Pet Health and Nutrition

Recall: Primal Raw Pet Foods

2011-06-03T04:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.primalpetfoods.com/company/recall

Primal Pet Foods News
For immediate release.

May 28, 2011

Dear Primal Pet Foods customers,

Primal Pet Foods has initiated a voluntary recall of their Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a "Best By" date code of 043112-17 because this product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The only product affected is limited to Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a "Best By" date code of 043112-17. No other Primal Pet Foods products are affected.

The affected product is limited to the Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula packaged in the following forms:

4 lb chicken & salmon nuggets (UPC# 8 95135 00025 0) with a "Best By" date code of 043112-17

The "Best By" date code is located on the front of the package on the right side of the product label. The affected product was distributed through retail stores sales in the United States.

Please be assured, no human or pet illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue. Also, no other Primal Pet Foods products are affected by this issue.

If you have purchased a bag of Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula Raw Frozen Diet (nuggets) with the "Best By" date code of 043112-17, we ask that you take one of the following steps.

If you are a consumer and have purchased the affected product, please contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You'll be instructed to bring the unopened package to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.
If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You'll be instructed to bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

We truly appreciate your cooperation, and we apologize for any inconvenience that this matter may have caused for you. If you'd like to speak with one of our representatives regarding this issue, you can call our customer service line at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST.

Our Commitment to Quality
We want to reassure you that Primal Pet Foods is committed to the health and safety of your pets. Our quality control and quality assurance programs include but are not limited to: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP's), a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, regular lot segregation, and other industry best practices. Our manufacturing facility also adheres to these specific quality measures:

Our ingredients are sourced from USDA inspected facilities, and/or facilities regulated by the FDA
We adhere to state and federal regulations regarding product safety
Our manufacturing facilities are USDA and California State Department of Agriculture inspected.

In addition to the industry best practices listed above, and in an abundance of caution, we're taking additional steps in our manufacturing process to help ensure that our products are free of all pathogenic bacteria.

As always, Primal Pet Foods is fully committed to maintaining the highest quality standards in the pet food industry. Thank you for your continued trust in Primal Pet Foods.

Matt Koss
CEO, Primal Pet Foods

a new fountain for cats

2011-06-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

A colleague turned me on to this new drinking fountain - it's mostly ceramic which is a big improvement over the plastic fountains that hold onto contaminants, bacteria and leach things like BPA.

See it here:
http://glacierpointforcats.com/

Preventing Weight Loss During Chemotherapy

2011-04-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

Chemotherapy sometimes makes a patient sick. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of the treatment to maim and kill cells, hopefully more cancer cells than normal ones. But cells of the GI tract are often sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy, and cancer patients sometimes experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Weight loss during cancer therapy is extremely common because patients either feel ill, cannot keep their food down, or cannot smell or taste it well. Significant weight loss is a poor prognostic indicator, at least in people, and presumably in pets as well. If you were to check out the web pages of major cancer centers such as M.D. Anderson in Texas, you'd find multiple references on how to maintain your weight during chemotherapy and radiation treatment. My personal belief is that we need to try just as hard in canine and feline cancer patients.

Recently, one of my favorite patients developed cancer and his owner, an animal behaviorist, decided to start chemo. We discussed the challenges of maintaining his appetite and body weight, and using her comprehensive knowledge of animal behavior, she made certain he lost very little weight indeed.

It involved alot of thought, and use of principles that most of us may not be familiar with or just don't consider putting into practice. I was so encouraged by her success that I asked her to share her methods. If your dog or cat has cancer, whether undergoingg treatment or not, you may want to check it out:

http://www.susanwynn.com/uploads/Feeding_a_Pet_during_Chemotherapy.pdf

Thanks a million to Allison Martin for sharing her insights, and to Brody for inspiring her!

Store brand dog and cat foods recalled

2010-12-18T12:02:00.001-08:00

Kroger Recalls Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

CINCINNATI, Dec. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets.

Kroger stores in the following states are included in this recall: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The recall also includes Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker's stores in Nebraska; Food 4 Less stores in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana (Chicago area); and Jay C, Hilander, Owen's, Pay Less and Scott's stores in Illinois and Indiana.

Stores the company operates under the following names are not included in this recall: Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, Smith's, QFC, City Market, Foods Co., and Food 4 Less stores in California and Nevada.

Kroger is recalling the following items:

Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088128
Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071357
Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088152
Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074580
Pet Pride Kitten Formula Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071903
Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 22 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074566
Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074563
Kroger Value Cat Food sold in 3 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000018
Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 15 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071559
Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000108

Aflatoxin is a naturally-occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops. If your pet shows any symptoms of illness, including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, yellowish tint to the eyes and/or gums, and severe or bloody diarrhea, please consult your veterinarian immediately.

The safety of our customers and their pets is important to Kroger. The company is using its Customer Recall Notification system to alert customers who may have purchased these recalled products through register receipt tape messages and automated phone calls. Customers who have purchased a recalled item should not use it and should return it to a store for a full refund or replacement.

Customers who have questions about this recall may contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-6900. For more information, please visit www.kroger.com/recalls.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Certain Blue Buffalo dog foods recalled

2010-10-08T15:27:00.001-07:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm228986.htm

Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd. Recalls Limited Production Code Dates of Dry Dog Food Because of Possible Excess Vitamin D

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 8, 2010 - Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., recalls certain dry dog food because of possible excess Vitamin D that can affect the health of some dogs. The Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., is recalling certain packages of its Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry dog foods sold under thc "BLUE" brand which have the potential to contain excessive levels of Vitamin D.

While Vitamin D is a beneficial component of these foods, the Company believes that these products may have levels of Vitamin D that are beyond the formula specifications, and has therefore chosen to withdraw them.

Dogs reacting to the higher levels of Vitamin D may show signs of lethargy or exhibit unusually frequent water consumption and urination. If your pet has consumed the recalled products and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The affected productions of Blue Wilderness Chicken, Basics Salmon and Large Breed Adult Chicken dry dog foods were distributed nationwide through pet specialty stores.

Only these production runs of the products are involved in this recall:

Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food	4.5 1b	"Best If Used By JUL2611Z" "Best If Used By JUL2711Z" & "Best If Used By JUL2811Z"
Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food	11 lb	"Best If Used By JUL1211B"
Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food	24 1b	"Best If Used By JUL1211B" & "Best If Used By JUL1311B"
Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon and Potato Recipe dry dog food	11 lb	"Best If Used By AUG2111B" & "Best If Used By AUG2211B"
Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon and Potato Recipe dry dog food	24 lb	"Best If Used By AUG2111B" "Best If Used By SEP2311P" & "Best If Used By OCT2611P"
Blue Life Protection Formula Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Large Breed Adult dog food	30 lb	"Best If Used By SEP2211P" "Best If Used By SEP2311P" & "Best If Used By OCT2611P"

No other BLUE dry or can pet foods are involved in this recall, and only the specific code dates of these products are involved.

To date there have been 36 cases nationwide of dogs reported with symptoms consistent with elevated Vitamin D in their systems while feeding on these specific productions of the products. In all cases the symptoms have subsided upon discontinuing feeding these products, with no apparent long term health consequences.

Blue Buffalo learned of this potential eondition in its products when it received reports of dogs diagnosed with high Vitamin D levels while feeding on the products from these specifie production runs. On further investigation it was learned that a sequencing error had occurred at the supplier of the dry ingredients for these products. Immediately before producing the ingredients for these specific production runs, the supplier had run a product for another customer that contained a more potent form of Vitamin D used in chicken feeds. It is now believed that there was some level of carry over of this Vitamin D product into the ingredients for the specific manufacturing runs of the BLUE products, thereby increasing the Vitamin D activity to unacceptable levels in the Blue ingredients.

Consumers who have purchased any of the products being recalled are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-877-523-9114 from 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time or visit the Company web site at www.bluebuffalo.com/news⁹ for more information.

Hartz Mountain beef treats recalled, possible salmonella

2010-09-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm224987.htm

The Hartz Mountain Corporation Recalls Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact:
Hartz Consumer Affairs
(800) 275-1414

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- SECAUCUS, N.J. - September 3, 2010 - The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs due to concerns that one or more bags within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, all of whom are at particular risk from exposure and should avoid handling these products.

Salmonella symptoms may include fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea in both dogs and humans. Anyone experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek immediate medical attention. Owners of dogs exhibiting these symptoms should also seek veterinary assistance.

Hartz Mountain Corporation is recalling 74,700 8-oz bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs, lot code BZ0969101E, UPC number 32700-11519, which were imported by Hartz from a Brazilian supplier, Bertin S.A., and which were distributed to a number of customers in the United States. While regular testing conducted by Bertin (prior to shipment to the US) did not detect the presence of Salmonella in any packages of this product, random sample testing conducted by FDA did indicate the presence of Salmonella. Hartz is aggressively investigating the source of the problem.

Although Hartz has not received any reports of animals or humans becoming ill as a result of coming into contact with this product, Hartz is taking immediate steps to remove the product from all retail stores and distribution centers. Dog owners having purchased this product should check the lot code on their bag, and, if the code is not visible, or if the bag has lot code BZ0969101E imprinted thereon, they should immediately discontinue use of the product and discard it in a proper manner.

Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 at any time with any questions they may have and for information on how to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.

Iams OTC food recall expanded, slightly

2010-09-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

From:

http://www.petproductnews.com/headlines/2010/09/01/recalled-iams-proactive-health-cat-food.aspx

Recalled Iams Proactive Health Cat Food Sold in Several States, P&G Says

Posted: Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 4:30 P.M. EDT

After pulling its Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care dry cat food from store shelves in Colorado earlier this week, Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) now reports that the affected product was sold in several other states.

The recall is limited to 6.8-pound bags with a code date of 02304173 (B1-B6) and the UPC number 1901403921. No other Iams pet food products are affected, according to the company.

P&G issued a limited recall of the product on Sunday. At that time, the company said it believed three bags had been purchased in Loveland, Colo.

Today, P&G reported that the affected product was sold through a single retailer in the following states: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

P&G estimates that less than 60 bags may have been purchased by consumers. No illnesses have been reported.

Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans, according to the company. Cat owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if their pet has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these symptoms.

Humans can also become infected, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the cat food or surfaces exposed to the recalled product, according to the company. Symptoms in humans may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and headache. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible to infection, according to the company.

Consumers who have purchased Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care dry cat food are urged to discard the product and call P&G toll-free at 800-862-3332 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST for a product replacement

OTC Iams cat food recalled

2010-08-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm224352.htm

P&G Recalls Small Number of Bags of Cat Food From Stores in Loveland, Colorado

Company Contact:
Jason Taylor, P&G
513-622-3205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 29, 2010 – CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble (P&G) is voluntarily recalling a small number of bags of its Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care dry cat food which may have been sold recently in one or two stores in Loveland, Colorado.

These bags have the potential to contain salmonella, although no illnesses have been reported. No other Iams pet food products are affected.

The Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care cat food in question is sold in blue 6.8-pound bags. These bags feature a code date of 02304173 (B1-B6) and the UPC number 1901403921.

If you have this product, please discard it and call P&G toll-free for a product replacement at 800-862-3332 Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST.

P&G has worked with its retailers to remove the affected product from stores in the area. P&G believes that only three bags may have been purchased recently by consumers in the area. Yet, as a precautionary measure, the company is initiating this retrieval.

People handling dry pet food can become infected with salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Merrick dog treat recall expanded

2010-08-14T07:18:00.001-07:00

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/about_us/news_article.php?tid=436

MERRICK PET CARE RECALLS BEEF FILET SQUARES & TEXAS HOLD’EMS 10 oz BAG (ITEM # 60016 ALL LOTS) BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

08.13.2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2010
Customer Inquiries: (800) 664-7387
Other Inquiries: JAMES WITCHER, COO (806) 322-2806

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling all lots of its 10 oz “Beef Filet Squares” for dogs and “Texas Hold’ems” pet treats because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly
washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The “Beef Filet Squares” & “Texas Hold’ems” were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” & “Texas Hold’ems” are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.

2010-08-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

From FDA: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm221198.htm

Merrick Pet Care Recalls Texas Hold'ems 10 oz Bag (Item # 60016 Lot 10127 Best by May 6 2012) because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Company Contact:
Customer Inquiries:
800-664-7387
Other Inquiries:
James Witcher, Coo#160;
806-322-2806

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 3, 2010 – Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is extending its July 2,2010 recall of 10 oz "Beef Filet Squares for Dogs (Texas Hold'Ems)" pet treat (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 BEST BY MARCH 24, 2012) to also include 83 cases of "Texas Hold'ems" (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10127 BEST BY MAY 6, 2012) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The Beef Filet Squares (Texas Hold 'Ems) were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.

The treats are sold in 1Ooz plastic bags marked with "Lot # 10127 Best By May 6, 2012" on the top of the bag and on a sticker applied to the bottom.

No illnesses have been reported to date for either lot of product. A sample tested positive for Salmonella.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of"Texas Hold'ems" are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 - 5:00 CDT.

