see Section 3 and 11 for Hazard and Toxicological Information) Also, here is the ingredient label for a popular cat food hydrolyzed liver coating containing SAP and hydrolyzed liver.

Don't free feed dry food; don't leave it out. Dr. Pitcairn in one of his famous books titled, “Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats” literally begs cat owners not to free feed dry food and never leave it out. Cats need moisture in their diets. Their prey in the wild would be around 70% moisture; not 10% or less moisture like dry cat food. Not only do most dry cat foods contain little moisture, most are high in carbohydrates and low in animal protein content lacking adequate muscle and organ meat. Dr. Pitcairn said, as a way to make a point to his customer, “if you want your cats to have bladder problems, feed dry food all the time and leave it out.” In other words, he recommends cats be given portion feedings to restrict calories to only what they need daily, and to incorporate wet food into a cat's diet.

So what about Nature's Logic?

From the dry, to wet, to raw frozen, it is high in animal protein, and all diets incorporate organ meat. Because of our formulations, not a one of them needs to be supplemented with synthetic vitamins, minerals or amino acids. For example, you will never see Taurine as an ingredient because all Nature's Logic Feline diets contain more than adequate natural taurine, just like they get it in the wild. During feeding trails of our feline dry diets, the Queens at the end of lactation had over 50% more blood taurine than was required to pass an all life stage feeding trial. The kittens, after 12 weeks of growth, had over 90% more blood taurine than was required to pass an all life stage feeding trial. Similar indicators of superior nutrition were in the Queens' and Kitten's blood levels of hemoglobin, albumin and red blood cells. Here is some data from those trials and below is a picture of one of the kittens born during the trials and then adopted out at the end of the trial along with all other Queens and kittens in our feeding trials.

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Other features of Nature's Logic cat foods are:

We never use hydrolyzed liver palatants; a hidden form of MSG

We never use Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate

They contain NO ingredients from China

We always use enough meat, organ meat and concentrates of other whole foods and natural ingredients so we never have to add any synthetic supplements or amino acids

If you have not tried Nature's Logic cat foods, we encourage you do so, and help your cat be healthier by allowing them to eat diets free of all the hidden things sited above that have nothing to do with health and nutrition.

Do Single Protein Diets for Pets Really Exist?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 23:42:00 +0000

From Scott Freeman, founder and owner of Nature's Logic:
This is a true story. In talking with a dog food plant that makes kibble for private labels, a customer came to them with a formula, which included “dehydrated chicken”. When the pet food company was ready to begin production, they asked the customer to supply them with the dehydrated chicken since they did not have this ingredient. The customer told the dog food plant to just use chicken meal. The plant explained they could not do that because chicken meal cannot be called dehydrated chicken. The customer asked why they couldn’t; because this is the way he was going to differentiate his food from other foods.

It seems the customer was trying to be different without being different at all. Only on the false label would he have been different.

In the pet food industry we have all seen this battle to differentiate. Grain free diets come out using potato. Then another grain free diet comes out using tapioca, saying why tapioca is better than potato and yet another grain free diet is released using peas instead of potatoes, explaining why peas are better. Etc., etc., etc.

Now that the grain free buzz has saturated the market, single protein limited ingredient diets are starting to make their debut. Why? Well of course, to show that a brand is different and then create marketing around it to reel in customers.

So far, I have not seen a truly single source protein diet even though the bag says it is. For example, a single source protein diet I recently saw saying it only has fish in it, also contains hidden soy protein and hidden poultry protein. The soy protein is the protein used to make the chelated minerals: Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, and Calcium Proteinate. Soy is the protein of choice used by manufacturers of these minerals. See product tag.

This single protein diet I saw also had the ingredient “natural flavoring”. The reason this term is used, is to hide all the ingredients used to make this ingredient, which is soy protein and hydrolyzed poultry liver protein (MSG). See product tag.

Are there truly single protein diets out there? I don’t think so. There are many diets out there that have primary protein sources, but I don’t know of any truly single protein diets. But it is a good differentiation that can sway some customers to buy these products.

Nature’s Logic has never chosen to follow the grain free or the single protein trends, but we are different. Not different because we are trying to create a perceived differentiation that might be a little shady like the customer at the pet food plant trying to call chicken meal – dehydrated chicken. We are different on principal and performance. We are different because we use only high quality meats and proteins and all our kibble is made with Millet, a seed that is lower in natural sugars than other common starches found in pet food. We provide whole food diets that don’t need to be fortified by chemically synthesized vitamins and minerals.

Because we are committed to these principles, when we found out that all manufacturers put synthetic Vitamin D in all processed cod liver oils, we stopped using it. Will the company making single protein diets stop using mineral proteinates when they realize they have soy in them? Will this company stop using the natural flavoring palatant that has hidden soy and MSG in it?

I once read “A difference, to be a difference, must make a difference.” I liked that, and I think that properly portrays Nature’s Logic. We love hearing from our customers every day about the difference Nature’s Logic has made for their pet. Just like the call from the customer yesterday about his dog with Cushings disease. He said the vets are scratching their heads because they have never seen this disease disappear in a dog and all signs go away. The customer called to find out if I thought it was the food. I had to admit that I don’t know, but it is possible.

We believe we will continue to see Nature’s Logic make a difference because it is truly different, not just because the label says so, but because it is founded on principle and performance.

A difference, to be a difference, must make a difference.

Is Grain-Free Really Better?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Dog and cats are naturally carnivores receiving the majority of their required nutrients from meat. This has lead pet food manufactures to create grain-free formulas for both dogs and cats promoting that it is healthier and more natural. However, while grain-free manufacturers are migrating away from including grains in pet foods, they are instead using other starch ingredients such as potato, tapioca, peas or chickpeas.

While some in the pet community will advocate grain-free foods as better for pets a question arises. Are potatoes, chickpeas, and tapioca really biologically-appropriate foods for dogs and cats? And though they may be grain-free they are still a starch and these starches are a major source of carbohydrates and sugar in dry kibble pet foods and often linked to various pet allergies or health issues.

Dogs and Cats are NOT Naturally Grain-free

In the wild meat-eating predators consume nearly their entire prey, including the intestines. This supplies them with additional nutrients from predigested fruits, vegetables and yes, grains, in the stomach of their prey, and from the little that they will forage in the wild. So actually the most natural diet for dogs and cats is not one that is grain-free, but rather one high in animal protein and low in carbohydrates.

Starch and its Purpose in Pet Food

A starch is a complexcarbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith ofplants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice¹. Grain-free kibble brands still contain starch from one or more of these sources, not because of the nutritional value, but because it makes the kibble stick together and hold its shape.

If you as a pet parent have decide to feed your pets dry kibble for whatever reason, (cost, convenience, etc.) but some form of starch is required to help kibble keep its shape, then is there a healthy starch that is low in carbohydrates and a more natural option?

Benefits of Millet

Millet is a grass seed is similar to one a carnivore might consume from eating the stomach of a bird or herbivore. So it is a starch that is more likely to be eaten by predators in the wild, either directly or through their prey. This is much more likely to occur naturally in a wild dog or cat’s diet than chickpeas or potato, so will be more natural for their digestive systems.

Further, millet is low in sugar and carbohydrates. The grain contains less natural sugar than other starches frequently used in pet foods. Plus millet contains NO gluten, a relatively common allergen for pets.

Nature’s Logic dry kibble formulas for both dogs and cats include millet as the only starch. Since Millet is low in carbohydrates and Nature’s Logic diets are high in protein it makes all our kibble a biologically-appropriate, healthy diet for your pets. If you would like to learn more about Nature’s Logic dry kibble diets that are 100% natural visit our website www.natureslogic.com

How Does High Pressure Pasteurization Affect My Pets Food?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:15:00 +0000

As a loving pet parent it is understandable you want to feed your cat or dog the most biologically-appropriate diet, for many this has lead to selecting a raw food diet for their pet. A properly formulated raw diet is most natural for your carnivorous pet. Raw meat and poultry, along with proper percentages of bone and organ meat, supply a naturally correct profile of amino acids and most vitamins and minerals. Also, inherent in the raw food are enzymes and bacteria that aid in digestion and play a key role in a healthy immune system.

High Pressure Pasteurization of Raw Pet Food

However a number of raw food manufacturers have begun pasteurizing their raw pet foods through a process called High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) a method that incorporates water pressure to sterilize food to prevent pathogens that can make your pets sick. “Depending on the amount of pressureused, research has demonstrated that proteins do denature, and beneficial goodbacteria are obliterated during HPP processing”, says Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian. One could argue that this pasteurized form of raw food is really no better than sterilized canned food.

Raw Pet Food Safety without Pasteurization

There are methods of guarding the safety of dogs and cats that eat raw pet food, without using HPP. Nature's Logic's raw frozen diets are 100% raw, with all the nutrients naturally obtained from raw meat, poultry and produce. We take a number of steps to ensure that is the case, without pasteurizing the food.

