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Sunday morning update: What to eat edition
By Gina Spadafori
June 17, 2007
Over on Dolittler, the awesome Dr. Khuly has posted her third installment discussing how veterinarians make the nutrition recommendations, and why:
For those of you who skipped the first two posts on this subject, I’m talking about how we vets recommend food and the problems we confront in doing so. Sure, some of that has to do with industry pressure, especially when every other vet down the street is carrying the food the pet food companies are expecting you to offer. Some of it has to do with our education, whereby we were inculcated into the belief that prescription diets can help almost any pet. And some of it has to do with the reality of vet practice economics, in which industry expectations, education and lack of resources (especially when starting out) can move you to sell foods to make up for the services you can’t yet move quickly or profitably enough.
Here’s where you might think all vets are in the pockets of the pet food companies—whether they think they are or not. And that may be true. But most of us recommend certain pet foods because we either know no better (for reasons related to training, explained in the previous post), because we want to do what’s best for our patients, and/or because we have few acceptably safe alternatives. And then there are the greedy (for the record, I don’t believe that’s most of us).
I consider my own decisions to be primarily related to the dearth of convincing research into pet nutrition and the lack of safe and convenient alternatives. Even then, I tend to recommend foods that our practice doesn’t carry—because we don’t stock foods, we only special order specific foods from a trio of companies when our patients need it. Sadly, it’s a rare hospital that follows our lead.
I’m ashamed to admit that, in spite of some more enlightened practices out there, my profession is somewhat driven by the financial prospects of the existing pet food paradigm—that is, the powers that be in the profession still refuse to acknowledge that a large percentage of us continue to elect to benefit from the ready cash the pet food companies supply us through unique retail agreements with vet-only brands—despite the conflict of interest the relationship denotes.
Go read it all. In other food-related news, the New York Times has a couple of pieces of note. The first is how the rush to the bottom on prices (the “Wal-Mart affect”) has pushed manufacturers to find the cheapest ingredients for everything, and not just for pet food:
The lowering of trade barriers more than a decade ago has pushed food companies to scour the globe for more exotic — or the cheapest — ingredients to compete in a more global marketplace, not unlike automakers shipping in parts from all over. But with America’s relatively permissible food-import rules and weak inspection regime, is the trend to assemble food from so many far-flung locations heightening the risks of contamination?
“Once ingredients are incorporated into processed foods, it is hard to check whether they come from overseas or to verify if there are any unsafe contaminants in the products,” said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington lobby group. “This is increasing the chances that people will get unsafe food.”
The concerns of Mr. Jacobson and some in Congress are being stoked by the recent scandal involving pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical called melamine and imported from China, which has resulted in thousands of pets being sickened or killed.
Food industry executives say they understand the risks of foreign sourcing and are taking pains to mitigate them.
Not surprisingly, the food industry doesn’t see the problem with cheap ingredients in processed food, and will fight all efforts to give consumers the power to make intelligent choices, such as by putting sourcing on the label. I point out what my late grandmother used to say: “Cheap isn’t just inexpensive. Sometimes it’s just crap.”
If, as it’s often argued, the market will “take care of” these problems, then give consumers the information they need to make decisions and evaluate risk for themselves.
By the way … you can save money and eat well. Last week I bought a share in a local organic farm, and for $300 a year — $450 with weekly fresh flowers included — will have all the fresh veggies my critters and I can eat, with plenty to share with family and friends (the weekly delivery is based on a family of four people, which I am not!). More on Community Supported Agriculture is here. (I’m really lucky, by the way: The “farm” I found is an urban micro-farm less than a mile from my home! I didn’t even know it was there.)
The other NY Times piece is about tainted Chinese products, 10 years apart:
After a drug ingredient from China killed dozens of Haitian children a decade ago, a senior American health official sent a cable to her investigators: find out who made the poisonous ingredient and why a state-owned company in China exported it as safe, pharmaceutical-grade glycerin.
The Chinese were of little help. Requests to find the manufacturer were ignored. Business records were withheld or destroyed.
