Is the dog food industry finally getting it?

Don’t get your hopes up.

Purina, owned by the Mars company, is now reinventing the bone, and marketing it as a revolutionary way to feed your dog. Please forgive me for being a bit sarcastic, but haven’t dogs been chewing on bones for hundreds of years? And haven’t those who feed a natural diet been using a variety of bone products to feed for years?

So what makes the Whole Meals product different? Or should I say, the same. The product is complete and balanced, of course! The ingredients are: Rice flour, chicken by product meal (a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin), meat broth, wheat flour, glycerin, corn gluten meal, corn flour, vegetable oil, and more. So we have grain and more grains, broth, and oils. And a meat by product meal. And why are they advertising glucosamine and chondroitin in the ingredient list?

Chicken by product meal can be defined as rendered chicken tissue without added hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure and stomach contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. This definition is used to cover tissue products that do not meet other definitions and is not intended to be used to label a mixture of animal tissue products. Lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, stomachs and intestines can be part of chicken by products. Only the manufacturer could say exactly what parts of the chicken wind up in the by product meal. And remember that glucosamine and chondroitin they are advertising? In the body, the most common locations to find significant amounts is trachea, bone marrow, and cartilage. Perhaps that tells us some of the ingredients of their by product meal?

Don’t just take my word for it. Check out the site http://www.wholemeals.com and let me know what you think.

Pesto

No, I’m not talking about that fabulous paste made from basil, pine nuts, garlic, and cheese that so many of us love. I’m writing about my dog Pesto, who is 11 years old today.

Pesto is special, for so many reasons. He is my “always good” dog — I can always count on him to do what I need him to, no matter what. He is as dependable as the sunrise. He always tries his best. He does not give up on what he is working on, whether it is a training exercise or a space on the couch. He appreciates all attention that comes his way, whether from a friend or a stranger. He has been with me through great times and tough times, and has taught me a great deal. He is an AKC breed champion and has obedience and herding titles. Together we have competed successfully at national events. He is my demonstration dog at the educational talks I give, and the dog I take with me when people ask me, “please bring a dog.” He is the father of my beloved Prank, who is responsible for much of my laughter and more than a few of my gray hairs. But Prank’s is another story….

As many of you know, Pesto has prostatic cancer. He was diagnosed about 7 months ago, after I found blood droplets on the floor and traced them to him. Abdominal ultrasound exams showed calcification of his prostate (a serious sign) as well as two nodules in his liver, most likely spreading of the cancer.

The textbook prognosis of cancer with this clinical picture is 1 – 3 months, regardless of the course of treatment. Which means my dog should not be celebrating his 11th birthday.

But he is. And as he looks today, I am betting he will be with me to celebrate his 12th birthday.

You may be wondering what treatment plan or what new miracle drug I used to kick his cancer into remission. I did neuter him. He had a course of orbifloxacin, an antibiotic to combat any infectious component of his prostatic disease. I used was a few doses of meloxicam, an NSAID, when he really seemed uncomfortable. All other treatments were herbal or nutritional supplements, as well as continuation of a natural diet. And of course a continuation of a minimal vaccination protocol, and avoidance of any other chemicals or drugs. I truly believe that being fed a natural diet and being minimally vaccinated contributed to his resistance to his cancer. I believe his system was stronger for not having had to deal with inappropriate nutrition and repeated vaccine damage, and so was able to kick the cancer into remission with the help of natural methods.

I am so thankful for all I have learned, both from this amazing dog and from his journey with cancer. There are not words to express what it is like to live with a life that is part of yours, that could end at any time.

With that thought of gratitude in mind, I would like you to view one of the greatest expressions of human-animal communication and appreciation I have seen. Please check out: http://westfall.streamingvideohost.com/westfall/128do.wmv

Wishing you and your pets all I have been blessed with.

Pesto

Feline Diabetes

When I was in veterinary college, we were taught that feline diabetes was a rare entity. Diabetic dogs were far more common. That’s not the story today.

I see many diabetic cats in practice. I probably see a newly diagnosed diabetic cat each month, sometimes more. I probably see half as many new cases of diabetes in dogs. And, while I don’t have hard numbers to back it up, I think I see far more dogs than cats.