First, Nature’s Logic uses meats, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables that come from human-edible processing facilities. All our manufacturing plants are registered with the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. They are all AIB Certified and several are EU (European Union) Certified.

In addition, Nature's Logic uses ingredients that have been tested for quality and purity to help alleviate any potential risk of pathogens, rancidity, or toxins and produces all of its raw products in a USDA Human Food Plant.

Dr. Becker states, “if your pet is ahealthy, thriving dog or cat, then a completely fresh unadulterated raw diet is what I would recommend. There are tremendous nutritional benefits derived fromeating non-sterile foods….Given the choice, our dogs and cats would choose tohunt and consume fresh prey -- but they would certainly not be catching sterileprey. Dogs and cats are designed to efficiently and healthfully process thenormal bacteria loads found in their prey.”

A proper raw food, based on high percentages of animal protein and little or no grain, can greatly reduce a number of diseases or the severity of them in our pets. A good raw diet is an excellent choice for any dog or cat. For more information about Nature's Logic raw foods for dogs and cats, please visit our website.

Natural With “Added” Vitamins and Minerals?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:46:00 +0000

It is a difficult task walking into a pet store and trying to find the best possible food for your beloved dog or cat. There are hundreds bags, many claiming to be “natural” but is it really? Pet food that is marketed and sold as natural, if labeled correctly, is required to have a statement on the packaging similar to, “Natural with Added Vitamins and Minerals.” This statement is a disclaimer to let the consumer know that the added vitamins and minerals are not natural.

Early in the 20th century companies began manufacturing cheap synthetic forms of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. These synthetic chemical forms of nutrients began to be widely used in fortifying processed foods or natural by-products of foods that lacked the normal amount of these elements. With their use also came the necessary studies to determine their safety levels. Unfortunately, the man-made forms of these elements do not come without risk. Many have toxic levels and some even lethal dose levels. The National Research Council (NRC) has published two books on this subject; Vitamin Tolerance of Animals and Mineral Tolerance of Domestic Animals. There are some very interesting statements in these books. To paraphrase, these books say that studies of these elements are incomplete, but the NRC uses the insufficient data along with inference and extrapolation to come up with what they call “the presumed upper safe level” to recommend on each of the man-made synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals. They go on to admit that the “presumed upper safe level” determined from insufficient data using extrapolation and inference should be alright to use for a short period of time without showing signs of intoxication. Furthermore, they say that studies of one year or more to learn potential long-term effects have generally not been conducted but should be. Also, generational studies on the potential negative effects of synthetic supplements have not been done but should be. Lastly, tests have admittedly been conducted on single elements only. Studies to learn the potential negative effect of two or more elements combined at elevated levels is admittedly an unknown which, the NRC says, should be studied. Today, every commercial dry and canned dog and cat food adds as many as 26 of these chemically synthesized vitamins and minerals which the scientific community states long term effects of two or more at elevated levels is virtually unknown.

A sad example of the dangers of these chemical supplement compounds was experienced by the Venezuelan polo team at the U.S. Open in 2009. Prior to the event the team of polo ponies was given a synthetic supplement concoction that included supplemental synthetic selenium. In total 21 ponies died. It was determined by the University of Florida that up to 20 times normal levels of selenium were found in the pony’s tissues. David Barber, the University’s toxicologist, determined that there were abnormally high levels of selenium found in the blood and livers of the ponies.

In the spring of 2006 high levels of Vitamin D3 added to a pet food killed a number of dogs and cats due to a formulation error of this synthetic vitamin, causing a condition called hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium) and causing those pets to go into renal failure. Most died within three to four days after eating the food.

In studies on animals, the negative effects of high levels of these man-made forms of vitamins and minerals are everything from renal failure and cancer to hypercalcemia and death. Health organizations and health professionals’ time and again have encouraged getting our nutrients from food. Numerous times wrong amounts of synthetic nutrients have been formulated into pet food or pet supplements with the end results being illness or death to pets and costly recalls. When the scientific community admits more studies need to be conducted on the use of these elements, the case appears very convincing that it is better and safer for both humans and pets to get their nutrients from food.

Thankfully there is a food you can feel good about. All nutrients in Nature’s Logic diets come from the real whole foods. This is the logical way pet food should be and is the logic behind Nature’s Logic. You can see for yourself at www.natureslogic.com.

How to Feed Your Pet Dry Kibble – More Naturally

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:57:00 +0000

Nature’s Logic founder Scott Freeman, took a moment to answer a common concern about feeding dry kibble. After 14 years in the pet food industry he has taken hundreds of calls from customers concerned about their pets digestive upset.

Dry kibble food is here to stay, but I am totally convinced that it is far from the natural diet of our pets and is the cause of many of their digestive issues. Because of this, I believe kibble feeding needs some tweaking in order to help our pets better digest it for a healthier outcome.

I am confident, over 90% of the digestive issues, in cats and dogs, which include gas, soft stool, diarrhea, and diagnosis of irritable bowel, whether a correct diagnosis or not, is caused by the overfeeding of kibble. I derive this conclusion from the number of these issues which have gone away when the caller follows my simple advice of feeding less and adding moisture.

Dry Pet Food is a Concentrate

If you drank an entire glass of concentrated juice, might you get digestive upset? If you continued to drink a glass twice a day for months, it might even turn into some real bowel issues.

However, if you drink reconstituted orange juice made from concentrate every day, and even twice a day, you would not have any digestive issues, and you might even be healthier for doing it.

Feeding Less may be Better

Now consider dry kibble, it is easy to feed too much, it seems so light and so little in that cup, and your dog or cat could not possibly be satisfied with eating so little food in weight. But remember that dried kibble is only dry to make it convenient and shelf stable for a long time; remember it’s concentrated. The natural food of a carnivore would be very high in moisture, around 70% or more, because no water has been removed from their prey diet when they eat it in the wild.

My recommendation is to always feed less, perhaps 1/3 less than the bag instructions and always add water. Also, I recommend to never free-feed and make sure meals are at least 8 hours apart so at each meal your pet’s stomach is empty. Another thing to remember is to decrease regular meal amounts if you have given treats. Treats are calories and should be counted towards the entire daily caloric need.

Adding Moisture

As you cut back on kibble I strongly recommend adding water to the dish, the added weight of the water mixed with the kibble will give more satisfaction to the pet. This will also help your pet digest their food better and the dried concentrated food will be partially rehydrated to cause less digestive issues. The more water your pet will accept in the food; the better.

The Math on Adding Water to Kibble

When considering reconstituting dry kibble maybe it will help if we do the math on Nature's Logic Canine Kibble.

A cup of kibble weighs about 3.8 ounces. In the bag, it is generally around 5% moisture. A normal prey diet would be close to 75% moisture. So to put it in perspective, if it was reconstituted back to its normal fresh state with all its natural moisture in the meat, fruits and veggies it is created from, a cup would now weigh 14.44 ounces. A 26.4–pound bag of Nature’s Logic Canine kibble with all the natural moisture replaced would now weigh 100 pounds reconstituted. One other way to look at it is that feeding 1 cup of dried, Nature’s Logic kibble is like feeding over 1 – 13.2 oz can of Nature’s Logic canned diet. That is a lot of food, and I venture to say that most people don’t really realize how much is in a cup of dried food; especially high quality diets like Nature’s Logic.

In conclusion, if your dog or cat suffers from digestive upset the first thing I recommend you do is to cut back on the amount of dry food (in some cases way back) and to add water or an unsalted beef or chicken broth. Give it a try for a week or two. See what a difference it makes. Hopefully, this will save you a trip to the vet when all you needed to do was add water and feed less.

Synthetic Nutrients Routinely Added to Pet Foods May Cause Digestive Upset

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:51:00 +0000

It is no wonder that synthetically compounded additives in pet foods can be a little repulsive to our pets’ super sensitive smell and taste causing both palatability issues as well as digestive upset.

In order to make these unnatural elements made in chemical plants palatable and tolerable in pet food, many contain added sucrose for taste as well as hydrolyzed protein which is a hidden form of MSG.And besides these taste enhancers in man-made vitamins and minerals, most so called “Natural Flavorings” not only contain hydrolyzed protein (MSG) but many contain the synthetic chemical, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate. Not only is this is not disclosed on the label, neither is the hydrolyzed protein and soy found in most “Natural Flavor” ingredients. Read more about “natural” pet foods on Nature’s Logic FAQ page.

Many people, possibly even you, have experienced nausea after taking vitamin pills. If this is the case, just think about your pet being fed a commercial diet, which has 20 to 26 different, added synthetic vitamins, minerals and amino acids in every meal. The reason for the nausea is because these elements are toxic. Purina Mills (PMI), since July has recalled over 100 of its animal feeds due to excessive levels of added Vitamin D3. Excessive D3 can be toxic and even lethal at certain levels.

