Omnivores or Carnivores

So this is a real debate... Dogs are able to digest "some" vegetable matter and "some" grains along with meat and bone. That makes them an omnivore.. No matter how you cut it they need some of these other ingredients to balance their food intake.

Cats on the other hand, I do agree are obligate carnivores. They and the weasel are considered "true" carnivores. They do not have the ability to digest "any" vegetable matter and their bodies cannot produce taurine which is essential in the body for muscle tissue replacement. They must get it from the muscle meat in their prey.

Now you know why I home cook for my animals...
 
SunChaser said:
So this is a real debate... Dogs are able to digest "some" vegetable matter and "some" grains along with meat and bone. That makes them an omnivore.. No matter how you cut it they need some of these other ingredients to balance their food intake.

Cats on the other hand, I do agree are obligate carnivores. They and the weasel are considered "true" carnivores. They do not have the ability to digest "any" vegetable matter and their bodies cannot produce taurine which is essential in the body for muscle tissue replacement. They must get it from the muscle meat in their prey.

Now you know why I home cook for my animals...
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Seems like it makes sense ..being that wolves eat prey that eat grains/plants.
SO maybe some grain isnt soo taboo after all. And I dont see how feeding my pup sum veggies (he likes baby carrots and pumpkin) could be of no nutritional value.

WOW you know about weasels as well .!! Impressive !! :razz:

I would love to home cook for my pup but I can barely home cook for myself lol.
 
SunChaser said:
So this is a real debate... Dogs are able to digest "some" vegetable matter and "some" grains along with meat and bone. That makes them an omnivore.. No matter how you cut it they need some of these other ingredients to balance their food intake.

Cats on the other hand, I do agree are obligate carnivores. They and the weasel are considered "true" carnivores. They do not have the ability to digest "any" vegetable matter and their bodies cannot produce taurine which is essential in the body for muscle tissue replacement. They must get it from the muscle meat in their prey.

Now you know why I home cook for my animals...
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. I home cook because my animals seem to do much better and look healthier on home cooked. Now if I only cared so much about my own health I might home cook for myself.
 
That's why I feed raw, pray model - so they do get some veggies and fruit and some grains. I have to tell you guys this story from last week. My friend and I were at a fur store looking for some rabbit pelts and other skins to make tug toys out of. Then I noticed some sheepskin rugs. I asked how much they were and said that I actually bought one for my dogs to use as a bed (my dogs LOVE it) As we are checking out, with our rabbit pelts and pig skins, the guy behind the counter asks 'do you feed your dog steaks too?' - very sarcastically I might add. So my friend pipes up - 'SHE DOES! she feeds them raw!' and I say 'actually they had steak yesterday' (which was the truth - I got a hold of very cheap steaks at my local grocery store on their 'dollar days' ie. dollar per pound!) He almost died! I do not think he was expecting that answer! We laughed our heads off in the car. I think he thinks my dogs are just spoilled rotten - well they ARE!:winkgrin:
 
Small amounts of vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, green beans, brocolli and asparagus are just fine to feed your dog but remember that dog's stomachs cannot process celulete efficiently (neither can we) so when I make their food I leave the vegetables raw and grate them to a very fine consistency in my food processor. That way they can receive all of the nutrients from the vegetables without having their stomachs work to break down the celulete and lose the nutrients trapped in the celulete that doesn't get broken down.
 
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SunChaser said:
Small amounts of vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, green beans, brocolli and asparagus are just fine to feed your dog but remember that dog's stomachs cannot process celulete efficiently (neither can we) so when I make their food I leave the vegetables raw and grate them to a very fine consistency in my food processor. That way they can receive all of the nutrients from the vegetables without having their stomachs work to break down the celulete and lose the nutrients trapped in the celulete that doesn't get broken down.
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Very true. That's why I puree them for them - to break the cell walls down.
When wolves eat the stomachs and intestines of their pray, they are getting partially digested grass and grains, along with the enzymes needed to digest them, so it helps the wolf digest it.
 
Hmmm! Yummy! Time for my supper! Ah, well, after this, I think I'm in the mood for pasta....:lol:
 
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