John Burns - Articles

 

For a number of years I recommended my veterinary practice clients to avoid feeding proprietary pet foods but instead to feed a home-made diet of brown rice, vegetables and chicken, fish or meat sold for human consumption.

Although a number of people were able to follow this recommendation and achieved remarkable improvements in the health of their pets, many found that preparing food at home for the dog was simply too daunting a task.

Now that I have a dog of my own I realise what a burden this is and I doubt if I would be able to do it myself. I am sure I lost many clients in this way.

I eventually decided that to manage health through diet, food would have to be convenient and readily available. Burns Real Food is based on the home-made diet which I used to recommend. There are no secret or magic ingredients; there are no added pharmacologically active supplements or ingredients.

As the name implies, Burns Real Food is just that; a simple food which is intended to allow the body to function as it should. Burns is not intended to intervene in order to alter the normal metabolism of the body. The aim is to stand back and let the body get on with what it does best; to maintain the organ systems.

This is in contrast to medicinal products which are intended to have a direct therapeutic action.

There are many, many different chemical and physical reactions taking place in the body at all times. Although we can influence one or two of these by drugs, most of these reactions are being carried out by the body itself which is always working to be at its best - to absorb the nutrients it needs, to build and rebuild itself, to resist infection, to eliminate waste products and so on.

John Burns and LizzieA puppy or kitten instinctively knows more than the most skilled physician how to maintain normal health, when something has gone wrong, how to correct that and how to heal itself. This all happens in a subconscious, instinctive way as a result of billions of years of evolution from simple cells to complex mammals.This is the basis of the Principles of Natural Health Care.

The most important and simplest way of promoting that process is through the choice of food. Needless to say, we humans have to make that choice on behalf of our pets.

The main protein sources in Burns are chicken, lamb, fish, venison and duck which are nutritious and highly digestible. Sunflower oil and chicken oil provide essential fatty acids and seaweed provides an organic source of minerals. The formulae are fixed so the ingredients do not alter when cheaper ingredients are available. This is of enormous importance as many health problems are caused by undiagnosed intolerance to food ingredients.

Burns products (other than high-energy foods) are low in fat and protein and high in complex carbohydrate. There are no chemical additives. This minimises the amount of waste matter which the body has to eliminate. When metabolised, carbohydrate produces less harmful toxic waste than protein and fat.

Many owners think that if their pet seems healthy there is no need to feed a good-quality food. It is true that some pets (and humans) seem capable of thriving on poor quality food but this is the exception, not the rule. Many pet owners do not recognise symptoms of incipient health problems but accept them as normal conditions.

Burns Pet Nutrition are known for being an ethical company with excellent customer
service and nutrition support which can be accessed via their website www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk

An Introduction to Holistic Pet Care

Much of modern thought is geared to seeing the individual as a series of separate systems which function independently of each other. We have specialists for skin, kidneys, nervous system, bones, heart and so on. Food companies produce whole ranges of veterinary -only diets, each food designed to treat or manage a specific health problem. Diets are developed containing supplements to promote healthy joints or immune systems, clean teeth, avoid hairball and so on. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Growth and Development of Puppies and Kittens

As a new pet owner you are naturally anxious to make sure the new arrival receives the right amount of nutrients in their diet for healthy growth and development. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Basic Nutrition for Dogs

Just like ourselves, our pets need a regular supply of food in order to stay healthy. The foods that we eat contain components which are involved in the very complex processes that take place in the body's cells, provide the building blocks for growth and supply energy to keep the body warm. Our pets have several requirements that have to be met by the diet that we provide Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

What not to Feed your Pet This Christmas!

Christmas is a time when it is easy to overfeed a pet or give it inappropriate food - there are certain foods which we as humans enjoy but which are not good for pets Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Raw Feeding of Dogs - Barf

The BARF (“Bones and Raw Food” or “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food”) diet is a system of holistic nutrition which is championed by Dr Ian Billinghurst who is an Australian vet. Dr. Billinghurst has published several books on health and nutrition. The best known of these is called “Give Your Dog a Bone”. The BARF Evolutionary philosophy is at first glance an attractive one; it seems to be truly natural because it tries to emulate the lifestyle of the dog in the wild. But, after due consideration I am of the opinion that the BARF theory, like the emperor’s new clothes, does not stand up to critical inspection. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

The Overweight Dog

Many owners are surprised when they are told that their dog is overweight. The easiest way to tell is by feeling the ribcage. The ribs should be easily and clearly felt with little flesh between the fingers when you pinch the skin. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Looking After a New Puppy

Deciding to buy a puppy should be a careful, well-thought out decision. A dog can be the most rewarding of pets, but also one of the most demanding. Before you buy a puppy, please think first. Is there really time for a dog in your life, and can you give a commitment that might for 12 years, possibly more? Puppies need lots of time, care and patience. Follow these guidelines and your efforts will be positively rewarded. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Kitten Development

A kitten is not totally independent until about 6 months old. In the wild it would remain with its mother until then, if not longer. A kitten can be fully weaned at about 8 weeks old. It should not leave its mother until then. Pedigree kittens suckle for two weeks longer than non-pedigrees and are not fully weaned until 12 weeks old. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Introducing a New Pet to an Old Pet

It is easier to get two young animals to live in harmony as they will grow up together, however with a bit of time and patience (it may take up to 6-7 weeks) a young kitten or puppy can be introduced to an older pet. Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets

Flea Infestation With Dogs

Fleas, ticks and lice are surface dwelling parasites. Fleas are small dark insects that run through the fur rapidly. Lice are tiny grey insects that move slowly and tend to form clusters around the earflaps. Ticks look like grey warts, they are immobile as the fix their mouthparts into the skin. There are a number of ways of treating the problem in this article Read

By: John Burns | 30/07/2007 | Pets