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You can call it whatever you like. Healthy natural dog food, organic dog food, gourmet dog food or whatever else springs to mind. The bottom line is that your dog needs a well balanced diet in order to help their immune system to function the way nature intended. If you want your dog to have the ability to resist infection and disease, live longer healthier lives and spend more quality time as your friend and companion then they need a quality human grade dog food.

Let’s take a look at the various parts of the body that can give us a signal about the state of overall health. The word ‘symptom’ is from the Greek word ‘signal’. Symptoms are signs that the body is out of balance or attempting to heal. We want to look at what symptoms mean, not try to suppress or cover them up. Suppressing symptoms can prevent the body from healing.

We will start by looking at the eyes. Take a look at your dog’s lower eyelid. The color here can indicate proper assimilation of iron and other minerals. If they are white or light colored, there is poor assimilation. The lids should be pink to red. Gums are also indicators of the proper use of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. If in poor condition and health, we will see loose teeth, bleeding, tarter build up, light color or white spots. Good healthy gums show no bleeding when rubbed and firm teeth. The gums should be dark in color. Your dog should not have bad breath! Feeding a good diet of human grade dog food will help keep eyes and gums in good shape.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is an amazing indicator of overall health. Skin needs high quality protein, fatty acids and fluids. Without these, we see dry, flaky areas, ‘hot spots’, recurring infections and susceptibility to parasites. Good skin should be smooth and pliable. Try lifting your dog’s skin and watch how quickly it returns to shape. It needs to be elastic and firm.

If your dog’s coat is dry, brittle and dull, it could mean his diet is filled with poor quality proteins and is deficient in fatty acids. A healthy coat will be soft, glossy and bright with minimal shedding. It is not normal for your dog’s fur to always come out in clumps!

A great indicator of overall health is the energy level of your dog. Does your dog have boundless energy or does he seem to tire easily and acts generally lethargic? Dogs that appear hyper or overly nervous may be suffering from a poor quality diet loaded with preservatives and toxins.

Always pay attention to your dog’s look and personality. Changes in either may be reflective of disease or early signs of other physical challenges. Weight change in particular can be especially significant and you should monitor your dogs weight regularly. Most dogs in America are over weight and this can not only interfere with your dog’s quality of life but may shorten it dramatically as well. When you pat your dog your should definitely not feel nothing but skin and bones but in a perfect canine world you should feel their ribs through a well muscled ribcage.

Remember that a healthy diet is the cornerstone of good health for both humans and dogs. Feeding your dog a “Human grade”, unprocessed dog food will provide high quality vitamins and minerals that are readily absorbed by the body. Dogs are people too you know! Alright, maybe not exactly people but your know what I mean and they definitely need high quality nutrition found primarily in human grade dog food to maximize their chance for long and healthy lives.

Dr. Janice Elenbaas

Always remember, Health comes from the inside out!

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