The Americans had reason for alarm. “The U.S. imports a lot of Chinese glycerin and it is used in ingested products such as toothpaste,” Mary K. Pendergast, then deputy commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration, wrote on Oct. 27, 1997. Learning how diethylene glycol, a syrupy poison used in some antifreeze, ended up in Haitian fever medicine might “prevent this tragedy from happening again,” she wrote.
The F.D.A.’s mission ultimately failed. By the time an F.D.A. agent visited the suspected manufacturer, the plant was shut down and Chinese companies said they bore no responsibility for the mass poisoning.
Ten years later it happened again, this time in Panama.
I’m very happy to see there continues to be a growing realization that this is not — and we’ve said this from the first — “just” a pet issue. Now we just need for our elected representatives to pull their hands out of their pockets filled with the campaign contributions of industry lobbyists and get reforms in place to protect the people who put them in office. (Hint to Congress: That’s the voters, not the lobbyists. Honest.)
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When I went to my vet to get his blood tested, and after mentioning that he had ate the poisoned food, the technician said twice, “All of our foods are safe.”
I said twice, “I do not trust them”. Of course it was the usual company names that you would see at Petsmart or Petco, but probably for special dietary conditions.
The vet is very good, so I trust the vet, but not his food offerings for my darlings. Oh, no. NO WAY!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Evelyn — June 17, 2007 @ 9:09 am
Article this morning in the Washington Post about the lack of oversight bu the FDA of drugs coming into the US from India and China:
FDA Scrutiny Scant In India, China as Drugs Pour Into U.S.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....eheadlines
Comment by MFEMFEM — June 17, 2007 @ 9:53 am
My vet says his foods are not safe. He said the salesman for Hills came and took away all the m/d, which was recalled. He also took all the w/d and u/d which were not recalled. If it was not recalled, why would the salesman take it away? My vet has thrown out Hills in his practice. He says he doesn’t know how to decide what’s safe. He’s trying to figure out the safest recipes for Rx foods.
Comment by Robert — June 17, 2007 @ 10:43 am
We can get drugs from China, but not from Canada. does that make any sense to anyone???
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 11:03 am
So many people want to trust their veterinarians…even with food recommendations.
There needs to be more education in that area for veterinarians, if they are going to recommend certain brands/types of food for our animals.
Without this knowledge, they truly are “in the pockets” of the large manufacturers…relying on what they are told by this industry.
At this point in time, I do not trust my precious kitties lives to veterinary nutritional recommendations, as I find their knowledge and understanding in this area lacking.
Comment by Marcy — June 17, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Comment by Trudy Jackson:
We can get drugs from China, but not from Canada. does that make any sense to anyone???
It does, if you think about it…
it’s not about safety for us, it’s about trade agreements and money owed, I think.
If I’m wrong, someone correct me.
Comment by Marcy — June 17, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Not saying that this is right…
only that the “powers that be” seem to have different priorities than we do.
Comment by Marcy — June 17, 2007 @ 11:35 am
My wife and I live in the north of the US. She has a heart condition and her meds come from China (those that the HMO will pay for). Her doctor wrote an Rx that we fill across the border. He told us to go there because it’s a safer version of the same med. It used to be made in the US. The only other version available is from Germany and it’s horribly expensive. (HMO doesn’t pay for that either.)I agree, Marcy. The war in Iraq is being paid for by China.
Comment by Robert — June 17, 2007 @ 11:35 am
I still say this has more to do with the big pharma companies & their lobbyists…..best friends with all the big shots in DC. They are soaking us & getting rich on our illnesses….they don’t want us to be able to get meds from Canada at a lower cost. Geez. What will that do to the CEOs & their million dollar bonuses? They can’t take a loss…..soak the American people instead. And our gov’t backs them up. Of course, if you were a crooked politician in DC, you probably get your meds for free so what do you care? I personally think this once again comes down to smelly big business & criminal greed.
Let’s not forget those docs who are happy to write out a prescription for just about any ache & pain you have: I still swear they get a kickback for each one they write. We are all on way too many meds & I’d be willing to bet a lot of them aren’t even needed.
