How Antioxidants Influence Pet Health
by Guest Author, David Humphrey of DogVitals, Inc.
We all know what antioxidants are, right?
Most of us have at least heard the term, and many of us know that vitamins C and E are antioxidants. But really what is an antioxidant? How do they work? Why can certain antioxidants help our dogs and cats so dramatically? Antioxidants are very actively studied by contemporary health researchers, and knowledge about these valuable health-enhancers is growing steadily. Many more natural sources of antioxidants (described in detail below) are being found. Further, the mechanisms by which they assist the body’s functioning are being explored, shedding light on both the direct and indirect ways antioxidants have an impact on our and our pets’ overall health.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent excess oxidation of molecules. They can fight free radicals that develop in your dog or cat through absorbing toxins in their environment, or even just through the process of digesting food, or even exercising. Some antioxidants work directly to prevent excess oxidation. Many of the better known antioxidants fall into this group, including Vitamins A, C, and E, and Beta Carotene. Other antioxidants can work indirectly by encouraging the body of a cat or dog to be healthier. These indirect antioxidants work by a process called hormesis and can be much more powerful and beneficial. Hormesis is a relatively new way of understanding how antioxidants in fruits, vegetables and herbs work, which is addressed in more detail below.
What is a free radical?
A free radical is a molecule that has an extra electron. This extra electron can make a molecule interact with other molecules in a potentially damaging manner. Not all free radicals are bad. Some are essential for a cat’s or dog’s body to function correctly. But too much of certain types of free radicals can cause permanent damage to your pet on a cellular level. And our pets’ bodies, like ours, have the ability to produce more free radicals than what the body can handle. Damage from free radicals is highly associated with all age-related diseases like cancer, stroke, heart disease, type II diabetes and joint problems. It is thought that if you can limit damage from free radicals in your cat and dog then you can lessen the chance that they get these age-related diseases.
What is hormesis?
Hormesis is a process where a weak stressor is introduced to your dog and cat and in turn makes their bodies work in a healthier manner. A simple way to understand hormesis is to think of exercise. If you play fetch with your dog, those sprints to the ball create a mild stress that over time, with repeated sessions, increases your dog’s endurance, fitness and general health. Antioxidants that work via hormesis introduce weak stressors to your cat’s or dog’s system that in turn make them healthier. The key is dose. Low doses are usually best, and that is why it is best to buy supplement formulations that are specific to pets. It is now thought that most fruits, vegetables and herbs work their magic on our pets through hormesis. Our pets have molecular “bodyguards” built into their body systems. The reason why exercise and some fruits, vegetables and herbs can help their health is because hormesis helps increase the functioning of these bodyguards. When stimulated they can increase endogenous antioxidants (those found naturally within your dog or cat), and they in turn fight free radicals. There are a host of other bodyguard functions that are stimulated through hormesis, like detoxifying processes and membrane stabilization that all end up making your pet healthier and less likely to get serious diseases.
What are the antioxidants that work via hormesis?
Here is a list of a few of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and antioxidant compounds that work through hormesis:
Ashwagandha – Sometimes referred to as Indian Ginseng, this ancient Ayurvedic herb has been used for thousands of years in India, It has an incredibly large number of health-nourishing compounds, including withanolides, which act through hormesis to lower the chances of getting cancer. They also have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
Bacopa – Another Ayurvedic medicinal herb used for thousands of years in India, bacopa contains flavonols, a host of bacopasaponins and alkaloids that act as a neuroprotective agents, dramatically increases endogenous antioxidants, especially catalase. Increased catalase can improve physical endurance, has a tendency to lower anxiety. It is strongly associated with longevity, have mitochondrial membrane stabilizing properties, and anti-epileptic qualities.
Blueberry – Filled with beneficial anthocyanins and phytochemicals, blueberries may lower the risk of various cancers, reduce inflammation, and slow cognitive decline through neurogenesis and neuroprotection.