Iams recall expanded

2010-07-31T04:56:00.001-07:00

From the Iams Website

Contact: P&G Consumer Relations - 877-340-8823

July 30. 2010

P&G Expands Voluntary Limited Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods
Due to Possible Health Risk

CINCINNATI, July 30, 2010 - The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported.

The following products are included:

Product Name	Version	"Best-By" Dates	UPC Code
Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas	All dry sizes and varieties	01Jul10 - 01Dec11	All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Naturally Wild	All dry sizes and varieties	01Jul10 - 01Dec11	All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Pure	All dry sizes and varieties	01Jul10 - 01Dec11	All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin	All dry sizes	01Jul10 - 01Dec11	All UPC Codes

The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada. No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement. A full listing of UPC codes can be found at www.iams.com

These products are made in a single, specialized facility. In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823

(Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

# # #

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun®, and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

Media Contact: Jason Taylor 513-622-3205

UPC CODES FOR P&G PET SPECIALTY PRODUCTS RECALLED ON JULY 30, 2010

EUKANUBA DOG BG PURE		Item UPC
PURE TURKEY *	4 LB	0 19014 03191 7
PURE ADULT MAINTENANCE *	4.5 LB	0 19014 03958 6
PURE PUPPY GROWTH *	4.5 LB	0 19014 03949 4
PURE ADULT MAINTENANCE *	15 LB	0 19014 03953 1
PURE ADULT LARGE BRD *	15 LB	0 19014 03959 3
PURE PUPPY GROWTH *	15 LB	0 19014 03955 5
PURE TURKEY *	15 LB	0 19014 03192 4
PURE ADULT MAINTENANCE *	30 LB	0 19014 03952 4
PURE ADULT LARGE BRD *	30 LB	0 19014 03960 9
PURE PUPPY GROWTH *	30 LB	0 19014 09364 7
PURE TURKEY *	30 LB	0 19014 03193 1
EUKANUBA DOG CUSTOM CARE
CUSTOM CARE - SENSITIVE SKIN	5.5 LB	0 19014 01935 9
CUSTOM CARE - SENSITIVE SKIN	28 LB	0 19014 01936 6
EUKANUBA DOG DRY NATURALY WILD
ADULT SALMON & RICE	4 LB	0 19014 02780 4
ADULT TURKEY & MULTIGRAIN	4 LB	0 19014 02776 7
ADULT VENISON & POTATO	4 LB	0 19014 02783 5
ADULT SALMON & RICE*	9.5 LB	0 19014 02894 8
ADULT TURKEY & MULTIGRAIN*	9.5 LB	0 19014 02895 5
ADULT VENISON & POTATO*	9.5 LB	0 19014 02893 1
ADULT SALMON & RICE	15 LB	0 19014 02781 1
ADULT TURKEY & MULTIGRAIN	15 LB	0 19014 02778 1
ADULT VENISON & POTATO	15 LB	0 19014 02784 2
ADULT SALMON & RICE *	19 LB	0 19014 02897 9
ADULTTURKEY & MULTIGRAIN *	19 LB	0 19104 02898 6
ADULT VENISON & POTATO *	19 LB	019104 02896 2
ADULT SALMON & RICE	30 LB	0 19014 02782 8
ADULT TURKEY & MULTIGRAIN	30 LB	0 19014 02779 8
ADULT VENISON & POTATO	30 LB	0 19014 02785 9
All NATURALLY WILD SAMPLES	7 oz.
IAMS VETERINARY FORMULA CAT DRY BAG
WEIGHT LOSS RESTRICTED CALORIE	2 KG	0 19014 13720 6
INTESTINAL - LOW RESIDUE	5.5 LB	0 19014 15210 0
OPTIMUM WEIGHT CONTROL D	5.5 LB	0 19014 21305 4
RENAL MULTI-STAGE	5.5 LB	0 19014 21405 1
URINARY 0 - MODERATE PH/O	5.5 LB	0 19014 15510 1
URINARY S - LOW PH/S	5.5 LB	0 19014 14210 1
INTESTINAL - LOW RESIDUE	14 LB	0 19014 00859 9
WEIGHT LOSS RESTRICTED CALORIE	18 LB	0 19014 02236 6
URINARY S - LOW PH/S	20 LB	0 19014 14221 7
IAMS VETERINARY FORMULA DOG DRY BAG
INTESTINAL - LOW RESIDUE	5 LB	0 19014 12405 3
OPTIMUM WEIGHT CONTROL D	5 LB	0 19014 15105 9
WEIGHT LOSS RESTRICTED CALORIE	5 LB	0 19014 12205 9
RENAL EARLY STAGE	5.5 LB	0 19014 14410 5
JOINT	6 LB	0 19014 21006 0
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE FP	6 LB	0 19014 12106 9
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE KO	6 LB	0 19014 21106 7
PUPPY INTESTINAL LOW RESIDUE	8 LB	0 19014 12908 9
WEIGHT LOSS RESTRICTED CALORIE	14 LB	0 19014 12214 1
JOINT	15 LB	0 19014 21015 2
OPTIMUM WEIGHT CONTROL D	15 LB	0 19014 15115 8
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE FP	15 LB	0 19014 12115 1
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE KO	15 LB	0 19014 21115 9
INTESTINAL - LOW RESIDUE	15 LB	0 19014 12415 2
RENAL EARLY STAGE	15.5 LB	0 19014 02235 9
WEIGHT LOSS RESTRICTED CALORIE	28 LB	0 19014 12228 8
INTESTINAL - LOW RESIDUE	30 LB	0 19014 12430 5
JOINT	30 LB	0 19014 21030 5
OPTIMUM WEIGHT CONTROL D	30 LB	0 19014 15130 1
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE FP	30 LB	0 19014 12130 4
SKIN & COAT RESPONSE KO	30 LB	0 19014 21130 2
INT LOW RESIDUE BREEDER BAG	37 .5 LB	0 19014 12437 4

Iams Feline Renal dry food recall for Salmonella

2010-07-26T03:16:00.000-07:00

P&G Recalls Two Lots of Prescription Renal Diet Cat Food Due to a Possible Health Risk

CINCINNATI, July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE: PG), is voluntarily recalling two specific lots of its prescription renal dry cat food as a precautionary measure, as it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.

The following products are included:


Product Name	Lot Code	UPC Code
Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs	01384174B4	0 19014 21405 1
Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs	01384174B2	0 19014 21405 1

This product is available by prescription through veterinary clinics throughout the U.S.

No illnesses have been reported. A FDA analysis identified a positive result on the lot codes listed above. Lot codes can be found in the lower right corner on the back of the bag.

Consumers who have purchased dry cat food with these codes should discard it. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

Media Contact: Jason Taylor 513-622-3205

Contact: P&G Consumer Relations - 877-894-4458

From PR Newswire

Feline's Pride expands food recall due to salmonella

2010-07-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

From FDA:

Feline’s Pride Expands Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 15, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is expanding its July 1, 2010 voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10 to include the product produced on 6/21/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

When consumed by humans, Salmonella can cause an infection, salmonellosis. The symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, minimal diarrhea, fever, and headache. Certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly susceptible to acquiring salmonellosis from such pet food products and may experience more severe symptoms.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This expansion of the recall affects those orders placed and shipped from June 21 through June 26, 2010 (produced on 6/21/10).

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

People should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the pet food – especially those made from raw animal protein such as meat or fish -- to help prevent infection. People may risk bacterial infection not only by handling pet foods, but by contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday -Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.

Cancer Diet Redux: When is the "Cancer Diet" not recommended?

2010-07-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

When should the "cancer diet" not be fed to veterinary cancer patients?

We should begin by determining when the "cancer diet" *should* be fed to cancer patients. It is fairly universally recognized now that cancer cells exhibit increased glucose utilization compared to normal cells, and this metabolic defect is the basis for research to determine whether lowering glucose concentrations (by limiting simple carbohydrates in the diet) can improve cancer survival.

Clinical proof that a low carbohydrate diet is clinically beneficial remains a little lean. A single clinical trial in dogs suggested that a low carbohydrate, high fat diet containing fish oil and arginine accelerated time to remission in lymphoma patients and may extend the disease-free interval. Every cancer is different, and test tube studies on human cancer cells suggest that different cancers respond differently to various nutritional profiles in their media.

While a few million dollars has likely been spent on canine research in this area, billions have been spent in human nutritional oncology. And we still don't have definitive proof as to the best diet for cancer patients. In dogs and the cats, the usual recommendation is to feed a low carb diet simply because there is a physiologic rationale for it. In people, it is recommended that they eat the diet that helps prevent cancer - low in animal fat, high in vegetables, full of variety - and people should continue to get exercise. And while there is plenty of evidence in people that excess weight *loss* during cancer treatment worsens the prognosis, there is now emerging evidence that being obese while undergoing cancer treatment also worsens prognosis.

The dietary key to influencing cancer proliferation is that the diet be high in fat - tumor cells are unable to use fat as an energy source, whereas dogs and cats can do this very efficiently. So the "low carb diet" for cancer patients is usually quite high in meat (which contains a lot of fat), low in starches and sugars, and contains added fat. A logical conclusion is that for pets with cancer only - no pancreatitis, no advanced renal disease, no obesity, etc - a low carb, moderate protein, high fat food makes sense. But for patients with these other disorders, the diet can not only worsen the prognosis but even make death from the other disease more imminent than death from cancer.

I'd like to focus here on managing obesity in a cancer patient. Here's the thing - obesity leads to hyperglycemia - high blood glucose - and insulin resistance. This hyperglycemia is much more persistent than the elevated glucose load that occurs after any meal of any composition. In addition, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy can cause changes in endocrine functions that could increase the likelihood of development of metabolic syndrome (de Haas, 2010).Cancer itself is commonly associated with hyperglycemia (Heber, 2006). Whether this persistent hyperglycemia and insulin resistance leads to worse outcomes in veterinary patients is unknown, but glycemic control is routinely recommended in human patients when hyperglycemia is identified (Heber, 2006). This is both to control episodes of infection (made more likely through the use of immunesuppressive therapies) but also to prevent progression to metabolic syndrome and diabetes which is a risk factor for the development of other cancers.

Obesity is also an 'inflammatory disease', as is cancer. Fat is now considered an organ that releases excess infl ammatory cytokines, such as tumor-necrosis-factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (de Haas, 2010). These cytokines are considered growth factors that can activate genes that control angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.

The obese cancer patient then gets a double dose of simple sugar in the blood, and more inflammatory chemicals already being produced by the tumor itself. These patients just have to be 'sicker' - whether or not they show it - than patients of normal weight. Hence the new evidence that some obese human cancer patients have worse outcomes than people of normal weight. This has been shown most frequently in breast, prostate and colon cancer (Ramos 2010, Sinicrope 2010, Komaru 2010, Siegel 2010, de Azambuja 2010, Lange 2008, Nitori 2009). Additionally, some recent trials suggest that overweight patients undergoing controlled weight loss during cancer treatment experienced improved prognosis (Freedland 2009).

A diet that is low in simple carbohydrates and higher in meat protein will be fairly calorie-dense, depending on the proportion of meat to other ingredients. A homemade version of the low carb diet can be made to resemble an Atkins-style diet. This can work for weight loss in some patients but not necessarily for others, because meat comes with fat - even the lower fat meats. If I formulate a diet for an obese patient, I use a lower fat protein, such as tofu, often along with a small amount of a starch, and plenty of vegetables. These proportions are customized to the individual dog, and the vitamin/mineral levels are also changed as needed. The starch and sugar content is still quite low, and weight loss can be facilitated.

I see many people who request the 'cancer diet' for their pet with cancer, and a few who refuse to believe that it is inappropriate for their particular pet. We have an increasing number of studies in people to suggest that customizing the diet for an obese patient improves survival, and only 1 study in dogs suggesting that the high fat low carb diet makes a difference in survival. The veterinary oncologist that investigated the low carbohydrate diet for veterinary cancer patients has repeatedly written "no one diet is right for every cancer patient". You can't believe that his research is right 100% of the time but that this opinion of his is wrong 100% of the time.

References

de Azambuja E, McCaskill-Stevens W, Francis P, Quinaux E, Crown JP, Vicente M, Giuliani R, Nordenskjöld B, Gutiérez J, Andersson M, Vila MM, Jakesz R, Demol J, Dewar J, Santoro A, Lluch A, Olsen S, Gelber RD, Di Leo A, Piccart-Gebhart M.The effect of body mass index on overall and disease-free survival in node-positive breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel and doxorubicin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy: the experience of the BIG 02-98 trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Jan;119(1):145-53.

de Haas EC, Oosting SF, Lefrandt JD, Wolffenbuttel BH, Sleijfer DT, Gietema JA. The metabolic syndrome in cancer survivors. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Feb;11(2):193-203.

Freedland SJ, Aronson WJ. Dietary intervention strategies to modulate prostate cancer risk and prognosis. Curr Opin Urol. 2009 May;19(3):263-7.

