Fluoride in Pet Food – Another reason to avoid by-products

Have you been following the recent news about excessive fluoride levels in pet food?

“Eight of 10 dog food brands tested by an independent laboratory commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) contain fluoride in amounts up to 2.5 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national drinking water standard.”  http://www.ewg.org/node/28070

How is it getting into pet food?  Through the inclusion of the bones of animals that have been fed fluoridated water.  Consequently, you may wish to look at your pet food label to see if you are feeding anything with by-products or with “meat and bone meal”. 

I looked at a comparison of some popular foods at http://bit.ly/17LsHM but because it only shows the top five ingredients, it showed lots with by-products but none with bone meal.  A google search on “pet food” or “dog food” and “bone meal” was not productive.  So, you are going to have to do this simply by looking at your own pet food label.

Why do you care whether or not fluoridated by-products or bone meal are in your pet food?  Three studies link osteosarcoma in young boys with “fluoridated tap water”.  Guess what is the primary bone tumor found in dogs?  Osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs; it is estimated to occur in over 8,000 dogs each year in the U.S., primarily in larger breeds (Chun 2003; Dernell 2001; Priester 1980; Withrow 1991). According to a recent expert review, the actual incidence is probably higher, since not all cases are confirmed and registered (Mueller 2007). Large dogs with fast growing bones are especially at risk. Only 5% of all osteosarcomas develop in dogs weighing less than 30 pounds and giant dogs generally develop osteosarcoma at a younger age compared to smaller-sized dogs and (Cooley 1997; Misdorp 1979). 
http://www.examiner.com/x-10491-Houston-Pet-Care-Examiner~y2009m7d10-Fluoride–dangerously-high-levels-found-in-pet-food

Play it safe.  Learn to read your pet food label and avoid anything at all of questionable value.  We’re truly moving to an era where we feed our pets the same high quality that we seek for ourselves.

Warning to Pet Owners is true – Don’t use cocoa mulch if you have dogs

There is an email going around entitled:  “Warning to Pet Owners – Not a Joke!”  Snopes says this email is “partially true”.  The details of the email warning (manufacturer, stores where it is sold, how many dogs died) are what make it possibly more of a rumor.  But the FACTS are absolutely true.  If you receive email updates to this blog, feel free to forward the blog article or link via your email.  The link to this article is:

 http://holisticpetfood.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/warning-to-pet-owners-is-true-dont-use-cocoa-mulch-if-you-have-dogs

What are the FACTS?  Cocoa, chocolate, the theobromine contained in cocoa, the caffeine contained in cocoa, are TOXIC to both dogs and cats.

Here are the precise quotes from the ASPCA:

ASPCA

Chocolate

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-poison-control/chocolate.html

 

Is chocolate as dangerous for cats as it is for dogs? 

—Carla H.

Carla, while dogs tend to be most commonly affected largely due to their eating habits, chocolate can indeed be toxic to cats, as well as other pets. Depending on the type and amount ingested, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, panting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures—and even death in severe cases. Because of its toxic potential, we would advise against allowing your cat to consume chocolate.

Cocoa Bean Shell Mulch

 http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-poison-control/cocoa-bean-shell-mulch.html

Cocoa bean mulch is popular in our neighborhood. Is this toxic to dogs?

—Julie M.

It depends, Julie. Dogs who consume enough cocoa bean shell mulch could potentially develop signs similar to that of chocolate poisoning, including vomiting and diarrhea. In cases where very large amounts of mulch have been consumed, muscle tremors or other more serious neurological signs could occur. To date, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has not received any cases involving animal deaths due to cocoa mulch ingestion.

One key point to remember is that some dogs, particularly those with indiscriminate eating habits, can be attracted to any kind of organic matter. If you have a dog who tends to be, shall we say, less than finicky, it is important that your dog not be left unsupervised or allowed in areas where such materials are being used.

In case you have not already seen it, please read this article (.pdf) on our website that provides additional information on cocoa bean shell mulch.