Bilberry - A close relative of blueberries, these fruits contain considerably more anthocyanins than blueberries and appear to lower the chances of getting macular degeneration. Bilberry, has anti-cancer activity and helps support heart health.
Broccoli – The compound sulforaphane found in broccoli activates proteins that increases endogenous antioxidants and detoxifiers. It has demonstrated strong anti-cancer activity, and is believed to have immune boosting properties.
Green Tea – Green tea contains a potent number of antioxidants, including the incredibly powerful flavonols epicatechin and EGCG that act through hormesis to help with energy, aid the immune system, lower the chance of cancer, heart disease and type II diabetes.
Milk Thistle – The flavonols in milk thistle increase endogenous antioxidants, can help prevent cancer, and aid in liver function and detoxification processes.
Quercetin – A powerful flavonol that is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, quercetin has shown anti-cancer qualities, has potent anti-inflammatory activity, helps conserve Vitamin C, and helps relieve allergic symptoms.
Resveratrol – This health-buidling compound has been made famous by red wine. It activates specific sirtuin proteins that increase endogenous antioxidants and can help prevent cancer and type II diabetes.
Turmeric root (curcumin) – Curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory effects and activates proteins that increase endogenous antioxidants and detoxifiers. It also helps prevent some of the aging effects on cognition through neuroprotection and demonstrates strong anti-cancer activities – again all from the effects of hormesis.
When considering an antioxidant supplement to support your pet’s health, look for a quality supplement that is expressly made for pets. These will have the right dosages and will include only ingredients that are safe for pets to ingest. One must remember that although there is a similarity between our pets and us, there are also some profound differences. For example, chocolate contains flavonols like epicatechin that work wonders in us, but a compound it contains, theobromine, is metabolized in dogs much more slowly and can be toxic to them.
While some standard pet antioxidant formulas still are made up primarily of Vitamins A, C, and E, a good diet should include plenty of these key vitamins, so consider an antioxidant formula that includes at least some indirect-acting antioxidants like those listed above to maximize the health benefits offered by these supplements.
Healthy aging in ourselves and our pets is no accident, and while genetics play a profound role, the food and supplements we give to our pets play a large part in determining how well they will age.
Click here to see antioxidant supplements for cats.
Click here to see antioxidant supplements for dogs.
Contact:
Jim KingSenior Vice President, Corporate Affairs(937) 578-5622
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Marysville, Ohio -- February 16, 2009 -- The Scotts Company LLC announced today that it is voluntarily recalling specific lots of five varieties of suet wild bird food products after learning those products may contain peanut meal purchased from the Peanut Corporation of America's (PCA) plant in Blakely, Georgia, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated bird seed and/or pet food products. People handling wild bird food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Scotts ("the Company") has requested that its retailers, distributors and sub-distributors recall the affected products, using proper recall notifications, and remove these products from retail shelves or warehouses, and return them to the Company. In addition, the Company also is requesting that those parties that sell the affected products to consumers not only advise those consumers of the recall, but also tell them to throw the product away, avoid touching unsealed product with bare hands, and wash their hands thoroughly after touching unsealed product.
Scotts has not received any reports of illness involving its products that may contain the PCA peanut meal, and it is no longer using any products from the Blakely facility. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, Scotts is recalling the following five products with the specific manufacturing date codes below that were manufactured between December 27, 2008 and January 17, 2009:
Product Description
UPC #
Recalled Lot/Manufacturing Date Code
Morning Song Nutty Safari Suet 11 oz.
0-86155-01110-8
12-27-0812-29-0812-30-0801-17-09
Morning Song Woodpecker Suet 3 Pack1.78 lbs.
0-86155-22348-8
01-12-09
Royal Wing Raisin Suet11.75 oz.
7-49394-00336-4
01-05-0901-07-09
Morning Melodies Variety Suet 3 CT 962g (33.75 oz.)