Why is this the case? My personal theory is that dog nutrition has advanced far beyond cat nutrition, as it relates to the average pet. I believe more dog owners feed a better quality food than cat owners. Certainly dog owners are more likely to feed a home prepared or natural diet than cat owners.

Many veterinarians feel that the higher level of starch and carbohydrates in dry food makes is more likely to induce diabetes than higher protein canned food, which is closer to a cat’s natural diet. Most agree that overweight cats have a higher incidence of diabetes, along with other problems, than cats of normal weight. A recent article in Veterinary Practice News caught my eye. Research done at the University of Missouri Veterinary School related the quantity of food as more important to health than whether the cat was fed canned or dry food.

Interestingly, Dr. Robert Backus, an assistant professor and director of the Nestle Purina Endowed Small Animal Nutrition Program, stated allowing cats to be overweight was more detrimental to their health than the type of food they are fed. Glucose tolerance test results did not differ in cats fed a dry or canned food diet. He also stated that cats that eat dry food might “pack on more pounds.” The study also found that cats on canned or wet food have less of a tendency to be overweight than cats on a dry diet.

Hmmmmm. Nestle Purina sponsors the program. No impact is found to feeding excess starch and carbs, but being overweight is said to be detrimental to health. It is found that dry foods are more likely to promote being overweight, and higher protein foods are less likely to do so. Yet does anyone make the conclusion that perhaps cats need to be fed a higher quality diet, that includes few or no grains? Does anyone else see a possible conflict of interest in this situation?
Food companies have played a role in the education of veterinarians and veterinary students for many years. In the past, they were one of the few sources of knowledge in the field of pet nutrition. Today, there is a wealth of information from a broad spectrum of sources, many without vested interest in the results of their studies. Admittedly, our life missions cannot help but influence our words. However, I will listen more closely to those who speak from a position of caring and passion more than someone whose purpose is to sell product. It’s just the skeptic in me. And I just can’t help pointing out when common sense is lacking or when a simple truth is deliberately skirted around.

A week or two ago, I was going through my morning routine of coffee (yes, I know I should give it up), feeding the dogs (chicken backs), and email. I was listening to my usual radio station when the DJ did another endorsement style advertisement for a grocery store dog food. In a weak moment, I emailed her, sharing some info and trying to open her eyes to the quality of food her $0.89 a pound was buying for her dog. Well, I was a bit blunt (imagine that) and she was quite gracious. She promised to read the info I had sent, and for her dog’s sake I hope she does. The food she is promoting has grains as 5 of the top 7 ingredients. Corn is in there twice. Of course the food’s front label says it has “white meat chicken” in it. I guess you could call parts other than the chicken breast we pay $2.99 a pound for white meat….

My point, and I really do have one, is that the only way people can do better for their pets is if someone takes a moment to educate them. Spread the word. Often people are not feeding the best not because they don’t want to, but because the only people telling them what to feed are the companies making the foods that are mainly corn and other grains. Share what you learn, and save a cat from a future of twice daily insulin injections, secondary eye and kidney disease, and most importantly a diet that is at odds with normal physiology.

What is Wholistic?

Selecting a type of health care, for yourself or your pet, is very much a personal choice. Many people choose to investigate holistic or natural methods when traditional medicine has exhausted all options. Others have seen or experienced benefits with one alternative method, and want to explore other options. My interest in holistic approaches was stimulated by my own dog’s autoimmune disease. His long survival with great quality of life using natural methods convinced to explore alternative medical options for my patients. Combining holistic or natural methods with the best traditional medicine has to offer makes the most sense to me – what I call a “wholistic” approach.

While I want to be able to offer “something more” for my patients as well as my own pets, I was and am not dissatisfied with conventional medicine. Instead, I find that the traditional medical approach only includes one way of thinking, while the alternative methods approach disease and healing in many different ways. I believe progress requires “thinking outside the box.” Combining complementary and alternative therapies with my conventional training goes beyond the limitations of just using an either/or approach. It treats the whole animal.

A wholistic approach to your pet’s care includes consideration of lifestyle, nutrition, and medical conditions. Prevention of problems and supporting the body’s own efforts to heal are major aspects of many alternative medical techniques. Chiropractic and acupuncture both emphasize returning the body’s structures and energy to normal, so that healing can occur. Nutritional and herbal medicine emphasizes supporting the body at the cellular level, providing the raw materials each cell needs to function optimally. Other natural supplements work in a similar way, enhancing organ function.

