Never does my blood boil more than when I see what people are allowed to have published in newsprint under the auspices of providing information to the general public.  When I read today’s  Asbury Park Press’  Healthy Living Section  regarding pet food, I was angered by the ignorance.  I wonder if  the author was paid for advertising this dog food.  Did she even look to see if a Veterinary Nutritionist is on the staff of this company that has won her heart?  Did the  pet food company conduct a feeding trial,OR–perhaps their paying clients constitute the feeding trial.  A feeding trial consists of a company feeding  pets a particular food for a required period of time; methodical tracking is performed to see how those pets do on the food. If you check a can/bag label, there has to be an AFCO statement.  If it does not say feeding trial,  then there was none done.

I have learned from studying the diet/nutrition aspects of pet care that many of these new pet food companies have no real scientific research behind their food.  Most of the time there are way too many probiotics or complex carbohydrates for a dog’s digestive tract.  Dogs are similar to humans but with shorter GI tracts.

The reason the meat in pet food cannot be labeled “for human consumption” is that once the product leaves a facility where the USDA can no longer inspect it, it can no longer be called fit for human consumption. If a pet company labels their meat as human grade, they are lying.  As for the term “byproduct” that refers to organ meat (ie. liver, heart, kidneys, etc). There are no beaks and feathers in commercial pet food. Remember where all the nutrition is… all that organ meat is rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients.

Another point worth arguing is the introduction of the new novel proteins these companies are pushing on people..the rabbits, venison, bison etc.  All they are doing is making it harder on you and your veterinarian to diagnose your pet’s possible allery and what it might be. If we as Veterinarians have no novel (meaning new) proteins to pursue for an elimination diet where do we invest our time and your money?  Just keep inventing new ones?

I do not like seeing people use scare tactics.  This is misinformation which, in turn,  makes people think they are poisoning their pets.  This leads to a great deal of money spent on foods that have no research or medical evidence behind them.  Companies that have been around for almost 70 years and are running successful companies must be doing something right. At least reputable companies such as Science Diet, Iams, Pedigree, and Royal Canine have a Veterinary Nutritionist who balances their diets. They are also responsible for all the cutting edge research that has been done in nutrition.  This has kept our pets with serious diseases around for many extra quality years.

Chew on that for a while…words from your vigilant (e) Vet

I found this one very amusing…. That must be a lot of vetcare.

Mariah Carey is being hounded by a veterinarian to the stars who says the singer is a doggone deadbeat.

Dr. Cindy Bressler, whose Web site boasts of her celebrity clients in Manhattan and the Hamptons, has a bone to pick with Carey for stiffing her on nearly $30,000 in “extraordinary services” performed on Cha-Cha, Dolomite and JJ, the suit says.

Carey is accused of paying only $8,231.50 to Bressler for services performed between last Oct. 31 and Dec. 2.

The “Hero” star still owes $29,559, according to court papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, for a nearly month-long stay in California to help with the birth of a puppy, Dolomite.

“Just pay the woman already,” said Michael Posner, the doggie-doc’s lawyer. “This has been going on six months.”

A spokeswoman for Carey did not return calls yesterday.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/06/23/2010-06-23_celebrity_veterinarian_cindy_bressler_says_mariah_carey_is_a_deadbeat_dog_owner_.html#ixzz0rtJNITsd

The affected Iams canned cat food is:

Product Name: Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans

Date on Bottom of Can: 09/2011 to 06/2012

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved. Iams Veterinary Formula cat is NOT included in this voluntary recall.

Thiamine deficient clinical signs would be limited primarily to cases where pet owners have been feeding only canned cat food. Common symptoms may include anorexia, excessive salivation, generalized weakness, ataxia, ventriflexion, tremors and seizures.

Thiamine deficiency diagnosis is most often based on history, clinical signs, and response to treatment.
Treatment: (North American Companion Animal Formulary, Eighth Edition 2008)
B1 injectable or oral, depending on severity of signs
– 100 to 250 mg SC q 12h
– 2-4 mg/kg PO q 24 hr

If you have a suspect case or need further information please call our veterinary line at 800-535-8387. Concerned pet owners who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it. For further information call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826.

We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you and want to assure you that P&G Pet Care is taking all the necessary steps to ensure our product quality meets your expectations.

Houndstooth will be back July 19, 20, 21st. If you missed them last time, don’t miss them this time. Just a reminder this is only for pets with mild to moderate tartar. Pets who have gingivitis need to have a general anesthesia cleaning. The only exceptions are for elderly pets or pets with a severe underlying disease that can’t go under anesthesia.  In those few cases, we try to remove the tarter and plaque to make the pet more comfortable.  When you schedule an appointment you will be asked to leave a nonrefundable $100 deposit.

Some cute videos for our animal lovers

Houndstooth was back last month for three days and it was quite the success. They will be coming back again in July. We don’t have the exact dates yet but we are starting to take names. Just remember it is helpful for those pets with mild to moderate tarter but even they aren’t miracle workers. If your pet has periodontal disease, your pet will probably need dental X-Rays and a full mouth cleaning under general anesthesia. Please call the office to make an appointment so we can make a determination about your pets dental health. Once your pet’s teeth are cleaned we will be more than happy to show you how to continue to keep your pets teeth clean and healthy.

It’s official we are now on Facebook. Check out the latest events, adoptions, or ways to help your canine and feline community. Become a friend.

One of our good clients is a reputable breeder of English Springer Spaniels she has a 15 month old non-spayed female that needs a good home. The client wants to show her until she is a champion and then breed her for a few litters. Some of our clients have some of her dogs from her mother Molly. She is extremely good natured and very outgoing. If you are interested please call the hospital and ask to speak to Dr. Stacey Kilcullen.

To make this blog a little more interactive I want to hear what people want to learn more about. Send me you questions or thoughts about pets or veterinary medicine.