0-86155-22124-8
12-29-0801-07-0901-08-09
Morning Song Variety 15 Pack Suet Multi-pack with 15 suets and suet feeder
0-86155-22291-7
12-27-0812-29-0801-05-0901-09-0901-12-0901-13-0901-16-0901-17-09
Scotts "No Quibble" guarantee highlights the Company's commitment to quality and satisfaction.
To receive a replacement product or refund for any of these affected products, consumers can contact Scotts customer service department at 1-866-512-8876 or at www.scottswildbirdfood.com or www.scotts.com.
The Scotts Company LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Less than $500,000 of revenue, or about 0.5 percent of the Company's sales generated from its bird food business, is affected by the recall. The recall is not expected to impact the financial results of ScottsMiracle-Gro in fiscal 2009, during which it expects to generate sales of more than $3 billion. Further, the Company is analyzing possible legal recourse against PCA, its insurers and others to recover the costs associated with the recall.
| Visit Sojourner Farms, and learn more about their fresh foods program for dogs and cats, and how you can make all-natural, homemade pet food in minutes. |
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American Nutrition, Inc. Announces a Voluntary Recall of Baked Dog Treats
Contact:American Nutrition, Inc.1-800-257-4530 orfeedback@amnutrition.com
All Product Photos.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Ogden, UT – February 10, 2009 –As a result of the expanded recall by the Peanut Corporation of America’s (PCA) Blakely, Georgia facility, American Nutrition, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for certain baked dog treats containing peanut paste supplied by PCA. The Blakely PCA facility is the subject of an ongoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into potential Salmonella contamination of peanut paste and other peanut products.
According to the FDA, pets with salmonellosis may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets may exhibit milder systems such as decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain while other pets may show no symptoms at all. Well animals can be carriers and transmit the bacteria to other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and exhibits these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
All Product Photos.
While the risk of animals contracting salmonellosis is minimal, there is risk to humans from handling these products. It is important for people to wash their hands--and make sure children wash their hands--before and, especially, after feeding treats to pets.The following items manufactured by American Nutrition, Inc. are subject to this recall:
All Product Photos.
American Nutrition Vita Bone Flavors Large Dog Treats (48oz. box) UPC 0 12623 73480 4, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
American Nutrition Vita Bone Flavors Medium Dog Treats (24oz. box)UPC 0 12623 73241 1, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
American Nutrition Vita Bone Flavors Small Dog Treats (24oz. box)UPC 0 12623 73240 4, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
American Nutrition Vita Snacks Peanut Butter (3oz. plastic bag)UPC 0 12623 81315 8, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Farm Style Small Assorted Dog Biscuits (5 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 78601 90205 4, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Hill Country Fare Small 5 Flavor Dog Biscuits (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 41220 52080 0, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Hill Country Fare Small Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 41220 17538 3, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Integrity Small Assorted Dog Biscuits (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 64237 14639 8, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Northwest Royal Small Dog Biscuits Assorted Flavors (5 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 71357 00337 2, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Mill Creek Premium Large Assorted Dog Biscuits (20 lb. box)UPC 0 78601 95106 9, Lot Codes: 001A7xxx to 018A9xxx
Mill Creek Premium Small Assorted Dog Biscuits (20 lb. box)UPC 0 78601 95105 2, Lot Codes: 001A7xxx to 018A9xxx
Premium Smarty Dog Biscuits Assorted Flavors Small (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 41512 04609 4, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Springfield Prize Multi-Flavor Dog Biscuits (26 oz. box)UPC 0 41380 14169 3, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Springfield Prize Multi-Flavor Dog Biscuits (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 41380 13965 2, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Western Family Biscuits Multi-Flavor (10 lb. box)UPC 0 15400 06229 9 , Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Western Family Biscuits Multi-Flavor (4 lb. plastic bag)UPC 0 15400 06408 8 , Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Western Family Biscuits Multi-Flavor (18 oz. box)UPC 0 15400 03886 7, Best Before: All Dates prior to JAN 18 10
Next Gen Pet Products Small Assorted Biscuits (30 lb. box)Lot Codes: 001A7xxx to 018A9xxx
Small Assorted Dog Biscuits-Bulk (1/25# box)Lot Codes: 001A7xxx to 018A9xxx
Western Family (Canada only) Small Dog Biscuits 4 Assorted Flavors (2 Kg. plastic bag)UPC 0 62639 29585 1, Best Before: All Dates prior to 01/18/10
Yeaster Small Assorted (30 lb. box)Lot Codes: 001A7xxx to 018A9xxx
Consumers who purchased the recalled items should discontinue use immediately and return items to the store location where they were purchased or destroy any remaining product.
