Is your pet a wolf in a cute outfit? When you look in your dog's eyes do you sometimes see a Wolf?

Did you know your dog’s DNA is only 0.2% different than that of the Gray Wolf?  The difference is so small that they are both classified under the same species name, Canis Lupus. They are genetically identical to wolves.

Why is that important?  It means our fur babies have the same digestive tract as Grey Wolves and are designed to be meat-eaters, otherwise known as carnivores.

Most carnivores cannot produce all the amino acids required for optimum health. The Canine requires 22 different amino acids and can only synthesize 12 of them. The other 10 amino acids are considered essential amino acids and must be supplied in the diet.

Dogs do not digest, assimilate or utilize plant material very efficiently and plants are not a very good protein source for them either. Plants like soybean meal, wheat, rice, and corn have limited usefulness for carnivores, regardless of what pet food manufacturers claim. In addition, corn, soybeans, cottonseed, and Alfalfa are 80 to 93% GMO crops. GMOs are plant or meat products that have had their DNA altered in a laboratory by genes from other plants, animals, viruses or bacteria. For example, genetically modified corn contains a pesticide that cannot be washed off. Most GE (genetically engineered) food grown in the U.S. is “Roundup Ready,” meaning it can withstand the spraying of Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide while killing the weeds around it. 

Of course, there are now “super-weeds” that require increased amounts of Roundup to kill them, a nice perk for the manufactures of Roundup, but not very healthy for those consuming these pesticide-laden foods.

Research links GMOs to allergies, organ toxicity, and other health issues, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require safety testing for GMOs.

The dilemma then, is how do you provide your pet a species appropriate diet?  It's almost impossible to provide all the nutrients a wolf would get from eating fresh prey, however, with the advent of supplements that contain probiotics, low-starch prebiotics, and digestive enzymes, you can approximate that diet. Advice from a holistic veterinary nutritionist can be very helpful.

1. Dogs are carnivores. The foundation of their diet should be meat - raw skeletal and organ meat to be exact, and the fresher the better. 

- Fresh raw skeletal and organ meat from organic, free-range animals is the very best option but not very practical.  

- Freeze Dried raw skeletal and organ meat from organic, free-range animals has been shown to preserve the nutritional value while making it convenient to feed. 

2. Use a high-quality supplement containing probiotics, low starch prebiotics, and digestive enzymes.

- Heat, pesticides, herbicides, food preservatives, additives, artificial colorings, and flavor enhancers easily destroy enzymes.

- If you need to partially cook the meat, wait until it cools and then add supplements like enzymes, probiotics, and omega fatty acids.

3. A small amount of fresh, organic vegetables are good to add to your dog's diet, as well as herbs as they supply micronutrients. If your pet will tolerate them, fermented veggies work well.

- This is where a consultation with a holistic veterinary nutritionist can be very helpful.

4. Avoid diets that are heat processed (99% of all kibbled dog foods).

5. Avoid raw meat diets composed only of meat, that will certainly create a nutritional imbalance.

6. Read the label for not only the components of the diet but where the ingredients are sourced.

- Remember that most major dog food companies have stockholders and their first allegiance is them and it is always profit over health benefits.

This post is written by Dr. Jan Hale, DVM.