Free Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn, Susan Hubble Pitcairn Page B

material from the plastic into the food. Warming food taken from the refrigerator needs only about 10 seconds time.
    E GGS AND D AIRY P RODUCTS
    Besides meat, dairy products are good sources of protein. We recommend raw eggs and cottage cheese in the diets because they are economical, convenient sources of dairy protein. Yogurt and cheese are relatively expensive and less-concentrated protein sources than eggs. They are fairly balanced foods, however, so feel free to feed them (and milk, too) on the side.
    About eggs: Eggs are a complete protein and are a good source of preformed vitamin A. I recommend the no-hormone, no-drug, free-range eggs often sold in natural food stores. The extra cost is worth it. Eggs are such a good protein source that the cost for the “natural” variety is about the same per gram of protein as that of most factory-farm-raised meat in supermarkets, in some cases even cheaper.
    Opinions are divided about whether adult dogs and cats can digest raw eggs properly. For example, one study concluded that raw egg whites can cause a biotin deficiency. But this condition has only been seen in experiments in which egg whites were fed to rats in great excess, making up almost their entire diet. Personally, I have never seen the biotin problem. I think it’s important to remember that predators in the wild rely on raw eggs as part of their fare. As a change, you can lightly scramble or boil the eggs occasionally. It also works well to add eggs to freshly cooked grains; the heat sets the egg just enough to improve food texture.
    The threat of salmonella poisoning is also a common worry where raw eggs are concerned. In all my years of practice, however, I have not seen a dog or cat affected by this organismin connection with eating raw eggs. If it were to happen, it would affect those animals that are weak from illness and have digestive problems; if this is your situation, then cooking eggs may be the smart thing to do.
    Digestion of milk products: Some people believe raw milk and raw cheeses should form the bulk of a cat’s diet. Others say that cats, especially Siamese, do not digest lactose (milk sugar) properly, and that drinking milk causes gas and diarrhea in cats. Based on the feedback from my clients, I do not find that milk causes such problems in the great majority of cats. (In addition, my experience is that if cats are sensitive to milk, proper treatment can eliminate the sensitivity.) So I suggest feeding milk to cats unless it is obvious it does not agree with them.
    Pasteurization, however, does alter the chemical structure of protein and can destroy beneficial enzymes and bacteria found in milk, making it less digestible. So if your animal has a problem, try feeding it fresh, raw milk. Ordinarily, cottage cheese, yogurt, and goat’s milk are also easily digested. But if your cat still has difficulty, omit milk products from the diet.
    Please do not presume that feeding your pet milk with every meal means you can omit the bone meal or other calcium supplements in the recipes. To be used properly in the body, calcium must be provided in a specific ratio to phosphorus. Cats and dogs require such high amounts of calcium that the amount in milk is just about enough to balance the phosphorus in the milk itself. But that level of calcium is not enough to balance the high phosphorus levels in meats and grains. Bones provide much more extra calcium, and they are the natural way that predators achieve this balance.
    G RAINS
    Whole grains are a very cost-effective and environmentally sensitive way to provide the mainstay of your pet’s diet. Not only do grains supply carbohydrates and an array of vitamins and minerals, they are inexpensive sources of protein as well. When one type of grain is combined with other grains, the biological effectiveness of its protein is greatly enhanced because the balance of amino acids is more complete. According to official standards, carbohydrates may properly supply