No other products other than those listed above are part of this recall. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/salmonella.
Consumer safety is important to American Nutrition, Inc. The company sincerely regrets any inconvenience this may cause our valued customers. For additional information, please contact American Nutrition at 1-800-257-4530 between 8 A.M. and 5 P.M. Monday through Friday, Mountain time.
All Product Photos.
Visit Sojourner Farms, and learn more about their fresh foods program for dogs and cats, and how you can make all-natural, homemade pet food in minutes.
To a certain extent, this myth was exposed with the recent pet food recalls, as huge numbers of pet owners became more health-conscious and began looking into home-prepared pet foods. Unfortunately the same slew of media attention directed toward the recalls gave birth to, and helped perpetuate, another slew of pet food myths. Many media reports, internet blogs, and chat room discussions about the recalls also included false warnings about feeding a homemade dog food or cat food diet. In celebration of this flood of false information, we present our list of the top 5 pet food myths that you’ll find out there. Remember, these five are absolutely unfounded and 100% false.
Myth #1: Garlic is toxic to dogs.
Lately many articles written in response to the pet food recall, have included ingredient warnings for people who are considering a homemade diet. These warnings are regarding foods that are supposedly toxic to dogs. And right there next to chocolate, they list garlic. The truth is, garlic is indeed toxic to dogs -- IF YOU FEED 50 CLOVES OF GARLIC IN ONE SITTING! I would imagine garlic would be toxic to anyone if fed in that quantity. Heck, even water can be deadly if you drink too much of it. Obviously no one would ever feed that much garlic to their dog. Truth is, when fed in reasonable amounts, garlic is a fantastic ingredient to a homemade dog food diet. Not only is it a great natural flea repellent, but garlic is also a tremendous antioxident and detoxifying agent for dogs. For more information on the benefits of garlic, visit http://sojos.com/garlicarticle.html.
Sojos Homemade Pet Food
Myth #2: Dogs and cats cannot eat table scraps.
If this were true, we’d be out of business! I’m amazed every time I hear this one. Naturally, (for the record) when we refer to table scraps, we are referring to healthy leftovers, not pizza, chips, doughnuts, and French fries. With that said, yes, in some cases dogs do experience loose stool after eating healthy table scraps. But that typically happens to pets that have been limited to eating bland, processed pellets their entire lives, and their bodies are not accustomed to digesting a complex variety of nutrient-rich food. When an animal is properly transitioned to fresh, real food like humans eat, they can easily digest a variety of foods including, yes, table scraps.
Just like humans, dogs and cats absolutely thrive on fresh fruits and vegetables. Some people maintain that fruits and vegetables must be ground up in order for pets to properly digest them. This can be true for some dogs with very sensitive digestive systems. But by-in-large most dogs and cats do very well on chunks of fruits and vegetables as well. Much like table scraps, it can take a little bit of a transition period when first introducing a new fruit or vegetable. But once they’re used to it, dogs and cats not only find great health benefits from fruits and vegetables – but they also are passionate for the taste! Fruits and vegetables to avoid would be raisins, grapes, onions and highly acidic fruits like like oranges, lemons, and tomatoes.
Sojos Homemade Pet Food
Myth #3: If dogs and cats eat meat, it must be cooked.
