|
How do I start my dog or cat on Pet Patties?
A. Most dogs and cats have been fed sterile (cooked) foods most of their lives, so we recommend Pet Patties be introduced slowly over the
first week or so. Small pinches increased daily allow your animal's digestive system to adjust to the new food. Pet Patties can be steadily
increased to 1% of body weight if used as a supplement or 2% of body weight for a total fitness diet. This relates to one 8-ounce
patty (per day) for a 25-pound dog or ½ patty (per day) for an average cat. --TOP-
Do Pet Patties cost more to feed than traditional foods?
A. Most Pet Patty customers did experience the health promoting diet as being slightly more costly - initially. Animals will often consume
up to twice the recommended amount of Pet Patties during transitional periods, until nutritional deficiencies are satisfied. Once nutritionally
saturated, usually in the first 30 days, most pets will automatically cut their food intake to normal levels, resulting in costs per day
just slightly higher than premium dry or canned foods. Most customers' analysis of this cost report health promoting Pet Patties as the
least expensive way to raise animals, especially when considering money saved on health care costs and supplementation. --TOP-
How can I travel with my pet and a raw meat diet?
A. Traveling with frozen Pet Patties can be a challenge. That's why AFS developed the freeze-dried version. Freeze-drying is the only way to preserve
the nutritional integrity of the health promoting Pet Patties while offering the convenience of a shelf stable product needing no refrigeration.
Simply re-hydrate Pet Patties with water and bingo - fresh raw meat with all its benefits. Freeze-dried Pet Patties can be broken into
small pieces and fed dry. Pet Patties make wonderful treats! --TOP-
What if my veterinarian says a raw meat diet is unsafe?
A. Unfortunately, most veterinary schools provide grossly inadequate education on basic canine and feline nutrition. Few veterinarians know that AFS
has provided these same raw meat diets to zoos, circuses, wildlife parks, and professional dog and cat breeders for nearly three decades.
AFS raw meat diets were developed under the scrutiny of, and consultation with the most discriminating veterinarians and animal nutritionists.
Ask any Pet Patty customer, and you will discover health benefits from a raw meat diet that far outweighs any risk factors. --TOP-
Why a raw meat diet?
A. The answer is very simple - undamaged enzymes and amino acids! A raw meat diet contains cellular enzymes and complete amino acid profile
(the protein building blocks) totally undamaged by heat processing. Temperatures in excess of 120 degrees F destroy many of the important
amino acids and all cellular enzymes. Most processed and canned pet foods are cooked at temperatures in excess of 12 degrees F.
Animals often suffer from the same degenerative diseases humans do when consuming highly processed foods. Raw foods, complete with
their own cellular enzymes, improve the quality and quantity of nutrient assimilation. This allows your favorite pet to conserve
its own enzyme energy for other important life enriching health benefits. Wouldn't we all like our four-legged companions to live
long, healthy, and happy lives? Animal Food Services raw meat diets will help your pet reach its genetic potential. --TOP-
Why does the raw meat product have charcoal in it?
A. The transporting of unprocessed meat items for pet food is regulated by the compliance division of the USDA. As a means of denaturing
these products, i.e. distinguishing from human foods, it is mandatory to mix something harmless, but easy to identify, into the mix. The
use of charcoal, an inert totally harmless organic substance and often used as a digestive aid for animals, is the most widely used
and accepted of the options available. --TOP-
Are raw meat diets dangerous to feed because of possible contaminants of Salmonella and E-coli?
A. Bacteria such as Salmonella and E-coli are becoming more difficult to control in today's meat because of the concentration of animals living in
close proximity. AFS diets are not made from feedlot cattle, but from more free-ranging cattle. This factor, along with 40 years
experience in handling, chilling, and flash freezing raw meat diets, greatly reduces the chances for bacterial contamination. In addition,
dogs and cats have a natural deterrent to ingested bacteria due to their highly acidic stomach environment. However, it is important
to introduce any raw meat diet slowly to their present food and gradually increase daily for 7-10 days to recommended levels. This
gradual increase allows your companion pets the opportunity to adjust to, and take full advantage of their ancestor's food of choice -
nutritionally rich raw meat with minimum risk! --TOP-
Why is the diet all meat and why doesn't it contain grains or vegetables?