Combining traditional medicine with alternative methods lets us attack health issues from multiple angles. The most common example is the arthritic dog, who is given a pain-killing drug, and also a joint support supplement. This is a basic example of integrating natural and traditional methods. The wholistic approach could also include chiropractic adjustment, dietary management, carefully selected herbal products or other remedies to decrease the amount of drugs needed, and exercise management. Together, this multilevel approach gives us the best chance to help the arthritis pain, and improve quality of life for both dog and owners.

I find one of the greatest aspects of a wholistic approach is the number of therapies available, and the possibility of using them in combination. With a strictly traditional approach to, for example, a pet with long-term digestive issues, I am largely limited to antibiotics, corticosteroids, and prescription foods. With a wholistic way of thinking, I have those options, as well as probiotics, vitamin therapy, supplements, digestive enzymes, chiropractic, acupuncture, home-prepared diets, and more. In short, many more chances to help the pet recover.

By combining the array of alternative techniques with the remarkable advancements of traditional veterinary medicine, we are often able to help cases that would not respond to any single therapy. A wholistic medical approach promotes healing by supporting and strengthening the body, as well as directly attacking the disease. In many cases, the means greater length and quality of life for our pets.

Top 10 Items

Surgically removed from pets….

From Veterinary Pet Insurance data:

1. Socks

2. Briefs

3. Panty Hose

4. Rocks

5. Balls

6. Chew toys

7. Corn cobs

8. Bones

9. Hair ties or ribbons

10. Sticks

There are also reports of pagers, hearing aids, drywall, watches, batteries, toy cars, and snail bait.

Snail bait?????

Top Veterinary Advances for 2007????

I just got the latest issue of Veterinary Practice News. It’s a free magazine for veterinarians, and has a wide variety of news and information, in a very easy to read format. I usually flip through it when it arrives.

In this issue, there was a short list of the top 2007 Veterinary Advances, according to ABC News. What do you think of this list?(companies in parentheses)

The Canine Melanoma Vaccine (Merial)

The Porphymonas bacterin dental vaccine (Pfizer)

The Canine Transdermal Device, for giving vaccines without injections (Merial)

Slentrol, for canine obesity (Pfizer)

Breed specific pet food (Royal Canin, Iams)

WholeMeals, a “bone” shaped meal for dogs (Mars)

Pain management techniques and guidelines (American Animal Hospital Association)

Wisdom Panel, DNA test for mixed breed heritage (Mars)

Fortiflora, a probiotic (Purina)

Hannah Pharmaceuticals Joint support products (Schuyler, LLC, Canada)

Reconcile, drug for separation anxiety, identical to Prozac (Eli Lilly)

WOW.

Three vaccine products. A drug that is already on the market in generic form, and one that is an alternative to controlling what your dog eats. Oh, and a selection of over-processed grain rich kibbles, and one made into a “bone”. And a probiotic– I do think probiotics are a good thing — whose first ingredient is animal digest.

You may wonder what animal digest is. From Wikipedia:

As defined by the AAFCO, it is produced by chemically or enzymatically treating animal tissue (such as flesh, bone, organs, etc.) from slaughterhouses and other sources, in a process akin to rendering.

Yet another expert defines this as “a cooked-down broth” which can be made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The animals used can be obtained from almost any source and no control is in place over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: “4-D animals” (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, euthanized at animal shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.”^[2]

In the “maybe” category of advances, we have the Wisdom test. Find out the breeds in your mixed breed dog’s heritage. The worst that can happen is you can’t see any of the breed characteristics in the dog you love, the best is the results make perfect sense. Doesn’t seem harmful to anyone.

You may be wondering if I agree with any of this list. I would list the pain control protocols at the top of this list. While it seems very commonsense, actually spelling out and scientifically supporting the needs and means for pain control in animals has brought many veterinarians out of the dark ages when we either chose not to control pain or didn’t acknowledge the pain animals felt.

Joint support products are also a no-brainer when it comes to things that benefit our pets. There are a number of great products out there, so I would expand this beyond the mentioned product. Interestingly enough, the mentioned product was the only one who wasn’t associated with a huge corporation. However, with just a bit of internet sleuthing, it is clear that Schulyer, LLC is affiliated with Banfield, one of the largest corporate chain veterinary hospitals in the country. Makes you wonder….