Heber, D. Assessing Endocrine Effects of Cancer and Ectopic Hormone Syndromes. Nutritional oncology. Elsevier, St Louis, 2006; p. 695

Komaru A, Kamiya N, Suzuki H, Endo T, Takano M, Yano M, Kawamura K, Imamoto T, Ichikawa T. Implications of body mass index in Japanese patients with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2010 Apr;40(4):353-9. Epub 2010 Jan 10.

Lange BJ, Smith FO, Feusner J, Barnard DR, Dinndorf P, Feig S, Heerema NA, Arndt C, Arceci RJ, Seibel N, Weiman M, Dusenbery K, Shannon K, Luna-Fineman S, Gerbing RB, Alonzo TA. Outcomes in CCG-2961, a children's oncology group phase 3 trial for untreated pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the children's oncology group. Blood. 2008 Feb 1;111(3):1044-53. Epub 2007 Nov 13.

Nitori N, Hasegawa H, Ishii Y, Endo T, Kitagawa Y. Impact of visceral obesity on short-term outcome after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer: a single Japanese center study. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2009 Aug;19(4):324-7.

Ramos Chaves M, Boléo-Tomé C, Monteiro-Grillo I, Camilo M, Ravasco P. The diversity of nutritional status in cancer: new insights. The Oncologist 2010; 15(5):523 -530

Siegel EM, Ulrich CM, Poole EM, Holmes RS, Jacobsen PB, Shibata D. The effects of obesity and obesity-related conditions on colorectacl cancer prognosis. Cancer Control 2010; 17(1):52-57.

Sinicrope FA, Foster NR, Sargent DJ, O'Connell MJ, Rankin C. Obesity is an independent prognostic variable in colon cancer survivors. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Mar 15;16(6):1884-93. Epub 2010 Mar 9.

Merrick beef dog treats recalled

2010-07-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

Strangely, I do not find this on the FDA website yet, but it looks real:

Product Recalls: dog treats

By The Associated Press (AP) – 3 days ago

The following recall has been announced:

_ Merrick Pet Care Inc. is recalling one lot of 10-ounce bags of Beef Filet Squares for Dogs because the dog treats could be contaminated with salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals, and people who handle contaminated pet food can become infected with salmonella, especially if they haven't thoroughly washed their hands. No illnesses have been reported in people or pets, according to the Amarillo, Texas, company. The recalled Beef Filet Squares were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the U.S. The treats were sold in 10-ounce plastic bags marked with the best by date of March 24, 2012, and the lot number 10084TL7. For more information, consumers can call 800-664-7387.

Large list of recalled pet supplements

2010-07-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

From FDA: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm217999.htm

United Pet Group Voluntarily Expands Recall of Nutritional Supplements For Dogs to Include Additional Tablet and Powdered-Form Products for Dogs and Cats Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Consumers Contact:
(877) 399-5226

Media Contact:
Carey Phelps (770) 360-5292

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2010 – United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio is voluntarily expanding its recent recall of its Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement tablets for Dogs to include additional pet nutritional supplement products for dogs and cats due to possible Salmonella contamination. The list of recalled products is provided below. The Food and Drug Administration is aware of this recall.

The recalled products are sold nationally at various retailers. The products include various United Pet Group Pro-Pet and Excel branded products for dogs and cats, and certain other private label brands of the same products. All of the affected products are in tablet and powdered form. These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets. The affected products are those with expiration dates that include and are between "01/2013" and "06/2013." Products with expiration dates earlier than 01/2013 or later than 06/2013 are not included in this recall. The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.

Laboratory testing has revealed that some lots of some of these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The company is recalling the additional products out of an abundance of caution.

People who handle these products can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with them or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with the product should contact their healthcare providers.

Consumers who have purchased the affected products are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-877-399-5226, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.

TABLE OF RECALLED PRODUCTS

Label Sku	UPC	Label Description	Expiry
353	825141273447	Doctors Foster and Smith Brewers Yeast Mega-Tabs with Garlic and Essential Fatty Acids 180 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
5619	18065056191	5619 Nature's Miracle Pet Mess Easy Clean-up Net WT 12oz	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
1152092	800443076576	Petco Breath Tabs for Dogs Liver Flavor 50 TabletsPetco Breath Tabs for Dogs Liver Flavor 50 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
33805	825141059485	Doctors foster and Smith Dis-Taste Small Dog Tablets 250 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
33806	825141008629	Doctors Foster and Smith Ext Strength Dis-Taste Tablets 180 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
33807	825141063680	Doctors Foster and Smith Ext Strength Dis-Taste Tablets 500 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
35908	825141095629	Doctors Foster and Smith Fresh Breath Tablets for Dogs 100 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
36763	825141291250	Doctors Foster and Smith Cran Health Support Normal Urinary Tract Health 60 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
673110 bottle 1094181 box	800443037065	Petco Ear Powder For Dogs 1oz (28g) Box Label	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
72157	825141055043	Doctors Foster and Smith Brewers Yeast Tablets for Dogs and Cats 750 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
9305	825141003921	Doctors Foster and Smith Ear Powder Net WT 1oz (28g)	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
9306	825141005154	Doctors Foster and Smith Ear Powder Net WT 4oz (113g)	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J707	26851007074	Excel 3 in 1 Ear Powder Ear Care Net WT 1oz(28g)	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J7110	26851071105	Excel Glucosamine Joint Care 120 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J7113	26851071136	Excel Glucosamine with MSM Joint Care 120 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J720	26851007203	Excel Deter Coprophagia Treatment Behavioral Aid 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J724	26851007241	Excel Deter Coprophagia Treatment Behavioral Aid 500 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J7311	26851073116	Excel Gas Preventative Digestive Aid Digestive Care 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J7315	26851073154	Excel Calm-Quil Calming Tablets Behavior Aid 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
J74016	26851074014	DDS Dental Breath Mints Breath Control 40 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K1723	26851017233	DDS Dental Breath Tabs Breath Control 200 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K1775	26851017752	Pro-Pet Brewers Yeast Daily Supplement 250 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K701	26851007012	Excel Calcium Daily Supplement 125 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K746	26851007463	Excel Calcium Daily Supplement 500 Tasty Chew tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K776/PR	26851007760	PR Excel Brewers Yeast with Garlic Skin and Coat 150 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K777/1	26851007777	Excel Brewers Yeast with Garlic Skin and Coat Care 600 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K778	26851007784	Excel Brewers Yeast with Garlic Skin and Coat Care 1000 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
K785	26851007852	Excel Brewers Yeast with Garlic Skin and Coat Care Mega Tabs 216 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
N1701	26851017011	Pro-Pet Senior Daily Vitamin Supplement 100 Tasty Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
N700TR	26851007005	Excel Pupply Multi Vitamin 100 Tasty Chew Tabs Time Release	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
N7301	26851073017	Excel Small Breed Multi Vitamin 45 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
N7309	26851073093	Excel Lutein Vision Maintenance Eye Care 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
N845TR	26851008453	Excel Adult Multi Vitamin 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78030	26851780304	Excel Advantage Adult Multi Vitamin 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78031	26851780311	Excel Advantage Puppy Multi Vitamin 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78032	26851780328	Excel Advantage Senior Multi Vitamin 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78033	26851780335	Excel Advantage Skin and Coat Essentials 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78034	26851780342	Excel Advantage Glucosamine Plus 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78035	26851780359	Excel Advantage Glucosamine Advanced Strength 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78065	26851780656	Excel Adult Multivitamin 120 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-78066	26851780663	Excel Senior Multi Vitamin 120 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82530	26851825302	Pro-Pet Glucosamine Joint Care 60 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82531	26851825319	Pro-Pet Stool-Eating Preventative(Corprophagia Treatment) 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82534	26851825340	Pro-Pet Anti-Stress Calming Tabs 60 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82562	26851825623	Pro-Pet Glucosamine Plus Joint Care 100 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82618	26851826187	Pro-Pet Breath Tabs 40 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82619	26851826194	Pro-Pet Breath Mints 200 Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82654	26851826545	Pro-Pet Gas Relief Digestive Aid 40 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82656	26851826569	Pro-Pet Glucosamine Advanced Joint Powder Net WT 10oz(283g)	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-82658	26851826583	Pro-Pet Daily Vitamin Supplement Powder Net WT 10oz (283g)	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-83062	26851830627	Pro-Pet Puppy and Small Breed Daily Vitamin Supplement 100 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-83065	26851830658	Pro-Pet Glucosamine Advanced Joint Care 60 Chew Tablets	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-N78012	26851780120	Excel Joint Ensure Moderate Care 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-N78013	26851780137	Excel Joint Ensure Advanced Care 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13
P-N78014	26851780144	Excel Flare-Away Joint Tabs 60 Tasty Chew Tabs	EXP 01/13 thru 06/13

###

Feline's Pride food recalled due to salmonella

2010-07-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

Feline’s Pride Issues Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 1, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is announcing a voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

The product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This recall affects only those orders placed and shipped from June 10 through June 17, 2010.

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

This product should not be fed to pets but should instead be disposed of in a safe manner (e.g., in a securely covered trash receptacle). People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday –Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.

Pro-Pet Dog Vitamins Recalled

2010-06-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

From FDA: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm216903.htm

United Pet Group Voluntarily Recalls Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement for Dogs Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Media Contact:
Carey Phelps (770) 360-5292

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –- June 22, 2010 – United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio is voluntarily recalling all unexpired lots of its PRO-PET ADULT DAILY VITAMIN Supplement tablets for Dogs due to possible Salmonella contamination. The Food and Drug Administration is aware of this recall.

The product was sold nationally at various retailers. The product comes in 100-count white plastic bottles with a light blue label, and UPC code 26851-01800. These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets. The affected products are those with expiration dates on or before "06/13". The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.

Laboratory testing has revealed that one Lot of this vitamin product was contaminated with Salmonella. The company is recalling all unexpired Lots of the product out of an abundance of caution.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

People who handle dry pet food and/or treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Consumers who have purchased the product are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-800-645-5154 ext. 3, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.

Natural Balance sweet potato and chicken dry food recalled

2010-06-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2010

Dear Natural Balance Family,

My name is Joey Herrick, and I’m the President of Natural Balance Pet Foods. My wife and I started the company 22 years ago and began by delivering to stores and rescues out of our family car. Over the years, we have been fortunate enough to have Natural Balance become a highly respected company, known for great products and working with the best pet food distributors and stores in the business. That’s why it pains me to have to talk about a recall.

Our 5 lb. and 28 lb. Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog food, manufactured on December 17, 2009 with a “Best By” date of June 17, 2011 is being voluntarily recalled. A random sampling of this product tested positive for Salmonella by the FDA. In my mind, I asked, “How can this happen? I spent over $900,000 putting in our laboratory to test our products before we release them.” We tested samples from the production run when it was manufactured six months ago, and the results came back negative.

Upon hearing from the FDA, I immediately went to our Director of Customer Service, a licensed Registered Veterinary Technician, to check call logs for any complaints with this product. Our Customer Service department closely tracks and monitors complaints for any potential issues; and I heard no reports in our weekly meetings, so I was not surprised when I found we did not have a single complaint about this product. Next, I immediately pulled the retention samples for this product to be sent to an independent third party laboratory. The samples were sent to Zoologix, a laboratory that does real-time PCR testing, the most sensitive type of testing for Salmonella. Those test results also came back negative (CLICK HERE to see results). I reported our test results and call logs to the FDA, but due to the positive result they had found, they recommended a recall.

I am sure your dogs are like my dogs — they sleep on our beds, they watch TV with us and if they are lucky enough, they come to work with us. This is why we are following the FDA’s recommendation and issuing a voluntary recall. Since we have not had any complaints on this product and it was manufactured six months ago, I expect that most of it has already been consumed. If there are any bags in your cupboards, please take them back to the store you shop at for a full refund.

Not all states are affected. The following is a list of those states that are included in the voluntary recall: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

I believe that we are the only pet food company that has built an in-house lab as an added check and gives you the test results in real time on our website. We hold the finished product in our warehouses for two to three days, until that testing is completed. We only release product to be shipped when the testing is negative.

No testing protocol is perfect, but the alternative is not testing at all. That wouldn’t work for me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing we aren’t testing every product before it goes out, to help make sure our products are the best in the business. Any testing is much safer for you and your pets than the alternative, which is not testing at all.

Our goal is to have the best and safest pet food on the market. I don’t believe there is a better or safer product than Natural Balance Pet Food. Yes, we had an isolated incident, but we are continually testing our products and making the results available to you. I am proud of our laboratory and will be adding more layers of testing as a result of this recall. We have added over a half dozen significant improvements over the last three years, and remain committed to the safety of our products, and the pets that enjoy them. Our commitment is the same today as it was 22 years ago, to make the best pet food in the business.

CLICK HERE for details on product potentially affected. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (800) 829-4493, or info@naturalbalanceinc.com.

Yours Truly,

President
Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.

Recall: Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food

2010-06-10T06:09:00.001-07:00

P&G Recalls Specific Canned Cat Foods Due to Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Contact:
Jason Taylor
513-622-3205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CINCINNATI, June 9, 2010 – The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats. Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency.

The following Iams canned cat foods are included:

Product Name	Date on Bottom of Can
Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans	09/2011 to 06/2012

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved.

