THE MODERN HEALTH CRISIS
Our dogs are suffering through a health crisis that is eerily similar to ours. In the past 10 years there has been a 158% increase in the number of overweight dogs, and it is estimated that as many as 37% of all dogs are overweight by the time they are 6 months old. As of 2022, veterinary professionals classified 59% of all dogs as either overweight or obese, with 30% of those dogs falling into the category of obese. This is very concerning, as obesity raises the likelihood of developing chronic disease and increases the risk of all-cause mortality.
The rates of non-communicable chronic disease in dogs has skyrocketed over the last few decades as well. Conditions such as diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, gut disorders, skin conditions, allergies, arthritis, and periodontal disease will affect nearly every dog at some point in their lives. Recent studies have found that 1 in every 3 dogs will develop cancer at some point in their lives. The prevalence of diabetes alone rose 66% in dogs from 2009-2019 and it is estimated that the owner of a diabetic pet is 38% more likely to have or develop diabetes.
When we look at the data, we see that these trends are undeniably reminiscent of our own and believe there is a strong correlation between the two. There was a time in the not-so-distant past where these issues weren’t so prevalent, and when we actively observe our dog’s living ancestors, the wolf, we find that the rates of these diseases are statistically zero.
Here at APEX Pack + Tribe, we believe dogs are meant to bring us joy, companionship, unconditional love, and show us that there is still good in the world. Watching our beloved pets suffer is one of the worst experiences we can endure. Luckily, we don’t have to.
THE HUMAN-CANINE CONNECTION
The mega-corporations that control the dog food industry have one goal: create an extremely profitable product that meets the minimum nutritional requirements for dogs. The result is an inferior, hyper-processed food source that makes up nearly 100% of the average dog’s diet.
Due to the confusion and bias around nutrition and our detachment from nature, many of us don’t realize we are feeding our dogs food they aren't designed to eat. Even fewer realize we are feeding our dogs food full of contaminants and toxic ingredients produced by the same companies that make junk food and soda for us. We mean well, but because our dog’s health hinges on nutrition and we control their food, we may end up harming our pets.
It’s easy to blame the food for our dog’s misfortunes, and we wouldn’t be wrong, but that only tells part of the story. By comparing humans with dogs I uncovered a massive subset of commonalities when it comes to nutrition and the link to metabolic dysfunction and chronic disease. I’m not implying that humans and dogs share the same diet, but we do in fact share a diet that utilizes most of the same ingredients that come from the same places. In fact, there are more commonalities than not. So in a way, we do share the same diet, our version of kibble is just more visually appealing.
In my free eBook "Unleashing Health - The Human-Canine Connection Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Chronic Disease" I detail my findings from seven years of research into the the modern food industry and the effects it has on our health.
Download your free copy today!
BONES AND THE CARNIVORE DIET
Transitioning your dog away from kibble to an all-meat carnivore diet can drastically improve the health and well-being of your dog. However, it is important to understand how to transition your dog, as well as how to properly proportion, structure, and balance his/her meals. Bones are an essential part of a properly balanced nutrition plan, but feeding bones can be nerve racking because they have the potential to harm your dog if done incorrectly.
To help with this, I created a tip sheet highlighting some of the best practices I've learned from successfully and safely feeding bones to my dog for the last 5 years.
Download a free copy of the Bone Tip Sheet today!
NATURAL FLEA & TICK REPELLENT
Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise!
Between 2022 and 2024 there has been a 71% increase in reported cases of Lyme disease and as of July 2023, 450,000 Americans had been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome; a disease that makes you allergic to red meat!
Dogs can't contract alpha-gal, but they can catch Lyme disease, and by simply owning a dog your risk of coming in contact with ticks and contracting a tick-borne illness is much higher. The problem is that many of the commercial flea & tick products on the market contain chemicals and poisons that can be extremely toxic to you and your pet.
The good thing is that there are several natural products that are not only very effective at preventing fleas and ticks, but are also safe for you and your pet!
Using only products used and recommended by the APEX tribe (which can be found in the comment section of THIS video), I will be trying some of these products, and even making some of them myself to see if I can find a safe and effective product for my dog and I.
Click the link to access the full list of products and my testing results!