Comment by JanC — June 17, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
Marcy, oh, i know that is true. Just doesn’t make sense. Robert, My Dad and His wife go across the border to Canada whenever they can too.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
Trudy, My wife and I are probably your dad’s age. However, my wife got a chemistry degree at Rutgers many years ago and she makes our pet food now. I trust her to check everything out. We had 3 cats die in 2 years of cancer and I believe garbage pet food did it. Then this year we had two pets die of kidney failure. I trust my wife more than PFI. She is trying to keep them alive, not just make money.
Comment by Robert — June 17, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
Robert, That’s wondeful, she’s very educated. I have lost 3 cats to kidney failure too. But in the last year, i’ve lost 6 cats. some to cancer. so who knows, was it the food all along? I think it was. And We know We just had a dog at the vets for a week because of the food? was any of the cat or dog food recalled? No.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
YaYa just put this on the Itchmo site and it’s very interesting. Look up —-cremate monsanto—-on Your search engine and see what it says. Good stuff.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
Are the drugs from Canada made in Canada or made in China?
Before I vote I will continue to research which canidates are in the pocket of which lobbying group , agri businesses and mega corporation that does not have the best interest of all the people and pets in mind.
I try to buy local and always ask if the seller grew the product and if it is organic.
I have seen local farmers that sell at a produce auction and farm market buying cases of produce in the grocery store to resell. I have watched them load the produce into the back of their buggy. I also am aware that some of the puppy mill operators spread the dog feces along with decomposing dogs on crops they grow to sell to feed animals or people. At least one town in our area ,when they give a special use permit for a puppy mill, specifys they can not use dead dogs or their feces on field where they grow crops for human consumption.
Comment by thomas — June 17, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
Robert said: My vet says his foods are not safe. He said the salesman for Hills came and took away all the m/d, which was recalled. He also took all the w/d and u/d which were not recalled. If it was not recalled, why would the salesman take it away? My vet has thrown out Hills in his practice.
*******************************
Has anyone else’s vet NOT had the Hills m/d & u/d available? It would be interesting to know if these kinds are being pulled around the U.S.
Comment by petlover — June 17, 2007 @ 1:14 pm
“As we view the achievements of aggregated capital, we discover the existence of trusts, combinations and monopolies, while the citizen is struggling far in the rear or is trampled to death beneath an iron heel.
Corporations, which should be the carefully restrained creatures of the law and the servants of the people, are fast becoming the people’s master…”
President Grover Cleveland, Annual Message to Congress, 1888
That’s for sure Mr. President.
Comment by MFEMFEM — June 17, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
Yes, and We have nothing this Pres. for!
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
I meant nothing to Thank this pres. for!
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 17, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
The currecnt administration (and it’s not the first to do so) has strongly pushed trade agreements that encourage, by their nature, the importation of substandard, de facto unregulated, and dangerous products into the US. It has always favored corporate and monied interests over the interests of the average person. Our pets have been poisoned, our own food and drug supply is at risk. The govenment that is sworn to protect its citizens actively engages in policies that make us and our pets more and more vulnerable.
Comment by MFEMFEM — June 17, 2007 @ 1:44 pm
My vet, God Bless Him, believes in his heart and soul that the food he is carrying in his office, and proudly too, is the very very right thing to feed my dogs - he believes in it and looks me straight in the face and doesn’t blink.
He’s a good man trying to help the world be a better place.
But he believes a lie.
Comment by Linda — June 17, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
The currecnt administration (and it’s not the first to do so) has strongly pushed trade agreements that encourage, by their nature, the importation of substandard, de facto unregulated, and dangerous products into the US.
Not just executive branches either, Senator Murray, Democrat (WA) and mostly liberal, is a champion of this kind of garbage trade, saying it’s great for her state and one can only extrapolate that sub-human working conditions, poisonous substances, falsified shipping manifests, 1000s of dead pets, on and on, ad nauseam are not a big concern of hers — the corporate money and lobbies are. She is hardly the only so-called left leaner that consistently has supported “free” trade. Name your own and which lobby bought them. It’s why I have so much trouble in distinguishing one from the other. Sen. Durbin seems to care but where is his party?