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it. For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).

How to choose a pet food

2010-06-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

As a nutritionist and integrative practitioner, I’m asked almost every day what pet food I recommend. It’s an interesting thought – that I recommend one pet food.

At the same time, my nutrition training has led me to question authority. While the holistic folks like to vilify the big over the counter and prescription brands of food, my training has shown me that they employ some of the best – and some of the worst- company philosophies. And this is what I’m about today – choosing a company, and not a food.

Before I tell you what personal philosophies drive *my* company choices, I’ll paint a picture of the problem for you.

Over the past decade, I’ve had occasion to ask for more detailed information about a food based on my patients’ needs. You see, the guaranteed analysis on the food label provides only the barest guide as to the nutrient profile of the food. And while I care about *ingredients*, I also care that my patients are being provided with essential *nutrients* they require for continued normal functioning.

I’ve needed to know if the protein content was able to meet the minimum needs for animals who required caloric restriction of a high fat diet. I’ve needed to know if amino acid profiles were adequate in a vegetarian diet with a suspicious ingredient listing. And I’ve been disturbed by the digital equivalent of a blank stare I got when asking for this information from some of the most popular makers of ‘holistic’ and ‘natural’ diets. The ones you are feeding your pets right now, and the ones your local pet store employee is pushing as new and improved.

Here is a sampling of the problems I’ve encountered when trying to obtain nutrition information from the ‘holistic’ pet food companies:

Labels with egregious mistakes showing either inaccurate information or terrible formulating errors.
Company leaders who do not know what a nutrient profile* is, much less how to provide one to a nutritionist.
Refusal by a company to provide nutrient profiles, stating that it is proprietary information (ok, but you will never hear me recommending your diet, especially if it is a certain new vegetarian diet). Honestly, the largest companies post their profiles on the web – do you really think it has cut into their profits?
Diets (raw and processed) that are not complete or balanced when nutrient profiles are submitted to detailed analysis.
A company that refuses to deal fairly with a veterinarian who discovers a major problem with its food.
Companies that refuse to provide the names or credentials of their food formulators
Naïve representatives making dangerous claims because they don’t understand the simplest feed concepts, such as dry matter conversions
Company heads that misuse their meager knowledge of nutritional biochemistry and microbiology to make unfounded health claims and spread misinformation across the web.
Advertising claims that tout health benefits that were disproven years before.
Companies that for decades refuse to acknowledge new information and adjust their formulas, simply because people continue to buy their foods.

So how do you choose a pet food?

You don’t- you choose a company. So here are my criteria for recommending a food manufacturer:

The company needs a track record. Even if it’s your best friend whom you consider knowledgeable, the company she owns or recommends needs to prove its ability to produce consistently safe formulations, hold onto the best employees, and is using profits to improve (and not just expand) the company.
There should be a board certified veterinary nutritionist on staff. Not just a veterinarian – a veterinary nutritionist. I’ve seen some very questionable formulations even from companies owned by veterinarians. The only way the formulations can improve over time is if a nutritionist is constantly feeding updated knowledge into those formulations.
The company philosophy fits with my clients’ standards** and my patients needs.

Once we settle on a few companies, I have these additional recommendations for my clients:

Choose foods that carry an AAFCO feeding claim to be complete and balanced for the appropriate life stage of your pet. Some smaller pet food companies do not produce balanced diets, and others produce pure meat diets “intended for supplemental or intermittent feeding”. Nutritional deficiencies could result if any of these are fed long term.
Rotate between various companies (i.e. use various flavors , but also from different companies)
Avoid exotic ingredients like duck, rabbit, emu, pheasant, and venison. They aren’t necessary for healthy pets and we may need for them to be completely new to your pet when diagnosing or treating certain conditions later. There is plenty of variety to be had with chicken, lamb, beef, pork, turkey, fish, egg and vegetarian foods. It’s also easier to find organic versions of these ingredients.
Feed your dog veggies and fruits as snacks or to beef up the amount of food in his bowl. It is may help prevent cancer, and they are low in fat. Avoid grapes, raisins and onions, which can be toxic to pets. Choose all colors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, squash, apples, melon, berries, etc). Feeding more meats and starches is rarely necessarily, especially if you are already feeding a premium or Paleolithic diet.
Don’t buy large bags of food for small animals- food should be used up within a month, especially if it is stabilized with natural preservatives instead of chemical preservatives.
Avoid dry foods in cats and if your cat is currently eating dry, make an appointment to talk to a nutritionist about why this may no longer be recommended and how to switch stubborn kitties to canned or homemade food. At the very least, for heavens’ sake, do not leave free choice dry food down – for dogs OR cats. Most just get fat on it!

Seems like a lot to remember, but here is the simple version: feed balanced foods, with healthy ingredients, from different companies. Give veggies and fruits instead of junky treats, and maintain a lean body weight. If you prefer homemade, get the recipe balanced, and stick to the plan. And of course, check in with your vet for regular physical and biochemical exams to find emerging problems early.

Notes

*A nutrient profile shows the levels or concentrations of all essential nutrients in a food . This profile is compared to the nutrient requirements of a dog or cat to determine whether it is marginal, deficient, or replete for a particular life stage or condition.

**Philosophies and standards are unique to each pet owner. Some won’t tolerate commercial diets at all, while others don’t care if they are commercial as long as they are (pick one – raw, natural, organic, made of human grade ingredients, etc). Some trust larger companies and care only that the correct *nutrients* are provided, while others don’t care about nutrients and consider *ingredients* most important, absolutely prohibiting by-products. A few clients believe that locally sourced ingredients are best (necessitating a homemade diet unless you happen to live near a company that uses ingredients local to *you*). If you really want to know, my philosophy necessitates a complete and balanced nutrient profile, identifiable ingredients (although by-products of some types are just fine with me considering the true natural diet of dogs and cats), a veterinary nutritionist on staff, and a company that balances the need for economy with the need to document the safety of their raw ingredients (usually requiring domestically sourced ingredients). The company should be transparent in its operations (some have allowed the WDJ editor to visit their plants, and some regularly invite veterinarians for tours, while others won’t answer phone calls). And of course, I think homemade diets are superior as long as they are balanced. I’ve seen some awful sick animals eating weird homemade recipes, and I’ve seen so many improve if we just balance while incorporating the owners’ preferences!

A corollary to discovering fraud: finding information on the web

2010-05-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

A corollary to the problem above is that of how to evaluate pet-related information. Those who rely on the internet are particularly at risk. There are two main types of sites - noncommercial (such as that from teaching hospitals, government agencies and foundations) and commercial (generally someone who wants you to buy their product). In health care, it is best to avoid commercial sites if possible, but some do contain good information. It takes some training to recognize the difference. Here is what to look for:

Scientific references - these come from scientific journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine, The Cochrane Database, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Journal of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, Journal of Nutrition, etc. Scientific references do not come from newspapers, Time magazine, or Cat Fancy.
The references and information should be relevant to your pet – test tube studies and those in laboratory mice are probably meaningless to a dog in the real world. Human studies are somewhat more useful, but dog studies are best. (And cats are a completely different issue because they are metabolically very different from humans, dogs, mice and most other species we can think of). Testimonials are not useful at all – they can be ignored!
The people who write articles and formulate nutritional supplements should be clearly identified, along with their training and credentials. Contact information should be easily available.
If information on the site seems extremely optimistic or promises to cure chronic and terminal illnesses, please refer back to #1 - 3.
If the site promotes and sells brand name products, refer back to #1-4.
If the ingredients and amounts are not available, avoid purchasing from the company. “Proprietary ingredients” are secret ingredients, and there is no way to tell whether they may be toxic to your pet.
If the site sells veterinary products, the company should be a member of the National Animal Supplement Council (www.nasc.cc), an industry group that insures high standards of quality control and maintains an adverse event reporting system. We do use human products for animals as well, but the dose should be recommended ONLY by a veterinarian familiar with the supplement, and not by the company if they employ no veterinarians.
The site should have links to other sites, and these links should provide multiple ‘points of view’ about the issue or condition. Beware of sites that link ONLY to other alternative medicine sites, or conversely, those that link only to quackbuster sites. Use these other sites to verify that the information you are gathering is fairly well accepted and not the opinion of one well spoken company representative or lone practitioner who only sees a few patients a year!
The site should clearly indicate when it was last updated. Medical information is generally old after only a year!

Finally, please do NOT assume that consumers and pet owners have access to the same information that veterinarians do. Our professional networks keep us informed of research before it is published, and of breaking news never seen in the newspapers or internet. Please verify your information with your veterinarian, or just skip all of the work above, and ask her first!

I can recommend these websites to start your research:

Veterinary Partner (www.vspn.org) - database of in-depth articles on veterinary conditions and the conventional diagnostics and treatments recommended. Usually kept very well updated.
Healthnotes (http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/ and click on the link “Health Conditions A-Z” as well the links “Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs A-Z”). Information about human health conditions and the supplements commonly used for them.
The National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.org). The scientific database of peer-reviewed journal articles published from about 1960-present. You can retrieve abstracts of the studies and occasionally, the full scientific article.

How to Identify and Avoid Phony Practitioners

2010-05-21T10:55:00.001-07:00

How to Identify and Avoid Phony Practitioners

Seems like everyone who wants to can be a doctor these days, no schooling required. A dictionary definition of a doctoral degree is:
• any of several academic degrees of the highest rank, as the Ph.D. or Ed.D., awarded by universities and some colleges for completing advanced work in graduate school or a professional school
• an honorary degree conferring the title of doctor upon the recipient
• a degree awarded to a graduate of a school of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science

It’s that second definition that is most troublesome, because it means that anyone can open up a virtual school and award doctoral degrees for whatever level of work – or dollars- they think sufficient.

The field of naturopathic medicine is shot through with such fraud. Only 16 states license naturopathic doctors. The licensing process requires graduation from a 4 year naturopathic school with virtually the same curriculum as that of a medical school, with natural treatments substituted for drugs and surgery.

These institutions have been accredited or are in candidate status for accreditation by one of the regional accrediting agencies approved by the US Department of Education. In addition, all of the naturopathic medicine programs of the member schools have been accredited (or are candidates for accreditation) by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME).

On the other hand, the naturopathic schools that offer long distance education say that their courses are approved by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB). These graduates are not eligible for professional licenses. Strangely, the ANCB's website states "Due to ANCB's stringent application and certification requirements, ANCB is the certification organization preferred and recommended by the leading schools of Traditional Naturopathy, including Clayton College of Natural Health and Trinity College of Natural Health" [both are online diploma mills]. Does this seem a little incestuous?

Now naturopathy has come to veterinary medicine. One online diploma mill requires a “recognized Master's degree in a natural health field” to enter ‘doctoral’ programs offered there, but no definition of what this means. The accreditation for this school is through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (Texas). That’s all.

We even need to worry about people making up certifications on their own. I once taught a course online on herbal medicine that was open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians. A technician, after finishing the course, granted herself a “Dip.Vet.Bot.Med” on her website, where she was offering animal health consultations. This was new to me as the instructor of the course. Presto – certified in herbal medicine after a 4 week introductory course!

So how do we judge the quality of the educational experience for practitioners of animal medicine? Let’s compare the curriculum and experience of the diploma mill to that of a veterinarian who is familiar with naturopathic principles:

Veterinary education (in the U.S.):
• Requires an undergraduate (college) degree from a university or college accredited by the US Department of Education, with a concentration on chemistry, biology and physics.
• 3 years of full time, in residence schooling that includes about 6 hours daily of didactic lectures, labs and contact with instructors who hold advanced degrees or certifications in their fields
• Required textbooks are comprehensive specialized reviews of medical science
• 1 year of full time clinical experience under direct supervision of faculty who are specialists in their fields
• Regular competency exams culminating in national and state board examinations that must be passed in order to obtain a license to practice.
• Further education on herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy and other natural modalities requires well over 100 hours of study for certification each. A recent survey of 300 veterinarians who practice natural or integrative medicine revealed that 61% of veterinarians with at least 6 years of integrative practice experience have accumulated at least 250 classroom hours in integrative medicine. Of these practitioners, more than 30% have taken more than 500 hours of class room training.

Diploma mill doctoral degree:
• 200-300 hours (claimed) of self study
• Faculty - just a few of the school’s own graduates - available by phone or email
• Required textbooks are simple compilations for pet owners, typically available at your local book store
• Final exam is 3-5 questions, open book

Graduates holding a “VND” or “Doctor of Veterinary Naturopathy” degree have been taught that it is illegal for them to diagnose or prescribe in order to treat animal disease, so they position themselves as educators. Of course, the fact that they suggest treatment recommendations after learning symptoms, and the fact that they often sell just the natural remedies needed certainly could not be viewed as prescriptions (please know that I have on my most ironic smile right now). In addition, they make these recommendations without seeing the animal, which could vitally change the prescriber’s overall assessment. Yes, some veterinarians also do this, but most have medical records or direct communications from a veterinarian who has seen the animal, which solves that problem.