Since 2006, Nature’s Logic has made available for pets a full line of pet foods that supply all essential nutrients from all natural, whole foods. We never add synthetic vitamins, minerals, or amino acids made in chemical plants, which need added sucrose and MSG to make them tolerable to pets. Making nutritious diets from quality ingredients has not only been proven to be healthier for pets, but also safer in the light of many pet food recalls due to excessive added vitamins or minerals, which on numerous occasions have lead to pets illness or even death. Pets love Nature’s Logic and thrive on it, and we believe it is because they are getting nothing but real food.

Read a Real Life Story of Supplement Free Pet Food.

Calcium from Food, Not Laboratories, Safest for Pets

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Dogs and cats, like humans, need the natural mineral calcium to support healthy bones for an active lifestyle. But calcium is not made by your pet’s body, so it must come from his diet. Wild dogs and cats get calcium by consuming their entire prey, including the bones. But domesticated animals rely on commercial pet foods we feed them, and some sources of calcium are safer for your pets than others.

Calcium in Real Food Differs from Supplements

Most commercial pet foods contain the necessary nutrients your pet needs. However, nearly all pet foods, even so-called “natural” ones, contain dozens of synthetic vitamins and minerals, including calcium. Most of these man-made nutrients are produced in Chinese chemical plants (1). In addition to potential toxicities from unwanted ingredients synthetic nutrients contain, researchers are also finding they behave differently in the body.

A recent study published in the medical journal Heart, found that people who obtained their calcium exclusively from supplements were 2.7 times more likely than non-supplement-users to experience a heart attack. Previous research has also linked calcium supplements to kidney stones and abdominal symptoms. The authors say, "It is now becoming clear that taking this micronutrient in one or two daily [doses] is not natural, in that it does not reproduce the same metabolic effects as calcium in food (2)."

Calcium and Vitamin D work together to support bone health. Vitamin D is required in order for the body to absorb the calcium it gets from food (3). Cholecalciferol, a synthetic form of Vitamin D, is one of 20-26 added chemically-synthesized vitamins and minerals typically added to commercial pet foods. Like synthetic calcium, man-made Vitamin D is also not the same as the nutrient pets would get from whole food sources and sunshine.

Cholecalciferol is the active ingredients used in many rat poisons, causing death from hypercalcemia Hypercalcemia, or increased calcium levels, occurs when animals absorb too much calcium from their food. This can damage blood vessels, kidneys, the stomach wall and lungs, leading further to heart problems, bleeding, and possibly kidney failure (5). Excess synthetic Vitamin D added to pet foods has led to serious recalls, including the 2006 Royal Canin recall and the 2010 Blue Buffalo recall. However, getting Vitamin D naturally from sunlight or a good healthy diet has never caused hypercalcemia.

Safe Amounts of Calcium in Pet Food

How much calcium your pet should consume depends upon a few variables. In general, commercial pet foods formulate their products to meet the nutrient profiles recommended by The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). For calcium, AAFCO recommends pet foods contain from 0.6% - 2.5% calcium, calculated on a dry matter basis, depending upon whether the food is for growing puppies and kittens or for adult maintenance (6). To see where your pet’s food falls, you can check the nutrient analysis on the food’s label (7).

However, also consider the source of the calcium. Dogs or cats in the wild can consume large amounts of calcium in the bone of their prey, more than AAFCO guidelines, with no adverse effects. Calcium guidelines on commercial pet food are more likely due to the fact that added synthetic calcium in pet food is mixed with man-made vitamin D, or cholecalciferol. As stated earlier, too much synthetic Vitamin D can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, leading to hypercalcemia. This is not a problem when vitamins and minerals are obtained from food, not chemically-synthesized supplements. Whole foods naturally supply pets with nutrients in the most proper and safe amounts.

Natural Food Sources of Calcium & Vitamin D

Fortunately, calcium and vitamin D are readily available in foods like fish, liver, eggs, alfalfa, apricots, apples, broccoli, and spinach, all found in Nature’s Logic foods. They are among the long list of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that naturally supply all essential vitamins and minerals dogs and cats need to thrive. While Nature's Logic formulas are on the higher end of the AAFCO recommended range for calcium than many other pet foods, the calcium in our food comes from real food, not synthetics with chemical additives that might cause adverse reaction.

Nature’s Logic® is the only full-line of raw, canned, and frozen commercial pet food with NO chemically-synthesized nutrients and NO ingredients from China. All of the vitamins and minerals in our formulas are derived from food. This is the safest way to supply nutrients to pets. For more information, visit www.natureslogic.com .

1. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-ingredients-from-china-are-still.html

2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/24/calcium-supplements-heart-risk

3. http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/bone/bone_health/nutrition/#d

4. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-does-your-pets-food-have-in-common.html

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenticide

6. Official Publication Association of American Feed Control Officials, 2008, p. 131.

7. http://www.natureslogic.com/products/dp_dry_bee.html

How Feeding Pets Raw Food is Healthy and Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Many pet experts suggest feeding pets a raw diet. A food that consists primarily of the right meat ingredients is the most biologically-appropriate thing you can feed dogs and cats, natural carnivores in the wild. It can lead to a healthier, more vibrant pet, as well as lower vet bills.

However, may pet parents thinking about switching pets from dry kibble or canned pet food to a commercial raw diet are sometimes hesitant, concerned about the possibility of adding inconvenience to an already busy life. But feeding your pet a raw diet doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Some suggestions from a few experts can make feeding your cat or dog raw food much easier.

Quick Refresher on Raw Pet Food Benefits & Safety

“There’s nothing to fear and so much to gain by serving your dog or cat the food nature intended him to eat,” says Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian. “The truth is both cats and dogs are designed specifically to consume raw meat. Their bodies are adapted to process raw, living foods.”¹ Raw meat and poultry, along with proper percentages of bone and organ meat, supply a naturally correct profile of amino acids and most vitamins and minerals. A carnivore-appropriate raw diet would also contain small amounts of vegetation, like fruits and vegetables. Wild carnivores would naturally consume these when eating the intestinal contents of their prey. In addition, raw foods contain the natural enzymes and healthy bacteria that aid in digestion and play a key role in supporting a healthy immune system.

Commercial raw pet food is also safe to feed your pet. Most raw pet food manufacturers use High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) to prevent pathogens that can make your pets sick. However, tests have shown that raw diets made using HPP lost some of their natural nutrients and benefits. There are other ways to ensure raw pet food safety. “We take a number of steps to ensure our raw food is safe, without using HPP,” says Scott Freeman, founder of Nature’s Logic. “Nature's Logic uses ingredients that have been tested for quality and purity to help alleviate any potential risk of pathogens, rancidity, or toxins and produces all of its raw products in a USDA Human Food Plant.”²

Feeding Pets Raw is NOT Difficult – Just Different

Once pet parents decide to feed their dog or cat a commercial raw pet food, they won’t find it as overwhelming as they predicted. “It’s really not any more difficult than going to the cupboard, scooping out dry food, and putting it into your pet’s bowl,” says Megan Trester, Sales Associate for The Raw Connection, a natural pet food store in Carmel, California specializing in raw foods.³ The experts at The Raw Connection consult with customers every day on how to work raw feeding into their daily routine and make it as easy as feeding any other form of pet food.

First they consider the size of the pet and calculate the amount of food per meal and how much the customer will need to buy. Then they walk them through the simple steps of feeding once they get the food home. “A 50-pound dog will need 16 ounces of raw food each day, or two 8-ounce patties,” explains Trester. “So, for example, they can store an 8-pound bag of raw frozen patties in the freezer and each evening take out two to thaw in the refrigerator for the next day’s meals.”

Ingrid King, founder and publisher of the award-winning blog The Conscious Cat,⁴ agrees that feeding raw is not that hard. “I usually tell people that feeding raw is not that different from feeding canned,” King explains. “When you use the prepared frozen raw food, which is already completely supplemented, the only difference is that instead of opening a can, you thaw out the food a day or two ahead of time. I thaw out two or three days worth of food at a time, and when I’m down to my last serving, I thaw out the next two or three days’ worth of food. I’m lazy – which is why I love brands that use either nuggets or patties, which makes it easy to figure out serving sizes.”

Even if you occasionally forget to thaw out that meal ahead of time, it’s pretty easy to serve up quickly. You can place the serving in a sealed, zip-lock bag and submerge in lukewarm water while you go do something else. In about 10 to 15 minutes, it will be ready for your pet to enjoy.

The hardest part may be changing your pet’s food. Most dogs will cooperate pretty easily, but cats are notoriously resistant to change. The Conscious Cat has an excellent article with step-by-step tips for switching your cat’s food.⁵Ingrid King’s blog was recently voted “Best Website About Cats” by About.com.

Raw Food Worth the Learning Curve

Every day, associates at The Raw Connection see pets with specific health problems, such as kidney, liver, or digestive issues, whose owners have been encouraged to feed a raw diet. “At first they are hesitant,” says Trester, “but when we explain that raw food can keep their pet healthier and reduce vet bills, they understand that a little extra effort to learn about raw feeding is worth it.”

