Statement of Purpose The purpose of this report is to explain the grain-free diet and the reasoning behind it becoming a popular trend in pet food diets. It will recommend that grain-free diets should not be promoted as a general-use diet among household pets, and that grains are a useful part of the pet food diet. This is an educational report; my audience is, for example, a class of AHT students.
Background
Currently, there are around 7 million cats and 6.4 million dogs kept as household pets across Canada (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, 2015; De Godoy et al., 2013). Pets have become more than just a pet, and are regarded as a member of the family in most households, as well as a source of emotional, therapeutic, and psychological …show more content…
Neither dogs, nor cats, actually require grains in their diet, but both have the ability to digest, utilize, and benefit from grains as part of a balanced diet (Freeman & Henize, 2012; Souliere, 2014).
It is thought by some that the rise in popularity of the grain-free diet is directly correlated to the rise in popularity of the gluten-free diet in humans, and since humans love to anthropomorphize their pets, they seek to provide them a diet that is similar to theirs (De Godoy et al., 2013; Souliere, 2014). It is believed that marketing plays a very large role in this grain-free trend, which really is geared toward the owners, not the pets (Di Donfrancesco et al., 2014; Freeman & Henize, 2012; Souliere, 2014). So we begin to wonder, is the grain-free diet really nutritionally beneficial for pets?
Methodology
My research was done using the Olds College Learning Commons research databases. The majority of my research is from journal articles and magazine articles. I also gathered some information from websites.
Main Findings
What are grains? What purpose do they …show more content…
It is extremely important for owners to remember that the dietary needs of their pets’ change as their lives go on, and that diets should be based on the overall nutrient profile, rather than the individual ingredients (Freeman & Heinze, 2012; Souliere, 2014; Wargo, 2010). I believe that a grain-free diet should only be used on a case by case diet and that they should not be promoted as general use diet without the proper education in order to avoid many unnecessary and potentially life-threatening
Background
Currently, there are around 7 million cats and 6.4 million dogs kept as household pets across Canada (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, 2015; De Godoy et al., 2013). Pets have become more than just a pet, and are regarded as a member of the family in most households, as well as a source of emotional, therapeutic, and psychological …show more content…
Neither dogs, nor cats, actually require grains in their diet, but both have the ability to digest, utilize, and benefit from grains as part of a balanced diet (Freeman & Henize, 2012; Souliere, 2014).
It is thought by some that the rise in popularity of the grain-free diet is directly correlated to the rise in popularity of the gluten-free diet in humans, and since humans love to anthropomorphize their pets, they seek to provide them a diet that is similar to theirs (De Godoy et al., 2013; Souliere, 2014). It is believed that marketing plays a very large role in this grain-free trend, which really is geared toward the owners, not the pets (Di Donfrancesco et al., 2014; Freeman & Henize, 2012; Souliere, 2014). So we begin to wonder, is the grain-free diet really nutritionally beneficial for pets?
Methodology
My research was done using the Olds College Learning Commons research databases. The majority of my research is from journal articles and magazine articles. I also gathered some information from websites.
Main Findings
What are grains? What purpose do they …show more content…
It is extremely important for owners to remember that the dietary needs of their pets’ change as their lives go on, and that diets should be based on the overall nutrient profile, rather than the individual ingredients (Freeman & Heinze, 2012; Souliere, 2014; Wargo, 2010). I believe that a grain-free diet should only be used on a case by case diet and that they should not be promoted as general use diet without the proper education in order to avoid many unnecessary and potentially life-threatening