Pets
Go Organic: How to Safely Introduce Your Four-legged Friends to a New Diet
By
Sep 13, 2007, 21:42

(ARA) - As the popularity of organic food grows and people realize the benefits of a diet rich in natural ingredients for their families, parents are now looking for safe and healthy foods for their four-legged “kids” too.

“Pets are considered family members by most people, so it’s understandable that they want them to have the same high quality foods as everyone else in the household,” says Shelley Gunton, “Top Dog” and CEO of Castor & Pollux Pet Works, maker of natural and organic pet food and treats.

Diane Noble, mom to golden retriever Bailey and a short-haired cat named Kid, is one of these people. After the pet food recall last spring, she decided to start feeding Bailey a new brand of organic food, but didn’t realize that new food should be gradually introduced in order for her dog’s digestive system to acclimate.

“Poor Bailey’s tummy was so upset ... she was running from the room because of the smells she was making,” remembers Noble. “I thought the food just wasn’t right for her. It never crossed my mind that I needed to take steps to switch her food slowly and safely.”

After learning how to do it right, Noble successfully switched Kid to the new organic food too. “During the change-over process, Kid would pick the organic pieces out from the others and eat them first because they were his favorite!” said Noble.

How to Switch

Dr. Edward Moser, veterinarian and animal nutritionist and advisor for several of the nation’s top pet food companies, has answers to some commonly asked questions about how to safely switch a pet’s food:

Q: I’ve tried to switch my dog/cat’s food before and it really messed up their digestive system. Why is switching food so disruptive?

A: Some dogs/cats have stomachs that are sensitive to a dietary change. It can be for a multitude of reasons relating to the food, the animal’s health, or sometimes to their eating behavior.

Commonly, digestive upset associated with the introduction of a new food is the result of the new food’s novelty -- dogs and cats will wolf down the new food, overwhelming the digestive system. Or, it may simply be that the new food has a stronger flavoring system they aren’t used to.

Q: What’s the best way to switch my dog/cat to organic food?

A: The most cautious way of switching a dog or cat to any new food is to introduce the new food over the course of four to seven days by mixing in small amounts of the new while decreasing their current food. Each day add more of the new and remove an offsetting amount of the current food. Watch your dog/cat closely during the change. If some digestive disturbances occur, then take the changeover a bit more gradually, extending it over a few additional days.

Q: What will happen if I switch my dog/cat’s food too quickly?

A: If no problems occur then all is okay. Some dogs and cats switch quite easily.

If, however, your dog or cat is sensitive to a change in diet or dietary habit, then it is most common that feed refusals, vomiting, or diarrhea will be observed.

Q: My dog/cat’s food seems fine. She eats it when I give it to her. Why should I consider switching?

A: Switch diets if you feel the food is not meeting your pet’s nutritional, functional, or performance needs. You should also switch if there is concern regarding the origin of the food, its safety, freshness or consistency.

Q. I’ve heard that organic foods are “safer.” Are they really worth the extra money?

A: Organic certification is a “seal of approval” or “quality control check” for the ingredients and food preparation facilities used in the production of the pet food. This extra degree of scrutiny provides more confidence that no synthetic ingredients, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, and other unsafe compounds have been added to the food.

The Safety of Certified Organics

“More people are looking at what’s in their pet’s food these days and finding that organics provide some peace of mind,” says Gunton of the rationale behind Castor & Pollux Pet Work’s newest creation, the Go Organic Kit, featuring Organix certified organic dry and canned foods and treats. “Because only ‘certified organic’ pet food and treats have gone through a regulatory certification process to ensure the utmost safety and quality, the Go Organic Kit will help pet parents be confident in what they’re feeding their dogs and cats.”

Housed in a reusable container, the Go Organic Kit contains everything needed to switch to an organic diet -- including both wet and dry food, as well as treats -- making the process easy and affordable. The kit is available at PETCO stores nationwide or online at www.castorpolluxpet.com.

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