Any veterinarian understands the pet owner’s desire for second opinions and to have a team behind their pet’s medical care. But you can do better by your pet if you stock that team with professionals who have received comprehensive and well rounded veterinary and natural medicine education. Look for the initials below:

Veterinary degree: VMD, DVM, BVSc, MVB, VetMB or BVetMed, BVM&S or BVMS, Dr.Med.Vet
Natural medicine certifications (post graduate training offered only to veterinarians):
Acupuncture: CVA, FAAVA
Herbal Medicine: CVCH (Chinese herbal medicine), CVHM (Western herbal medicine)
Homeopathy: CVH, VetMFHom, CertIAVH
Chiropractic: cAVCA, IVCA, CVSMT
Physical therapy/rehabilitation: CCRT, CCRP
Chinese massage (tui na): CVTP

Nonveterinarians holding the “VND degree” and those who follow them may well wonder why we can’t all just get along. The argument would be that they offer only information that is complementary to that of veterinarians, and that they are only educating pet owners on how to better care for their pets. The situation feels to me much like medical practice in the US in the early 1900s. There were many private medical schools and many different educational experiences, and people had many different types of practitioners to choose from.

In the course of determining which type of practice and schools should be the recipient of grant money, the Rockefeller Foundation hired Abraham Flexner to thoroughly investigate all medical schools in the country for the first time. The report is eye-opening. Most of the naturopathic and homeopathic schools presented their students with very poor experiences – most did not require a college degree; none of the faculty was full time, and few of the students had access to actual patients in a mentoring atmosphere. Some of the schools were described as filthy, with libraries of only a few old books. By contrast, the schools that offered the best education required college degrees and 4 years of didactic and bedside education. If your mother developed a serious medical condition in the 1920’s, which type of graduate would you have wanted to see her?

These are not complementary veterinary professions. And I can already hear the defense - 'those veterinarians are just worried about competition'. No we're not. We're worried about what happens to sick pets whose owners don't know the difference between in-depth veterinary and natural medicine knowledge and a fake. If they know the difference and choose a "VND", the pet still suffers, but the owner is making an informed choice. The trouble is - most owners don't. So if that internet expert with a Dr. in front of her name offers consultations and sells supplements, it's a good idea to look for those letters, then make your decision.

Response Cetyl M Joint Action recalled

2010-04-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

Response Products Voluntarily Recalls Advanced Cetyl M Joint Action Formula for Dogs Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact:
Trisha Hanson
1-877-266-9757

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 12, 2010 - Response Products, Broken Bow, NE is voluntarily recalling Cetyl M for Dogs, lot numbers 1210903 and 0128010, due to a possible Salmonella contamination from the hydrolyzed vegetable protein component provided by Basic Foods of Las Vegas, NV. Tests conducted by Basic Foods to detect Salmonella produced negative results; however, Response Products has determined to recall the above-referenced lots.

People who handle dry pet food and/or treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Cetyl M for Dogs was distributed nation-wide through direct sales, retail stores, veterinarians and online retailers.

The above-referenced lots of Cetyl M for Dogs were distributed in either a 120-count bottle (shipped between January 8, 2010 and April 2, 2010) or a 360-count bottle (shipped between February 11, 2010 and April 2, 2010). The affected lot numbers are as follows: #1210903 and 0128010. The lot number can be found directly above the bar code on the label. These lots were sent out in the time periods as set out above. This product is in tablet-form, is approximately the size of a dime and is light brown in coloring.

To date, Response Products has received no reports of illness associated with the use of this product. Response Products recently learned that the FDA and Basic Foods of Las Vegas, NV, the producer of one of the components of the affected product’s vegetable beef flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, had detected Salmonella in Basic Food’s facility and had issued a recall on said component. The manufacturer of the vegetable beef flavoring used in Cetyl M for Dogs, tested the hydrolyzed vegetable beef protein for Salmonella and the results were negative. However, due to the concern regarding Salmonella in Basic Foods’ facility, it decided to recall two lots (only one lot affected our product) of said vegetable beef flavoring. The finished product manufacturer of Cetyl M for Dogs had tests performed on both the raw materials used to make our product and also the finished product, and all tested negative for Salmonella, however, it has issued a voluntary recall on two lots (see lot numbers listed above) of Cetyl M for Dogs.

Response Products requires that testing for Salmonella and other harmful pathogens is completed during the manufacturing process. Even though the testing performed at each level of the process showed negative results for Salmonella, in an effort to produce the highest quality product for our customers, Response Products ceased distributing the dog product in the above-referenced lots and is issuing a voluntary recall on its Cetyl M for Dogs in the affected lot numbers. In addition to the testing listed above, Response Products sent samples from said lots, as well as from lot produced after those lots, to an independent laboratory, and all samples received a negative result for Salmonella.

Response Products continues to investigate the cause of the problem and continues to be committed to producing a high-quality, effective product for dogs.

Consumers who have purchased the listed lots of Cetyl M for Dogs are urged to contact Response Products or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact Response Products at 1-877-266-9757, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST.

2010-03-17T19:26:00.001-07:00

Can anyone tell me why the new generation of "vet skeptics" are so insistent on remaining anonymous? I've been reading "skeptvet" and "skeptivet" but cannot determine from their "about" why they are qualified to question the experience and recommendations of specialists with more scientific training. Can someone help me here?

semantics

2010-03-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's "veterinary medicine" or "veterinary practice". That's a noun with a descriptive adjective, telling you what we do.

"Veterinarian medicine" and "veterinarian practice" are incorrect. On so many levels. Don't do that.

Kthx.

Signed,
Grammar nazi

Grains #2 - not as allergenic as you thought

2010-03-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

Grainless foods are popular these days. And sometimes rightfully so – I know many have seen a difference when they switch an ailing dog or cat from a standard grain-based food to one that is lower in carbohydrates. It’s wrong to blame the grains, though, in many cases (I’ve talked about this here before).

Quick tutorial: Carbohydrates are essentially fibers, sugars and starches. Some (starches and sugars, mostly) are digestible, and are degraded from large molecules on ingestion to small molecules that are absorbed in the small intestine for energy. Grains like barley, wheat, corn, and oats contain digestible and indigestible carbohydrates in addition to fatty acids and proteins – they are more complex than a simple carbohydrate. Digestible carbohydrates are also contained in root vegetables like potatoes and yams, yuca (or tapioca), taro root, etc.

My biggest quibble with companies that tout a ‘grainless’ label on a dry food is that they are not carbohydrate-less, which is in reality what most pet owners think they are getting when they search for a Paleolithic, low carb diet. I’m just saying, pet owner beware, because you cannot make a dry food without some carbohydrate, and these companies will simply substitute a starch from potato, sweet potato, tapioca or the like to do it. That’s not a ‘carbless’ food.

But I want to talk about today is why some animals do better when switched from a high carb, or even moderate carb food, to a low carb food.

Many people go looking for alternative pet foods because they are forced to – they have a chronically ill animal (“chronically ill” pretty much defining a condition not amenable to conventional therapy). You would almost have to live under a rock to avoid the advice you’d get from fellow pet owners, pet store employees and websites that grain-free diets fix everything from skin disease to GI disorders to cancer.

In the case of animals with chronic conditions of many types, the central problem may be a sick gut. We used to (and still do) call this a leaky gut, but more recently gastroenterologists have come to agree that the condition exists, and call it a hyperpermeable gut. Chronic inflammation of the gut may appear due to food allergy or less well understood inflammatory processes like inflammatory bowel disease. Even a transient gastroenteritis or antibiotic therapy can lead to inflammation of the gut lining.

There are probably many arthritic dogs on long term therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as Metacam®, Previcox®, Deramax®, and Rimadyl® walking around with leaky guts, as well. The syndrome even has a name – NSAID enteropathy. For your edification, a review from the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science in 1999 stated unequivocally that in people, “NSAIDs produce inflammation of the small intestine in 40 to 70% in long-term users” (Davies 2000). And if you’re really interested, “Exposure of the small bowel mucosa to NSAIDs is thought to lead to the loss of intracellular integrity and increased permeability because the NSAIDs damage surface membrane phospholipids and cause an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation” (Feagins 2010). Interestingly, NSAID use is also associated with lower numbers of Lactobacillus in the bowel (the good bacteria) which are known to improve gut mucosal integrity. (Mäkivuokko, 2009)

So chronic inflammation in the gut begins to erode the most superficial layers of the mucosal lining. The microstructure of the gut consists of tiny folds called villi, and the villi themselves have surfaces composed of enterocytes (cells of the gut mucosa) that have microvilli on the end that is exposed to the gut lumen. These cells actively secrete enzymes and other products that aid in normal digestion, absorption, and even immunity, and these products become more active as they mature, moving from the deeper layers of the gut to the tips of the microvilli. So what happens when the most superficial layer of the gut is eroded away due to inflammation?

One of the earliest theories from holistic medicine writers was that the gut immune system is exposed to abnormally intact molecules of food, and the animal (or person) subsequently develops food allergy or gluten enteropathy. Since the immune system can potentially become sensitized to any protein ingested, the poor patient experiences signs of food allergy constantly, including skin inflammation and diarrhea, and if you read the more esoteric literature, arthritis and a wide variety of autoimmune diseases.

But a theory espoused by one of my nutrition mentors, Dr. Rebecca Remillard at MSPCA Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, suggests a simpler explanation for the inconsistent stool we see in some of these animals that eventually improve on a ‘grain free’ or low carb diet. In the ‘stressed’ enterocyte, mature digestive enzymes – disaccharidases that digest carbohydrates – are lost because of erosion of the luminal end – the part that is exposed to the GI contents, NSAIDs, etc. Examples of disaccharidases include lactase, maltase, sucrase, trehalase, isomaltase, and others.

So, disaccharides that result from digestion of more complex carbohydrates in the stomach and upper intestine flow down into the small intestine where disaccharidase enzymes would further digest them into a form that is easily absorbed. If they remain in disaccharide form, they are not absorbed and in fact pull water into the intestine. The result is loose stool, or diarrhea.

The problem is compounded the longer it exists. Carbohydrate malabsorption will lead to increased bacterial fermentation, which will cause gas and discomfort. Bacterial overgrowth (due to a surfeit of nutrition for them) can itself lead diarrhea.

So the neighbor comes along and recommends a grain-free diet, and the dog or cat gets better, and once again, the grains get the blame. While allergy may or may not be a component of the reaction seen when grains are fed to these animals, the carbohydrate overload seems to be a bigger problem. And as I said before, carbohydrates are certainly common in ‘grain free’ diets!

The good news is this – and I can verify that clinically this is extremely common – these ‘allergies’ aren’t permanent, unless the patient has a genetic disaccharidase deficiency (which is vanishingly uncommon in dogs and cats). In general, balancing the bacterial populations with probiotics, changing the diet so that it contains lower carbohydrate levels and sometimes different proteins, and addressing the cause of the initial bowel inflammation is all that is needed. Whether or not the owner wants to go back to feeding a diet higher in carbohydrates depends on other factors, like owner philosophy, financial capacity to buy the more expensive meat products, and whether the dog or cat has a weight problem (carbohydrates are used in weight loss diets to ‘cut’ the fat while still giving some bulk to the diet).

I just had to get this out there. Temporary carbohydrate intolerance is different from real food allergies. It's a much better diagnosis for your pet though, as there are no permanent food restrictions.

References
Davies NM, Saleh JY. Detection and Prevention of NSAID-Induced Enteropathy.J Pharm Pharmaceut Sci 3(1):137-155, 2000

Feagins LA, Cryer BL. Do Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Cause Exacerbations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2010;55(2):226

Mäkivuokko H, Tiihonen K, Tynkkynen S, Paulin L, Rautonen N. The effect of age and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on human intestinal microbiota composition. Br J Nutr. 2010 Jan;103(2):227-34. Epub 2009 Aug 25.

Expanded recall from Nature's variety - chicken raw frozen diet

2010-03-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Important Food Safety Announcements
and Coupons from Nature's Variety
March 8, 2010

Dear Friends - please read these important food safety announcements regarding our raw frozen chicken diets, and scroll down to receive valuable coupons. Nature's Variety logo
Nature's Variety Voluntarily Expands Recall to Include All Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets with "Best If Used By" Dates On or Before 2/5/11

Nature’s Variety is announcing that out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula products with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 02/5/11.

Nature’s Variety has received new test results from an outside facility that indicate that Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 and Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 11/9/10 may be contaminated with Salmonella. Therefore, we are voluntarily recalling these date codes of product from the marketplace. Also, out of an abundance of caution, we are expanding our voluntary recall to include all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats with any “Best If Used By” date on or before 02/5/11. We believe taking this action is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce consumer confidence and trust.

No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved.

The products included in this expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a "Best If Used By" date on or before 2/5/11, including:
* UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
* UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
* UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
* UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb retail display case of chubs
* UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
* UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties

The "Best If Used By" date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions.

If you have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your local retail store to receive a complete refund, or to exchange it for another variety. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a complete refund or replacement.

