About Laura Murphy Expertise Do you have a question about nutrition, including which food is best for your pet and which should be avoided? If you’re researching homecooked or raw diets, this is the place. I can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about raw feeding. Do you want to know whether or not you need to supplement your pet’s diet and, if so, which supplements are for you? I can help you with just about any question regarding canine and feline nutrition and feeding. Although I believe in the benefits of raw feeding, I respect anyone trying to do the best thing for their pets and will answer questions on any type of pet food.
I can address many areas of holistic pet care, including illness, homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies, and flower essences. We can talk about everything from vaccinating (and when not to), to skin problems, to cancer. Please note that I am not a veterinarian and any health-related information is from my personal experience and research, but I can be a good resource.
I can also answer your questions about pet rescue, including when to use them and what kind of pet is right for you. And I love controversial subjects like puppy mills and animal experimentation. If I don’t know the answer to your question immediately, I’ll research it for you.
Basically, if you’re got a pet question – fire away. Chances are, I’ll have something you can use.
Laura Murphy
Experience An animal lover and owner all my life, I spent years as a foster parent for a national rescue group and as a volunteer at my local Humane League. Many years ago, I began researching and using natural health care methods to treat both my pets and my family. I have worked with holistic vets to develop and provide custom homeopathic and Bach Flower Essence blends for their clients. In 2002, I started Pets By Nature to give pet owners who are seeking a healthier and more natural way to feed and care for their pets a reliable source of education, support, guidance, and products. Relying on honesty, integrity, and openness with respect to natural health care for companion animals, I am able to provide quality products, services, and information with the intent of helping interested pet owners learn about and practice a more natural method of pet nutrition and health care.
Education/Credentials I am a college graduate and full time Business Systems Analyst. I have written many articles for publication on my web site and throughout the local pet community. I have been a vendor at local dog shows and do public speaking on the topics of pet nutrition and holistic health care.
Past/Present Clients My clients range from new pet owners to 4th generation raw feeding breeders. I enjoy a wonderful professional relationship with several veterinary practices who refer my diets, supplements, and homeopathics to many of their clients. I ship supplements and flower essences all over the world, and provide a quality frozen raw food to the Central Pennsylvania area. Virtually all of my marketing is word-of-mouth referrals from my current clients and I consider them all my extended family.
Question I give my chihuahua science diet food brand, because the vet. told me too. i gave her some food and she ate it, then 10 minutes later she threw it up, why does she do that? It has happened once a month, is it because i don't feed her at the same time everyday, or what is it?
Answer Hi Jackie,
Your chihuahua is vomiting up the science diet because there is arguably not a lower quality food on the market. I don't know which formula your vet has her on, but here's an analysis of the ingredients in the Hill's Science Diet Canine Adult Maintenance w/ Real Chicken:
The first ingredient on the listed is a named meat product, but since this is chicken inclusive of its water content (about 80%) and this ingredient will weigh only about 20% of its wet weight once water is removed (as it must be to make kibble) it is unlikely that this is the true first ingredient in the food and would be more accurately placed much further down the ingredient list. This is the sole named meat product in the food.
The next three ingredients are all low quality grains. Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. We prefer not to see this used in dog food, yet it is the primary grain in this food. We prefer not to see this used in dog food. Sorghum is a carbohydrate source low in digestibility. We consider it primarily filler.
The fourth ingredient is wheat. The use of wheat is a significant negative: wheat is believed to be the number one cause of allergy problems in dog food. This is another ingredient we prefer not to see used at all in dog food.
The fifth ingredient in the food is by-products. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-product meal is “a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.”
The next ingredient in this food is brewers rice which is a low quality grain and by-product.
The 7th ingredient is soybean meal. Soy is a poor quality source of protein in dog food, and a common cause of allergy problems. Some believe that it is the number 1 cause of food allergies in dogs (outstripping even wheat).
Animal fat is a further low quality ingredient and is impossible to determine the source. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this as "obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative".
This food contains chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT and propyl gallate) that are believed to be carcinogenic.
Vets recommend it because they make money on the sales - there's really no other reason to feed this stuff.
Go to a website called www.dogfoodanalysis.com. They rate commercial dog foods based solely on the ingredients. They aren't in this to make money off one brand or another and will rate any dog food you submit to them. They do a good job of explaining why some are so much better than others. Then invest in the best food you can afford and watch her health and attitude improve overnight.
