Hypothetical: Dog Food Question

[malsam]

I see. Well, since all the publications I've read don't mention this, and you won't reference your statements, I'll just have to not take your word for it.

I can say that none of the veterinary textbooks I've read (quite a few) and none of the peer reviewed papers I've read (quite a few) have mentioned anything to do with the idea that mixing different types of food is "bad" or "inefficient", despite them being very thorough in discussing other areas of canine nutrition and digestion. Rather strange that they'd leave it out if there was any information out there...

I have, however, seen many wacky and unsubstantiated websites make similar claims about not mixing food types (for both dogs and humans), but as I'm sure you know, you can't believe everything you read on the web.

Yea, no web info...mostly from formal publication and life trials. I dun limit myself to only english media publication, so the things I've read may sound pretty "confusing" to others. Knowledge and discoveries are found and practice all over the world. I try to read as widely as I can....unless of those that I cannot read. Try getting this book :

http://www.amazon.com/Four-Paws-Five-Direc...9805&sr=8-1

Then you probably have an idea of many school of thoughts are there in veterinary science.

Ah, so what you meant to say was that vets never used to take canine or feline nutritional classes in their studies, but now they do take them.

Sadly I think that vet might be one of the few, if not the only vet that has that. I will be seeing him again this coming saturday, I'll probably ask him about this topic and see what does his course covered and about this topic too. I know holistic vets will talk about that, the rest will just tell you they have no formal references like what you have just mentioned.

I don't think it's optimal. I don't think it's suboptimal. I don't think there's any very significant difference, since there's no physiological reason for there to be a significant difference.

Until tested, the idea that there is any difference in the dog's efficiency of digestion when you mix foods in dogs, when other species cope with this just fine, and where there is no known physiological mechanism for this inefficiency to occur, is just a hypothesis, and IMO should not be presented as fact.

I see, at least I know whats the view of vets now.

The word you want to use is ADAPT not evolve.

Yea, slipped off my mind.

[ellz]

There are far too many food Nazis on forums and many people are cowed into feeding so-called "premium" foods because of the name, the price and peer pressure and it really isn't necessary.

The better quality foods - no matter what price bracket they fall into - are better quality because of the ingredients, not the name.

Obviously this is true. However there are FAR too many people who insist that Product A must be better than Product B because it is manufactured by Company X and costs $XXX per bag compared to $XXX per bag for Product C which is full of XXXXX.

Sorry, but in many cases this is just namedropping and I'll bet you pounds to peanuts that the majority of people who DO namedrop and pricetag things have no idea why they are feeding a given food other than what they've heard, read or been told....often on forums like this one.

The FACT is that it doesn't need to cost you an arm and a leg to feed a dog. You don't NEED to spend more than $30 a bag on food for certain dogs. And you shouldn't feel guilty if you can't afford to feed any of the "brand names" that seem to be smiled upon in active dog food discussion.

The reality is that whilst it may work out cost-effective to feed a small amount of certain foods as compared to a larger amount of other foods, many people simply don't have the money to fork out a huge initial outlay and are only in a position to spend a regular weekly or fortnightly amount for something that the Food Nazis will scoff at. Is this wrong? Of course not.....provided the animals are doing well on it!

[Ons]

wish my dogs had your dogs' problems Cynthia! Mine all need to loose weight and love their food like their mummy .

I use natures gift if I have forgotten to defrost stuff. Also My Dog for the occassionaly treat, they like the beef and pasta and the chicken and vegies one. One smallish tin does the 3 of them.

I also cook a stew for them and they like that! mince, mixed frozen vegies, water, chicken stock cube and in pre-weight loss days rice or pasta. It also has alot of liquid which they like over their biscuits.

[Sheridan]

Mini was a very fussy eater when she first arrived. Totally uninterested in food. Now breakfast is the Best Meal of the Day! And Dinner is Splendid, Too! I feed Eagle Pack salmon and anchovy and canned sardines in springwater. She loves her fish. Breakfast is Eagle Pack and Ziwipeak. I also have an 'eat it or lose it' policy in this house.