Why a Holistic Diet?

Pure Food

Health problems plague our pets. Most diseases become established when a chemical imbalance impairs the body’s immune capabilities. The most common way chemicals are introduced is through foods. These chemicals accumulate over time and can compromise cells, tissues and organ systems.

An animal naturally defends itself by producing antibodies when digesting an inappropriate diet. This can lead to imbalances and illnesses and a doggie odor we have come to accept as normal.

The cure is simple: The purer the food, the less the chemical assault. A healthy animal is more disease resistant and can expect to live longer and happier.

To achieve a healthy immune system you need building blocks of properly digested, high-quality food. If you feed a diet of Viand with raw foods, within two weeks to three months you’ll see a definite increase in the health and vitality of your animal.

Protein

Protein is the most important part of your dog’s diet, and amino acids are the building blocks of protein. More meat in the diet assures sufficient amino acids. Raw meat is the best source for these building blocks. When your dog does not get enough protein, you leave him vulnerable.

Common symptoms include chronic skin or ear infections; spinning or tail chasing; aggression or timidity; excessive shedding; crooked whiskers; vomiting or diarrhea; poor appetite; a weakened immune system that cannot handle vaccines and may even contract the disease.

The majority of working breeds need extra protein. Dogs that are couch potatoes can get by on less protein (and food in general).

Fats and Carbohydrates

Animal fats are the principal source of energy in dogs and cats, which also get some energy from carbohydrates. A way to judge if your dog is using the food you feed is the amount of stool produced. In general, stool volume should be about one-third of food ingested.

Your dog needs saturated and polyunsaturated fats to maintain good health. Saturated fat comes from animal sources, and maintains energy. Not enough can cause heart problems, growth deficits, dry skin and cell damage. Too much, and you have obesity and the chance of some cancers. Polyunsaturated fats come from vegetables. Too little polyunsaturated fat can cause coarse dry hair, improper growth, thickened areas of skin, extreme itching, scratching and more.

The Importance of Meat

If you are a vegetarian you may have an aversion to handling meat. However, understanding how your pet’s body works may make you more receptive to supplementing a diet with this important protein source.

Since the advent of commercial pet food, we have been led to believe that feeding raw meat is unnecessary and a health risk. But there are many differences between humans and their pets. A dog or cat has a much higher ability to tolerate, neutralize and digest raw meat than we do. Bacteria that would make us ill does not have the same effect on our pets. Our pets need these bacteria for digestion. The amount of bacteria (E Coli, for instance) that would hinder a cat’s or dog’s system would have to be many times more concentrated than the amount that would make a human ill. Using common sense when feeding raw meat will help keep your animal healthy. It is unlikely that meat that has been USDA approved for humans and purchased in a reputable supermarket would be unsuitable for animals. And remember, if your animal does eat tainted meat, he may just vomit.

Vitamins and Minerals

There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Your dog needs both. B and C are water-soluble. This means any excess is filtered through the kidneys and urinated out after ingestion. Because of this, they must be present in every meal. C is needed for healthy teeth and gums. B is needed for energy, breaking down protein and promoting biochemical reactions in the body.

Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, meaning they are stored in the fatty tissue of the body and the liver and so do not need to be consumed at every meal.

Minerals are needed for the correct composition of body fluids, proper formation of blood and bones, promotion of a healthy nervous system and to act as co-enzymes with vitamins. Dogs cannot create their own minerals; you must add them to the food. All these vitamins and minerals are found in Viand in the proper concentrations and even more so in raw foods.

Water

Your dog needs fresh water in a stainless steel or glass bowl at all times. (Plastics or pottery interact poorly with water.) However, when you are housebreaking a puppy, you can limit access after 8 p.m.

Feeding Puppies

During the first seven months of your dog’s life, he will increase his birth weight from 15 to 40 times. By one year, his birth weight will increase up to 60 times and his skeletal development will be almost complete. As a puppy he needs approximately double the amount of food as an adult. The most critical period is between 4 and 7 months. If the diet is inadequate, the major organs receive their share at the expense of primarily bones and muscle. A malformation of the hip socket, dysplasia, appears to be linked to nutrient deficiency. The proper food can reduce or retard further degeneration and may even correct an existing problem.

Older Dogs

Slightly underfeeding an older dog brings back many of its youthful behaviors and results in a longer life. Dogs, like people, tend to gain weight as they age and their metabolism slows.

If your older dog refuses to eat, which happens at different times of the year, pay attention! It may be time to alternate your grains and meat, for example, from chicken to beef, or vice versa. If your dog refuses to eat anything, don’t panic. Going without food for a few days helps cleanse his system. The most essential thing is to make sure he remains bright and alert and is drinking at least his normal amount of water.