Comment by Jay — June 17, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Jay,
In a moment of anger I fired off a diatribe to Nancy Pelousie as I signed up to her website as Speaker. The gist of my rant was the gutting of the FDA, and that i wanted Congress to do something about overriding Dubyah’s postponement of Cool until Sept 2008, and to pull Sen Durbin’s and Rep deLoria’s overhaul of the FDA from out of the drawer where it’s been stashed.
We can’t vote, write checks to pay our taxes, serve on juries and fulfil our civic duties if we all suffering from poisoning due to cheap imported foods, can we?
I’ll let you guys know if I hear anything other than the usual gobbledygook back from Madam Speaker. Don’t hold your breath.
Comment by Deb — June 17, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
The currecnt administration (and it’s not the first to do so) has strongly pushed trade agreements that encourage, by their nature, the importation of substandard, de facto unregulated, and dangerous products into the US.
Not just executive branches either, Senator Murray, Democrat (WA) and mostly liberal, is a champion of this kind of garbage trade, saying it’s great for her state and one can only extrapolate that sub-human working conditions, poisonous substances, falsified shipping manifests, 1000s of dead pets, on and on, ad nauseam are not a big concern of hers—the corporate money and lobbies are. She is hardly the only so-called left leaner that consistently has supported “free” trade. Name your own and which lobby bought them. It’s why I have so much trouble in distinguishing one from the other. Sen. Durbin seems to care but where is his party?
Comment by Jay — June 17, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Completely agree.
And this is why I am having such a hard time trying to decide my criteria for finding candidates for which to vote in upcoming elections. It certainly is not as simplistic as some make it out to be, hey just vote X party or just remove Y administration, and all will be well.
I am a registered independent, I will vote based on a candidates positions only on issues that matter to me, but I don’t know how it is going to work out in the end. I think a 2 party system is workable; however, no, we don’t really have 2 parties anymore, they are the same.
Comment by TC — June 17, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
The only thing I am grateful to the pet recall for doing is opening my eyes to homecooking for my dogs. Prior to the poisoned pet foods, I had no problem at all feeding them commercial kibble.
I won’t ever use a commercial kibble again for my dogs. I am at a life stage that gives me a bit of extra time to do such a thing. I still hope that the pet food industry has their feet held to the fire to produce a good product for those who want to use such a thing, or that transgressing companies are bankrupted.
Comment by TC — June 17, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
The choices are not simple, I’m doubtful that we really have any choices. However, it is the responsibility of the executive branch to enforce th law and to make policy. The White House could make one call this minute to the FDA and the USDA and a lot could change. Those calls will NEVER be made by this White House.
Will a different administration do something to protect our pets and us? I don’t know, but I do know that RIGHT NOW a senator or twenty senators can’t make the FDA do its job, that is the prerogative of the White House. I don’t see it as a left or right issue (which is how many would like the public to see it - politicians love wedge issues and the left-right BS). It’s a power issue and big money has the power
Comment by MFEMFEM — June 17, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
The Cost of Convenience -
Each time you buy a bag or can of pet food from the store shelves, your money may be supporting companion animal laboratory research. I do not refer to what are commonly known as “feeding trials” but rather to actual
laboratory experiments, in which dogs are surgically altered, suffer, and often die in order to study various aspects of canine diet digestibility.
Why Must Our Dogs Suffer?
Short answer – so pet food manufacturers can make bigger profits. Although sponsoring companies may claim that the research is being conducted for health studies, this is not the case. In a single hour at the computer, I was able to find 23 studies, all published in various Animal Science Journals, that have nothing to do with improving the health of our companion animals and have everything to do with making a cheaper dog food. These are not obsolete studies. They range from 1996 to 2005. They are being conducted even as you read this.
One study, from 1996 at the University of Florida states, “Accurate measurement of small intestinal digestibility is important in
dogs because it allows the formulation of pet foods that provide optimal nutrition at minimal cost.”
Full article: http://www.catsbynature.com/Ar.....rticle.pdf
As always, it’s all about the money!
Comment by Barb — June 17, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
Whch commercial do I recommend?
http://www.belfield.com/article3.html
Comment by Barb — June 17, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
http://www.dogflu.ca/06172007/.....ank_engine
Okay, I am convinced now that China is really trying to kill us. Lead in the paint of over a million toy trains?? WTF?? Lead should not be in paint anymore. I am baffled. There definitely should be criminal charges for this.
