Complementary pet food is legally defined as food for pets that is high in certain substances but is only adequate for a daily diet when used in combination with other pet foods.
(FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs p.32 // FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Feeds for Domestic Cats and Dogs p.32)
Complementary pet food covers a wide range of products, including:
a. Foods that significantly add energy to the daily diet
b. Products designed to be mixed with other foods, adding individual ingredients to complete nutrition for the dog
c. Treats and snacks usually given to strengthen the human-animal bond and as a reward during training. While they are not intended to be a complete feed, they can be fed in amounts that affect overall energy expenditure.
(Article 3, 2j, Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed // Article 3, 2j EC Regulation No 767/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 13 July 2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed)
Recently, very often in the names of food for dogs and cats, you can find such a word as "Holistic". This is the term used by producers and sellers of special high quality feed. The word "Holistic" is even written on many food packaging.
What is Holistic Animal Feed? What should it be? We will try to answer these questions. The very term "holistic" means "complete, whole". This implies that the set of parts is more than just their sum. For example, holistic medicine is a branch of alternative medicine that considers a person as a single system and treats not a specific disease, but a person as a whole.
Usually, holistic feeds contain high-quality ingredients: more expensive sources of protein (sea fish, lamb, venison), natural ingredients (vegetables, fruits, berries), there are no artificial preservatives, instead of cheap wheat and corn, rice and potatoes are contained as sources of carbohydrates.
However, no country in the world has any requirements about what should or should not be in a holistic food for dogs and cats. Therefore, a beautiful word on the packaging is not always an indicator of quality. The quality of the feed is largely indicated not by its name, but by the composition on the package. Therefore, it is up to you to decide whether or not the line of additional feeds from DogsLikeFish is holistic after you familiarize yourself with the composition of our products and the preparation technology.
The dog's body needs protein for basic cell functions and overall life, including cell regeneration and repair, tissue maintenance and regulation, hormone and enzyme production, and water and energy balance.
If an insufficient amount of protein is supplied with the feed, the body begins to use its own tissue proteins. Since the body cannot store amino acids, it will break down its own protein structure, including healthy muscles, to obtain the amino acids it needs.
It is necessary to provide the body with a wide range of amino acids, one of the sources of which is fish.
Protein is important for dogs of any age, and quality is just as important.
Protein requirements cannot be met by feeding grains, starch and vegetables.
Eating oily fish or fish skin on a regular basis can help keep your eyes bright and healthy. Fish contains retinol, a form of vitamin A that improves night vision. One type of omega-3 fatty acid is docosahexaenoic acid. It plays the role of a basic substance that feeds the brain and retina. Interestingly, consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of macular degeneration or causes of blindness. This beneficial property also works for dogs.
Evidence suggests that a diet rich in fish oil may help protect against serious inflammatory bowel disease. High levels of fatty acids Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9 can reduce the molecules and substances that cause inflammation (eicosanoids and cytokines) in dogs.
An extra serving of the supplement every week from oily fish or fish skin lowers the risk of heart disease as well as relieves symptoms and prevents various types of arthritis in dogs.
Eating whole fish as a regular part of your pet's balanced diet can saturate your dog's body with many essential nutrients, including iodine, selenium, zinc and potassium. Iodine is important for the thyroid gland, and selenium produces enzymes that may help protect against cancer.
Fish fats provide an average of 33% of the daily energy value of rations, are part of cells and cellular structures (plastic value), and participate in metabolic processes. Fats ensure the absorption of a number of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins from the intestines (A, B, E). Adipose tissue is an active reserve of energy material.
Fish is also an excellent source of many vitamins, including vitamins A, B2, B6, and D.
Vitamin A improves vision, Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is part of the enzymes that regulate the most important stages of metabolism, has a positive effect on the state of the nervous system, skin and mucous membranes, liver function, hematopoiesis.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, in the regulation of fat metabolism in the treatment and normalization of fat metabolism in the liver.
Vitamin D regulates the exchange of calcium and phosphorus, promoting their absorption from the intestine and deposition in bones. Vitamin D consists of provitamin D 1, which is formed in the skin under the influence of sunlight, and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which comes from the outside with feed. The active form of vitamin D is produced in the kidneys.
