But the facts are the facts.

1. Most good vet schools do a little more with nutrition than a guest lecturer from Hills! Not that they’re adequately trained - most will tell you they aren’t. But they DO have to do continuing education, and I’m betting there’ll be a lot more classes on nutrition after all this.

2. Not every pet who died of kidney failure over the past year died because of tainted food. it’s sad when any pet dies, but the fact remains that chronic (not acute) kidney failure is a VERY common disease in cats AND dogs, not because of food, but because of old age…i.e., they’re not dying of something else first, like they used to.

It’s a lot like humans and cancer. Genetics research tells us clearly that as DNA wears down with replication (look up telomeres, if you want more info), cells wear out and mistakes happen. It’s called the Hayflick limit.

You’re right, VIN has done an excellent job. Why? Because those same vets you accuse of disinterest have been interested enough to respond to VIN’s voluntary surveys. Oh yeah, the same vets who’ve been “bought off” by the pet food industry. Yeah, whatever.

Yes, there are bad vets. And bad doctors, and bad mechanics, etc. etc. But the majority have no interest in making your pet sick, or worse, which is what Patrick says in her term paper (and that’s what it is, folks, not a published research article).

I’m sincerely *very* sorry for your loss. And I’m NOT minimizing the fact that I think Menu and others killed hundreds if not thousands of pets. But blaming your vet for what pet food companies did is missing the point..and taking what one “radio expert” says as proof of industry collusion is just poor reasoning.

If you’re not getting the responsiveness you want from your vet, ask your friends for recommendations for a new one - and then tell your old one why you’re leaving. We talk a lot here about the power of the market. It’s useful for a lot more than pet food.

What has happened since? The lectures have been cut to her alone giving a single 50 minute lecture.
Sometimes Im glad that I was not accepted into Vet School. I learned more back on the farm!

Take a little time and surf to this page from Wisconsin Public Radio. Look for two particular shows from 3/21 and 3/22 on the subject.

http://www.wpr.org/webcasting/.....m?Code=jca

Note that on 3/22 the industry rep (a retail chain owner) makes what have now proven to be grossly misleading statements with regard to the completeness and accuracy of the recall list with absolutely nothing else to go on beyond that offered by the company itself.

Also interviewd on 3/22 was Dr. Sandy Sawchuk DVM of the University of Wisconsin who made the rather astounding speculation on that date that when she heard of the recall that maybe this was “just a slow news day”…. WHAT?

Also see her response to my call in to Larry Meiler’s show on 4/11 that closely mirror the attitude of my vet.

http://wpr.org/webcasting/audi.....m?Code=mlr

Again, no exam and no red flags, no report the death or get the food tested… just those old “red herrings” again.

I have been both shocked and disgusted at the genereral lack of both scientific and intellectual curiosity on the part of the vet community.

I would however really like to comment the people at Vet Information Network for doing the good work that they ave done. Maybe we need to recruit from their ranks to run our vet schools.

FYI: Wisconsin Public Radio has perhaps been one of my best sources of information on this and many other topics. If you are not in range of a station listening via the internet is easy enough.

In the opening, the author says, “Veterinarians CAN earn 20%” of their profits off of pet food. Sure, they can, but the vast majority don’t. (You could also say vets “CAN” kill your pet, but again, most don’t, thanks.) Nice scare tactic to start off the paper. Wonder what grade this got.

Did anyone notice the footnote where Patrick talks about a vet she didn’t like, and her cat’s subsequent rescue by a friend who’s a probiotic expert? Gee, I wonder where her bias lies here.

And the stuff about vet food companies “buying off” vet schools? Yes, they do contribute a lot of money to research and services. Like the imaging center at NC State, which has saved at least hundreds or maybe thousands of pets’ lives.

Who paid for it? Iams. Does this buy them a get out of jail card for tainted food? Of course not. But it also isn’t proof of sinister intent.

Who else do you think would have paid to fund that center with its expensive technology? Hint: donors are NOT lining up.

The final straw is Patrick’s implication that, since vets only get paid when your pet gets sick, it’s in their financial interest to keep them that way. Oh, for cryin’ out loud! Good vets promote preventive care and vaccinations, and when good owners listen, vets make money off that, too. And NO vet makes a dime off a pet that isn’t around anymore.

As I’ve said before on another thread, vets and vet students get a lot of crap pushed at them. But the vast majority are smart enough to know when they’re being sold a bill of goods.

Here’s a simple solution: if your vet is flogging you to buy food (or any other products) at his/her office, find a vet who doesn’t. You wouldn’t put up with that kind of pressure from your doctor. Why put up with it from your vet?

You are so funny! It’s great to keep your sense of humor in a crisis.

I can’t hurt to send an email using the above link. I have spammed as many media outlets as I can. If they get enough email it usually gets the producers attention.

I have had enough of this Imus thing…too bad he didn’t eat menu foods. CNN has A.D.D I think. They barely even talk about this issue anymore.

On another note, Menu’s website needs updating. Instead of puppies eating out of bowls we need puppy photos after their menu meals - if you know what I mean.

Linda MS