| In my fourteen years in PONS, I have noticed that
the most often asked question that owners puzzle over, is one
which involves PON diet. If anything excites PON lovers, this
issue is among the top five on the list of controversies. Politics
aside, deciding on an appropriate diet may mean the difference
between a happy, healthy, symptom-free (minus vomiting, diarrhea,
itchy skin; reddened, gunky ears; itchy face and chin; compulsive
licking of the paws, etc.) PON and one which is on a life
long regimen of meds, high vet bills, and possibly even re-homing
when an owner's patience and money become significantly reduced in
this economy.
What is the most scientific way to determine which diet is best
for your beloved PON ? There are certain basic principles which
need to be followed in an owner's quest for the best possible
diet:
* Owners need to do their own research and think
independently. Following the advice of those who have an agenda
may not necessarily be beneficial to the health of your family PON.
* Consult with your veterinarian and breeder if possible.
Listen to their advice and then exchange information and research
with long time, experienced PON owners. Consult veterinary reports
on the dangers of following certain diets.
* Your PON'S general health, age, and life style need to be
taken into consideration. If possible, inquire about your
PON's litter mates and parents. Which diets have they followed and
why were they put on specific diets ? What is the status of their
current health?
What about your own life style ? Do you have the time and
skills to craft an individual diet or is it necessary to offer
commercial food ?
Once you have established basic principles to guide you along
in your decision, you need to inform your self of the basics of
canine nutrition (by reading up on the subject) and
conducting a comparison of available food on the market. If
you have decided to offer your PON commercial dog food, you need
to be able to intelligently read and understand food labels.
The following link may help guide you along with this task:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101
Although grains are not in themselves, a "bad
ingredient" , it has been noticed that many PONS are known to
have reacted to wheat grains and may benefit from being
offered dog foods that are formulated with non-grain sources of
carbohydrates.
Please click on the following link for a partial listing of
grain-free dog foods:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grain_free
Objective (Scientific) PON owners will appreciate the following
article on Pet Nutrition Principles, which includes a section on
bones (with a link to actual cases of bone obstruction and issues
involving the food value of bones).
http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/nbasics.html
The above reference did not discuss the high levels of bacteria
found in raw foods. Please consult:
https://pondigest.tripod.com/healthreports.html
This page contains:
February 15, 2006, Vol. 228, No. 4, Pages 537-542
doi: 10.2460/javma.228.4.537
Evaluation of bacterial and protozoal contamination of
commercially available raw meat diets for dogs.
In summary, the quest for the best PON diet involves a wide
range of factors, and what works for major power brokers in the
breed, may not work well for the health and well being of your PON.
Do your own research and try and become an independent thinker.
Just think.....will those brokers be there for you when disaster
strikes ? If you have additional questions, please shoot us an
email. Consult your family vet for all major health care
decisions.
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