Cocoa Bean Mulch as a Cause of Methylxanthine Toxicosis in Dogs

Low doses of methylxanthines in dogs cause gastrointestinal upset in Dogs

High doses cause tachycardia, muscle tremors, seizures and even death

Drolet documented the death of a dog after eating a large amount of cocoa bean shell mulch containing 0.46% theobromine

Cases we managed involved dogs which developed vomiting, tremors, tachycardia, hyperactivity, or diarrhea with full recovery

Clinical severity appears to correlate with increasing qualitative dose descriptions

Treatment of affected dogs includes multiple dose activated charcoal (2 g/kg PO) and tremor control with cardiac monitoring

Urinary bladder catheterization may reduce reabsorption of methylxanthines

Other potential exposures include pesticides and mycotoxin-producing mold

Dogs may experience clinical effects from large ingestions of cocoa bean shell mulch but life-threatening signs were not reported

We recommend avoiding use of cocoa bean shell mulch in landscaping around unsupervised dogs

You may wish to play it safe rather than sorry.

Teresa Holladay
http://www.twitter.com/petfoodlady
The Holistic Pet Food Blog at http://IsYourPetFoodSafe.com
Independent HealthyPetNet rep  http://www.trilogyonline.com/theyloveit

My little Abigail gets a funny collar

Abigail got some sort of abscess under her chin.  When I picked her up from the vet, she looked like this!

Abby's Funny Collar

Ma-ahm, she cried.  How am I going to get into my teepee for a nap?

Abigail takes a nap

Nobody’s gonna wanna play with me!

Abigail and all her little friends

Don’t worry, sweetie, I said.  In just one week, you’ll be all pretty again.

Abigail

Poor little thing!

Listing of pet food pantries in the U.S.

I am compiling a list of pet food pantries in the United States.  These are food banks that offer dog and cat food to those in need.   Please reply via Comments to let me know if you know of any others.

If you are in need of pet food for your pet and you don’t see your city listed, please contact your local animal shelter.  Perhaps they will know of pet food pantries in your area.  You can also google on +”pet food pantry” +”[your city]” to see if there are any pantries in your area.

This list is incomplete:

Arkansas
Animeals – NAFA’s Animal Food Pantry
There are qualifications to meet. Also, offering low cost vaccination clinics once a month. Locals can call and leave a message. Someone will call back within 24-48 hours.
Phone: 870-932-1955
blog.nafanews.org/?page_id=110

Jonesboro, AR
California

Monterey, CA
The SPCA Pet Food Bank
Phone: (831) 373-2631 or (831) 422-4721
Email: info@spcamc.org
spcamc.org

Santa Cruz, CA
Heather’s Pet Food Bank
Where: Santa Cruz SPCA, 2685 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
When: Tuesday through Thursday 4:00-6:00 PM
santacruzspca.org

LA/Hollywood, CA
PAWS/LA
Address: 1546 N. Argyle Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: 323/464-7297
Email: info@pawsla.org

Colorado

Colorado Springs Molly Hubbard’s Cupboard
News article

Colorado Springs Pikes Peak Pet Pantry
“We lend a helping paw” – serving Southern Colorado.
Phone: (719) 217-9528
pikespeakpetpantry.org
News article

Georgia

Atlanta, GA
Save Our Pets Food Bank
saveourpetsfoodbank.org
Illinois

Chicago, IL
Tree House Animal Foundation Pet Food Pantry
Must be low-income and provide proof. To register for the program contact The Pet Food Pantry.
Phone: (773) 784-5488 ext. 221
treehouseanimals.org
News article

Chicago Ridge, IL
Animal Welfare League Pet Food Give-A-Ways
Once a month, our satellite shelter provides a monthly supply of pet food to pet owners on a limited income who otherwise would be unable to keep their companion animals.
Phone: 773.667.0088
animalwelfareleague.com

Pekin
Bark and Purr Pet Pantry
1307 Derby St.
News article
Indiana

 
Nashville, IN
Brown County Humane Society
Pet Food assistance to qualified applicants. Contact the Shelter office for full details.
Phone: (812) 988-7362
bchumane.org

Maine

Eliot and Kittery
Footprints Food Pantry and York Food Pantry
Distributed through human food pantrie listed above
News article

