What does raw food have that my pet is not getting from processed food? PART 2:
Last month we looked at the importance of enzymes in your pet's diet. Equally important are amino acids. They are responsible for building proteins, which in turn, build new cells. Amino acids also repair the damaged parts when tissue proteins break down during metabolism. Everything on your pet that grows on a cellular level, which is pretty much your entire pet, needs amino acids to accomplish this.

Amino Acids
As your pet eats a variety of different foods, different amino acids are provided. Your pet then formulates them into the amino acids needed for different functions. There are 20 different amino acids, each with a specific function. A few amino acids are what are called, Essential Amino Acids, or ones that cannot be made by the body. A perfect example of this would be taurine for a cat. A cat lacks the ability to form this from other amino acids and must have it in their diet in its raw, whole form. Raw meat, especially fresh kill, is rich in taurine.

There are several signs of a diet deficient in amino acids. They might include:

• A dry, dull coat
• Excessive shedding
• Poor dental health, due to unhealthy gums
• Reduction in digestive health
• Lack of energy
• Poor heart health

When a protein is cooked, the long chain amino acids which make up the protein, become short chain amino acids, and at this point they become much more difficult for the stomach to digest and the liver to metabolize into energy. It must be argued that protein amino acids in their raw form are far superior in quality and function than processed, short chain amino acids. Primal Pet Foods offer a variety of raw meats and vegetable sources, thereby assuring your pet a healthy, natural diet and elevated health.