An Evidence Based Rebuttal to the AVMA Position on Raw

A rebuttal to the AVMA position on raw pet foods

Michael Fox comments on Pet Foods

             MANUFACTURED PET FOODS & HOME MADE DIETS:
                                   TYING UP SOME LOOSE ENDS
                                             By Dr. Michael W. Fox

Obesity , metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, cancer, fatty liver disease, pancreatitis, hypertension, heart and kidney disease and diet-related arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies and neurological and immune system dysfunctions are  modern day health issues that people and companion animals share when their diets consist of highly processed  agribusiness food industry products, byproducts and various additives.

Practical Advise on feeding your dog

Introduction

All the discussion and controversy centring on what is the most appropriate diet to feed your dog should make one appreciate how adaptable and diverse a dog's nutrient requirements are. To understand this let us follow the dietary evolution of the dog for over the fourteen or more thousands of years that they have associated with humans, "a relationship for mutual benefit". We found a loyal and eager companion and worker; they found a welcome and safe home where survival did not depend on hunting. Prior to this the dog (aka wolf) feasted and flourished when prey was abundant; starved, and suffered from diseases and parasites when it was not. Only the strongest and the most adaptable survived. The first processing of food occurred when ancient man discovered fire; this process may have introduced a host of potentially nutritious vegetables and roots which were not well digested in the raw state. Thus man and his dog evolved from a hunter and gather to an agrarian life style, domesticating animals and growing crops. Highly processed and dissected and reconstituted (convenience) foods have only been part of our diet and that of our pets for a little over 200 years.  Less than one percent of the time, that dogs have been associated with man.

An Comparative Analysis of Over the Counter and Veterinary Diets Recommended for Canine Growth

Marion Smart DVM, PhD, Jack Mills,DVM and Cory Haggart 24/03/2012

 Introduction:

The pet products industry is expanding, and the promotion of pet nutrition is highly competitive as the players in the industry jockey for the consumers’ dollar. This competitive environment offers the veterinarian a challenge, as a client asks on a daily basis “What is the best diet for my pet?”  Can a veterinarian give unbiased advice?  With hundreds of new diets and diet related supplements released annually, each promising to embrace the latest concepts in nutritional research, how can a veterinarian keep up without becoming a victim to the same promotional advertising that their client is questioning?

For large breed puppies, the industry has accepted that growth must be controlled and that the calcium and phosphorous levels must be adequate and not excessive for proper skeletal development. Terms or variations of these concepts such as a “precise balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals”, “managing caloric intake”, “Scientifically formulated for proper bone and joint development”, “one hundred percent complete and balanced” are found in the promotional materials provided with the growth diets. In this information or the statements of nutritional adequacy, no references are sited of the companies’ research. The only supporting evidence of adequacy on the label is that the diets have met AAFCO feeding trial standards for growth or are formulated to meet AAFCO recommended minimum nutrient requirements for growth or all life stages.

Developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) in dogs, osteoarthritis and joint health are popular topics within the lay and veterinary communities. This paper is a review the science behind the nutritional requirements for puppies in particular large and giant breed puppies. The energy density, protein, fat, and calcium and phosphorous levels of 44 veterinary and OTC growth diets, 15 alternative diets and 16 adult premium diets were compared to the published requirements and trends identified. The goal of this study is to help veterinarians make a more informed reply to the owner’s question “How should I feed my large breed puppy?

Large Breed Puppy Diets Applies to Extruded Diets (Kibble) Prepared by Meg Smart DVM PhD Clinical Nutritionist WCVM Saturday, March-24-12

Puppy Diets

Growth is a complex process involving metabolic changes, environmental influences, genetics, nutrition and unknown factors. The eventual size of the dog is determined by its genetics, the age it reaches its adult size can be in part controlled by nutrition. The only nutritional trial to follow Labs from weaning to death was done by Purina. Although flawed this trial gave us insight into in the role that nutrition plays in growth. They took two groups of puppies and fed one group all the food they could eat in a 15-minute period over their lifetime. The second group was fed 25% less. The initial diet was Purina Puppy Chow; the adult diet was Purina Dog Chow. The onset of hip dysplasia and arthritis was delayed in the second group; the second group lived significantly longer.

No matter what diet you choose you must feed the appropriate number of calories per day and monitor the weight and body condition of the puppy. Ideally, if you look at the puppy from above it should have a waist, the hipbones and ribs can be felt. The skin should be moveable over the hips and ribs with some fat. The ribs and hips should not be hidden or covered by a layer of fat.

Cats Require the Protein from Whole Meat

A study was published in October 2011 on the digestibility of three different feline diets -- a raw beef-based diet, a cooked beef-based diet, and a high-protein extruded (dry food/kibble) diet. The study involved 9 shorthair domestic cats, adult females.(1)

Is Nutrition the Key to Wellness? Food for Thought

This article was written for The Guardian A health manual brought to you by Pet Planet.