Maryland

 
Frederick, MD
Frederick County Humane Society Pet Food Bank
There are no eligibility requirements.
Address: 217 W Patrick St, Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 301.694.8300
fchs.org
Massachusetts

 

 
South Deerfield, MA
Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Pet food and some supplies are available at no charge to needy families. Call the DPVHS rescue and rehabilitation center in Greenfield for more information.
Phone: 413-773-3148
dpvhs.org

 

 
Michigan

 

Jackson, MI
Cascade Humane Society Pet Food Assistance
Address: 1515 Carmen Drive Jackson, MI 49202
Phone: (517) 787-PETS
www.ascadeshumanesociety.org/programs/

 

 
Minnesota

 

Minneapolis, MN

Northeast Community Lutheran Church
NECL’s “Little Kitchen” Food Shelf has access to pet food for people with pets in need. Call for more information.
Phone: 612-788-2444
http://www.neclchurch.org/outreach.aspx

 

 
Montana

Troy/Libby, MT
Kootenai Pets for Life Pet Food Assistance
Pet food assistance in South Lincoln County, MT.
Phone: (406)-295-KPFL(5735)
Email: kootenaipetsforlife@yahoo.com

Nevada

Carson City, Nevada
Feeding Pets of the Homeless
“Provides pet food and veterinarian care to the homeless and less fortunate in local communities across the United States and Canada.”

New Hampshire

 Branford, NH 
Branford Animal Shelter

Dover, NH
Cocheco Valley Humane Society
Pet Food Assistance Program
262 County Farm Road, Dover, NH 03820
Phone: (603) 749-5322 x105 – for more information.
http://www.cochecovalleyhumanesoc.org

Laconia, NH

New Hampshire Humane Society
http://www.nhhumane.org

New JerseyOakland Veterinary Hospital Pet Food Bank
Pet food is collected and then distributed to elderly and infirmed pet owners who are part of the Meals on Wheels program. Contact vet for further information.
Phone: 201-337-7090
oaklandah.com

Oakland, NJ

 

New York

Auburn 
McQuaid  Pet Food Pantry
 93 Owasco Street, Auburn, NY 13021
Monthly distribution
News article

Rochester 
A Helping Paw, Pet Food Pantry
Box 387, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 508-759-2887

North Carolina
Goldsboro, NC
Wayne County Humane Society
For more information about the pet food bank and drive, call Ms. Parker.
Phone: (919) 922-4312
Web site: goldsboro-wchs.org
Ohio
Canfield, OH
Angels for Animals
See web site for hours:
Phone: 330-549-1111
angelsforanimals.org/visit.asp

Oregon
Pet food Help Blog
A lot of useful information…
petfoodhelporegon.blogspot.com

Sherwood, OR
Cat Adoption Team Cat Food Bank – food assistance for cats.
Address: 14175 SW Galbreath Dr. Sherwood, OR 97140
Phone: (503) 925-8903
Email: contactus@catadoptionteam.org
Texas
Helotes, TX
Helotes Humane Society Pet Pantry
Phone: (210) 422-6242
hhsanimals.org

Austin, TX
Pet Food Bank of Austin & Travis Counties
Phone: (512) 453-7737 or (512) 288-0068
http://www.greyhoundrescueaustin.com/gra/food-bank.htm

Livingston, TX
SPCA of Polk County
If you or someone you know is in need of pet food assistance, please contact us.
Phone: 936-967-2287
spcaofpolkcounty.org/Programs.htm
Utah
Moab, UT
The Humane Society of Moab Valley
Provides pet food for those in need.
Address: 76S Main St. #5 Moab, UT 84532
Phone: 435 259-4089
Virginia
Bristol, VA
Holly Help Memorial Fund
PRECIOUS PAWS PET FOOD PANTRY
Phone: 276-466-5375
hollyhelp.org
Washington
Bellingham, WA
Whatcom Humane Society Pet Food Bank
Food is distributed on a first come, first serve basis Tuesday — Saturday from 10am — 6pm at the Williamson Way facility. WHS distributes pet food at the Bellingham Food Bank on the last Monday of each month starting at noon.
Address: 3710 Williamson Way, Bellingham, WA 98226
Phone: (360) 733-2080
http://www.whatcomhumane.org/php/index.php?outreach

