The Value Of Protein In Pet Nutrition

Without question, nutrition is the solid foundation on which good health is built. When it comes to our pets nutritional needs quality protein is critical. Within the last 5 to 10 years there have been many advances in pet nutrition and pet food. This has spurred major growth in the “Natural Pet Foods” market. With that growth many questions have arisen along with much debate on the subject of protein in our pets diets. Which protein is best for our companion animals? How much protein should be in our pets diet?  Is it possible for our pets to receive too much protein?

First we must have a clear understanding of protein and how it works in the body. Perhaps some of you will remember this from biology class in school.  A protein molecule is constructed from chains of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids, 10 of which are “essential” amino acids. Different protein sources consist of different combinations of these amino acids. The 10 essential amino acids must be obtained through diet because our pets cannot create them on their own. Once the protein is ingested it is broken down into the separate amino acids through the digestion process. These amino acids are then transformed into the building blocks required for healthy skin, muscle, and organs. Some amino acids also aid in metabolic functions such as antibody regulation within the immune system or the transfer of impulses throughout the nervous system.

The best protein for our pets comes from animal sources. These proteins are the most complete and are more easily digested. These types of proteins offer a wider variety of amino acids and are more readily used within the body. As a bonus these proteins are also more appealing to our companion animals in terms of taste.

Proteins are granted a biological rating, the higher the rating the more readily that protein is used by the body. Of the proteins commonly used in pet foods, egg whites have the highest rating of 100, next is meat from muscle with a rating of 92, then meat from organs with a rating of 90. Grains such as wheat and corn, which, unfortunately, are still used by many commercial pet food companies as filler come with a rating of 60 and 54 respectively.  One thing that pet owners may wish to keep in mind when considering these ratings is that cooking meat at the high temperatures necessary for processing pet foods, whether canned or kibble reduces its biological value. For this reason pet parents may want to think about supplementing their animals diet with freeze dried, dehydrated, or even raw meals.

Having a basic understanding of protein, its sources and bio-availability helps in choosing the best food for your pet. However, there are several things to keep in mind when reading the labels on pet foods. Often people believe that if whole meat is listed as the first ingredient on a bag of kibble that it must be of high quality. This is not always the case.  Ingredients on pet food labels are listed by weight and whole meat is up to 75% water. If, for example, chicken is listed as the first ingredient and the following ingredient is wheat or corn the major portion of protein in that food comes from grain, which is not easily assimilated. It should be noted that studies have shown that expecting our carnivorous companion animals to fulfill their amino acid needs through grains contributes to pet obesity and grains are also a known allergen for many pets. Here is a simple way to insure that the pet food you are considering has the appropriate amount of protein from animal sources. If the first ingredient is whole meat, (note: this should be a named meat such as chicken, beef, lamb, etc.), the next ingredient should be a named meat meal such as chicken meal, beef meal or lamb meal and not a generic listing like “meat meal” or “by-product meal”

With the understanding that different protein sources have different amino acid combinations the question many pet owners are asking is “Which meat is best for my pet?” To be sure this is a hotly debated subject among pet owners, there are countless blogs and web pages dedicated to this subject and the opinions are wide and varied.  However the answer to this question largely depends on your individual pet. William Cusick, well known for his work in the food and pharmaceutical fields, conducted a study which suggests that dogs do well with a protein source that most closely matches that of their ancestors. For example the Border collie breed, which originated in Scotland would do well with lamb, fish and poultry, where as the German Shepard, originally bred in cattle regions of Germany would do well with beef.  While this information is all well and good the fact is that many dog owners have the “Heinz 57” breed, in other words a mixed breed and the ancestry of the pet is unclear.  Felines are presumed to have all developed on diets of rodents and birds. So, the question of which meat is right still remains.  The common answer among “experts” is three different meat sources. Providing a different protein source has two benefits, first it offers a wider variety of amino acid combinations and broader nutritional benefits. The second benefit is the reduction of the possibility of the development of food sensitivities or allergies. Often pets that are consistently fed the same diet for extremely long periods of time will develop sensitivity or an allergy to a particular source of protein leading to problems such as flatulence, loose stools or vomiting. Therefore it is recommended to rotate between three to four different meat sources. Ultimately the best choices will depend on your pet, try different foods and choose the ones your companion does well with.

