Heart disease can be a very scary diagnosis, and most traditional vets will blame a diet that contains legumes. Less than 1% of dogs will develop DCM (enlarged heart disease), and of those only a tenth of a percent are linked to diet, though heart disease may be on the rise…
Dogs require meat-based, high protein diets. If you have a pet experiencing heart disease, or pre-cursers, there are excellent natural ways to support heart health with good nutrition and supplementation.
Use Good Nutrition
The best way to support long-term health and vitality is to feed a meat-rich, high quality, fresh diet. If you are worried about your pet and heart health, we can help you supplement or change foods. We recommend a human grade, whole grain/legume, meat-rich food… just because there is grain in the food doesn’t mean it’s safe and healthy. In fact, alarming spikes in other diseases that don’t make headlines include diabetes at 1 in 400 dogs1 (from grains & high carbohydrate diets), kidney failure at 1 in 10 dogs2 (dry, cooked kibble), and cancer at 1 in 33 dogs (from chemicals, preservatives, GMOs, synthetic ingredients, processed foods, high carbohydrates, etc.)
1.Clara Scneider, MS, RD, RN, CDE, LDN 2. Dr. Celeste Clements, DVM, DACVIM 3. National Canine Cancer Foundation
Legumes vs Grains & Leaky Gut
Legumes have been labeled bad due to phytic acid, which can interfere with absorption of several minerals (iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese), and lectins that can damage the intestines and cause gut permeability (leaky gut). Unfortunately, grains don’t solve the problem because lectins are heavily present in grains too. In addition, sugar exasperates the problem of leaky gut and bacterial imbalances in the microbiome, high grain content diets aggravate many health problems.
Leaky gut is the common term used to refer to a condition where gut inflammation due to poor diet with consumption of refined and over-processed food, exposure to heavy metals, environmental radiation, and other toxic elements. Over-use of certain medicines like antibiotics, corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can damage the intestinal lining and can also cause leaky gut syndrome. This causes various autoimmune diseases, Chron’s, irritable bowel syndrome, and a host of “allergy” responses. It happens when poor health causes inflammation and cell damage, which creates “spaces” between the cells that allows large, undigested food molecules, bacteria, and metabolic wastes to enter the bloodstream. And now the body goes into survival mode, attacking foreign invaders… attacking itself! Gluten is the single largest contributing food item that causes leaky gut.
HUMAN GRADE vs PET GRADE
We partner with which companies that are family owned and are committed to transparency, using whole foods, human-grade ingredients, & preservative and chemical free… these companies use a test-and-hold policy so you know that your pets are eating clean and safe food that they will thrive on.
While human food is well regulated, pet food is not, and it is currently common practice for large conglomerate pet food companies to include food leftovers/rejects, condemned animal parts, euthanized/diseased/ill animals, and rejected grains with molds or elevated chemical levels, in the making of pet food. A simple search on the internet can open a flood stories of beloved pets that have suffered due to unregulated foods on the market causing severe illness and death. Recalls in the last 3 years causing severe illness and death due to high Vitamin D levels, or because of pentobarbital (euthanasia drug), were rampant. On the list (FDA.com): Hills Prescription Diets, Sunshine Mills, Nutrisca, ANF, Lidl, Kroger brands, ELM Pet Food, Ahold Delhaize, Evangers, and JM Smucker (Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Ol’ Roy, and Skippy brands).
For more information on leaky gut and lectins in grains and legumes visit Dr. Mercola’s website, precision nutrition..com and www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/articles/peas-and-lectins-and-what-they-mean-for-your-dog
*The staff at The Natural Pet Market are well educated & our products are well researched, but we are not licensed veterinarians and cannot provide medical diagnosis or prescription, nor can we be a substitute for visiting a veterinarian. We believe in holistic care and treatment and we strive to support you with the best advice in holistic care of your pets.