Seattle, WA
Seattle Humane Society Pet Food Bank
For low income, elderly and disabled persons. Contact for more info.
Phone: (425) 641-0080
seattlehumane.org
Wisconson
Milwaukee, WI
Wisconsin Humane Society Furry Friend Food Program
For more information, or to see if you qualify, please call 414-431-6263.
wihumane.org

Can swine flu infect cats or dogs?

What people are really asking is, Will my family dog or cat catch the swine flu, this H1N1 strain, and pass it along to ME or MY FAMILY?  Historically, there is no known case of cat/dog to human transmission of the flu and very few cases of another species flu jumping to dogs or cats. 

Here is what reliable news outlets are reporting:

MSNBC reports “no” as of April 29, 2009.

Is there any possibility of this [H1N1] strain crossing into dogs, cats or other pets? If so, are small animals (puppies, kittens) more at risk than adult animals?
—Anonymous

There is no evidence whatsoever of any risk for animals that has come up. The main problem with this is that it’s a virus that seems to have originated in pigs and became capable of infecting human beings. There are flu viruses that preferentially affect cats and dogs, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN says no evidence of it, yet, but it can’t be ruled out without further research.

Q: Can animals, such as dogs or cats, contract the swine flu [H1N1]? If so, can they transfer it to humans?

CNN: There is no evidence that dogs and cats can contract swine flu. Still, this is a new strain of swine flu virus, and investigators can’t rule it out until more tests are done. In the past, the avian H5N1 flu has infected domestic cats and at least one dog in Thailand, according to the scientific literature. In 2004, the equine H3 virus appeared to infect dogs. There have been no reports of dogs or cats spreading the flu to people.

Dr. Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, says “no”.  In fact, her blog on VetMedicine.com has a great explanation of this concern.

There are two types of influenza viruses: Type A and Type B. The Type A viruses are found in humans and many types of animals, usually strains specific to that species. The type B viruses circulate widely among humans¹.

Dogs and cats do have their own versions of influenza viruses.

Things you don’t want to know about the proposed FDA ban on beef by-products in pet foods

The FDA is planning a sweeping ban of high risk beef by-products from all animal feeds (AVMA news release dated 1/1/2009).  Objections or other comments on this ban must be accepted by the FDA by January 26.  The proposed ban is scheduled to take effect April 27, 2009.

This is not out of concern for our cats and dogs.  This is about preventing mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) in cows or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans)  in the human food population. 

The FDA is acting to prevent those high risk by-products (brains, spine) from accidentally getting into the human food supply.  If those parts are set aside for renderers and pet food manufacturers, obviously, there could be cross-contamination or inadvertent spillage into meat meant for human consumption. 

This issue has been on the table in various forms for several years.  So even though we don’t yet have a record of comments submitted to the FDA for THIS action, we do have public comments for past proposals.

I’m just going to bulletize a small sprinkling and give you the link.  You really don’t want to know this stuff.  Hint:  It’s all about money.  The FDA wants to do something right for a change and this is the thanks they get.

P.S.  Did you know dogs are not really susceptible to BSE but cats ARE?  This is the Number One reason why I NEVER feed my cats any treat or cat food made with beef. 

So here is one company’s objection to the ban four years ago.

• One self-described “recycler of dead cows and their calves” said “a prohibition on beef bi-products [sic] being formulated into pet foods and non-ruminant feed stuffs would produce devastating effects on [their state's] farm economy”.  Why?  Because cost of incineration of a cow would be $466 per animal, vs. the free service the renderers provide.  [Teresa's note:  They do have a good point, here.  I don't like it but it's valid].
• Teresa again:  Never mind their mention of picking up dead and downer cattle as a free service to the farms, and “in turn, supply the pet food industry and rendering operations with reliable and government-regulated protein and other products”.
• “The marketplace created by the dead stock and rendering industries has built a safe and efficient means by which society can be relieved of a vexing problem”.
• Incinerating dead cows will cut into natural gas supplies, thus hiking consumer prices.
• Having dead cattle all in one place, at a rendering plant, gives the FDA and APHIS one central place to do all their testing, vs. having them go farm-by-farm at great time and expense.
• They call the possibility that mad cow disease might be present in our beef population “speculative science”.