A good raw diet is an excellent choice for any dog or cat. A proper raw food, based on high percentages of animal protein, little or no grain, and vegetation naturally supplies all the nutrients pets need for optimal nutrition. It can greatly reduce a number of diseases or the severity of them in our pets. Nature’s Logic raw frozen pet foods are safe and 100% natural, with all the nutrients coming from raw meats, poultry and produce. The 3.2 oz patties, each about the size of a hockey puck, are easy to store and feed and come in rabbit, beef, and chicken formulas. For more information, please visit www.natureslogic.com .

What tips would you add to make raw feeding easier for other pet parents?

1. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/02/15/raw-meat-the-best-and-healthiest-diet-for-pet-cats-and-dogs.aspx

2. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-your-dog-or-cats-raw-pet-food-really.html

3. The Raw Connection; 26549 Carmel Rancho Blvd., Carmel, CA, 93923; 831-626-7555; www.TheRawConnection.com

4. www.consciouscat.net

5. http://consciouscat.net/2011/07/25/how-to-your-cat-off-dry-food/

Why Healthiest Foods for Pets Include Fruits and Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:52:00 +0000

In nature, dogs and cats are meat-eating predators, or what scientists call carnivores. Cats are called “obligate carnivores,” which means their diet must consist primarily of meat. Therefore species-appropriate diets for dogs and cats are those rich in high-quality animal proteins and low in carbohydrates. But fruit and vegetables also play an important role in your pet’s diet.

Fruits and Vegetables Naturally Supply Pets with Key Nutrients

When wild dogs or cats consume their prey, often plant-eating animals or “herbivores,” they eat the entire animal, including hair, bones, blood, and the contents of the stomach and intestines. This is where animals in the wild obtain small amounts of grains and other plan matter that supply essential nutrients not provided by meat. So in order for domesticated pets to consume a species-appropriate diet, the food should closely match the properties of the prey they would eat in the wild. That includes nutrients available only from plants.

“Whole vegetables, like pumpkin, broccoli, spinach and carrots are going to provide quality nutrition that the dog’s body can actually utilize for optimal health and strength,” says Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible. Some dogs may eat raw vegetables, such as carrots, as a treat. But not all pets are so cooperative. Ever see a cat eat broccoli? For this reason, the easiest way to provide your pet with healthy fruits and vegetables is to make sure these ingredients are in the pet food he or she eats.¹

Fruits and Vegetables in Pet Foods Replace Added Man-made Vitamins

There is more than one way to create a pet food that meets the nutritional guidelines of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Most dog and cat food makers add up to 26 chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals and amino acids to their commercial pet diets. This is to compensate for the fact that the food itself does not contain these necessary nutrients. It is less expensive to reach recommended nutrient levels by adding man-made supplements to pet foods. You won’t see fruits and vegetables on the ingredient labels, but you will see “with added vitamins and minerals” on the packaging.

Alternatively, adding fruits and vegetables to commercial pet food, instead of synthetic nutrients made in a chemical plant, naturally provides essential vitamins your pet needs to thrive. Dried apples, apricots, alfalfa, artichokes, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cranberries, kelp, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes and others are all whole food sources of important nutrients for your pet. The safest nutrients for pets come from food, not chemistry. All nutrients in Nature’s Logic pet foods come from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients.²

Animals in the wild never get essential nutrients from synthetic, chemical additives that are widely used in other commercial pet diets. Nature’s Logic pet foods are high in animal protein, low in carbohydrates, and contain small amounts of dried fruits and vegetables to naturally supply essential vitamins. For example, the company’s raw and canned pet foods contain at least 95% meat, poultry, fish and organ meat and about 5% dried fruits and vegetables. For more information, visit www.natureslogic.com

1. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/02/pets-should-eat-their-fruits-and.html
2. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/05/quality-requires-commitment-to-pets-not.html

More Pet Food Recalls: How to Ensure Your Pet’s Food is Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Once again pet parents find themselves frantically checking lot numbers and tossing recalled pet food. The current pet food recall due to Salmonella contamination continues to include more and more brands and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has even sickened people who have handled the pet food or the pet that ate it (1). It is scary to think we might be unknowingly feeding a beloved member of our family a food that might harm them. Here are some tips to make sure your dog or cat’s food has not been recalled and to choose a brand that is far less likely to be recalled in the future.

Is Your Pet’s Food Included in Latest Recall?

Obviously, the first thing to do is check to see if the food you are feeding your dog or cat has been recalled. Lots of pet bloggers and other media (2) write about such recalls, but you can see a full list from the Food and Drug Administration (3). Here are the brands included in the latest recall:

▪ Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul      ▪ Natural Balance             ▪ Taste of the Wild
▪ Canidae                                                          ▪ Wellness                          ▪ Costco Kirkland
▪ Diamond                                                        ▪ Diamond Naturals         ▪ Apex
▪ Country Value Premium Edge                   ▪  Solid Gold

You can also go to the website of the company that makes your pet food. Look for any news or recall announcement, or a phone number to call them directly. They should be able to quickly tell you if any of their foods are recalled. If your pet’s food is on the list, stop feeding it immediately.

How Does Your Pet Food Brand Ensure Safety?

If your brand is not on the above list or on the FDA’s website – great! There is no need to abruptly switch pet foods. Instead you can do some research and ask tough questions of the company that makes your brand. This will help you assess the risk of future recalls with the food you are feeding.

In addition to finding out where the food is made and where all the ingredients come from, ask what steps the company takes to ensure the food is safe for your pets to eat. This gets to the issue that led to this latest pet food recall due to Salmonella contamination. Nature’s Logic avoids potential quality and contamination problems in three key ways.

1. We source and purchase all of our own ingredients, instead of allowing our manufacturing partners to make those decisions.

2. We use meats, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables that come from human-edible processing facilities. All our manufacturing plants are registered with the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. They are all AIB Certified and several are EU (European Union) Certified.

3. We use ingredients that have been tested for quality and purity to help alleviate any potential risk of pathogens, rancidity, or toxins.

Synthetic Vitamins & Minerals Common Reason for Pet Food Recalls

If your pet food brand is not recalled and the manufacturer has explained the safety precautions they take, ask where the vitamins and minerals in the pet food come from. If a pet food claims to be “natural with added vitamins and minerals,” those vitamins and minerals are NOT natural. This statement is actually a disclaimer, required by The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), to alert pet parents that the product contains synthetic nutrients that come from chemicals, not food.

A number of pet food recalls in recent years have been due to excessive Vitamin D or other synthetic nutrients in the food. In October of 2010, Blue Buffalo’s recalled dog food due because it contained too much Vitamin D. In 2006, Royal Canin recalled several of their foods because they also contained too much added Vitamin D. In 2009, Nutro recalled cat foods, citing the formulas contained “excessive levels of zinc.” At about the same time, 21 horses at the U.S. Open Polo Championship in Florida died from a supplement overdose of the mineral selenium.

The common factor to all of these events is the use of added man-made vitamins or minerals. Dangerous excess vitamins and minerals in pet food happen when there is an error during the addition of the synthetic nutrient premix used. When nutrients come from food, as in all Nature’s Logic diets, this is far less likely. In addition, these man-made nutrients, those not coming from the food itself, contain processing aids and carriers, and many also contain chemical preservatives. Many fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, often contain the chemical preservative BHT(4). Further, most of the man-made mineral supplements are by-products of the metal industries and are allowed by AAFCO to have certain levels of heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury, and others. In addition, nearly every one of those synthetic vitamins and minerals are made in China (5).

Pick a Safe Pet Food

The best way to avoid pet food recalls is to select a high-quality food, made in facilities inspected regularly and that follow quality and testing practices, and that don’t contain hidden unwanted ingredients. Nature’s Logic is the only full-line, commercial pet food with no chemically-synthesized nutrients. For more information about our 100% natural food for dogs and cats, visit www.natureslogic.com.

1. http://www.petfoodindustry.com/46144.html

2. http://www.kvue.com/news/consumer/150369165.html
3. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

4. http://www.natureslogic.com/pdf/MSDS/D3.pdf

5. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-ingredients-from-china-are-still.html

How High Quality Pet Foods Maintain Nutrition with Various Levels of Processing

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Processing pet food changes the consistency and nutritional content. Manufacturers do this in order to ensure the food is safe for your pet to eat. That is, certain steps in the process of making pet food are there to eliminate harmful bacteria or to prevent the food from spoiling. Sometimes processing is for convenience of the pet food company, but often it is to deliver the convenient product demanded by pet parents. When evaluating what form or brand of pet food to feed your dog or cat, consider the different processing steps, what they do, and how high-quality pet food manufacturers make sure your pet’s food is safe and nutritious.

Homemade Pet Food Has the Least Processing

Obviously, food you prepare at home for your pet, with ingredients you purchased at the grocery store or butcher, will be the freshest and have the least amount of processing. As long as pet parents do their research and follow recipes that ensure each meal contains optimal nutrition and is biologically-appropriate for their pet, this is a great option. They must also avoid feeding raw meat or poultry that might contain bacterial pathogens that could make pets sick. Finally, appropriately feeding homemade pet food requires more preparation than most pet parents want to do. This is why most feed commercial dog and cat food.

