Hello and Happy August!
I want to thank my customers for always providing great subject matter for me to share. I have been led to write about appetite loss in our pets- the causes, concerns, and healthful benefits.
Because humans are conditioned to believe that eating at least 3 times per day, 7 days a week is "normal" and "healthy", it is difficult to comprehend that occasional fasting may have countless benefits in ourselves and in our pets.
The wild ancestors of our dogs and cats fasted constantly as part of their routine healthcare. This may be a difficult idea
to impose on your sweet-faced, fluffy-haired dog or cat, but it can be truly beneficial to their well-being. Dr. Pitcairn writes in his book,
A Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, that "
an occasional day of fasting relieves the digestive tract of its usual duties and frees the organs to break down toxins stored in the liver, fats and other tissues. During a fast, the organs can also consume excess baggage such as cysts, scars and growths". In other words, fasting allows the body to do some necessary housecleaning.
In the wild, dogs and cats self regulate their food intake.
Which means, they may make a large kill, eat as if it were their last, and not eat for a day or two afterward. This allows their digestive system to stay healthy, clear itself of toxins, and reduce bacterial overgrowth.
Fasting allows the body to heal itself because it doesn't get bogged down with food digestion. Food digestion takes an extraordinary amount of energy. If your pet is fighting an illness, allergy, or toxin, she may not feel a desire to eat. This allows her body to have enough energy to align it's way back to health again.
If our pet chooses not to eat for a day or two the panic button shouldn't be pressed, necessarily. Offer plenty of filtered water and monitor your companion to ensure there are no obvious sign of extreme illness such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea or listlessness. These symptoms may need immediate attention from a Veterinarian.
We would all do well to give our bodies a break from the arduous task of digestion. Dr. Ehret claimes in his book, The Mucusless Diet Healing System, that "the entire pipe of the body is slowly constipated, especially at the place of the symptom and the digestive tract." He developed a fasting regimen to clear the body of toxins that provided him and others with brilliant health~and our pets shouldn't be overlooked in this regard.
Our pet companions can be our teachers in so many ways. If we choose to be aware, watch, learn new ideas, and apply those approaches to make our pets healthier, we may find out in the process that we made ourselves healthier too.
BARF = Biologically Appropriate Raw Food
Veterinarian Approved
