Pet Food Ingredients - Names - t/d, u/d , v/d

Names continued 



t/d- Dental Health

Ingredients - 

Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

How it is stated to help - 

• Reduce the amount of bacteria laden plaque in the mouth to promote systemic health
• Clinically proven to reduce plaque, stain and tartar buildup
• Reduces bad breath
• Added antioxidants to control cell oxidation and promote a healthy immune system
• Awarded the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance for helping reduce both plaque and tartar accumulation

There are many reasons for tooth problems  - but lets just stick to the food related ones.

There is a debate in regards to Dry food being good for their teeth - people and vets claiming that dry food helps clean their teeth.

In my opinion -

Lie, Lies, nope, negative, ain't true.

But why would a vet say that it does?

How would I know, do I look like a psychic? 

When Fluffy is mowing down on dry food - how often do you hear a crunch sound?

Go listen.

Not all that much eh?

Fluffy generally just snarfs the stuff down. Chewing is an afterthought.

Make it bigger, then they have to chew it!

Okay - when is the last time you used a jumbo pretzel to clean your teeth?

When Fluffy bites into a kibble - it shatters, then it turns into crumbled gunk.
Next is a glob of grainy yuck - getting stuck in parts of the mouth, in between teeth.

Seriously go eat a pretzel - I will wait.


Teeth feel cleaner?

But the dental variety of diets must make the kibble different?

 

These are the t/d kibbles. 
They state nothing on the site about the consistency or shape attributing to the cleaning of teeth.
They actually look like corn niblets to me ( they are not )

What does the dog version say?

 t/d Canine Dental Health

• Unique kibble scrubs away laden plaque in the mouth to promote systemic health.

How?

Magic, just kidding.. I don't know.  

But it comes in small bites for little dogs.

 Small Bites

No these pictures are not actual size - though that would be helpful. 


We are suppose to clean Fluffie's teeth :|

I have never done that. 

Seems slightly cartoonish to me.

Apparently doing so is very beneficial for Fluffy and Fido.

In the wild, cats gnaw on mouse bones and that helps keep their teeth and gums healthy. 

Yet another reason canned mouse sounds like a good idea for cats
. 

Though actually serving it would require me to hire someone willing to serve the food and clean the dish after. 


So if like myself, you are not inclined to brush kitties teeth/ or if you are  - here are some options:

Oh.. also if one is not inclined to feed t/d - I am not inclined - and you can't make me do it!

Greenies - For cats

Greenies - For dogs 

Cat Fish Chew Toy- For Cats

Whole kit and caboodle  - various items - chews, treats, oral hygiene kits.

Bones - for Fido and Fluffy


With all of those options - it may just be possible to stick with a high quality protein - grain free diet for Fluffy. 

Or maybe a raw diet is something you could look into?

Options are important. 

Talk with your Veterinarian about some of these options - don't just immediately go to a 'Dental Diet' 
Your pet needs a food that is not lacking in one area - just to support another. ( if it actually even is )

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u/d- Non Struvite Urinary Tract Health - Canine

Ingredients - 

Brewers Rice, Corn Starch, Pork Fat, Dried Egg Product, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Lactic Acid, Potassium Citrate, Soybean Oil, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Dried Beet Pulp, L-Threonine, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, L-Tryptophan, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.


How it is stated to help - 

• Reduced levels of protein and calcium to help limit the formation of bladder stones
• Added taurine and high levels of L-carnitine help maintain healthy heart muscle function
• Added antioxidants to control cell oxidation and promote a healthy immune system

 So the only source of meat protein would be lard?


Here is a PDF about Bladder Stones from Hills

I assume they are speaking of Calcium Oxalate Bladder Stones

Diet alone can take up to 13 weeks to dissolve these stones - if it even works- which it sounds like Calcium Oxalate Stones cannot be dissolved by diet alone.

There are other options -  

• Non-surgical removal by Urohydropropulsion.

•  Surgical removal.
•  Ultrasonic Dissolution

Humans are advised to avoid Oxalate - here is a list of HIGH Oxalate foods

Foods to AVOID
 

• Nuts
• Nut butters
• Sesame seeds
• Tahini
• Soy nuts
• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
• Cereal (bran or high fiber)
• Crisp bread (rye or wheat)
• Fruit cake
• Grits
• Pretzels
• Taro
• Wheat bran
• Wheat germ
• Whole wheat bread
• Whole wheat flour
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Carambola
• Concord grapes
• Currents
• Dewberries
• Elderberries
• Figs
• Fruit cocktail
• Gooseberry
• Kiwis
• Lemon peel
• Lime peel
• Orange peel
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb
• Canned strawberries
• Tamarillo
• Tangerines 
• Beans (baked, green, dried, kidney)
• Beets
• Beet greens
• Beet root
• Carrots
• Celery
• Chicory
• Collards
• Dandelion greens
• Eggplant
• Escarole
• Kale 
• Leeks
• Okra
• Olives
• Parsley
• Peppers (chili and green)
• Pokeweed
• Potatoes (baked, boiled, fried)
• Rutabaga
• Spinach
• Summer squash
• Sweet potato
• Swiss chard
• Zucchini 
• Soy Sauce

Foods that have a lower amount of Oxalate and should be eaten minimally 

• Flaxseed
• Sunflower seeds
• Apples
• Applesauce
• Apricots
• Coconut
• Cranberries
• Mandarin orange
• Orange
• Fresh peaches
• Fresh pear
• Pineapples
• Purple and Damson plums
• Prunes
• Fresh strawberries
• Liver
• Sardines
• Bagels
• Brown rice
• Cornmeal
• Corn starch
• Corn tortilla
• Fig cookie
• Oatmeal
• Ravioli (no sauce)
• Spaghetti in red sauce
• Sponge cake
• Cinnamon Pop tart
• White bread
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Carrots (canned)
• Corn
• Fennel
• Lettuce
• lima beans
• Mustard greens
• Onions
• Parsnip
• Canned peas
• Tomato
• Tomato soup
• Turnips
• Vegetable soup
• Watercress
• Ginger
• Malt
• Potato chips (less than 3.5 oz.)
• Strawberry jam/preserves
• Thyme

I borrowed the list from here

Obviously there are foods on here that would never be considered as dog food

Did you notice that there are only 2 meat protein items listed - and they are in the second list?

Why do they suggest limiting Protein then?

I don't know - ask your Vet - let me know what they say.

They make something called a Refractometer
This will give you a heads up if the urine is not diluted enough - if the PH level is in the danger zone.

So what should Fido eat?

How about Wet food?

The other day I was checking out these cans of dog food made by-

PetKind

I am guessing they would be rather high in protein - so you would have to run it past your Vet.

The ingredient list is so short - the Duck version 

• Duck, Water, Quinoa, Açai Berry

That is it. 

It can't be that easy... I am guessing this can be used as an add on to a food that has all the vitamins and minerals needed. 

It's a start though. 

I will post more as I come across canned foods without high oxalate foods.

It's actually simpler to just read the back of the cans in the store.

Gives me something to do while I am carrying one of the cats the group I am with has for adoption at the pet food store.


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v/d- No Food Name - Vintage War Posters warning about VD

These have absolutely nothing to do with pet food.. but there was no food linked to v/d so I improvised.