The bullet points listed above can be found at http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:VeAGxZ3UqSkJ:www.fda.gov/ohrms/DOCKETS/dailys/04/aug04/081304/04n-0264-c00033-vol7.pdf+%2Baphis+%2B%22dog+food%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=31&gl=us

Dang, some great info on pet food coming from, of all sources, PetCo!

I stumbled across this this morning and was shocked!  A major pet food retailer offering some seriously sound advice on choosing a safe, healthy pet food!

This comes from a company that sells many brands.  In a way, they have nothing to gain by telling you to avoid by-products and dyes and corn because they are not the manufacturer.  So that tired argument about, They say don’t use corn or by-products because they want you to buy their no-corn, no-by-products food, goes out the window.  They just boldly and freely tell you, Your cat doesn’t need this, this might cause health problems.  Wow.  This just might be about the most unbiased recommendation I’ve ever seen.

Here’s the link and here are the highlights:

• Corn, wheat, and rice are often used as fillers even thought cats need very little carbohydrates in their diet. Economy brands typically use more carbohydrate filler in their products, resulting in cats eating much more than they would if given higher quality foods. The continued feeding of low quality foods over a period of years will contribute to, or even cause serious medical conditions that may require expensive veterinary care.
• Preservatives: Chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are often added in pet foods. Natural preservatives such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and oils of rosemary, clove, or other spices are a better alternative. Natural preservatives do not provide as long a shelf life but are generally safer. [P.S. If I had to choose between a food that was made last week and will last six months vs. a food that was made a year ago and can last another year, it's a no-brainer.]
• By-Products: By-products can vary from batch to batch. They can contain internal parts of animals such as necks, heads, feet, intestines, and other internal organs. Many manufactures use by-products because it’s less expensive, these may not be the best source of food for your pet. 
• Antioxidants: Antioxidants are often added to cat food to supplement and help a cat’s immune system. Antioxidants can help deter many diseases including kidney disease, heart disease and cancer. 
• Artificial Dyes: Artificial dyes are often used in pet foods for visual purposes, but it is not necessary and some have been linked to medical problems.  [P.S.  Cats and dogs don't care about color.  If a company is adding something to market to the consumer, run, don't walk, to get away from that food.]

I think I should say that while I don’t see a reason for white rice to be in a pet food, brown rice is often NOT used as a filler.  Rather, for dry foods, it’s used in just enough quantities to hold the meaty food together in the kibble.  It’s impossible for us to know how much meat is in each food, you have to learn about the manufacturer and whether or not you trust them.

PetCo, if you ask me, has pulled out ahead of the pack in moving to offer more very high-end, premium foods in their stores that you used to find only in the health food stores.  These foods are NOT CHEAP, they are pricier even than Science Diet and Iams (which are not holistic foods).  I still always counsel people to look for ways to cut your pet food bill by going wholesale or mail order wherever you can because these high-end foods are almost never on sale and they can cost upwards of $16-$24 for a 6-8 pound bag.

 Teresa Holladay
The Holistic Pet Food Blog
http://IsYourPetFoodSafe.com

Life’s Abundance New Canned Dog Food: A most unusual approach

Trilogy HealthyPetNet announced their new canned dog food line yesterday.  While they have provided one of the top holistic dry foods on the market for the last 11 years, canned pet foods are a fairly recent addition.  The canned cat food, Instinctive Choice, has been out for only two years. 

When the announcement came yesterday, you could almost hear the cheering and applause… for a moment.  And then silence. 

Why?  Life’s Abundance Premium Canned Health Food for Dogs comes only in a 5.5 ounce can.  That’s the size of a tuna fish can.   Hardly the 13.2 oz or 22 oz large dog food cans that people are used to.  So for people who are used to giving their large dogs 22 ounces every morning and every evening, well, it’s a bit of sticker shock.

