All Natural Quality Ingredients
in Eagle Pack Pet Foods
Corn a Quality
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are used in pet food
primarily to provide energy. Energy is required for the central nervous
system, normal and high levels of physical activity and is also needed when
anabolic activities like gestation, lactation and growth are proceeding at a
high rate. With little or no dietary carbohydrates available there is added
strain on fat and protein. This extra burden on fats and proteins can cause
serious problems at birthing time.(1) Judicious use of carbohydrates in a
meat-based formula, i.e. corn not listed first on the ingredient panel, is a
nutritionally healthy use of corn and other quality carbohydrates.
(1) Hypoglycemia prior to welping, reduced plasma concentrations, reduced
number of live births, lethargy, reduced mothering ability, fetal
abnormalities, embryo resorption and reduced milk production.
It Is Not A Filler...
While we believe in meat-based diets,
meaning meat should be listed first on the ingredient panel, corn makes an
important nutritional contribution to the formula, as noted above; fillers,
such as wheat mids and peanut hulls, do not.
Rarely Does Corn Cause Allergies...
A complete literature review shows that
corn is rarely incriminated as causing allergies. "Small Animal Clinical
Nutrition" addresses this twice: "There have been only six confirmed cases of
allergy to corn in dogs reported in the veterinary literature out of 253 total
cases." "Corn is a nutritionally superior grain compared with others used in
pet foods because it contains a balance of nutrients not found in other
grains. Corn provides a highly available source of complex carbohydrates and
substantial quantities of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid important for
healthy skin. Corn also provides essential amino acids and fiber. In a survey
of veterinary dermatologists, corn was not listed among the ingredients most
often suspected to cause food allergies. A review of over 200 confirmed canine
cases of food allergy in the veterinary literature revealed only three were
caused by corn."
A Very Digestible Carbohydrate...
One pet food company that does not have
ready access to corn states, rather crudely, that look how corn comes out
after we eat corn on the cob and therefore it can't be very digestible. This
company knows full well that corn is ground very finely before it is added to
the pet food formula. According to "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition", 4th
Edition, "Several reports (3) indicate that dogs and cats readily digest
starches in commercial pet foods. In studies, dogs were fed foods in which 30
to 57% of the food came from extruded corn, barley, rice or oats. The starch
was nearly 100% digested in the small intestine." As a total ingredient, corn
is 91% digestible.
Non-GMO, Pesticide Free...
Our corn is non-GMO. We buy it from area
farmers personally known to us for over 30 years. It is bought fresh during
the harvest. The balance is stored locally, until the next harvest. No
pesticides are used from the day the seed is planted until the corn is
harvested.
The above information came from a highly respected source with no ax to grind.
Will a few dogs be allergic to corn? Yes. Can someone find a piece of research
(credible or not) that incriminates corn? Probably. It is hard to do the math
because some base numbers are not available, but probably only one dog out of
several hundred thousand dogs are likely to be allergic to corn. With an
ingredient that quality research shows to be an excellent ingredient, why
would you not want to food it as the carbohydrate component in the diet?
Sources: The information above was drawn from fifteen research studies as
listed in "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition" 4th Edition.
"The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog". Wendy Volhard and her husband, Jack,
train dogs and conduct "Camps" on dog training, nutrition, and holistic care.
Howell Book House recently published a second edition of "The Holistic Guide
for a Healthy Dog". Volhard regards carbohydrates as crucial for a dog's
health, and utilizes grains as the major provider of carbohydrates.
Frequently Asked Questions,
Comments
Q. I know of dog obedience trainers who take dogs off
foods containing corn because they say the dogs work better. Why is that?
A. Studies show that varying energy levels in foods can affect
trainability and temperament, but corn per se is not the culprit here. The
real problem is the total Kcal's of the diet. The answer is to feed a true
meat-based diet with more moderate levels of corn, or other carbohydrates,
which in turn reduces Kcal's.
Q. I've heard that corn is missing several amino acids.
Is this true?
A. Yes, but it doesn't matter. Why? Because our formulas derive amino
acids from meat, not carbohydrates and soy. That is the reason we use 3 meat
proteins in our diets - each makes it's own unique, natural and complete amino
acid contribution to the formula.
Whole Brown Rice
This is very same rice that goes into the boxes you buy at the supermarket.
The only difference is we purchase the broken pieces that mothers don't want
to see in the box. It is not pre-processed, and is ground fresh by us.
Corn and Rice
Gluten
This is a by-product from industries that extract the starch content, leaving
moderate protein levels and very low ash levels. We use small amounts to help
maintain protein, yet reduce the ash and magnesium content in our foods. <our
formulas are heavily meat-based and meats contain more ash than do grains and
grain-based diets> Wheat, rye and barley glutens have been incriminated as
allergens, but not corn or rice.
Tomato Pomace
This ideal fiber is made from
tomato skins, which also contain the much touted leutein antioxidant.
