We humans are ingenious. Sometimes. We have created such great variety in dog and cat breeds. As a result, it is hard to imagine that their insides have not changed.
But, they have not. The sharp teeth, the pH of the saliva, the environment and length of the intestines, the chemistry of the liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc. are all the same. In fact, they are the same as they were a million years ago. So when you next see a fluffy Persian or a teacup Chihuahua, remember – he/she is a carnivore. It matters not that they might be your lovable, couch/lap potatoes. Both species are carnivores to varying degrees.
To be specific, carnivores are not meat eaters. They are prey eaters. They are designed to eat the meat plus the hide, hair, bones, brains, liver, intestinal contents etc. They are not designed to do a good job of digesting grains. Their prey are supposed to do that for them. They are designed to get a good deal of their vegetable matter pre-chewed and pre-digested for them in the intestines of their prey including a very small percentage of any grain.
When dogs and cats are fed grain in any appreciable amount they tend to respond with yeast overgrowth, and inflammation in their GI tract leading to Leaky Gut. Inflamed GI systems tend to allow their contents to leak into the blood supply before they are fully broken down and digested. The body sensing these bigger bits will respond to them as foreign, just like viruses and bacteria. By default, it will then initiate an immune response. Repeated exposure to this matter that is foreign to the blood stream creates repeated immune responses and hypersensitivity as a greater reaction happens with each incident.
The allergy organ system in humans is respiratory. We tend to get stuffy, runny noses, asthma, etc. when we have an allergic response. For dogs and cats the allergy organ is the skin. The result is itchy skin, and especially itchy paws and ears. So when dogs and cats eat a grain-based diet they get itchy skin and stinky, painful, waxy ears (infections)! Sometimes, for a lifetime! Conventional treatments will treat the problem temporarily and the continued diet will bring it right back days, weeks, months, or years later. How miserable. And how tragic that it is so unnecessary. Yet, how wonderful that it can be corrected, by you, the pet owner! The power to change it is in the food bowl.
All pets will benefit partially and about 20% will stop itching and lose their painful, waxy ear problems completely and forever by the elimination of grains in the diet. Really. Try it. That includes all forms of barley, corn, kamut, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, triticale, and wheat. Of course, this includes as well all bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, etc., and 99% of all commercial dog and cat treats. Most pets will need homeopathic or other curative treatment to help them come back to normal after the diet correction.
Check your pet food labels carefully! There are many grain free foods available now through pet supply stores. They have not made their way into general supermarkets, yet. Grain free pet foods are consistently higher quality and can be more expensive since grain is such a cheap ingredient. Both choices are definitely less expensive than years of veterinary care for skin troubles. Just ask any exasperated pet owner who’s gone down that miserable road.