As you may know, Nature’s Variety now uses High Pressure Pasteurization on our Raw Frozen Diets as a unique process to kill pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology. Having incorporated this state-of-the-art technology on our Freeze Dried Raw products in late 2009, we were able to confidently implement the process universally on all Raw Frozen Diets after the February 11, 2010 recall in order to further enhance food safety. Nature’s Variety also utilizes a test and hold protocol to ensure that all High Pressure Pasteurized Raw Frozen Diets test negative for harmful bacteria before being released for sale.

"Nature’s Variety believes replacing all raw frozen chicken products on the market with new raw frozen chicken products that use High Pressure Pasteurization is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce consumer confidence and trust," stated Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature’s Variety. "By recalling all raw frozen chicken products with 'Best If Used By' dates on or before 2/5/11, we can provide our pet parents with new raw frozen chicken products that have been processed through High Pressure Pasteurization. Adopting High Pressure Pasteurization is an important step to ensure that our products meet the strictest quality and food safety standards."

Reed offers this promise to you, "Our commitment to consumers in the future is the same as it’s been in the past – to offer Raw Frozen Diets made from the highest quality ingredients, made in our own plant in the Midwest, by people who care deeply about pet nutrition, health, and happiness."

If you have additional questions, please call our dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-374-3142. For additional information about High Pressure Pasteurization or other Nature’s Variety food safety protocols, please read the Q&A below or visit www.naturesvariety.com.

Teaching your dog to walk on a treadmill

2010-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

We do alot of obesity management in my practice. With many dogs (and cats), there comes a point where calorie restriction isn't enough. We need to institute exercise programs both to burn calories and also to increase the ratio of lean body mass to fat mass (lean body mass has a higher metabolic rate and therefore burns more calories). The animals with orthopedic problems need special handling and we usually recommend underwater treadmills or swimming for them. For dogs with good joints and no pain, the owner's own treadmill can do a world of good.

I was looking recently for information on how to train a dog to use a treadmill and found alot of them on YouTube. One was absolutely terrible - a guy simply gets on the treadmill and plops his dog on it, forcing the frantic dog to stay on it. In response to the variability of recommendations out there, I asked my technician, Vera, to research the issue. She wrote this and I think it's good:

How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Treadmill

1) Purchase a treadmill. Many owners use a human treadmill but special animal treadmills are also available. You can find animal treadmills on these and other websites: www.hammacher.com, www.frontgate.com, and www.dogtrotter.net.

2) Allow your dog to get familiar with the treadmill in the room for a few days. Do not turn it on.

3) Allow your dog to smell the treadmill. Reward your dog’s behavior if s/he goes up to the treadmill by offering small treats. Placing small treats along the length of the treadmill is also recommended so that s/he gets comfortable stepping onto the treadmill.

4) After a few days, turn on the treadmill. Let your dog get familiar with the sound of the treadmill. Reward your dog’s behavior by offering small treats beside the treadmill while it is running. Do not place your dog on the treadmill at this time. Let your dog see you having a slow pleasant walk on the treadmill if using your own.

5) Once your dog is comfortable with the sight and sound of the treadmill, it is time to get him on the treadmill. Ask the dog to step onto the treadmill and while giving a stream of treats, turn it on to the lowest speed. Start the treadmill at the slowest speed. Offer small treats to keep him on the treadmill. You may want to stand in front of the treadmill so that your dog stays in position.

6) You can use your dog’s leash as an aid, but NEVER tie your dog to the treadmill.

7) Once your dog is comfortable walking on the treadmill, you can slowly increase to the recommended speed for your dog.

You may be able to find instructional videos using a google search. Use search terms such as “teach train treadmill dog.” The following youtube videos may be helpful in your training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25QXJLXHNg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eXNOMkcFGc

These trainers used various methods but what they have in common is a slow introduction to the treadmill, avoidance of force, and lots of treats.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite method or success stories to tell?

Thanks for the kudos to Bark Magazine!

2010-02-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm honored! Bark Magazine gave me an honorable mention after their Top 100 best and brightest in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue.

I'm in some really heady company - see them here: http://thebark.com/content/barks-best-brightest-honorable-mentions

But look at the Top 100 - Bark Magazine, I think you got it right! (http://thebark.com/media/BestBrightest_58.pdf)

Thanks!

Nature's Variety frozen chicken diet recalled, Salmonella

2010-02-13T06:25:00.000-08:00

Nature’s Variety Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall On Raw Frozen Chicken Diets With A "Best If Used By" Date Of 11/10/10

Company Contact:
Jeff Dezen/JDPR
864-233-3376

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 11, 2010 – Nature’s Variety has initiated a voluntary recall of their Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet for dogs and cats with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The only products affected are limited to chicken medallions, patties, and chubs with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10. No other Nature’s Variety products are affected.

The affected products are limited to the Nature’s Variety Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet packaged in the following forms:

* 3 lb chicken medallions (UPC# 7 69949 60130 2) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10
* 6 lb chicken patties (UPC# 7 69949 60120 3) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10
* 2 lb chicken chubs (UPC# 7 69949 60121 0) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10

The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions. The affected product was distributed through retail stores and internet sales in the United States, and in limited distribution in Canada.

If you are a consumer and have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your retailer for a full refund or replacement. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

Nature’s Variety became aware of a potential problem after receiving a consumer complaint. Subsequent testing indicated that the lot code related to the consumer complaint tested negative for Salmonella. However, additional subsequent testing found the "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10 to be contaminated with Salmonella.

No pet or human illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this lot code.

Reed Howlett, Nature’s Variety CEO, stated, "Because pet health and safety are our top priority, Nature’s Variety takes every step necessary to ensure the quality and safety of our products. In addition to our industry best manufacturing practices, and in an abundance of caution, all Nature’s Variety raw frozen products now will undergo a ‘test and hold’ period before being released for sale."

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. Even though no illnesses have been reported, consumers should follow the Safe Handling Guidelines published on the Nature’s Variety package when disposing of the affected product. People handling raw frozen pet foods may become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not followed the safe handling guidelines set forth by the company.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, or fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, or urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with the affected product should contact their health care provider.

Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, or vomiting. Some pets may experience only a decreased appetite, fever, or abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products and is experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers with additional questions can call our dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day,
7 days a week at 800-374-3142. Or, consumers can email Nature’s Variety directly by visiting naturesvariety.com1.

Diversion: 50 sushi tips for beginners

2010-02-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

This great article was posted on the MRI Technician Schools website (http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/50-sushi-tips-for-beginners/).

'Cause where else would you expect to find the definitive guide to sushi etiquette?

Seriously - answers some of my long standing questions like, here are the out-takes from the article:

50 sushi tips for beginners

3. Use the pickled ginger (gari) as a palate cleanser.

Almost all Japanese dishes come accompanied by both a wad of wasabi and a small pile of lively pink or ecru gari. Eat a slice between sushi pieces to keep the palate feeling fresh and clean. Doing so imbues diners with the ability to taste the full complex flavor of every different roll, wrap, nigiri, or other sushi style.

[Article does not mention that pickled ginger has been studied for its ability to kill metazoan parasites. Not that they stop me from eating sushi - I'm just pointing this out for your edification).

8. Order sake with sashimi. Sushi tastes best with beer or tea.

Because sake is made from fermented rice, most sushi connoisseurs consider drinking it with sushi a redundancy. It complements sashimi fine, but those hoping for a beverage best suited to accompany nigiri, maki, or other sushi dishes would do best to drink hot tea or beer instead. Try to avoid rice beers, of course.

10. Chopsticks are optional when it comes to sushi.

Sashimi should be eaten with chopsticks, but it is not considered rude to consume nigiri or maki sushi without any utensils whatsoever. There are several different accepted techniques to hold the pieces and keep them together with the fingers.

11. Dip pieces of nigiri sushi into soy sauce (shoyu) topping side first.

Rice soaks up shoyu quickly, overpowering the delicate vinegar flavoring. While it may be awkward at first, turn nigiri pieces upside-down so that the sauce covers the topping instead. This allows diners better control of their condiments and does not compromise taste.

12. Eat nigiri pieces upside-down.

Doing so brings out the complex, carefully balanced flavors in the sushi best. Eating nigiri rice-first may cause palates to predominately taste the light, starchy vinegar over the topping.

13. Eat nigiri pieces in one or two bites.

Most nigiri comes with a subtle smear of wasabi between the topping and the pillow of rice. One to two bites ensures that the diner consumes the piece as it was meant to be tasted – with all ingredients painstakingly playing off one another. Three or more bites may mean missing out on all the itamae’s carefully constructed crafting.

15. Pour shoyu sparingly.

Again, prudently utilizing condiments minimizes waste, but cultural implications are also at play here. Pouring too much soy sauce may be interpreted as an insult to the sushi chef’s abilities, implying that his skills at balancing flavor are sub-par and require masking with liberal amounts of shoyu.

23. Buy the itamae a sake or beer to show appreciation.

Doing so does not take the place of a tip, of course, but many enjoy establishing a rapport with the sushi chef and treating him or her to a sake or beer as a way of showing appreciation for an exquisite meal.

24. If drinking from a carafe, dining companions should refill each other.

This typically holds for alcoholic beverages, but it also a nice, polite gesture when consuming tea from a shared container as well. Individuals must serve others before serving themselves, and wait patiently for their dining companions to follow suit when in need of more drink. Alternately, if serving oneself, be sure to offer others a refill first.

26. Be sure to tip both the waitron and the itamae.

At sushi establishments, it is advisable to leave tips for the waiter or waitress as well as the chef. If there is not a tip jar available at the bar, simply add it to the bill and indicate the split.

30. Do not eat raw freshwater fish.

Far more parasites are present in freshwater fish than those residing in saltwater because the majority cannot handle the high salinity of the latter’s environment. In fact, certain breeds of tapeworms explicitly thrive in the muscles of some freshwater species. Because of this very high risk of infection, it is never safe to eat raw fish from freshwater habitats.

32. If offered a hot towel (oshibori), practice proper protocol.

Some sushi bars and restaurants proffer hot towels to patrons before or after a meal. Clean hands, perhaps lightly and subtly pat around the mouth, then fold the towel neatly before returning it to the waitron.

33. Chopsticks should be set down in the preferred manner when not in use.

There are generally a few different ways to put chopsticks down when going unused. Some may elect to set them on their small saucer for shoyu, though sometimes special chopstick rests are available as well. At some bars or restaurants, the waiter, waitress, or sushi chef will create lovely origami knots from the paper chopstick holders for use as a rest.

39. Feel free to slurp noodles.

Some diners may appreciate a side of soba or udon noodles to accompany their sushi meal. Slurping them is not considered taboo in Japanese etiquette protocol – in fact, it helpfully sucks in air to cool off the usually piping hot dishes. Soup, however, is generally enjoyed in a far quieter fashion.

40. Miso soup may be eaten without a spoon.

Occasionally, sushi bars and Japanese restaurants will serve their soups without a spoon. This may seem unfamiliar to American diners, but it is actually not a mistake on the part of the waitron. If handed a bowl of soup that lacks any sort of utensil, simply lift it up and drink it directly from the bowl. This is not considered an etiquette violation in Japan, nor will it in an explicitly Japanese environment.

47. Order pieces of nigiri in pairs.

The tradition of serving sushi two at once comes from a time when diners would have to cut their pieces in half to eat them without choking. Beyond that, ordering one piece of nigiri or ordering four of something have unfortunate etymologies attached to them in Japanese. It is generally recommended to order in pairs to avoid awkwardness.

50. The only steadfast rule is practice common courtesy and politeness.

In the end, though, just about the only thing that truly matters in the sushi experience is whether or not patrons treat themselves and everyone around them with respect and courtesy. Being awkward with chopsticks or using too much soy sauce or flubbing pronunciations are window dressing, really – it will not carry any truly inescapable or demonizing stigmas. Relaxing, being polite, being nice, and having a great time is truly the spirit of eating sushi and eating it well.

Who knew MRI technician school had a liberal arts component?

Is Centrum toxic?

2010-01-31T14:45:00.000-08:00

Is Centrum Toxic?
By Susan G. Wynn, DVM and Heather Vogl, DVM

I formulate a lot of homemade diets and a source of vitamins and minerals, usually as a multivitamin, is critical to prevent deficiencies. My default multi is Centrum for two reasons: 1. it has a nice balance of vitamins and minerals without too much of any and 2. it is obtainable all over the country in small towns and large ones.

Occasionally I get complaints because someone wants a 'healthier' multi and while it usually results in a much more complicated diet, I can do use those. I can't argue with this inclination as I, too, prefer a whole food-extracted multi rather than a synthetic, but there is no proof that one is better than the other. The synthetic vitamins and minerals are well absorbed and can fulfill the needs for these essential nutrients. The complaints I've gotten are apparently based on one website:

www.centrumistoxic.com

The author of the website (which was apparently written in 2006 and has not been updated since) uses a few techniques to scare readers. For every ingredient, the manufacture is described in detail, apparently to scare readers with unfamiliar chemical names. The author consistently claims that inorganic forms of minerals are toxic and inappropriately active in the body, but these claims are not referenced. The toxicity studies cited in general describe trials where very high doses were used, rather than normal dietary doses. The circumstances are often different as well, quoting epidemiologic studies reporting widespread environmental contamination.