A smaller can than what dog owners are used to

I did a quick check of ultra premium, natural, or organic pet foods sold via PetFoodDirect and other online retailers to see if this was typical and was surprised to see that three other top premium manufacturers sell in this size.  Note that all would have to add S&H.

• Castor & Pollux Organix sells 24 5.5 ounce cans by the case for $32.99
• Newman’s Own Organics sells 24 5.5 ounce cans by the case for $34.39.  
• Nature’s Variety Instinct sells 1 can at a time at boutiques for $1.59 each ($38.16 per case).
• Life’s Abundance 24 cans on Autoship is $29.95. 

But why would a premium manufacturer offer a food in such small amounts?  There didn’t seem to be any answers, so I went a different direction.  How much canned food should a dog eat in a day?  Could they survive on the small cans?

Castor and Pollux and Natures Variety Instinct canned each recommend 2-2 3/4 cans (the 5.5 oz cans) per day per 15 pounds of body weight.  We understand that the others have a similar feeding guideline.

For even a 75-pound dog, that’s six to eight  cans per day of not inexpensive food.  Most dog people are multi-dog people and many own the 140 lb dogs.  Can you imagine what a household with several Golden Retrievers or Great Pyrenees would feed?!

Perhaps that’s why some manufacturers say…

You shouldn’t feed canned foods exclusively

I could not find anything on the Castor and Pollux or Newman’s Own websites explaining why the small can, or how to use it (i.e., only source of food, topper, or dry food supplement).  But Dr. Jane Bicks*, who is not only a holistic veterinarian but a well-reputed pet food formulator, made the announcement for Trilogy HealthyPetNet and offered an explanation that makes sense.  She said that a canned pet food should only be used as a supplement, a tasty treat, a break from the monotony of dry food all the time, but never as a sole source of nutrition.  That’s because there is so much moisture in canned pet foods that it would be impossible for the animal to get adequate nutrition before their stomachs are full.     

What?  On canned foods, if your pet tried to eat enough to get their full protein and nutrient requirements, they would fill up on water before they got to the goal?

This is THE controversy of the season 

But Dr. Jane Bicks is not the only person to make this claim.  Susan Thixton, well-known author and host of TruthAboutPetFood.com, notes that it takes quite a few cans of wet food to provide the daily nutritional needs of your pet:

If you have ever closely examined the recommended feeding instructions on a can of dog food or cat food, you see that it takes quite a few cans to provide the daily nutritional needs of your pet. The reason is all canned foods contain high amounts of moisture. Water fills you up pretty quickly; the concern is your pet might not eat enough canned food. On the other side of the water coin however…the added moisture to the diet of dogs and cats is very beneficial. Cats, especially don´t drink enough water.

These canned foods are excellent nutrition, don’t get me wrong.  With the nutrient profiles in turkey, turkey liver, shrimp, and eggs for the breakfast food, and chicken, chicken liver, crab, and eggs for the dinner food, our pets are getting great, well-rounded nutrition.  They just would not get ENOUGH if all they ever ate was canned food.

So these foods, and this would be true of the other ultra premium canned foods, are intended to be used along with your dry food.  Dr. Jane Bicks said that to maintain a proper balance, you would use 75% dry food and 25% wet food. 

SIDEBAR:  Don’t believe your pet can’t live on canned food alone?  We’re talking commercial processed canned foods, here, not the raw or BARF diets that are closer to what they would get in nature.  Read your label.  A quick scan of canned dog foods on the PetFoodDirect.com website shows that most canned foods are 78-82% moisture and only 8-12% protein.  The PetEducation website maintained by Drs Foster & Smith explains that most adult dogs require 18% protein; puppies and lactating females, 28%.  Is it a fallacy to think that if you gave two 8% cans, you would hit 16% protein?  Or is two cans still 8% protein because it’s in combination with what else the dog is eating?  At this point you really focus on total grams of protein.  Then the question would be, have you given them too many calories if you feed many cans?