These days most people know this not to be true. But the more popular raw meat pet diets become, the more it seems the commercial pet food industry tries to convince the public otherwise. I guess we can expect more of the same until the big commercial pet food companies come out with their own raw pet foods.
In reality, raw meat is probably the best thing you can do for your pet. Much the same as wild animals and zoo animals, a pet’s digestive system was designed to handle raw meat. That is not to say it isn’t important to follow safe-handling guidelines, much like you would for yourself. And, of course, every pet is an individual, and some might prefer cooked meat or may have a compromised immune system and unable to handle raw meat. Typically, dangerous bacteria such as salmonella are fought off your pet’s highly acidic saliva. As an extra safe-guard, bacteria doesn’t have time to incubate when traveling through a dog or cat’s short digestive system. On a positive note, there’s a plethora of benefits that come hand-in-hand with the naturally-occurring nutrients and enzymes present in raw meat. We don’t twist anyone’s arm, and you can still cook the meat that you add to our foods (though we do recommend adding a general vitamin/mineral supplement in those cases to compensate for the nutrients lost in the cooking process). But in all the years we’ve been advocating raw meat for pets (since 1985), we’ve never heard of one case where it had a negative effect.
Sojos Homemade Pet Food
Myth #4: Dogs and cats should live on an all-meat diet.
Those that maintain that cats, and to a certain extent dogs, should live on meat alone typically site animals in the wild as their proof. While it is true that animals in the wild eat more meat than domesticated dogs and cats, a few things must be kept in mind. First of all, domesticated dogs and cats are not exposed to the same high level of environmental elements that wild animals are. Domestic dogs and cats spend much more time at rest (and on the couch), and as a result require less meat. In this way, feeding an all-meat diet is like putting rocket fuel in your car. Second, the first thing that animals in the wild eat when they kill their prey is the contents of the stomach, which namely consists of grains and plant-life. Plus wild animals do graze on grains and greens in between feeding on raw meat. Make no mistake, our pet food mixes have a high protein content – but we believe that variety in the form of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and herbs – in addition to raw meat – is an essential part of any healthy dog or cat’s diet.
Myth #5: Dogs and cats cannot eat grains.
Grains have definitely gotten a bad rap over the years. Mostly because of the pet food companies that use low-quality “bottom of the barrel” grains as affordable fillers. Many feed-quality grains are leftovers from the human-grade grain production process. And the recent pet food recall, resulting from tainted wheat gluten, hasn’t helped the reputation of grains as pet food. But make no mistake, as long as you stick to whole grains from high-quality, “top-of-the-barrel,” human-grade sources, they’re an excellent food for dogs and cats. Grains are chock-full of naturally-occurring nutrients and can form a fantastic foundation for a healthy homemade pet food diet. Our original Sojos European-Style Pet Food Mix, which contains a variety of whole, human-quality grains, has been around since 1985 – and the results have always been consistently tremendous. For those with dogs that do have genuine allergies to grains, we offer our Europa Grain-Free Dog Food Mix.
Try the Sojos dog and cat food if you have wanted to go raw and natural. I was already feeding a high quailty dog food but wanted to ease into feeding a raw diet. I ordered a small bag of Sojos European-Style Dog Food Mix, Missing Link and the Prozyme (the best probiotics my dogs can get) -- it was all a great hit with the dogs and so eay to go raw. Visit Sojos here....
From the SOJOS site:
SOJOS NATURAL DOG FOOD & CAT FOOD
Simply add meat and water to one of our natural pet food mixes and you've got a fresh, homemade pet food in minutes.
Our foods offer the superior nutrition of naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals and enzymes that you can't get from a cooked, processed pellet. No preservatives. Nothing artificial. Just all-natural, human-quality ingredients.
We also bake fresh batches of all-natural dog treats daily. We stand behind all of our products with a 100% money-back guarantee. Give them a try and you'll be amazed by the positive results!
| Visit Sojourner Farms, and learn more about their fresh foods program for dogs and cats, and how you can make all-natural, homemade pet food in minutes. |
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