It also is not a critical review, as references cited are selected to show the author's bias, and do not analyze the literature as a whole or even fairly describe study conclusions (look at calcium carbonate, below, for instance). Finally, the site is completely anonymous - even the "about us" page lends no clue as to who the author is and whether they work for other companies or have some similar conflict of interest, or even knowledge enough to interpret the data quoted.

Below are specific analyses of the author's claims.

Magnesium Oxide is claimed to be "biologically inactive, and is not found in this form in foods". Magnesium Oxide can cause a pronounced laxative effect in higher amounts...(how does it have a laxative effect if it is biologically inactive?). The Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) cited refers almost entirely to toxicity from inhaling particles of magnesium oxide. The toxic dose for an adult human is stated by the Hazardous Substances Dtabase as "0.5-5 G/KG, BETWEEN 1 OZ OR 1 PINT (OR 1 LB) FOR 70 KG PERSON (150 LB)". That's a minimum of 35,000mg. Centrum contains 50mg. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Potassium chloride is stated to have "one of the highest salt index ratings (116) among commercial fertilizers and can cause injury to plants which is known as "burning." (so does table salt and dog urine). The site says "Potassium toxicity involves the following symptoms: gastrointestinal distress, e.g. nausea, vomiting, abdmoninal discomfort and diarrhea." (prunes can have the same effect). People with kidney problems should be especially careful when ingesting potassium that is not from a food source.(actually, Noni juice has caused toxicity in this group of people as well). Come on people - potassium chloride is *salt substitute* which is sold as a condiment. People can eat 2000-3000 mg/day of this stuff. Centrum contains 80mg. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references.

Microcrystalline cellulose - this is what the website has to say “The safety of ingesting this synthetically produced chemical has not yet been unequivocally determined. We do not yet know if it is a carcinogen, ground water contaminant, has developmental or reproductive toxicity, or is an endocrine disruptor. Nonetheless, evidence exists that it is toxic in mammals.(intravenous application of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), in a dose of 5 mg/kg twice weekly for 10 weeks,1979)”. The study quoted is the only one apparently published, and the experimental design was based on administering microcrystalline cellulose intravenously at a high dose. The equivalent dose for a human of normal weight is 350 mg. There is no listed amount on Centrum, but it cannot contain more than about 30mg if you calculate the weights of the other components in each tablet. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Ascorbic Acid: The site says “although not known to be directly toxic, there is growing evidence that ascorbic acid causes a mild physical dependency, whereby removal of this chemical causes vitamin c levels in the blood to drop below baseline. Its use has also been correlated with increased incidence of kidney stones, and may be indicated in other problems caused by calcification of soft tissue.” (no references given). The development of oxalate stones may be increased with ANY form of vitamin C. I don’t even know how to evaluate the ‘mild physical dependency claim’ since no reference is given. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references.

Ferrous fumarate is inorganic iron. The website claims that it is “pro-oxidative, stimulating the damaging effects in the body of substances known as free radicals.(1) There is evidence linking high inorganic iron intake to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Excessive iron accumulates in the liver, and may feed bacterial and viral infection.”. The studies cited used 120 mg of ferrous fumarate in people with Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease. The Crohn’s paper actually states in the discussion that these patients probably absorb more iron due to their deficiency status and possibly the state of the gut itself. Centrum contains less than half the amount used in those studies. From the Wikipedia link on page: Humans experience iron toxicity above 20 milligrams of iron for every kilogram of mass (that would be 1400 mg daily), and 60 milligrams per kilogram is considered a lethal dose. Overconsumption of iron in children is usually due to eating large quantities of ferrous sulfate tablets intended for adult consumption, which is a preventable toxicity. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) lists the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults as 45 mg/day. For children under fourteen years old the UL is 40 mg/day. Centrum appears to contain exactly the amount of elemental iron required by menstruating women (L Hallberg and L Rossander-Hulten. Iron requirements in menstruating women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 54, 1047-1058). Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Calcium carbonate - the site claims “risk factors associated with inorganic calcium ingestion, i.e. calcification of soft tissue, osteoarthritis, constipation, kidney stones, hypertension and various other side effects of poorly utilized calcium. Lancet and the British Medical Journal, recently published the results of two extensive clinical trails [sic] which concluded that calcium plus Vitamin D does nothing to prevent bone loss”. Actually, these studies note that calcium/D3 DOES benefit bone mineral density and that other studies show that it does prevent fractures.... both new studies had significant compliance concerns, with only 60 percent of respondents taking their supplements more than 80 percent of the time by the two-year mark. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

dl-Tocopherol is biologically unprecedented and may have adverse side effects. New research demonstrates that taking only 1 member of the E family, which includes 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta tocopherols) and 4 tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, gamma tocotrienols), may cause a deficiency of the other members. It is believed that the ingestion of dl-alpha tocopheryl in isolation may cause a deficiency of the heart-protective form known as gamma tocopheryl, hence adversely effecting the functioning of the heart.” Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Ascorbyl Palmitate - The site’s evidence for toxicity includes a link to one in-vitro study (enhanced uv damage in keratinocytes) and a lab animal study on bladder stones and retarded growth. (For every in vitro study suggesting damage, there are multiples of that number suggesting a benefit from the antioxidant activity.). Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

BHT is claimed by the site to be “suspected to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. BHT has been banned for use in food in Japan (1958), Romania, Sweden and Australia. The US has barred it from being used in infant foods”. In a comprehensive review of toxicity studies done over the years, (Lanigan RS, Yamarik TA. Final report on the safety assessment of BHT(1). Int J Toxicol. 2002;21 Suppl 2:19-94), doses used on rats and mice ranged from 50mg/kg of BW to 1500mg/kg BW. Interestingly in some of those studies, the test animals lived longer than control animals. At any rate, the dose of BHT in centrum is a tiny fraction of 1 mg/kg BW. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest reprentation of toxicity studies.

Chromic chloride – from the site: “Although trivalent chromium like Chromic Chloride is far less poisonous than the hexavalent form, it is definitely a toxic substance, known to exhibit genotoxic, mutagenic, teratrogenic (reproductive hazard) and is on the Hazardous Substance list. ( no reference given). Centrum contains 120 mcg (.12 millgrams) of chromic chloride, which according to Federal Drinking Water standards is above the 100 mcg per Liter limit for safe consumption”. The reference here is not given, so I don’t know if it refers to 100mcg of chromic chloride or 100mcg of elemental chromium (I suspect the latter). Human beings are supposed to drink 2 liters per day, resulting in a top dose of 200 mcg daily of elemental chromium. Centrum contains 35 mcg of elemental chromium, right in line with recommendations for adequate daily intake. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Calcium stearate is stated as "may be toxic" with the following justification - "It is entirely synthetic, and does not occur in nature. No toxicological studies have been carried out on this substance to date." Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, completely made up ‘toxicity’ claim.

Crospovidone – “Very little research has been done on the toxicity of this biologically unprecedented synthetic, however, animal studies showed this substance was carcinogenic, caused inflammation, pneumonia, and other adverse effects”. I was unable to studies of oral toxicity on this compound – most reports were when surgical antiseptic solutions were used to lavage body cavities. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Cupric oxide is said to be “ generally considered a toxic substance in its unbound form. Virtually all copper in the body is present as a component of copper proteins. Unbound or inorganic copper produces oxidative stress in the body, catalyzing highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. Centrum contains 2mg of cupric oxide, supposedly 100% of the RDA. And yet, Federal EPA drinking water standards consider anything above 1.3 mg per Liter to be a health risk” The site does not define whether they think Centrum contains 2 mg of cupric oxide or elemental copper, but Centrum actually contains 0.5 mg of elemental copper. The human water requirement is about 2 liters per day, making the safe upper limit for an adult human 2.6 mg/day. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency

Cyanocobalamin – “ human studies have reported allergic reactions to skin testing, and mice given 1.5-3 mg/kg body weight experienced convulsions, followed by cardiac and respiratory failure”. It is important to keep some perspective here – FOOD causes allergic reactions in many, many people, and the lab animal study used a low dose of 1.5 - 3 mg/kg of cobalamin, - the usual human dose is 0.006 mg/kg). The site also says that because “some people lack the proper enzyme to actively detoxify and convert cyanocobalamin, or are overwhelmed by the ingestion of too much cyanide, it can accumulate in the body resulting in toxicity”. This occurs at very high doses and in people with congenital abnormalities – and certainly not at the dose provided in Centrum. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

FD&C Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) according to the site “has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction. It is associated with ADD and ADHD. (no reference given) This colourant is prohibited as a food additive in Finland and Norway. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, ‘The chemicals used to create colour are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that deranges DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer. Indeed, many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic’." Remember, natural food items cause allergies. References were not provided here, but it is true that the European Food Safety agency is concerned about reports of Sunset Yellow causing hyperactivity in people. The recommended top daily dose is 1 mg/kg of body weight. The dose in Centrum is something less than 0.1mg/kg of body weight.

Hydroxylpropryl Methylcellulose is “used as an excipient in drugs and supplements like Centrum.There are no long term toxicological studies available on this synthetic substance”. And yet this site labels it as “may be toxic”. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, completely made up ‘toxicity’ claim

Magnesium Borate is “may have adverse antibiotic action vis-a-vis intestinal flora”. Link given about ‘borates and their uses and toxicity’ is dead. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Magnesium Stearate is “used to make large scale production tableting of supplements and drugs possible, this chemical excipient is produced through reacting sodium stearate with magnesium sulfate, in a way similar to the production of other hydrogenated oils (a component of the diet of most people). potentially dangerous substance whose Hazardous Substance Databank Number is: 664”. The link to non-human toxicity studies does not function. According to the MSDS form: Chronic Health Effects: This product has no known chronic effects. Repeated or prolong exposure to this compound is not known to aggravate medical conditions. Acute Health Effects: This product is not listed by NTP, IARC or regulated as a Carcinogen by OSHA. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Manganese Sulfate/MnSO4H2O - According to this site: “Toxicological data indicates it is tumorigenic, mutagenic and teratogenic”. The conclusion of the study cited was actually: Under the conditions of these 2-year feed studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male or female F344/N rats receiving 1,500, 5,000, or 15,000 ppm. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male and female B6C3F1 mice, based on the marginally increased incidences of thyroid gland follicular cell adenoma and the significantly increased incidences of follicular cell hyperplasia. The doses given to the test animals ranged from 60-7400mg/kg of body weight. Centrum contains a total of 2.3 mg of manganese, or about 0.03 mg/kg BW. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Nicotinic Acid (Niacinamide) - According to this site: “large doses are known to cause liver problems as severe as liver failure.“ Nicotine has a half-life of about 60 minutes, and the liver is equipped to break down remaining amounts of nicotine. The toxic dose of niacinamide is 3000mg/day (M. Knip, I. F. Douek, W. P. T. Moore, H. A. Gillmor, A. E. M. McLean, P. J. Bingley, E. A. M. Gale and for the ENDIT Group. Safety of high-dose nicotinamide: a review. Diabetologia 2000; 43 (11): 1337–45.). The dose in Centrum is 20mg. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Nickelous Sulfate is described thusly: “classified within the National LIbrary of Medicine's "Hazardous Substances Data Base" (HSDB) as an animal and human carcinogen. It is classified by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as "immediately dangerous to Life and Health," and a potential occupational carcinogen.” One link cited does not work, and the other supplied link states: An increase in mortality was not observed in chronic studies in rats or dogs fed nickel sulfate in the diet at doses up to 188 mg/kg/day for rats and 62.5 mg/kg/day for dogs (Ambrose et al. 1976). Centrum contains 5 micrograms (0.005 mg) per tablet per their website. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Polysorbate 80: “Polysorbate 80 is produced using ethylene oxide (which is known to cause cancer in rats). “ The issue here is the polysorbate, not the ethylene oxide. Polysorbate is used in ice cream to maintain its consistency, and IV medications such as amiodarone to keep them in proper form for administration. According to a study in the periodical Reproductive Toxicity, In Europe and America people eat about 0.1 grams of polysorbate 80 in foods per day. The study cited is a test tube study, which has no relevance to a living system. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Potassium Iodide “Chronic overexposure can have adverse effects on the thyroid”. The very study cited concludes : The results of our studies suggest that excess KI has a thyroid tumor-promoting effect, but KI per se does not induce thyroid tumors in rats. In this study, the intake of potassium bromide was 55 mg/kg of body weight daily. The dose in Centrum is about 0.3 mg (providing 0.15 mg iodine), or 0.004 mg/kg of body weight. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Pyridoxidine Hydrochloride (B6). Site states: “Extremely large doses in range of 2 to 6 g/kg (2000-6000 mg/kg) produce convulsions & death in rats and mice. Lower doses (50mg injections) have interfered with the endocrine system of rats by suppressing pituitary secretions.” The lowest dose here is about 25-30 mg/ kg of body weight. The total dose in Centrum is 2 mg, or 0.03 mg/kg of body weight in a person. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Silicon Dioxide - Site states: “ Although this chemical is known to have extensive acute, subchronic and chronic toxicities in animal studies, silicon dioxide is considered an acceptable food additive by the FDA.” Silicon is a vital trace mineral found in many foods. The author states This is primarily because of a lack of understanding the difference between silica found in food, or mammalian tissues, and inorganic forms. The qualitative difference is profound, and though theelemental silica content may be the same in a chard of glass and a piece of celery, the biological difference is as profound as the difference between life and death.” There isn’t a single supporting bit of science for this claim. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Sodium Aluminum Silicate. Site claims “known to be a neurotoxin for over 100 years, and today it is known to be a major causative factor in diseases like Alzheimers.” No source is cited. Nobody knows what causes Alzheimer's. The Material Safety Data Sheet states that this chemical is only a mild skin irritant and if inhaled fresh air should be breathed.