It looks to me like their target consumer is a fairly well-educated consumer who is committed to excellent nutrition for their pets and recognizes that it comes with a cost.  People who are used to letting their dogs free feed on Iams dry food and pour out a large can of Alpo or Ol’ Roy at every meal will not be attracted to reading the label and opening a tasty but very small can of Life’s Abundance, Castor and Pollux, OR Newman’s Own.

There are other important and even exciting differences with the new Life’s Abundance canned dog food formulation, however, they have taken a back seat to the controversies generated by the “how many cans per day to feed” discussion that is now roiling throughout the dog forums.  We will discuss those in a later post.

It will be interesting to see if other holistic manufacturers release canned dog foods in this small size… and if consumers can shift their thinking.  We think, now, ”We want to watch our big guy gulp down a whole plate of wet food.  The longer he eats, the more he knows we love him. ”  But perhaps we should be thinking, “That guy is so much healthier on that canned addition to his dry food.”

It’s a whole new world, and after last year’s recalls, we’ve delved into pet food ingredients and nutrition like no other generation of pet parents ever has.  We’ve discovered that our pets can live longer and healthier if we feed them higher quality foods.  It all comes with a price adjustment and a mindshift.  I think we’re ready.

* Some have asked who is this formulator.  Dr. Jane Bicks is a highly respected & nationally recognized Holistic Veterinarian.  She has been featured numerous times on Animal Planet, CNN, 48 hours, Discovery Channel, Good Morning America & many more. Dr. Bicks is the author of three national selling books on pet care and nutrition. She was awarded 3 Presidential Citations. She has served on many professional boards. She was the President of the Veterinary Medical Association of NYC and was appointed by former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to help start one of the largest animal shelters in the U.S.A.

Copyright 2008 Teresa Holladay
The Holistic Pet Food Blog
http://IsYourPetFoodSafe.com
This article may be shared in other forums as long as all links and credits remain intact.

==================================
Teresa Holladay is an IT Project Manager by profession and an animal rescuer by avocation.  She has used holistic pet foods for over 10 years and is an independent, home-based rep for HealthyPetNet.  These are her own personal opinions, she does not represent HealthyPetNet nor does she use this forum to promote her own personal links.  The purpose of this forum is to educate the consumer on high quality pet nutrition and to discuss controversial pet food topics in the news.  Rarely are HealthyPetNet products discussed, however, this is an occasion where a discussion was warranted. 

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What motivates you when you purchase pet food?

I’m just wondering what motivates you to buy a certain pet food?  Is it cost?  The store is close to you?  You can pick it up where you get your groceries?  Your vet recommended it?  Your pets like it?  It has ingredients you like?  See, motivation has been on my mind, lately.

A friend has been trying to get me to try products that she sells in her home network marketing business (I won’t mention the name).  I have steadfastly refused to try anything until today, and then she hit my hot button.  I am training to run a marathon, it’s my first one, and it’s massively important me because I’m not running for myself, I’m running for someone who has leukemia. 

Well, she read some of my blog articles and saw that I was struggling on these long runs and was trying to figure out what to eat to give me sustained energy, and told me about an energy bar her company sells.  I read about it and wanted to try it.  That was it.  My motivation was that if it could possibly help me with my endurance struggles, I wanted it.   I didn’t want the business and I didn’t want the discount, I just wanted those energy bars and I want them in time for my next long run.

As motivated as I am to run this marathon, I’m a thousand times more motivated to protect my pets.  I do a bit of rescue work, my pets get their vet visits and medicines even if I have to cut out something that *I* need.  They’ve eaten only the healthiest pet foods for upwards of 10 years.  No kidding, because of my rescue animals, I have a $600 per month pet food bill!  I could do it on the cheap, with donations and discounted regular food, but I refuse to feed corn, by-products, and chemicals.  (And guess what?  There are a lot of people like me!)

So why am I so determined to feed the highest quality pet foods?  What is my motivation?

Two short stories:

Well, about 14 years ago, when I lived in Texas, I was feeding the so-called “premium” foods that you get at the vet clinic and the discount pet food stores.  I only had two cats at the time.  One was a 17-year-old black cat named Kitty and I loved her like she was my own baby. 