Some Raw Frozen Pet Diets Have Almost No Processing

Most “raw” pet food manufacturers use High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) to prevent pathogens that can make your pets sick. This method incorporates water pressure to sterilize the food. Tests have shown that HPP denatures, or structurally changes, proteins in the raw meat, lowering the nutrients in the food. Raw diets that have been pasteurized with high pressure have lost some of their raw food benefits.

Instead, Nature’s Logic takes other steps to ensure safety without pasteurizing our raw food. The Company uses ingredients that have been tested for quality and purity to help alleviate any potential risk of pathogens, rancidity, or toxins and produces all of its raw products in a USDA Human Food Plant.(1)

Canned Pet Food Processed at High Heat

High-protein, low-carbohydrate canned pet foods can have all the same nutrients and moisture content as raw foods, except for the natural enzymes and probiotics. The processing steps required for safe canning require sterilizing at temperatures around 250°F,(2) thus denaturing digestive enzymes and killing any probiotics (healthy bacteria) naturally in the food. Pet parents have the benefit of a food that is stable on their shelves for three to five years, but it is a good idea to add a supplement with digestive enzymes plus either probiotics or prebiotics if feeding canned food only.

Dry Kibble Most Processed Pet Food but Still Nutritionally-Complete

A biologically-appropriate dry food for cats and dogs formulated to supply proper nutrition for all life-stages will ensure all essential nutrients are present. Dry foods are heated to thicken the starch (grain, potato, peas, tapioca, etc.) then extruded under high pressure to obtain the shape and size.(3) Pet food companies mainly use extrusion cooking technology to produce dry pet foods because of a combination of benefits including better pasteurization, maintenance of nutritional value, flexibility and density control."(4) The process of heating kibble to extrude and dry it does reduce the nutritional value of some components in the food, like certain vitamins and amino acids. However, the nutrient loss is typically no more than 25% as a result of modern food processing operations.(5)

To compensate for the loss of nutrients, pet food manufacturers begin the process using levels higher than needed, so that the final product contains all the nutrients a pet needs. Most companies add extra synthetic vitamins to the recipe, and the unwanted ingredients and potential toxins that go along with synthetic nutrients.(6) Nature’s Logic adds extra nutrients to its dry kibble before processing but does so with concentrates of dried real food…not chemicals. The company adds NO synthetic vitamins or minerals to any of its formulas, instead deriving all nutrients from food.

Some high-quality kibbles apply specially-prepared probiotics and enzymes after the heat and drying steps. This ensures that they remain viable and active when pets eat the food containing them. The dried enzymes need moisture to become active, while probiotics require a source of food, optimal temperature and pH, as well as moisture to grow.(7) Thus; they remain dormant on the kibble until the conditions exist to activate them.

Whether you feed raw, canned or kibble, migrating to more natural and biologically-appropriate pet food for your dog or cat will result in greater health and longer lives for your companion animals. Nature’s Logic makes a full line of 100% natural pet foods with no man-made ingredients. For more information visit www.natureslogic.com

1. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-your-dog-or-cats-raw-pet-food-really.html

2. http://www.enotes.com/pet-food-reference/pet-food

3. http://www.enotes.com/pet-food-reference/pet-food

4. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. (2011), doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2011.03.009

5. http://www.fao.org/docrep/V5030E/V5030E07.htm

6. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2010/11/added-vitamins-and-minerals-in-pet-food.html

7. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/04/probiotics-enzymes-effectively.html

Three Key Reasons Nature’s Logic Pet Foods are Environmentally Friendly

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 03:08:00 +0000

Earth Day is a great time to evaluate how our lives, and those of our pets, impact the environment. More and more pet parents use environmental considerations when buying products for their dogs and cats. Nature’s Logic pet foods are nutrient-dense, with no synthetic vitamins or minerals and no genetically-modified ingredients to help reduce your pet’s carbon paw print.

1. Nature’s Logic Contains NO Chemically-synthesized Vitamins or Minerals

Nature’s Logic not only keeps potentially harmful chemicals and preservatives out of pets, but it keeps them out of the environment, too. Many high-quality foods on the market don’t use chemical preservatives, but only Nature’s Logic is truly 100% natural. Nature’s Logic formulas contain none of the chemically-synthesized added vitamins and minerals added to virtually all other commercial pet

foods. Even those foods marketed as “natural” are allowed by AAFCO to make that claim, as long as they also include the disclaimer “with added vitamins and minerals,” indicating that these added nutrients are actually NOT natural, but instead man-made chemicals.

2. Nutrient-Dense Foods Lead to Less Pet Waste

Nature’s Logic pet food is nutrient-dense, made with high-quality meats, fruits, vegetables and NO cheap fillers, like corn or wheat. Dogs and cats are able to digest more of the food they eat so they produce less waste. Not only is this better for their health and their human’s clean-up efforts, it has a real impact on the environment. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the average dog produces 274 pounds of waste each year.¹ The waste is especially an issue in urban areas with a lot of concrete. Runoff from rains washes waste into bodies of water, where the bacteria starves ponds of oxygen and kills aquatic life.²

3. Nature’s Logic Uses NO Genetically-modified Ingredients

The science of genetic engineering has made it possible to alter the genetic material, like DNA, of many organisms, including bacteria, plants and even some animals. The resulting products are called Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. In addition to potential health risks to people and pets, scientists have environmental concerns, including the creation of new, more virulent viruses, risks to birds and deer, and “effects that ripple through an ecosystem in ways that are difficult to predict.”³

Nature’s Logic pet foods can help reduce your pet’s environmental impact. The company has created the first and only full-line of dry kibble, canned, and raw frozen pet food in the world with no chemically-synthesized vitamins or minerals. All nutrients in Nature’s Logic formulas are derived from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. For more information on our formulas, visit http://www.natureslogic.com/.

1. http://www.ak.nrcs.usda.gov/compost.html
2. http://www.click4carbon.com/ECOInfo/pet_carbon_footprint.php
3.http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_genetic_engineering/environmental-effects-of.html

Beware of Overdosing Pets on Synthetic Supplements Intended to Help

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:24:00 +0000

When your pet gets sick or develops a health condition of some kind, naturally you want to do all you can to heal him. That might include a change to a higher-quality pet food, a visit to the vet, medications, or more often supplements intended to help. But well-intentioned pet owners can sometimes do more harm than good, particularly when giving too many synthetic nutrients like vitamins, minerals, or amino acids. These man-made supplements are already present in nearly all pet foods but they are not without risks. In excess, these artificial nutrients can actually harm your pet. This is a greater problem for pets than most of their loving care-takers even realize.

Example: L-Lysine and Feline Herpes

Recently we learned of a pet parent who has a cat with feline herpes virus, also known as “feline viral rhinotracheitis," the most common cause of upper respiratory disease in cats.¹ She was treating her cat with the amino acids L-lysine and Taurine, as well as a B6 vitamin complex. Sadly, her cat is now in renal failure, most likely due to the toxicity of too many synthetic supplements.

L-Lysine is an essential amino acid which has been shown to suppress viral replication and inhibit cytopathogenicity.² Supplementing with L-Lysine is a common treatment for feline herpes in the US. What most pet parents don’t know is that this amino acid, like nearly all vitamin, mineral, and amino acid supplements, is chemically-synthesized and carries potentially serious risks. A review of the Material Safety Data Sheet on chemically-synthesized L-lysine made by Science Labs shows the man-made supplement has an LD50 of 11400 mg/kg.³ This is the amount required to kill ½ of the test rats in a clinical trial. Before you dismiss this as unlikely to cause problems, remember that many of the recent pet food recalls have been due to potential adverse consequences of excess man-made nutrients that are routinely added to most pet foods.

More is NOT Better with Man-made Pet Nutrients

For most people, it is tempting to believe that if one is good, two is better. While this may be true for nutrients derived naturally from food, it is not the case with man-made vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other artificial nutrients for pets. More chemicals are not better for pets.

Most pet guardians don’t realize that added vitamins, whether given separately or put in pet foods, are very common sources of hidden ingredients and contaminants that are harmful to animals. Man-made Vitamin B (chemical name Pyridoxine HCl), like what the pet parent in the example above gave her cat, also has an LD50,⁴ meaning too much can kill. Nearly all man-made nutrients, even those routinely added to pet foods, are manufactured in and imported from China, a country not known for its safety record with respect to pet food ingredients.

Added Taurine to Cat Food or as Supplement

Another nutrient the pet-parent above gave her cat was taurine. Taurine is an amino acid, one of many that the body uses to build protein. Taurine contributes to a cat’s health in a number of ways, including supporting vision, digestion, and heart function. But cats’ bodies are unable to make taurine, so they must get this important nutrient from their diet.

