Saving Money at the Vet by Altering Your Dog’s Diet

Your pet is important to you. But do you find that you see your veterinarian more than you do your family? Are you constantly making trips back and forth to the vet’s office, spending paycheck after paycheck on vet bills because your dog suffers from chronic ailments? Chances are, if you give your dog the nutrition that he needs, you can spend your money on other things, rather than giving it all to your veterinarian. Many of a pet’s chronic ailments are often caused by nutritional deficiencies. Many holistic vets believe that a pet’s health can improve greatly simply by improving their diet.

Pets need to eat a variety of fresh, whole foods, and a raw, balanced, homemade diet provides that for them – giving pets the nutrients they need to heal from the inside out. However, most pet owners don’t have the time to feed their pets a homemade diet. That doesn’t mean they still can’t improve their pet’s health naturally! Purchasing a commercial pet food made with human-grade ingredients and without chemical preservatives, byproducts, and fillers, then supplementing it will help greatly. Such a pet food might be difficult to find in a grocery store, and even pet stores, but are all over the internet available for purchase, and even some pet catalogs carry the food.

Improving on your pet’s diet is easy. Two of the healthiest things you can add to your pet’s diet are fresh juices and raw liver. For most dogs, carrot juice is a delicious treat, that just happens to provide them with zinc, vitamin E, beta carotene, copper, and other immune system-strengthening ingredients. Juice made from organic carrots is best, and the juice can be served directly to your dog, or can be mixed in with your pet’s food. If it’s possible, a half-cup of juice per 25-30 pounds each day will give you results that your grocery store dog food just doesn’t have.

Raw liver (both beef and chicken) is rich in amino acids, protein, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and Vitamins A and B. Liver from organically raised cattle and poultry are best, as the liver stores toxins. You can add raw liver to the fresh juice for your pet, or add it in with your dog’s food. Your dog will think he or she is getting a special treat!

Some dogs, especially older dogs, have multiple health problems. There are a variety of supplements available that can help your pet to heal. Digestive enzymes (such as bromelian) help to replace the enzymes destroyed by heat. These enzyme supplements should be given to your pet between meals.

Probiotics and even Prebiotics contain bacteria that help with a pet’s digestion and can fight infection. They replace the bacteria that’s destroyed by antibiotics or an inadequate diet.

Colostrum and Lactoferrin help to enhance your pet’s immune function.

When a pet has multiple infections, a vitamin and mineral supplement made from whole-food sources is especially helpful.

As most people learn in their science courses, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are needed for the construction of every cell in the body.

To fight infection, garlic is important. It also helps to prevent forms of cancer, expels tapeworms, prevents the clotting of blood, and is an effective repellant to parasites such as fleas.

Once you begin to provide your dog with the nutrients he or she needs, it won’t be long before you see a much healthier and happier pet. You’ll be happier too – when you see the savings of the money that used to be spent on a vet bill!