IIt is wise to proceed slowly when offering your pet a new food. Introducing something new into the diet could cause food refusal or trigger minor gastro-intestinal problems. We suggest a 7-day transition. Here’s how to go about it:

Proportion of each food:

If your pet has a particularly sensitive digestive system, this transition can be prolonged.
Note: If your pet refuses to eat, don’t let more than 24 hours go by without consulting your veterinarian.

Tips for increasing food acceptance:

• Moisten kibble with warm water for a stronger aroma and taste.
• Offer kibble by hand so your pet sees it as a treat.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact our technicians. They’ll be happy to help out!

Key information to look for on labels

La liste d’ingrédients:
Ingredients are listed by decreasing order of weight of the ingredient purchased by the manufacturer before its transformation. Ingredients such as chicken, beef and lamb contain more than 50 percent water. Because of this high water content, their weight is heavier than that of dry ingredients like grains, meat flours, minerals and vitamins. The fact that meat is at the top of the list does not necessarily mean that it is the food that is in larger quantities in the diet, but rather it is the heaviest.

Guaranteed analysis:
The guaranteed analysis gives consumers information about the nutrients in foods. It indicates the minimum and maximum amounts of nutrients such as proteins, fibre and fats in a product. But consumers must keep in mind that it offers no indication of food quality. Even if two products present the same analysis, the real nutrient content of each may be very different.

Nutritional adequacy statement:
The nutritional adequacy statement indicates if the food offers a complete and balanced diet for growing animals, gestating or nursing females or adults. Consumers should note whether the statement declares the product “fit for all life stages”, since it may contain excessive or insufficient amounts of nutrients that make it unsuitable for very young or aging animals.

Manufacturer’s name and toll-free phone number:
Consumers are encouraged to call a 1-800 number for product information not provided on the label such as real nutrient content and calorie content.

MYTH : Corn is a filler that is difficult to digest and causes allergies.

FACT : Corn is an excellent source of nutrients that contains essential fatty acids, beta-carotene, vitamin E, lutein, highly digestible carbohydrates for energy and top-quality proteins. Most grains, including corn, are poorly digested before cooking; once cooked, however, digestion is easy. Studies show that corn causes no more allergies than other grains.

MYTH : By-products should be avoided because they are of inferior quality.

FACT : A by-product is simply something produced during the manufacture of another product. The term by-product must be indicated, for example, if chicken giblets are used. In this case, the giblets are highly valuable sources of nutrients and are superior for their nutritional contribution. Most of the time, the presence of a meat by-product is more beneficial than the muscle alone.

MYTH : Holistic food is of superior quality.

FACT : Since there is presently no legal definition for the word holistic, a manufacturer can use it to describe any product regardless of content or associated benefits. Therefore, the term does not imply added value.

MYTH : Raw meat is the most “natural” food for an animal, as in nature.

FAIT : A diet based on bones and raw meat is not balanced and can even be harmful. This type of diet presents many risks for animals and humans. Animals are at greater risk for intestinal obstructions and perforations, tooth fractures and malnutrition. In addition, both pets and the humans in their environment risk contamination from dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and listeria.

MYTH : Preservatives are harmful to my pet’s health.

FACT : Preservatives are ingredients used in pet food to safeguard against tampering and rancidity. All veterinary foods are preserved naturally with agents such as tocopherols (vitamin E), spice extracts and citric acid. BHA and BHT are sometimes used to slow down the rancidity of fats. Without preservatives, food would spoil quickly and become dangerous to consume. Preservatives are safe when used in the levels recommended by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. They are included in many human foods such as bread, cheese and meat among others.

Raw food – Scientific facts

• As health and wellness professionals, it is our job to keep you informed and help you make the right decisions concerning your animal’s nutrition and well-being. In recent years, raw food has become more and more popular and it is important that consumers who choose to follow this trend know the risks and benefits of it.

• To date, no scientific data has confirmed the fact that raw food is beneficial and safe for our domestic animals. We also do not know if this type of diet is nutritionally balanced and complete.

• Numerous studies have analyzed the nutritional content of these diets and can prove, on the contrary, that they are not well balanced and sometimes may be completely inadequate. For example, the Calcium/Phosphorus ratio is often not up to standards thus being dangerous to puppies in particular. Other recent studies have showed that some domestic animals can develop hyperthyroidism if fed raw food long term.

• Numerous articles have stated that many pathogenic bacteria are present in raw food. Bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, E Coli 0157 :H7 (Hamburger disease), Listeria, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium perfringens, Clotridium botulinium, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. These bacteria are not only dangerous for animals but humans as well.

• The most disturbing fact is that studies have also shown that dogs eating raw food can spread the salmonella bacteria in their feces even if they don’t have digestive signs. Some Salmonella subtypes are resistant to antibiotics. The bacteria can easily be found on surfaces used for food preparation or in food bowls, even if everything has been disinfected with bleach.

• We have heard that some allergies or food sensitivities have been resolved with raw nutrition but there are no scientific studies that can support these facts. There are ways to cook homemade meals, with the addition of appropriate supplements to make them well-balanced, cheaper and safer.

• In conclusion, it is important to assess the risks versus the benefits when you opt for this kind of nutrition for your pet. To date, it has been shown that there are more risks than benefits with raw diets. It is important to understand the scientific facts to make an informed decision regarding your pet’s diet.

** References provided upon request **