Being on this soapbox is a bit tiring, so I will step off now. Thanks for reading. Thanks more for thinking and commenting.

Writing

I go through times where it seems all I do is pound the keyboard. I have four projects involving writing going on now, one just finished, one almost, and two with lots to go. I enjoy writing, researching, and learning, but some days I would just like to work in the garden! Guess I am ready for spring.

New article on vaccines is up on the website — Click here.

Drug Companies

I read an interesting article in the newspaper about a hospital that decided to minimize pharmaceutical company influence on their staff. One thing they did was eliminate all the drug company “gifts” — pens, mugs, mousepads, etc. It took something like 6 shopping carts to round all the stuff up! Now this isn’t a much a problem in veterinary medicine, but drug companies certainly do try to keep their products in your mind…. Pens, Post It notes, magnets, and more. And then there are the bigger things — for example, area veterinarians and their families and staff were invited to a free showing of the latest Harry Potter movie, on the first night it was shown. Not at midnight, like the rest of the world, at 7:30 PM. We had to sit through a half hour of product promotion first, of course. I also know of a veterinarian that was treated to a free week in the Caribbean, courtesy of a drug company. This was based on how much of their products he purchased.

No wonder medications cost so much.

I don’t know how much all this “gifting” influences prescribing in the veterinary field. I don’t feel especially influenced, as a more natural practitioner, the products I use and recommend don’t have a huge promotional budget. And many of my treatment strategies do not utilize pharmaceuticals. But I am sure on some level I am being affected. Hopefully recognizing that will help me avoid letting promotion affect my decisions.

How old is old?

Just the other day I was the surgeon du jour. One of the patients was a Golden, white muzzled, lots of fatty tumors, wart-like growth on the eyelid rubbing on his eye. His coat was dry and a bit dull, and he lacked muscle tone in his rear limbs. My thought in passing was what a nice old dog, we’ll get that growth off his eyelid and make his eye comfortable. Hopefully he’ll be around a bit longer. Then I started logging his exam in his chart and saw his age.

He is seven.

Now years ago, seven was old. Dogs left us around age ten. We are doing better now, but dogs like this remind me that many are aging prematurely. There are many things we can do about this.

Anyone who knows me knows my dogs, as they accompany me many places. When I am somewhere with one of my younger dogs, people often ask about the older boys, assuming they are gone. My oldest is thriving at age 13, just a bit hard of hearing (except for the refrigerator door). My next oldest, Pesto, will be 11 in March. He was diagnosed with prostatic cancer this past August, with a prognosis of 3-6 months. He is thriving, on natural and herbal remedies and diet. He is often mistaken for his puppy Prank, who is 2. There is a strong resemblance.

So, my point. My 13 year old dog looks better than the dog I did surgery on, who is just over half his age. My almost 11 year old dog with cancer looks better than a 7 year old. Why? My first thoughts are a natural diet, minimal and well planned vaccinations, minimal drugs and chemicals, and mental stimulation and challenges. The importance of mental development and training activities is often overlooked, in my opinion. The chance to do “work” and be rewarded for it is incredibly important in life, whether you are a person getting a paycheck or a dog getting praise and a treat. All life seeks to be understood and appreciated, and I think that directly contributes to health.

Please understand I am not saying that the dog that sparked this post was lacking in any aspect of his care. He was obtained as a rescue just about a year ago, so much we don’t know. We are sure of his age. His new family is committed to him, and he is blossoming under all their attention. I am hoping in 6 months I see a much younger dog. Check back to find out.

Wishing you the feeling of a great dog by your side….

Dogs eat the most amazing things

I have a great deal of sympathy for owners of dogs that eat things, as I have a dog that will eat anything. Fortunately, he seems to be able to pass anything. And I keep anything he may like out of his reach, except for the occasional slip up….

Murphy* the dog is not like my dog. Today we removed a penny, and wads of fabric and ribbon that he had somehow eaten. It was in his stomach and small intestine, and had started to cause inflammation and swelling in the small intestine. Fortunately, it was easily removed and he is now recovering. What was he thinking?

Things like this remind me to be sure the door is closed to the place where the trash can is. The dogs don’t learn about this sort of thing, so you have to do the management.