Is Nutrition the Key to Wellness? Food for Thought  

Meg Smart DVM, PhD Nutritionist WCVM Oct  3/2011

Instinctively, we all know about nutrition but do we think about nutrition? Nutrition is often taken for granted. Basically, nutrition is wellness and the essence of life. When something goes wrong like the melamine disaster we suddenly become aware of how little we know about our food and were it comes from. But we soon become complacent as we believe new regulations or some nebulous independent organization will protect us. After forty years of experience and interest in nutrition I have come to the following conclusions:

Pet Food Industry and Nutrition: A Necessary Review For Veterinarians by M.E. Smart , J.A. Mills and C. Haggart First Published on the Veterinary Information Network 2007 updated Mar 13, 2011

This paper reviews the current status of the pet food industry from a veterinarian’s perspective. Summaries of market features, regulation and non-regulation are presented. In addition to a review of the industry, we also discuss the value of information currently provided to veterinarians and their clients, and some of its consequences.

The Basics of a Home Made Dog Food

Are you afraid to make homemade meals for your dog? Are you concerned about lifetime adequacy of commercial pet foods and the safety of commercially available kibble or raw diets? Does your family eat healthy foods rather than highly processed or fast foods? 

If you answer yes to these questions, then let me set the record straight. Naturally the commercial pet food companies will be against you feeding a home made diet.

Your veterinarian has seen health problems associated with poorly made diets or with table scraps, may be reluctant to help. For a veterinarian to recommend a popular commercial diet or sell a diet from the clinic is more practical than taking time to discuss an appropriate homemade diet with you.

Comparing Pet Foods: The Math is Simple, But The Thought Process is Complex: Many Ways Exists to Solve the Problem

Written by Marion (Meg) Smart DVM PhD

 

Interpreting the pet food label and some simple calculations to use when comparing nutrient levels. 

Client Information: Nutritional Support for a Pet with Cancer

This Article was written by Meg Smart for the Keeshound Journal Febuary 16th /2012

For Client Information in consultation with their Veterinarian

Tumours require nutrients to grow, the host requires nutrient to maintain their quality of life, and this immediately creates a conflict within the body. Some basic questions arise from this conflict. Can we through nutrition:

1. Slow the growth or starve a tumour?
2. Make the tumour more sensitive to our therapies?
3. Modulate the immune system to control or eliminate the tumour?
4. Neutralize free radicals without compromising the effectiveness of some treatments?

Introduction to an Developimg Online Nutrition Course

“To repeat what others have said requires education; To challenge it requires brains”  Mary Pettibone Poole

Nutrition affects every living organism from the time of conception (mitosis) to the time of death (apoptosis). To understand the fundamentals of nutrition one has to explore it from the perspective of a single cell;as a cell is the beginning of life and the end of life as we know it. Life is as simple as a single cell or as complex as a multicellular organism where cells are programmed genetically to coordinate the metabolic processes that sustain the wellness and the health of the organism. As organisms become more complex the metabolic process controlled by the cells becomes more specialized, but there still exists, the stem cell which when properly stimulated can rejuvenate the specialized cell line. 

 Nutrients comsumed and digested supply the carbon skeletons, the nitrogen and the energy to maintain the function of the cell and replace it when it is damaged prematurely or dies naturally. So how can something so simple be so complex and difficult to understand with so few direct answers and many diverse opinions? 

Other questions that arise about nutrition are:

·        If nutrition is so important, why do veterinarians and medical doctors know so little about it?

·        Are veterinarians and medical doctors the ones who should be advising us on our nutrition?

Dietary Supplements for Pets an Introduction

Pet Supplements is a rapidly growing and  profitable sector of the pet food industry. However, why market supplements if the food we are buying our pets is “complete and balanced”, “nutritious” plus many other descriptive terms?  Because it is trendy and the concept is marketable and some supplements are beneficial. 

A Dog's Breakfast

This is a CBC Documentary  about the pet food industry http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/dogsbreakfast.html

Micheal W Fox Speaks Out

Martha Stewart

                     IS “MARTHA STEWART LIVING” GOOD FOR ANIMALS?

                                                    By Dr. Michael W. Fox*

In October 2010 my local newspaper dropped my syndicated Animal Doctor column and replaced it with a new column by a writer with no veterinary or animal-behavior science background -- only the media touted title of Martha Stewart’s “Resident Pet Expert.”

 So I made my first visit to Martha Stewart’s website and immediately found and read the lead article on her pet section, “Pet Food Basics.” But the article (dated 1994) was seriously outdated, and my interest in what kinds of pet foods and pet supplies were being promoted by Ms. Stewart was piqued.

The Pet Food Industry

div class="DefaultText" style="tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt;"> The Pet Food Industry is changing  with pet food manufacturers focusing on :

·       New product development that takes advantage of trendy human diets

·       The expansion of premium diets, and healthy treats and snacks

·       Diets that address special pet needs such as joints, teeth, coat etc.

·       Small and giant dog requirements

·       Increasing palatability and maintaining freshness

·       Convenience for the pet owner