Question of the Week for May 14, 2012

Each week Dr. Judy Jasek, the owner of Redbud's Raw, answers a question regarding your dog's health.

This week's question is: There is a lot of information out there regarding jerky treats from China making dogs sick.  What treats do you recommend?

"First of all, read the ingredients - treats that are full of grains and by-products will likely be the equivalent of feeding your pet a candy bar.  These may be OK on occasion, but not on a regular basis.

The healthiest treats will contain natural ingredients and be made from mostly meat - I recommend avoiding grains as much as possible.  Meat - based treats are the healthiest for dogs because meat is their natural diet.  Commercial treats are available, but be careful to avoid treats from China, buy ONLY products made in the USA.  A note on cheese, one of the universal favorites in the dog world:  a little is OK, but I do not recommend making it a regular treat.  Cheese is high in fat, which can make it hard to digest as well a making it hard on the waistline; plus, dairy is not a natural food for dogs once they are weaned.

There is a large variety of treats made from left-overs of the meat processing plants.  These are in the form of body parts that are not typically consumed, such as tracheas, ears, snouts, hooves, and bones.  Ok, a little disgusting I know, but the parts need to go somewhere and these treats have the benefit of providing entertainment in the form of chewing as well as a good teeth-cleaning in some cases.  These products are available in most natural pet stores and from most raw pet food distributors."

Find out more about Belleview Animal Clinic or read more about holistic health care at www.drjudyholisticvet.com

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