Is it possible to provide too much protein in a pets diet? This is another point of contention among pet owners. The idea that a pet can have too much protein comes from the belief that excess protein in the diet can cause kidney disease. Research in pet nutrition has shown that this is not the case but the idea persists nonetheless.  It is believed that the idea of too much protein being problematic originated when veterinarians would place animals with kidney disease on low protein diets in an effort to lower nitrogen levels.  However, today more veterinarians are prescribing a food with a higher more easily digestible form of protein for pets with kidney ailments. With these types of proteins there is much less waste produced through the digestion process easing the burden on the kidneys and lowering the nitrogen levels in the body.

In healthy pets excess protein is normally excreted in their urine, used as energy or converted to fat. It is important when you are feeding your pet a high protein diet to keep a close watch on how much you are feeding so that your companion does not become overweight. Much like the deciding which protein source is right for your pet, how much protein you should be feeding depends largely on your individual pet. Some things to take into account when evaluating the amount of protein to feed are the pet’s lifestyle and activity level as well as their metabolism. In the case of growing puppies and kittens or with pregnant or nursing mothers the protein requirements are higher. This is also true of working dogs. Generally speaking most any premium pet food will provide the necessary fat and protein levels required if you feed a larger portion for their weight. Some pet owners may choose to supplement the diet with a high quality grain free canned food or even raw meat.

Choosing the appropriate diet for your pet may seem a daunting task at times. However if the pet owner keeps a few key points in mind it can be easily accomplished. Remember to read labels on pet foods carefully to determine that the pet is receiving a protein from a named meat source. Avoid grains whenever possible. Alternate among a variety of protein sources and if possible try to incorporate some fresher less processed foods. Of course as is always the wisest decision if you have unanswered questions consult with your pets veterinarian.

You can find high quality pet foods using only USDA human grade meats at http://your-pets-r-family-2.com

The Dogs Of War

The Dogs Of War

By Jeffrey Weber

Brave, loyal, fearless and dependable, these are but a few of the attributes used to describe our canine counterparts.  Is it any wonder then that these animals have accompanied men into the heat of battle throughout history?

War dogs were commonly used by many of the early civilizations such as the Greeks, Egyptians and Romans.  Canis Molossus, an extinct breed of dog named after the Molassians who inhabited the Epirus region of Greece, is commonly thought to be the ancestor of today’s Mastiff breeds of dogs. For this reason Mastiff types of dogs are sometimes referred to as Molossers. 

The Molassians were known for the viciousness of their hounds yet they were no match for the Mastiff of Britannia.  The Romans sent many of this particular breed of Mastiff to Rome and then out to the known world. The Romans often employed attack formations made entirely of dogs.  In another example of using dogs in this manner, the Lydian’s had a separate battalion of fighting dogs around 628 BC.

Atilla the Hun used large Molosser dogs in his battles. The Spaniards used dogs in armor that had been trained to kill and disembowel when they invaded.  Irish Wolfhounds were used to attack Norman knights when they invaded Ireland. Napoleon used a great many dogs in front of his reserves. These are but a few examples of how dogs have been used in war throughout history. Not all dogs were fighting dogs however, some were used as messengers, and some were used as sentries or simply as mascots to help raise morale.

Dogs were first used for military operations in the United States during the Seminole Wars. During the American Civil War The American Pit Bull Terrier was employed to carry messages and for protection. This breed of dog was also used as a mascot and for recruiting posters during the 1^st World War.

The Marine Corps became interested in using dogs in 1935 after observing Central American guerrilla soldiers using them as sentries to alert the soldiers. Camp LeJuene was the location of the war dog-training program for the Marine Corp. Each dog started out with the rank of private and it was possible for a dog to outrank his handler. A total of seven war dog platoons were trained at Camp LeJuene.

Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor the American Kennel Club and group known as “Dogs for Defense” began to encourage the public to donate their dogs to the Armies Quartermaster Corps. The first dog was inducted into the Army on March 13, 1942.  In July of that same year the Remount Branch of the Quartermaster Corps took over the War Dog Program. Initially over thirty different breeds of dogs were accepted but in time the list was limited to German Shepards, Belgian Sheep Dogs, Farm Collies, Doberman Pinschers, and Giant Schnauzers. The training program was considered experimental in the beginning because, with the exception of sled dogs and pack dogs, training these animals for war was entirely new.

