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The Importance of Feeding Your Pet the Proper Diet

Oct 29, 2014 03:18PM ● By Don'Fra Miller

November is all about Thanksgiving, and, for many, Thanksgiving Day is all about food. Let's face it, the old adage “you are what you eat” is really true, and the same goes for our pets. In fact, this statement can have even greater implications on the overall health and lifespan of our beloved pets, often considered to be cherished family members, than on us—and this is not just by chance or theory. Even though we share similar habits, the same home, and, oftentimes, similar eating tendencies, we are, in fact, completely different due to three important letters: D-N-A.

One major difference between the way we eat and the way our pets should eat is heavily based upon how we both, in contrast, uniquely digest our food. On average, the human’s digestive system is approximately 10 to 12 feet in length, while that of a pet’s is approximately 4 to 5 feet. Due to the shorter length of time and space to digest the proper nutritional ingredients, one must be very careful as to what is fed to the “furry” family member.

Once food passes through the pet’s digestive system, either the nutrients are successfully processed and utilized properly, promoting good health and well-being, or the remaining undigested portion is not properly absorbed and becomes waste, or, even worse, toxins that may remain inside the body of the pet, possibly becoming harmful. These toxins can eventually lead to all sorts of miserable and life-threatening health problems, which will not only affect our pets but also impact those that love and cherish them.

Many commercially processed dietary products available for pet consumption are actually not very healthy, or helpful. In fact, some major brands often place misleading and/or inaccurate information on their product labels. Did you know that research studies reveal that more than 75 percent of the foods fed to pets contain ingredients that should be avoided, such as meat byproducts (often sourced from slaughterhouse waste); rendered meats from various unhealthy sources; cheap and often problematic fillers and grains (corn, wheat and soy); and chemical preservatives, such as BHA/BHT, which can be cancer causing—just to name a few from a very long list.

Although this is troubling … there is good news and hope. Many companies do produce dietary products designed specifically for pets to promote good health and well-being. Some pet specialty stores, such as SuperStarr Pets, feel as if they have a moral responsibility and find it a motivating passion to only provide, recommend and sell proper pet dietary products and associated services suited for optimal pet health.

In fact, the month of November is nationally recognized as Pet Cancer Awareness Month and Pet Diabetes Month, in an effort to drive attention and awareness toward the causes of and associated remedies for these life-threatening diseases, which, oftentimes, are caused by improper and unhealthy diets. Yes, it is true … “you are what you eat,” and the same is true for our pets. With that in mind, let’s give our pets—these vital family members—the best chance for long life.  

For more information, call Don'Fra or LaMont Miller, of SuperStarr Pets, at 803-787-3444 or visit SuperStarrPets.com. 

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