Cats in the wild obtained plenty of natural taurine from the prey they hunted and consumed. However, man-made taurine added to most cat foods or given as a supplement, is a chemical. It takes only 5000 mg of chemically-synthesized taurine to kill a mouse,⁵ only 0.176 of an ounce. You can avoid this health risk for your pet by choosing a cat food with high levels of meat, poultry and organ tissue ingredients and no added taurine.

Real Food Best Source of Nutrients for Pets

Whether you are trying to improve a particular condition in your pet with a specific nutrient or simply want to ensure optimal health for your cat or dog, the best source for all nutrients is natural, whole food, not a chemistry lab. Whether you feed raw, canned or dry formulas, most commercial pet foods contain the necessary vitamins and minerals for the use indicated. However, nearly every one of them accomplishes this by adding dozens of synthetic vitamins and minerals. Not Nature’s Logic. The company makes the only full-line, commercial pet food with no chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals or other nutrients. Our high-protein, low carbohydrate diets are made from whole food and 100% natural ingredients. For more information please visit www.natureslogic.com.

1. http://www.cat-world.com.au/feline-herpesvirus

2.     http://www.cat-world.com.au/feline-herpesvirus
3.     http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924532
4.     http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924765
5.     http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9925166

How Ingredients from China Are Still Hidden in Most Pet Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Five years have passed since the 2007 pet food recall that led to thousands of pet deaths from dog and cat food containing melamine from China. While this tragic incident raised alarms and awareness of safety issues, pet food products and ingredients from China are still very common on pet store shelves. In fact, over $21 million dollars worth of dog and cat food ingredients, dog and cat food, treats, and chews are imported into the United States from China each month.¹ These ingredients are often hidden from consumers, not appearing on product labels.

Pet Foods Made in the USA Doesn’t Mean China-free

“Made in the USA” appears on many pet foods. However, pet parents cannot rely on this marketing statement as an indication of quality. “I have found that ‘made in the USA’ does not tell the entire story,” says Jo Bighouse, owner of Midas Touch Naturally Healthy Pets in Berryville, VA. “Each of the manufacturers we represent are being contacted and asked if any raw materials in their products are imported from China, and we are not stopping there,” she continues. “If I am told the vitamins are from a country other than China, including the US, I am contacting that vitamin source to find out if their raw material is from China. If I can confirm that a pet product manufacturer includes raw materials sourced from China, I will not sell the product.”²

Difficult to Track Original Sources for Pet Food Ingredients

Following the chain of ingredients in pet food back to their original source takes a lot of homework. For example, the “added vitamins and minerals” found in nearly all pet foods, even so-called “natural” brands, are actually man-made, or synthetic. Pet food companies typically don’t add synthetic vitamins and minerals one at a time to batches of their food. Instead, they purchase canine or feline premixes, which contain as many as 20 or more blended synthetic vitamins and minerals, from other suppliers, companies like NutraBlend or Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. These companies in turn buy the individual vitamins and minerals in bulk from other sources and blend them together in the required proportions.

You can see how a simple call to the manufacturer adding synthetic vitamins and minerals to their pet food may not get you an accurate answer. They probably have no idea where they come from. Another company buys them and blends into canine and feline premixes for them. If they do know, the source may very well be China and they probably do not want to disclose this to their customers. Pet food companies know ingredients from China create a negative impression with pet owners.

Many Hidden Raw Materials for Pet Food Ingredients Come from China

China has virtually cornered the market on most all vitamins and synthetic amino acids such as taurine. The Seattle Times reports that many of the world's vitamins are now made there.³ It is nearly impossible to get all the synthetic vitamins and minerals that are routinely added to pet food without using Chinese sources.

But other pet food ingredients have raw materials that come from China but are not disclosed to pet parents. For example, “natural liver flavoring” often appears on pet food packaging and the consumer is led to believe that it is just liver. But by looking at the product label for “Dry Cat Palatability Enhancer – A Source of Natural Liver Flavor,” which is sold to the pet food company and then added to its food, you can see this flavoring contains eight ingredients, including soybean oil, the synthetic chemical sodium acid phyrophosphate, and hydrolyzed poultry liver.⁴

Soy is a common allergen for many pets so something consumers don’t want in pet foods. Sodium acid phyrophosphate can be toxic, as indicated by its LD50 level (amount required to kill ½ the subjects in lab tests), and primarily comes from China.⁵ “Hydrolyzed chicken liver” carries hidden MSG (monosodium glutamate) because the process of hydrolizing protein results in the production of MSG.⁶ Because they are all part of the so-called “natural” flavoring, these hidden ingredients, some from China, do not appear on the pet food label.

Pet Parents Must Be Vigilant to Avoid Ingredients from China

If you want your pet’s food China-free, you’ll need to do your homework. Fortunately there are others in the pet industry that are equally concerned about your pet’s safety and have done much of the research for you. Independent pet retailers like Jo Bighouse of Midas Touch Naturally Healthy Pets in Berryville, VA are increasingly doing this research so they can offer their customers the best possible products. Pet advocates, like Susan Thixton of TruthAboutPetFood.com, call pet food companies all the time and report their findings on their websites. Finally, quality pet food manufacturers, like Nature’s Logic, do not use ingredients from China. Nature’s Logic has the only full-line of raw, canned, and dry pet food with no chemically-synthesized vitamins or minerals. All the nutrients dogs and cats need to thrive come from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. For more information about Nature’s Logic, visit www.natureslogic.com .

1. Data for 2/1; http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/petfoodindustry/201106/?folio=26#pg28

2.      http://midastouchhealth.com/china-import-free
3.      http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003732744_vitamins03.html
4.      http://www.natureslogic.com/images/catcoating.jpg
5.      http://ccnt-phosphate.com/food-grade-phosphates/Sodium_Acid_Pyrophosphate_SAPP/
6.      http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-avoid-msg-in-pet-foods.html

Reducing Your Pet’s “Toxic Load” Leads to Healthier Dogs and Cats

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:59:00 +0000

For many people, healthier living means choosing more natural products for themselves, and their pets. Dr. Karen Becker, an integrative wellness veterinarian, says, “Many chronic health problems in pets … are in part due to the toxins dogs and cats are exposed to in their daily lives.” Continual exposure leads to what Dr. Becker calls the pet’s “toxic load,” the chemicals and other foreign substances that accumulate in the body of an animal over weeks, months and years.¹ By reducing your pet’s toxic load, you may help them feel better and avoid future health issues.

Avoid Common Sources of Toxins in Pets

Pet professionals offer many tips to help reduce toxins pets encounter, such as avoiding the use of traditional flea control products that contain chemicals. They also suggest you keep your pet away from herbicides and pesticides in lawn care products, and wash their paws when they come in from a romp in the park. Surprisingly, pet food is another common source of potentially toxic chemicals. Read the labels and select pet foods without artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, and dyes.²

Man-made Vitamins and Minerals in Pet Food

But artificial ingredients on the label are not the only chemicals found in pet foods. Chemically-synthesized vitamins and minerals are added to nearly all commercial pet foods, and these man-made nutrients often contain unwanted and potentially toxic ingredients³. Studies by the U.S. National Cancer Institute have shown a relationship between vitamin supplements and cancer in humans, and so the agency does not recommend them.

What most pet parents don’t realize is that pets are exposed to these same substances when they consume a pet food containing “added vitamins and minerals.” When consumers see this phrase on pet food labels, it tells them that the added vitamins and minerals are man-made, or chemically-synthesized. Whole foods are more natural sources of essential nutrients for pets.

Choose Pet Foods without Chemicals

You do have a few options if you want to avoid chemicals in your pet’s diet. A homemade pet diet with the right components will supply the protein, vitamins, and minerals your pet needs. Be sure to research this to make sure you are preparing nutritionally complete food for your dog or cat.

Alternatively, you could feed a properly-formulated, commercial raw food. Raw meat and poultry, along with proper percentages of bone and organ meat, supply a naturally-correct profile of amino acids and most vitamins and minerals. Many raw foods do not contain added synthetics, but be sure to check the labels before buying.

For other pet food options without added synthetic vitamins or minerals, Nature’s Logic makes the first and only full-line of raw, canned, and dry foods for dogs and cats made only from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. Their formulas contain no man-made ingredients so will not add to your pet’s toxic load. For more information visit www.natureslogic.com.

1. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/15/detox-for-pets.aspx

2. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2012/01/three-tips-for-preventing-cancer-in.html

3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html

4. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/12/do-i-need-to-add-supplements-to-high.html

Tips for Selecting a Pet Food to Help Prevent Health Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:20:00 +0000

A recent article in the pet trade newsletter Pet Product News discussed the growing popularity of special diets for cats designed to prevent common pet health problems. Since nutrition contributes significantly to the health of pets, one can see why pet parents might be drawn to special diets to prevent specific health issues. However, by taking a broader approach to overall pet health, instead of focusing on any one issue, pet parents can help their dogs and cats avoid many potential health problems and enjoy a longer, more active life.