A. AFS Meat Eater Diet, though predominately a meat diet, and targeted primarily for dogs, has a small percentage of cereal food fines
included. Because some dogs are very active, they consume increased quantities of food and extract and burn more calories from their
food. AFS has included this carbohydrate source to satisfy this demand. Also, the extreme digestibility factor of this food demands
the extra fiber for stool formation. AFS Carnivore Diet, targeted for cats, does not need the added carbohydrate due to the sedentary
life-styles of most cats. Cats and dogs that consume cooked grains as their predominate pet food, too often manifest very apparent
nutritional deficiencies, i.e. weight, skin, and odor problems. Vegetables, though not most carnivores preferred choice of food,
can be successfully added to meat diets, but should be emulsified and fed raw to protect their natural digestive enzymes for better
assimilation. --TOP-
Why does your diet seem to be lower in protein and fat compared to dry food?
A. When comparing diets, one must always compare on a dry matter basis to get equivalent values. When compared on a dry weight basis AFS diets
are not low at all, 44-50% protein and 29-35% fat. The more important aspect of protein is the quality of protein, or the biological value
(the measurement of how much of the protein is actually turned into body tissue). AFS diets are at the "top of the food chain" when
it comes to digestibility and biological value. --TOP-
Is organic beef used in the diet?
A. There
are so few truly organic beef processors that it is impossible to
build a market from such small quantities. AFS does the next best
thing. Instead of using feedlot beef in our diets (which have been
raised in large numbers and in close proximity, loaded with growth
hormones and antibiotics), we procure our meat source from packing
plants that process retired dairy cows or free ranging beef cows.
--TOP-
Meat by-products have a bad connotation, what by-products do you use
in the diet?
A. The
term "meat by-products" has gained an undeserving negative connotation
due to some careless advertising by some pet food companies, not
knowing the true definition of the term. The official AAFCO (Association
of American Feed Control Officials) definition: Meat by-products
- the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat (meaning muscle
tissue) derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not
limited to lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, partially
defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines
freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth
and hooves. AFS uses some of the products in the definition,
all being organ meats procured from the government inspected meat
plants. We do not divulge the exact organs or percentages used,
due to the proprietary nature of our formulas. We DO NOT include
hair, brain matter, spinal cords, horns, teeth, intestines and hooves.
What we DO include makes a well-fortified, balanced, nutritious
meat diet. It also produces the proper calcium and phosphorus ratio,
complete amino acid profile, and a rich vitamin and mineral diet
undamaged by heat processing. --TOP-
Do you use any chemicals or preservatives in the diet?
A. AFS
adds no artificial colors or preservatives to our meat diets. We
preserve our products through freezing (at -40 degrees F) or freeze-drying
which are the only methods of protecting the natural nutrition in
Mother Nature's most complete and balanced food - a raw meat diet.
--TOP-
What is the freeze-drying process and the advantages of processing the
diet this way?
A. Freeze-drying
is a process that removes the moisture from the meat in a vacuum
chamber, while still frozen. By bringing the temperature to the
triple point 32 degrees F (where moisture can exist as an ice crystal,
water or gas), the moisture is evacuated from an ice crystal to
a gas without entering the liquid stage. The minimum amount of added
heat to accomplish this is insufficient to destroy the amino acids
or digestive enzymes. Freeze-drying, though considerably higher
in cost, is the only way to preserve meat without chemicals, irradiation,
or heat damage to nutrition. It is yet another example of Animal
Food Services' commitment to nutritional excellence. --TOP-
Is it harmful for me to cook the diet before feeding it to my dog or
cat?
A. Meat
that is cooked above 120 degrees F loses its natural digestive enzymes
as well as some of the important fragile amino acids such as Taurine.
The preventative health benefits of an uncooked, balanced, raw meat
diet can be seen in the testimonials of AFS customers. Meat eaters,
from small pet ferrets, through all sizes of domestic dogs and cats,
to the Carnivora Magnificent lions and tigers build strong immune
defense mechanisms on AFS diets, protecting them from infection
and affording them the healthiest diet prescribed by Mother Nature
- raw meat! --TOP-
What is the proper way to feed the 5-pound rolls? How do I thaw the rolls
before feeding?
A. Defrosting
AFS raw meat diets should always be done slowly in the refrigerator.
Remove the plastic wrapper from the frozen roll, place in a covered
container and place in refrigerator. Each day the outer layer of
meat will be thawed enough for feeding. Another technique: place
5-pound roll in refrigerator overnight, then cut with large or electric
knife into desired daily portions for individual defrosting. Wrap
and replace unused cut portions in the freezer immediately. --TOP-
Why do some animals do fine on commercial dry and canned food, while others do so poorly?
A. Some
dogs, especially when they are young, have an amazing ability to
digest just about anything that looks like food and do well on it.
However, even they have a tendency to degenerate as they grow older,
usually at 4-5 years of age. When the organs of the body, especially
the all-important digestive machine, the pancreas, start to age,
it is much easier on the animal's system to be eating a diet with
the digestive enzymes still intact and undamaged by heat processing.