Comment by JAG — June 18, 2007 @ 1:05 am
I also want to agree with what many have said in terms of trade agreements laying the ground work for a system in which there are few checks and balances. However I also think that while we should continue to put pressure on elected officials, there is another group of individuals that have used the trade agreements for their own benefit. The people I’m referring to are those that run the large corporations that provide us with the products we buy everyday. As we have seen even Wal-Mart has made sure to have one of the most lobbyist in Capital Hill speaking out against any legal reform that would force them to be held more accountable. The blame has to be placed at the corporations deadline as they are the ones that continue to lobby for little to no enforcement of US laws and also source from places where they know local locals aren’t respected. I know I’m very concerned about what happens to my food before I eat it and if the corporations such as Wal-Mart really were concerned about protecting my health, they would use their market power not just to demand low prices from suppliers but also demand food that is safe for people and pets. Wal-Mart and others have the power to do this but yet they would rather spend their time weaken US law… what does this say about how much concern they have for those that consumer the products they sell?
Comment by Trina Tocco — June 18, 2007 @ 6:04 am
I agree, Trina. Very well spoken.
Comment by Elaine Smith — June 18, 2007 @ 6:21 am
this morning (monday) abc’s morning program did a spot on counterfeit hygiene items and drugs in discount stores. i see this as being an extension of the pet food poisonings and am glad to see a mainstream media news outlet is continuing to look at what is a disgraceful failure of corporate america and the government agencies that cater to them to protect the public. but i wish that while they covered this, they took a few moments to remember our companion animals, who brought this issue to the forefront. they should point out that our pets continue to be sicken and die, with no resolution in sight.
Comment by explodinghed — June 18, 2007 @ 6:36 am
I used to work in the aircraft industry, and about 15-20 years ago, Chinese companies put out a lot of suspect parts, esp. things like bolts. Bolts in aircraft are extremely specialized in terms of materials and processes to withstand temperature extremes and stresses. It was ugly for the aircraft and engine manufacturers who wanted the trade with China and often had to buy parts to get the trade. One’s worst nightmare is finding out that a plane with your parts on it went down because you unknowingly bought counterfeit bolts with the right hardness markings.
Comment by kabbage — June 18, 2007 @ 6:39 am
Is Itchmo down?
Comment by Trudy Jackson — June 18, 2007 @ 7:40 am
What happened to itchmo?
Comment by Sharon — June 18, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
Don says they have been down all day. Banned again!!
Comment by elliott — June 18, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Wondering if E. has been banned, too. Where has E. been? Hope it’s real good.
Comment by elliott — June 18, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
The Washington Post has a few articles today on concerns about imported foods:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....00376.html
This next one is relevant only for humans, obviously, and not for pets. China produces 75% of the world’s garlic supply:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....v=hcmodule
How to tell where your garlic comes from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....00411.html
Comment by yet another pat — June 20, 2007 @ 5:48 am
A good story on the Organic Consumers Association website
“Why is the Pet Food Industry Killing Our Pets ?”
http://www.organicconsumers.or.....e_5693.cfm
Comment by Terri — June 20, 2007 @ 6:24 am
This is an about water and since I have dogs - it’s about water that dogs drink.
I bought some special water that is triple filtered with no minerals or fluoride from a big tank at the Natural Foods Co-op to give my doggie girl that is fighting cancer since I read that change the food and water immediately. I went all out - bought a stand, the porcelain tank dispenser (with puppies pictures on it) and a five gallon plastic jug and of course - the water.
So I am feeding her this high animal fat diet and afterwards set this small bowl of special water down near her and she drank it all up and I gave her more. Odd, since there’s plenty of water around the house in bowls – fresh water too.
Then my big dogs came over and everyone drank the water from this small little stainless steel bowl (that I filled many times over). And after the novelty wore off, because that could be a factor, the dogs still slurped up this water.
I wonder if the dogs could smell or taste the difference – better water and they liked it. No fluoride etc. Thought I’d mention it here. Maybe changing the water is a good thing.
Comment by Linda — June 20, 2007 @ 8:53 am