| In my almost fifteen 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
finances significantly decrease.
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 owners quest for the best
possible diet:
* Each owner needs to do his/her own research and think
independently. Following the advice of those who have strong
opinions may not necessarily be beneficial to the health of your
family PON. Every PON is an individual.
* Consult with your veterinarian and breeder if possible.
Listen to their advice and then exchange information and
research with other 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 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 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 some PONS 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 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 some PON owners , 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 owners be there for you when disaster
strikes ? If you have additional questions, please send us an
e-mail. |