Raw foods provide this. Numerous people from European countries
who feed raw meat diets confirm the health benefits and longevity
of large breed dogs, i.e. Great Danes, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, etc.
to ages of 15 years or longer. This reality is nearly unheard of
in our country, except those companion pets on raw meat diets. --TOP-
I am a vegetarian and have a hard time digesting meat, so why is it best to feed raw food to my pet?
A. Human beings, being omnivorous (feeding upon animal and vegetable food),
do not have the digestive tools our ancient ancestors had, and dogs
still have, in order to handle raw meat. Even though we would digest
our meat better if eaten raw, we no longer possess the tools to
handle the bacteria as well as carnivores do when eating or feeding
on raw meat. --TOP-
How long can the product sit out after the pet finishes eating?
A. Meat
that is uneaten, even if mixed with other foods, should be returned
to the refrigerator as soon as possible. Any time meat temperature
rises in excess of 40 degrees F the bacteria multiply. This can
lead to a sick animal if left out too long. We recommend thawed
or re-hydrated freeze-dried meat be returned to the refrigerator
within 20 minutes. --TOP-
You claim that the diet reduces tartar on teeth - why?
A. Raw
meat diets do not produce tartar on teeth for one reason - enzymes.
Raw meat left between teeth or along the gum line will self-digest
because of the undestroyed natural digestive enzymes. On the other
hand, cooked food particles can remain on the gum line, setting
up the perfect host for bacteria to proliferate, causing tartar
and bad breath. Excessive tartar can cause periodontal disease.
--TOP-
You claim that the diet reduces bloat - why?
A. There
are various probable causes of bloat, but Animal Food Services has
never known of a dog bloating on meat. Just the opposite seems true.
Our raw meat diets have a high digestion and rapid absorption rate,
which reduces the chance for gases to form. Many of our customers
have reported bloat and flatulence disappearing after their dogs
were fed on raw meat diets. --TOP-
Is this concept of feeding raw meat to dogs and cats a new philosophy?
A. The concept of feeding dogs and cats on raw meat goes back into history.
Unfortunately, when the domestic pet trade grew so rapidly the past
few decades, most pet food manufacturers opted to go with the convenient
methods of manufacturing, transportation and storage. Their emphasis
was obviously more on satisfying their own interests and their customers'
convenience and less on the nutritional needs of the animals. AFS
takes the opposite approach and commits to nutritional excellence,
and accepts the challenge to manufacture, distribute, and store
a raw meat diet. --TOP-
Why is there such a difference in the stools on AFS Diets?
A. The
high biological value of the protein in AFS Diets will result in
a large reduction in the amount and frequency of stool elimination.
Digestion studies done on our diets showed protein absorption in
the 90% range. Most commercial pet foods are filled with undigestible
(however palatable) ingredients that cause dogs and cats to overeat
which creates the need to eliminate several times a day. Animals
on AFS Diets generally eliminate just once a day or even every other
day. In addition, this kind of digestibility greatly reduces stool
odor. --TOP-
Will mixing dry kibbled food with AFS Meat Diets be harmful?
A. Many
of our customers reportedly feed this way successfully. However,
the quality of the kibble should be considered. Many of them have
so much poorly digestible cooked grains and other ingredients that
you are simply adding volumes of fertilizer to your yard. In addition,
the meat that goes into most kibble is "meat and bone meal" this
ingredient has been cooked once to extreme temperatures only to
be added then to cereals and grains and cooked again. How much nutrition
can be left after that? Check labels and use kibbles that are predominately
meat based - not cereal, meat and bone meal or chicken by-product
meal. --TOP-
Can dogs and cats get worms or diseases from eating raw meat diets?
A. If
fresh table meat (using common in-home processing procedures) is
fed without cooking, processing, or freezing, diseases such as toxoplasmosis
and intermediate stages of parasites such as tapeworms could be
transmitted. --TOP-
You claim your diet is more natural than most pet foods. Why?
A. The
word "natural" when applied to some of today's pet foods, is a real
stretch of Mr. Webster's primary definition, of or arising from
nature: in accordance with what is found or expected in nature.
How many commercial pet foods have corn, wheat, soy, or barley as
prominent ingredients? These are all natural products for herbivores
(feeding chiefly on grass or other plants i.e. cattle, horses, buffalo,
goat, deer), but how many carnivores (dog, cat, wolf, lion, tiger)
have you observed in nature (the wild) feasting on these products?
They are not "natural" for dogs and cats. Fresh raw meat diets are!
--TOP-
Why have dogs recently been classified as Omnivores?
A. Those
who have a vested interest in feeding dogs grain have referred to
canines as omnivores; biologists have not reclassified them. --TOP-
|
