A companion video is located here: https://youtu.be/IDyCrl4nVmk
Ever hear the saying, “an ounce of prevention’s worth a pound of cure”?
When it comes to medical issues, Americans prefer to handle diseases with cures rather than prevention. A cure usually means you start taking action at a trigger point. You can see direct results. It FEELS like you’re actually fixing a problem. That is, if there is a cure.
But what about prevention? It’s tougher to see direct results because it’s a statistical prediction, not a guarantee. For example, not smoking is considered prevention, even though that choice will NOT PREVENT lung cancer from some other reason. But your chances of getting lung cancer are dramatically lower.
As pet guardians, Americans tend to use the same approach of emphasizing the cure over prevention.
The problem, you see, is cures rely on a diagnosis. To have a diagnosis, you first need to HAVE the disease, then notice symptoms.
Dogs and cats can’t tell us what’s going on with their bodies. That makes it difficult to determine what’s wrong, much-less knowing there’s a problem in the first place. This allows a disease to silently grow and take root long before the first symptom presents itself to the pet’s humans.
Focusing on the cure is expensive too, not just money but the ticking clock of losing benefits from an early intervention. Too many pet owners trust in an accurate diagnosis after symptoms present, then cross their fingers there’s a cure.
There are owners who wait until subtle clues of a medical issue grow into something that can’t be ignored. The old wait-and-see strategy, they think, is better than a vet visit that is likely to result in huge bills, time away from work, worry, and heartache.
We know early diagnosis and treatment results in better outcomes. Ideally we should just prevent the illness in the first place.
More than 50% of dogs are going to get cancer. Dogs have the highest cancer rate of any mammal.
One third of all cats will die of cancer, but they are even more likely to suffer renal and kidney issues which could result in death.
There are other issues that can be prevented or reduced too: allergies, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, and more. Treating our way out of these illnesses isn’t realistic due to time and money, not to mention emotionally. Prevention is the most economical and logical way to avoid these problems.
Studies show that diet is a central cause for the conditions mentioned above. If not the primary cause in every case, its usually a contributor.
You can be a great pet parent by avoiding those issues for your dog or cat. For your pet to thrive it requires a non-processed, meaning no kibble/dry food, nutritionally balanced diet, with exercise.
Feeding raw (or a semi-raw) is the best food your dog or cat. In a lot of ways, it’s the first line of treatment. A pre-treatment if you will. There’s another benefit to a good diet: how good it makes your pet feel, making a happier pet.
Pay now or later. Said another way, it’s prevention or cure. It costs a bit more to feed the best now, or you can endure a cure later. Think about the cost of a cure versus prevention. And it’s not just monetary, it’s emotional too. A life cut short, even by days, is heartbreaking.
For prevention, it’s a healthier, longer, higher quality of life. For the cure, it’s getting a sickness then treatments, surgeries, and all that goes with that.
Isn’t the best course of action to stack the odds in favor of avoiding the problem all-together?
The simple answer is to feed the best starting now. It’s the natural way dogs and cats eat, not highly processed kibble. One option is to feed Fetching Foods for a well balanced, lab tested, delicious meal. Fetching Foods offers raw, gently cooked and vegan options (dog only).