The Quartermaster corps trained both dogs and dog handlers. Most of the dog handlers were Quartermaster soldiers. The training period for the dogs themselves was 12 weeks in which time they were trained to follow basic commands. They also had to become accustomed to such things as riding in military vehicles, gas masks and gunfire.  After this “basic training” they moved on to more specialized training depending on the job they were chosen to fulfill.

Over time as methods of fighting in wars changed so did the roles of the war dog. Let’s briefly look at some of the jobs these animals are performing now.

One of the earliest military related uses of dogs was as sentries. Sentry dogs are trained to patrol with a human sentry and to raise alerts by growling or barking letting his handler know of something strange or unfamiliar on his post. Sentry dogs are especially valuable for working in the dark or when possible attack from behind or from cover is possible.

On July 1 1965 the Vietcong launched a successful attack on the Da Nang Air Base. Two days later a test program using sentry dogs was started. Forty dog teams were sent to Vietnam. These dog teams were stationed on the perimeter in front of machine gun towers and bunkers. The early detection of intruders by the dog teams allowed for the timely deployment of reinforcements. With this outstanding success the Air Force wasted no time in deploying similar dog teams to all of the bases in Vietnam and Thailand. Today, the sentry dog is still a valuable asset.

The Scout Dog is used in reconnaissance and has proven invaluable in the saving of the lives of soldiers.  Scout dogs are trained to detect the presence of enemy forces or hidden booby traps. With their keen sense of smell a scout dog can detect enemy personnel up to 500 yards away or underwater with reed breathing straws.  They are also trained to find explosives and weapons caches as well as hidden trip wires.

Messenger dogs proved vital during the 2^nd World War. They were used whenever the need for a runner was indicated. The messenger dog is faster; more sure footed and is capable of finding his way day or night, under any type of weather condition, and over any type of terrain. He makes a tough target because of his size and speed and has a natural instinct for using the available cover. They are capable of running between two fixed positions, a fixed and moving position, or two moving positions. They were also used to string wire over short distances. There were many times during the 2^nd World War when the only communication between a patrol and their base was a messenger dog. With the advances in technologies such as satellite communications the use of messenger dogs has fallen to the wayside.

The casualty dog aids the Medics in finding those wounded in battle or other circumstances. We have seen these dogs in action on many occasions perhaps the most prominent in many peoples mind being the World Trade Center site after the attacks when these dogs were employed to find the wounded among the rubble.

Although their roles have changed over the centuries one thing that has not changed about the war dog is his unwavering loyalty, his selfless sacrifice for his human partner, his unquestionable bravery, or his fierce fighting spirit.  He has served with dignity and honor. Unfortunately it cannot be said that his service was always rewarded.  After the 2^nd world war dogs donated by their owners were to be returned. They were to be retrained to be companion animals once more. However, if they could not be “de-militarized” they were killed.  During the Vietnam War about 5000 war dogs served in Southeast Asia. During this time 73 U.S. Servicemen working as dog handlers and 43 Military Working Dogs were killed in action. The dogs that served in Vietnam have been credited with saving 10,000 lives. As their reward for a job well done 200 of these dogs returned home with their handlers, the rest were euthanized or left behind.

While there are many memorials in honor of the War Dogs many of those who served with these animals feel that more needs to be done to honor their contributions.  An effort was launched to have a national memorial erected, this effort was rejected on the basis that “the dogs role in the Vietnam War was incidental”.  Within the National Cemetery System there are no K-9 burials or even tributes allowed.  Arlington National Cemetery will not even allow a tree to be planted because to honor these animals would sully this hallowed ground.  It is most likely safe to say that the men who served with those valiant Dogs Of War would have a different opinion.

We at http://Your-Pets-R-Family-2.com fully support efforts toward a national War Dog Memorial If you would like to support the effort for a National War Dog Memorial you can start by visiting the http://uswardogs.org for more information. There you will also find numerous links to other sites and groups with War Dog related information