ASK VETERINARIAN DR. SHAWN MESSONNIER
Questions? ask@housepetmagazine.com

Q - Hi Dr. Shawn, I heard you on Sirius radio this morning on the Martha Stewart channel. You mentioned that you would email a copy of the pet diet you recommend to anyone that requested it. I have a 3 year old, female Cymric that I adopted last New Years Eve from my local shelter. She was so sick when I got her. After numerous trips to the vet she is doing better now. I want to make sure that she is eating correctly and would really like to know what name brands of foods, wet and dry, you recommend. I pay quite a bit for her food but when I got home from hearing you on the show I checked the ingredients. The very first ingredient was chicken by-products. HELP! What and how much should she be fed?

Thanks,
Laurie Spinney
Needy Kitties


A - Here is my dietary handout to help guide you in your diet selection. All of them are free of the harmful by-products we discussed on the show.

CURRENT DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
Shawn Messonnier DVM
Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, Plano, Tx. 972-867-8800

You are what you eat, and so is your pet. Feeding the proper diet is the foundation upon which any integrative pet care program begins. Minimizing harmful byproducts and chemicals is essential in doing your best to ensure health. Foods containing byproducts and chemicals do not promote health and wellness and can contribute to excessive oxidation and inflammation, the 2 most important causes of just about every chronic disease.

The best way to determine if the diet you are feeding contains these byproducts and chemicals is to call the manufacturer and ask for a description of everything listed on the label. The second best way is to read the label. Avoid BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin preservatives when possible. “Animal byproducts,” “animal byproduct meal,” “meat and bone meal,” and similar ingredients are not suitable for a natural diet. These are cheap products designed to provide protein in the diet (but not high quality protein packed with important amino acids.)

The following are diets I currently recommend in my practice. Other natural diets may also be suitable; talk with your holistic veterinarian after reviewing the label if you are feeding a diet not listed here. Finally, a full description of dietary nutrients can be found in my award-winning book, The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats.

Natural diets that I like include Nature’s Variety, Eagle Pack, Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance, California Naturals, Innova, Wysong, Old Mother Hubbard, Halo.

Diets can be fed dry (kibble,) canned, cooked (some manufacturers make a frozen diet you can cook,) or raw. Consult with your veterinarian about which way is best for your pet.

All pets should receive basic dietary supplementation to provide essential vitamins and minerals and ingredients not normally found in foods (colostrums, enzymes, probiotics, etc.) that contribute to improved health. My current favorite supplement is Vim & Vigor by PetCentrx (www.pettogethers.net/healthypet). In addition to vitamins and minerals, it contains colostrum (to support the immune system,) coenzyme Q-10 (a potent antioxidant that also supports the immune system and supports healthy teeth and gums, the heart, and is one of many supplements useful in treating cancer,) enzymes such as amylase/protease/cellulase that improve your pet’s digestion and absorption of nutrients from the diet, glucosamine (necessary to support normal joint, GI, bladder, and soft tissue function,) Siberian ginseng (which helps your pet adapt to various stressors,) and L-tryptophan (an amino acid included in the PM formula which helps ensure restful sleep.)

Notes from Dr. Shawn:

My new book, The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs, is now available! Read about this now at www.petcarenaturally.com
Make sure you read the appendices about my program to minimize the chances of your healthy pet getting cancer. Also included in the book is information about the proper diet to feed pets with cancer, supplements that can help prevent and treat cancer, supplements that make chemotherapy more effective and safer, how and when to use conventional cancer therapies safely, common cancers and their treatments, and how to control pain in the pet with cancer.

My currently recommended book for you to look at on my site is one of my favorite books that I have written called The Allergy Solution for Dogs. It's now the start of allergy season, and the strategies I've outlined in the book (using supplements, herbs, fatty acids, antioxidants, and bathing) will help you say NO to drugs this year. Start now BEFORE your dog or cat (yes, cat lover's can find tons of helpful hints in the book as well) itches! You can check it out, along with all of my recommended books at www.petcarenaturally.com/books.php

Be sure to listen to my show, Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet show, on Martha Stewart Radio Sirius Channel 112, live every Tuesday night at 7-9 PM CST.