I went out of town on a business trip.  My roommate ran out of cat food so she ran over to a big discount store,  bought a brand that everybody seemed to recommend, and fed that to my cats.  My old Kitty immediately became sick.  When I got home a few days later, she had lost all her fur and was near death.  The vet said she was in acute kidney failure, probably caused by something she ate.  After several days in the veterinary hospital and hundreds of dollars later, Kitty pulled through.  She was sickly but she lived to be twenty.  But the vet educated me on healthier pet foods and that’s when I switched to “natural” foods, no by-products or chemicals.  For me, at the time, corn was okay.

Cut forward several years.  I’m now in Colorado.  I now have three kitties.  There is a new “natural” food at the veterinary clinic, natural and with real meat but with three corn ingredients in it.  It sounds tasty so I take it home to my cats. 

Within a few weeks I had to euthanize the two older cats.  Whiskers was 10 and Hoover was 17, he had come with me from Texas.   Their intestines were fatally blocked.  Nobody truly wanted to blame the corn, but quietly, yeah, it was the corn.  “Gluten” is “glue”, and without adequate water intake, the older kitties couldn’t run it through their digestive system properly.  I wouldn’t have suspected it if only one cat had died.  He was old and when his belly bloated and he couldn’t move, I thought it was his time.  It was when the second cat had the same symptoms that I got suspicious and spoke with the vet about it. 

That’s my motivation for feeding my cats very high quality foods that were made for their systems.  For me, it’s emotional.  I want the best for my family, and my family happens to include some beautiful cats.

What’s YOUR motivation?  I’d love to hear your comments.

I’m just curious. If processed meats can cause cancer in humans, could by-products cause cancer in pets?

Did you see today’s new anti-hot dog commercial?  It was on ABC News.  That’s right, it’s like anti-smoking or anti-drugs only it’s anti-hot dogs in school lunches.   33-seconds-long, the ad gets you when the boy says, “I was dumbfounded when the doctor told me I have late-stage colon cancer”.  And you see kids at school chomping down on hot dogs and pepperoni pizzas.  (At the end, you realize it’s not that KIDS get cancer, it’s that a lifetime of eating the wrong things increases your risk of colon cancer).  Here it is on YouTube:

I’m just wondering… If there’s enough evidence to suggest a link between colon cancer and processed meats such as bologna, pepperoni, hot dogs, and bacon, and any of those processes or even worse ones are used to obtain the by-products often used in pet foods, does this mean there could be a link between by-products or inferior meat sources and cancer in pets?

Increased colorectal cancer risk

The ad comes from five different medical studies which said that said eating 50 grams a day of processed meats for several years increases colorectal cancer risk by 21 percent. That equals about one hot dog a day or two deli slices of bologna or five slices of bacon. 

Human foods require the reporting of the by-product

Here’s the other thing.  Human foods require that you list the by-product. 

Hot dogs typically contain muscle meat trimmings from pork or beef. Contrary to legend, they do not contain animal eyeballs, hooves or genitals, according to the Hot Dog Council’s Janet Riley. But the government does allow them to contain pig snouts and stomachs, cow lips and livers, goat gullets and lamb spleens. If they have these byproducts, the label should spell out which ones, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokeswoman said.

If we’re feeding that stuff to humans and it’s required to be identified, what are we feeding to pets and why aren’t we permitted to know precisely what?

Research shows it DOES cause cancer in pets!

Here’s the kicker.  Some substances DO cause cancer in pets.  The ABC News article says, “The health concerns primarily come from their high fat and salt content and sodium nitrate and nitrite, commonly added preservatives and color-enhancers. Nitrate-related substances have been reported to cause cancer in animals, but there’s no proof they do that in people.”

You know the definition for holistic pet food.  In part, it’s that it’s a food with NO animal by-products and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. 

This commercial is about humans.  But can you really watch it and read the stories and not see that it’s also about the furry members of our family?

Copyright @2008 Teresa Holladay
Holistic Pet Food Blog
http://holisticpetfood.wordpress.com

 

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