Whole Foods May Reduce Health Risks in Pets

Health-conscious consumers know that eating whole foods and avoiding highly processed foods are good strategies for optimal health. The same is true for our pets. “Whole vegetables, like pumpkin, broccoli, spinach and carrots are going to provide quality nutrition that the dog’s body can actually utilize for optimal health and strength,” says Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible.¹

In addition, pet diets that contain fruits and vegetables can be protective to health. These whole foods are thought to help in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and some cancers. They are also low in calories, which helps prevent obesity², another health risk common in pets. Selecting a pet food with lots of whole fruits and vegetables can help your cat or dog stay health in several key areas.

Chemical-free Foods Recommended to Help Prevent Cancer in Pets

Cancer is all too common in pets. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your dog or cats risk of developing this often-deadly disease. Experts recommend “feeding your dog a healthy diet free from artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, and dyes.³” But these are not the only chemicals found in pet foods.

Chemically-synthesized vitamins and minerals are added to nearly all commercial pet foods, and these man-made nutrients often contain unwanted and potentially toxic ingredients. Studies by the U.S. National Cancer Institute have shown a relationship between vitamin supplements and cancer in humans, and so the agency does not recommend them. Pets are exposed to these same substances when they consume a pet food containing “added vitamins and minerals.” When consumers see this phrase on pet food labels, it tells them that the added vitamins and minerals are man-made, or chemically-synthesized, and have potential toxicities associated with them.⁴ Selecting a pet food that is free of chemicals of any kind further broadens the preventative health benefits for your cat or dog.

Example: Urinary Health in Cats May Not Require Special Food

Urinary problems can be common in cats and so some pet food companies are marketing special formulas designed to address these issues. Again, if pet parents think about overall health when and select a high quality food, they will not need the special urinary health pet food. The same whole food, chemical-free formulas that help to prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer will also help your cat’s urinary health. You may just want to choose the canned form of these healthy pet foods.

Canned pet foods have much higher moisture content, usually 75%-78%, than dry foods which contain only around 10-12% moisture. This is why canned-food diets are often supplemented with the more nutrient-dense, dry pet foods. For cats predisposed to urethral blockage, a diet consisting exclusively of dry food may not be the best choice. Feeding canned food will increase the water your cat consumes, helping to prevent future urinary problems.

Researchers have also found that a cat’s urine pH is an important contributing factor to the occurrence of urinary obstruction in cats. Mineral deposits and crystals are less likely to be formed in more acidic urine. A diet high in animal protein, as is biologically-appropriate for cats, naturally acidifies urine.⁵Selecting a pet food rich in whole foods, without chemicals, and high in protein provides optimal nutrition and helps prevent many potential health problems, including urinary issues in cats.

One Healthy Pet Food Can Do it All

Taking a broader approach to pet wellness by selecting a pet food that provides optimal nutrition overall may be the best way to prevent health problems in your pet. Nature’s Logic makes the only full-line of raw, canned and dry commercial pet food with no chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals or other nutrients. Our high-protein, low carbohydrate diets are made only from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. For more information please visit www.natureslogic.com.

1.      http://www.dogtipper.com/tip/2011/02/looking-for-vegetables-in-your-dogs-food.html
2.      http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=164
3.     http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-health/article_cancer.aspx -
4.      http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2010/11/added-vitamins-and-minerals-in-pet-food.html
5.      http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/09/diet-tips-for-cats-predisposed-to.html

Can Pets Overdose on Enzymes, Probiotics or Other Pet Supplements?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:10:00 +0000

There is little dispute that probiotics and enzymes are beneficial for pets. They support digestion and immune function, as well as ensuring that pets fully-utilize all the nutrients available in the pet food. For this reason, more and more pet parents are supplementing their dog or cat’s diet with enzyme and probiotic supplements. But what happens if those supplements are pretty tasty, and your dog gets into them when you’re not around and eats the whole container? Fortunately, unlike with synthetic vitamins or minerals in pet food or pet supplements, your pet won’t be harmed by too many enzymes or probiotics.

Probiotics and Enzymes Naturally Present in Pets

Probiotics and digestive enzymes are normal occupants of the gastrointestinal tracts of dogs and cats and support healthy digestion. However, several factors can lead to insufficient natural levels of probiotics and enzymes. These include stress, genetic predisposition, advanced age, rigorous exercise, infection, or illness. Adding more through a pet’s diet can help ensure a balanced digestive system and all the health benefits good digestion offers.

Enzymes Do Not Accumulate in Pet’s Body

Enzymes are proteins naturally present throughout all healthy bodies. They speed up various processes carried out by cells in the body. As active protein molecules, the enzymes do not accumulate in the body. They impart enzymatic activity that lasts anywhere from one to four hours and then they are eliminated from the body or the proteins are broken down and the amino acids are used for other purposes.¹ So if your pet eats too much of an enzyme supplement, the excess will be eliminated.

Probiotics and Digestive Balance in Pets

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria naturally present as part of the pet’s normal, healthy digestive system. By competing for space and nutrients with the organisms that can make pets sick, these healthy microorganisms keep any pathogens (bad bacteria) present in check. Probiotics also support the absorption of nutrients and contribute to a healthy immune response. Consuming too much of a probiotic supplement can be a bit of a shock to a pet’s system, but not dangerous. He would likely experience some diarrhea as the intestinal tract’s microflora is being rebalanced.

Pets Can Overdose on Synthetic Vitamin & Minerals

Many of the recent pet food recalls have been due to potential adverse consequences of excess man-made vitamins or minerals that are routinely added to most pet foods. The man-made vitamins in most pet supplements contain processing aids and carriers, and many also contain chemical preservatives. Corn oil, starch, sucrose, mineral oil, and gelatin are all used in processing synthetic vitamins. Similarly, man-made mineral supplements bring with them heavy metal contaminants such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. These hidden ingredients are allowed in mineral supplements added to animal feed and pet foods.²

Safest Way to Supplement

If you want to augment your pet’s diet, choose a pet supplement made from whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. Nature’s Logic makes our All Food Fortifier to supply a complete spectrum of all natural vitamins, minerals, essential fats, enzymes, and other trace elements. The nutrients come from 100% all natural sources, not chemistry labs. There are no man-made ingredients. All Food Fortifier is made from chicken, fish, eggs and cheese for protein. It also contains alfalfa, apples, carrots, spinach and other fruits and vegetables to provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other trace nutrients. For more information, visit http://www.natureslogic.com/products/fortifier.html

1. http://www.enzymeessentials.com/HTML/faq.html#10

2. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/05/safest-way-to-supplement-your-pets-diet.html

Lists of Top Pet Foods: Who Creates Them and How?

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:32:00 +0000

Selecting a pet food for your dog or cat can be complicated. There are so many to choose from and without specific pet nutrition knowledge, how can pet parents possibly know what’s best? There are many sources of information: Pet stores, websites, vets, pet forums, blogs and the media. Lists of Top Pet Foods often pop up in those places to help pet parents make decisions. However, it isn’t always clear how reliable the sources are or what criteria is used when recommending one food over another. Here are some questions you can ask yourself when you see a list of top pet foods, before letting it influence your choice of food for your dog or cat.

Is the Source of the Top Pet Food List Informed and Objective?

First, take a look at the source of the information. General lifestyle websites, magazines, and other forms of media sometimes write about pet-related topics, since so many of us love our animals like children. Then in the next issue, the same reporter may write about the price of gasoline. A source that is specific to pets, dogs, or cats is much more likely to have authors who are educated on pet topics. That said it is not enough to blindly accept recommendations on your pet’s health just because the source is pet-related. An expert on squeaky toys may know very little about your dog’s nutrition.

Further, the pet foods appearing on any given “Best of” list can vary greatly, depending upon the author creating the guide. Look to see if the website, blog, or radio show is sponsored by a pet food company. Does the pet health professional endorse a particular food whose advertising you see in the banner of the blog? Do they disclose any such arrangement? Looking for what might have motivated the author to suggest certain pet foods over others can help you weed out any bias.

Also, is the writer making recommendations based upon proven, animal nutrition science? Be careful to recognize when you are reading an editorial instead of a well-researched article. Editorials are opinions. Sometimes they are not even accurate or based on facts. Their authors can contradict themselves, such as the natural dog publication editor who does not include any food with animal plasma on the magazine’s best pet foods list, justified only by “gut instinct.” This same publication advocates feeding raw food, which is rich in plasma. Further, science supports the nutritional benefits of adding plasma back into processed dry kibble, making it more carnivore-appropriate and providing many of the essential nutrients required by pets (1, 2). Using nutritional facts to select your pet’s food is more likely to result in the best choice.

What Criteria Were Used to Select the Top Pet Foods?

As mentioned earlier, the pet health credentials of the source should be considered when evaluating any pet food recommendation. Another important piece of information is the criteria used to select the pet foods appearing on any top pet foods list. The most reliable sources will tell pet parents how they are making their selections, instead of assuming the reader will just accept their suggestions, no questions asked. Below are three examples of Top Pet Food lists Nature’s Logic has appeared on recently ̶ and why!

