cooking's gone to the dogs

ways to avoid food allergies in dogs by cooking proper meals

by Mandy Evans

Here I am with my face stuck in SHAPE magazine trying to figure out how many carbs I should be eating compared to proteins. I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in a sea of information. Did you know that a high protein, low carb diet can lead to muscle cramps and diarrhea? Lovely! Or if you've been noticing your head is starting to resemble Mr. Clean you could be lacking a diet of calories and numerous vitamins. With all of this information how do we know and understand what we should eat? Fortunately, we are able to judge how we feel on certain diets. The real question for me is how in the world do I figure out the best diet for my dog?

Since Molly is prone to urinary track infections I have had her on a Hills diet of C/D and S/D mixed for about 2 years. I do strongly believe we should control the amount of chemicals put into our own bodies so why should I think any different about my dog. Knowing I had her on medicated food, constant medication, pest control prevention and then yearly vaccinations I thought it was time to make a change. An easy change for me was her diet and to perform titers rather than yearly vaccinations. (see article on vaccinations). I started my quest for a new diet over a month ago and I can honestly say it has been an up hill battle.

I was aware many of the commercial dog foods on store shelves were not good for Molly. I mean have you ever read the label of your best friend's daily meal? Of course you have! She's your best friend! But, did you know what you were looking for? I didn't. However, I have realized there is no simple answer.

I would not call myself a health nut. While I do like to eat healthy, I also enjoy a stop by Krispy Kreme and Jack in the Box once in a while. When it comes right down to it there is no way I would eat the food my dog has been eating. Has anyone seen the movie Super Size Me? Basically this man in perfect heath eats McDonalds for every meal and has to stop because the doctors think he is going to have a heart attack- and this was only over a month. I never would have guessed it would take so little time to get that sick. After consulting with Micki Voisard, a renowned dog chef out of Arizona, I am convinced I have been feeding Molly the equivalent of McDonalds every day. This makes me terribly sad. So I am putting a stop to it and invite you to follow this nutritional journey with us. Luckily, I love to cook so being creative with Molly's meals doesn't bother me at all. Today, I am going to the store and purchasing some items (beef heart, goat's milk and fresh vegetables) for Molly's new diet. Once we make the complete switch to an all-natural diet, I should start to see some changes to Molly's energy level and her health.

If you are interested in learning more about Micki Voisard and going all-natural, you can purchase her book below. She also accepts phone consultations at $35.00 an hour.