#1 - TruthAboutPetFood.com – List of Top 10 Foods

Susan Thixton is the publisher of PetsumerReport.com. Since 2006, she has been reporting on the pet food industry in an effort to reveal good players and irresponsible ones. She also advocates on behalf of pet parents for more strict regulations in pet food production. Her mission is to help pet owners find a pet food free of dangerous chemicals, risky imports, and inferior ingredients. When compiling her List of Top 10 Pet Foods, Susan cited the following criteria she used: a) quality of ingredients, b) transparency & customer service, c) her knowledge of pet food industry, d) integrity of the company (3).

#2 - DogFoodAdvisor.com - Top Dog Foods

The author of this list, Dr. Mike Sagman, is a physician. To create his list, he researched public sources, medical libraries, and pet food company information, basing his recommendations largely on the food’s ingredients. Dr. Sagman feels that “no dog food can ever be magically better than the ingredients that were used to make it.” (4)

#3 - English Bulldog News Forum - Top 5 Foods

This online group of English Bulldog breeders and owners created their list to specifically address one breed. English Bulldogs are more likely to suffer from allergies and to be more sensitive to certain ingredients than other dogs. The group’s food selections were based upon research that included ingredients, additives, vitamin content, and cooking times. They used pet food labels, online articles, Wikipedia, and “most of all, member testimonials” (5).

If the sources are unknown, lack credibility due to bias or failure to disclose criteria and scientifically-supported animal nutrition facts for their recommendation, the list may not prove that useful in your hunt for the best food for your pet. Instead, use a list that tells you these important details. In addition, do your own research. Learn about pet food ingredients, read the labels, then make your own decision.

About Nature’s Logic

Nature’s Logic has appeared on many other lists of top pet foods, even receiving 5 Stars and #2 rankings on a couple. However we did not list them here because we were unable to verify the credentials of the author. In addition, several did not publish the criteria used for selecting the foods on the list and did not respond to requests for that information.

Nature’s Logic is the pioneer in truly natural pet foods. The company makes the first and only full line of dry kibble, canned, and raw frozen diets with NO chemically-synthesized vitamins or minerals. Rich in natural nutrients, Nature’s Logic foods contain complete and essential nutrition for dogs and cats, without the addition of any man-made substances. For more information, go to www.natureslogic.com.

1. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2010/11/6-benefits-of-animal-plasma-in-your.html

2. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/06/plasma-in-pet-food-not-always-trick.html

3. http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/

4. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

5. http://www.englishbulldognews.com/forums/ebn-news-articles/5340-our-top-5-recommended-dog-food-choices.html

Sardine Oil Can Help Your Pet’s Dry Winter Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Winter weather in many parts of the world can lead to dry, itchy skin for pets. Excessive shedding, scratching and dander production might mean your dog or cat could benefit from supplement containing omega-3’s. These essential fatty acids are well-known for their ability to help pets with dry, itchy skin and to promote a healthy coat. In fact, clinical studies in dogs determined that those given a diet with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids had healthier skin and coat than those dogs fed a more standard diet. Sardine oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and a good addition to your pet’s diet.

Sardine Oil Tops Other Omega-3 Sources

Sardine Oil is derived from harvested wild sardines (sardinus pichardus) which are small planktivorous pelagic fish. This brilliant gold oil is by far the most popular oil used in dietary supplements as a source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. It contains more EPA and DHA than salmon oil and has naturally lower levels of environmental contaminants.

Sardines do not have the heavy metal build-up often found in other fish eaten as food. This is due to the natural habitat of sardines, which is in colder waters found deeper below the surface. Also, they are a small, immature species with a short lifespan, so less time to accumulate toxins in their bodies.

Sardine Oil Benefits Pets in Other Ways

This healthy fish has other benefits to your pet’s health. Sardine, and oil made from it, contains lysine. Lysine is an essential fatty acid that aids in repairing soft tissue damage caused by infection or disease. It also supports the healthy functioning of most other organs and systems in the body.

Sardine also contains CoenzymeQ10, an antioxidant which promotes a strong immune system and healthy circulation. Plus, it is also a wonderful source of naturally-occurring calcium and Vitamin D, making nutrients more easily absorbed and utilized by your pet’s body. Also found in sardine are nutrients such as Vitamins A, B, and K, and the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. These great nutrients support energy levels, reproductive health support and joint building.¹

About Our Sardine Oil

Nature’s Logic North Atlantic Sardine Oil is comes from sardines harvested from Norway. It is purified to human/pharmaceutical grade, so the levels of lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium are less than one part per million. It’s easy to give…just add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 20 pounds of body weight to your dog or cat’s food each day. Supplementing with Nature’s Logic North Atlantic Sardine Oil adds one of nature’s most bio-available sources of long chain omega-3 fatty acids to support your pet’s skin, coat, and overall health.

1. http://natureslogic.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-your-pet-can-benefit-from-sardine.html

Three Ways to Support Your Dog’s Heart Health

noreply@blogger.com (Nature's Logic) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:48:00 +0000

February is American Heart Month, and a good time to review heart health for everyone in your family, including your four-legged friends. Surprisingly, researchers estimate that approximately 10% of all dogs have heart disease¹ and that the incidence of increases to over 60% in older dogs.² Integrative wellness veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, has this suggestion for protecting your dog's heart health: “Feed a high quality, species-appropriate diet, which meets your pet's nutritional requirements for optimal protein and amino acid levels, healthy fat and coenzyme Q10.”³This broad recommendation can be broken down into specific things to look for in your pet’s food to support his heart health.

Species-Appropriate Pet Foods Support Heart Health

In nature, dogs and cats are meat-eating predators, or what scientists call carnivores. A biologically-appropriate food for cats and dogs would be one that is low in carbohydrates and rich in high-quality animal protein from sources like chicken, beef, duck, lamb, fish, venison, and rabbit.

When wild dogs or cats consume their prey, often plant-eating animals or “herbivores,” they eat the entire animal, including hair, bones, entrails, blood, stomach contents, etc. By consuming their prey’s stomach and intestinal contents, which are partially digested plant materials, natural carnivores also obtain some additional essential nutrients available only from plants. Fruits and vegetables in a pet food are natural sources of essential vitamins and other nutrients.

All dry pet foods contain a grain or other starch so the kibble will hold its shape. Some are more likely to occur naturally in a wild dog or cat’s diet, and so will be more familiar to their digestive systems, than others. For example, millet is a grass seed similar to one a carnivore in the wild might consume from eating the stomach of a bird or other herbivore. It is more biologically-appropriate than a starch like potato or tapioca.

Fish Oil Supplies Heart-healthy Fats to Pet Food

For years researchers have known that omega-3 fatty acids supply people with healthy fats that have cardiovascular benefits in people.⁴ For this reason, many veterinarians recommend fish oil supplements for pets. The two fatty acids associated with heart health are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

If a pet food is made from high levels of animal protein, especially fish, the diet will naturally contain sufficient levels of the Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. However many pet experts recommend adding fish oil to your pet’s food, not only for heart health but to also support a healthy skin and coat. Sardine oil is among the most bio-available sources of these healthy fats.

Coenzyme Q10 & Heart Health in Pets

CoenzymeQ10 is an antioxidant, or a substance that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen, peroxides, or free radicals. These free radicals can damage cells and may play a part in several diseases. Researchers are currently studying the relationship between the anti oxidant Coenzyme Q10 and heart health. While more evidence is needed, many experts agree with Dr. Becker’s recommendation of a diet rich in coenzyme Q10 to support heart health in dogs. Coenzyme Q10 is found in organ meats as well as some fruits, vegetables, and nuts such as apple, broccoli, spinach, parsley, and almonds.

Summary

A pet food as close to what your pet might eat in the wild would be one high in animal protein, low in biologically-appropriate carbohydrates, and that contains some plant foods for essential vitamins and nutrients. Such a pet food would likely contain plenty of healthy omega-3 fatty acids from the animal protein, but you can also add a fish oil supplement. Finally, ingredients with the antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 may also benefit your pet’s heart health.

Nature’s Logic foods meet all these criteria with whole foods and 100% natural ingredients. Our diets contain no chemically-synthesized vitamins or minerals. For more information about Nature's Logic, visit www.natureslogic.com

1. Atkins C, Bonagura J, Ettinger S, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of canine chronic valvular heart disease. J Vet Intern Med. 2009;23(6):1142–1150.

2. Rush JE. Chronic valvular heart disease in dogs. Proceedings from: 26th Annual Waltham Diets/OSU Symposium for the Treatment of Small Animal Cardiology, October 19–20, 2002.

3. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/07/21/what-your-vet-looks-for-when-listening-to-your-dogs-heart.aspx?np=true

4. Wang, C; Harris WS, Chung M, Lichtenstein AH, Balk EM, Kupelnick B, Jordan HS, Lau J (July 2006). "n−3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not alpha-linolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondary-prevention studies: a systematic review". Am J Clin Nutr 84 (1): 5–17. PMID 16825676.