Sodium ascorbate – the site states: “sodium ascorbate may affect genetic material (mutagenic) based on animal tests”. The link provided on the site clearly states: Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate were not genotoxic in several bacterial and mammalian test systems, consistent with the antioxidant properties of these chemicals. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Sodium Benzoate – the site states: “Sodium benzoate is a synthetic preservative which has been shown to have an antibiotic effect on the essential friendly gut flora. The link provided on the site states: Benzoic acid is produced by many plants as an intermediate in the formation of other compounds (Goodwin, 1976). High concentrations are found in certain berries (see section 6.1). Benzoic acid has also been detected in animals. Benzoic acid (chemically equivalent) therefore occurs naturally in many foods, including milk products (Sieber et al., 1989, 1990). Sodium benzoate IS toxic to cats, at doses of at least 50mg/kg. It is AAFCO-approved at 14mg/kg (0.1% of the diet). The dose in Centrum is less than 10mg total, or 2mg/kg for a cat (0.15mg/kg for people). Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Sodium Borate - the site states: “Definitely toxic” but does not supply a reference. MSDS information: Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 2.66 mg/kg [Rat.]. Acute Toxic Effects on Humans: Ingestion of 5-10 grams has produced severe vomiting, diarrhea, shock and death. Chronic Effects on Humans: Not available. That is a huge amount compared to the amount in Centrum (<2% of tablet per label). And I cannot find it in the ingredient listing in Centrum anyway. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

Sodium Citrate – the site states: May be toxic with no source cited. “an unhealthy liver may have difficulty with this substance potentially resulting in an accumulation of bicarbonate (the metabolic derivative of citrate) which can cause metabolic alkalosis.” The MSDS states that topical contact is only slightly hazardous and to wash hands. Ingestion of large doses may well cause metabolic alkalosis, but Centrum contains less than 10mg total which is far from a dangerous dose. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.

Sodium Metavanadate is stated to be “a form of vanadium with known toxicity when ingested or inhaled. It is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant.” In the study cited, the lowest dose given to geese and ducks was 10mg/kg of body weight. My calculations suggest (based on sodium metavanadate containing 42% elemental vanadium) is that Centrum contains 0.023 mg of sodium metavanadate, for heavens’ sake! Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.

You know, I’m tired of doing this. I’ve spent 1 ½ days debunking the claims made here, and the author of this website is so consistently wrong that I’m not going to finish with the rest of the list.

So would I take Centrum? Yes, if I felt I really needed a basic multi and nothing else was available. But is Centrum toxic? Resoundingly no. Just another example of why you need to learn what constitute good information, and to check out claims made by Internet sites, your chiropractor and if you are really skeptical, your doctor or veterinarian.

low protein diets and long term well being

2010-01-27T05:14:00.000-08:00

OK, this is making me crazy.

I'm getting questions from both veterinarians and pet owners based on bad information from the 'holistic' websites. Essentially, the rumor is that low protein diets used for kidney disease lead to muscle atrophy long term.

These diets (examples are Hill's K/D, Royal Canin LP, and Purina NF)contain protein levels that are more than adequate for maintenance and can even sustain growth. (Not that you would want to try that on your puppy or kitten). That's PLENTY of protein to maintain muscle mass when all else is normal, like calorie intake and exercise.

The reason chronic renal patients lose weight and muscle long term is that *they are not eating enough*. They are starving. When they don't get adequate food, they don't get adequate calories or protein. Starvation leads to fat and muscle loss.

If your kidney patient is losing muscle mass, the thing to do is find out why he or she isn't eating well enough, and correct that problem.

Really - the low protein diets are not the problem!

Not that some would believe a veterinarian trained in nutrition above a random self taught expert on the internet, but that's another issue. Rant over. Thanks for listening.

U.S. Opens Inquiry Into Monsanto - Wall Street Journal

2010-01-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Antitrust Enforcers Probe Business Practices Surrounding Biotech Soybean Seed
By SCOTT KILMAN And THOMAS CATAN

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a formal antitrust investigation into crop-biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. as it contends with the loss of patent protection on its blockbuster soybean in 2014.

Monsanto on Thursday received a formal demand from the Justice Department for information about the St. Louis company’s business practices surrounding its Roundup Ready soybean, the nation’s most popular genetically-modified crop.

Roughly 90% of all the soybeans grown in the U.S. contain a Monsanto gene that helps the plant survive dousing by Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. Introduced in 1996, the Roundup Ready soybean seed allows farmers to chemically remove weeds from their fields without damaging crops.

With that seed losing patent protection in four years, Monsanto is trying to get farmers to switch to a second generation of Roundup Ready seed that still will be protected.

Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona confirmed Thursday that antitrust regulators have begun a formal investigation of the seed industry. She refused to identify the investigation’s target or provide specific details.

In the wake of Monsanto’s disclosure, the company’s shares fell $1.16, or 1.4%, to $82.79 in 4 p.m. composite trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Controversy over Monsanto’s plans for Roundup Ready soybeans grew so heated across the Farm Belt last year that the company declared that it wouldn’t stand in the way of farmers using off-patent seeds.

“We’re confident that a thorough review will show that all of our business practices are fair, pro-competitive and in compliance with the law,” Monsanto spokesman Lee Quarles saidThursday.

Monsanto has been in regulators’ sights since the Justice Department said in August it would take a hard look at economic concentration in agriculture as part on an increased emphasis on antitrust enforcement.

Farmers and seed companies that license genes from Monsanto have long complained about the prices it can command. The price of a bag of soybean seed has roughly quadrupled since the biotech-era dawned in 1996.

The Justice Department’s inquiry appears to mirror complaints filed this month by Monsanto’s archrival, the Pioneer Hi-Bred seed unit of DuPont Co., for a nationwide series of hearings the Justice and Agriculture departments plan to hold on farmers’ competitive concerns. DuPont, which pays to use Monsanto’s first-generation Roundup Ready technology in the seed it sells to farmers, has complained that Monsanto is trying to force seed companies to prematurely switch to the second-generation technology. “The effect of this campaign would be to eliminate any prospect for the emergence of generic competition,” DuPont has said.

DuPont, of Wilmington, Del., several months ago received a demand for information from the Justice Department for information about the seed market. A DuPont spokesman said the company believes the investigation isn’t aimed at DuPont’s behavior.

Merrick Beef Filet Squares recalled due to Salmonella

2010-01-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

FDA NEWS RELEASE
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm197700.htm

For Immediate Release: January 14, 2010
Media Inquiries: Ira Allen 301-796-5349, ira.allen@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Health Alert for Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats Packaged and Distributed by Merrick Pet Care
Products may be contaminated with Salmonella

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use Merrick Beef Filet Squares for dogs distributed by Merrick Pet Care with a package date of “Best By 111911” because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The product was distributed nationwide through retail stores and Internet sales.

Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products not to handle or feed them to their pets.

In December 2009, the FDA conducted routine testing of Merrick Beef Filet Squares and detected a positive finding for Salmonella. A follow-up inspection found deficiencies in the packaging and manufacturing processes.

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. People handling dry pet treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their health care provider immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may experience only a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected product or is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The affected Merrick Beef Filet Squares were packaged in a 10-ounce green, red and tan re-sealable plastic bag. The “best by” date is imprinted on the top portion of the bag, which is torn off when the bag is opened. The FDA recommends that consumers who are unable to determine the “best by” date discontinue use of the product.

Consumers can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food and pet treat products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in their area. Please see http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm for additional information.

for Atlanta locals - nose work

2009-12-17T04:40:00.000-08:00

The American Bouvier Rescue League presents
K9 Nose Work Scenting Workshop
Canton, Georgia
February 27-28, 2010

“You’re hooked as soon as you see your dog’s face when he realizes that
he will be rewarded for using his nose.” –from “Your Dog Nose No Bounds,” Whole Dog Journal, August 2009

Join us for the southeast’s first “K9 Nose Work” seminar featuring nationally renowned K9 Nose Work co-founders and Certified Nose Work Instructors (CNWI) Ron Gaunt and Amy Herot. They’ll join us from California to teach us
more about this exciting new sport, suitable for energetic and timid dogs alike. Ron began training dogs for police work in 1970, and among his many accomplishments are multiple national certifications in detection, both Explosives
and Narcotics. Amy is a professional detection handler and trainer with certified teams in Narcotics and Explosives for the private sector and law enforcement and has earned first place finishes in national detection competitions.

Why Nose Work? Our dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt. This detection-style sport is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food, and
exercise. A great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy, and possibly even compete one day in a scent work trial. The sport was featured in the Whole Dog Journal, August 2009.

WHEN:
Saturday, February 27, 9 am – 1 pm OR 2 pm – 6 pm
“Introduction to Nose Work.” Choose from morning or afternoon session. 10 working (with dog), and 20 audit (no dog) slots are available per session. This introductory workshop will concentrate on the basic concepts and
foundation skills for dogs and handlers. $75 to work, $50 to audit. Dogs work one at a time.

Sunday, February 28, 9 am – 5 pm
“Introduction to Odor,” is for Saturday attendees to gain more advanced learning. Pre-requisite: Attendance at Saturday session. Sunday’s session advances the dog’s scent discrimination skills taught in the basic nose work
class and includes an overview of techniques and tactics for building better dog/handler teamwork. Good session to audit. 10 working (with dog), and 20 audit (no dog) slots available. $100 to work, $60 to audit. Includes lunch.
Dogs work one at a time.

WHERE:
The Canine Ranch, 165 Doug Smith Lane, Canton, GA 30114
This workshop is being sponsored by the American Bouvier Rescue League;
please do not contact the Canine Ranch with questions about the seminar. They will not be able to answer them!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Any breed of dog can participate, with any level of training. Dogs must tolerate the instructors coaching the team, many people watching in the audience, and dogs in the area, and should be comfortable and quiet being crated or
kenneled out of your sight. Dog-reactive and timid dogs are welcome, but please leave people-aggressive dogs at home.

QUESTIONS? NEED REGISTRATION FORM?
Contact Lisa Rodier, bouv329@gmail.com or (770) 521-8690. Or go to www.abrl.org and click on Nose Work link.

To learn more about our highly credentialed workshop leaders, Ron Gaunt and Amy Herot, K9 Nose Work Co- Founders/Instructors, go to www.k9nosework.com and www.nacsw.net.

The American Bouvier Rescue League (ABRL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of Bouvier des Flandres dogs. Visit us at www.abrl.org. Any event proceeds will be donated to the ABRL.

Registration Form
K9 Nose Work Scenting Workshop
Canton, Georgia
February 27-28, 2010
Sponsored by the American Bouvier Rescue League
On Saturday, we will hold the same workshop twice; please indicate your preference of the morning or afternoon session. To work a dog on Sunday, you must also have worked the same dog on Saturday. Working slots are limited to 10 dogs per session to allow ample time for each dog to work. 20 auditing slots per session are available.
Registration is first come, first served.

NOTE: Working dogs will be crated behind a visual barrier when not working. Your dog must be able to remain quietly in his crate out of your sight. A limited number of indoor/outdoor kennel runs will be available for day use at a rate of $10 with advance reservation through the Canine Ranch. For kennel reservations ONLY, contact Chris at chris@thecanineranch.com or call (678) 493-8040 and reference “Nose Work.”

I. SATURDAY: Introduction to Nose Work (indicate 1st and 2nd choices of session time and choose working or audit)
Morning: 9 am – 1 pm Working (with dog) @ $75 Audit (no dog) @ $50
OR
Afternoon: 2 pm – 6 pm Working (with dog) @ $75 Audit (no dog) @ $50

II. SUNDAY: Introduction to Odor (pre-requisite: Intro to Nose Work)
9 am – 5 pm Working (with dog): @ $100 Audit (no dog): @ $60
Lunch will be included on Sunday. Check here if prefer Vegetarian option:

TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED: $ (make checks payable to ABRL)
Name
Address
City St Zip
Email Home or cell phone
Breed/name of dog (if working):
Send check, made payable to “ABRL” to:
Lisa Rodier
615 Gantt Road
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Questions? Email Lisa at bouv329@gmail.com or call (770) 521-8690.
Registration closes February 13, 2010. No refunds two weeks prior to event.
UPON RECEIPT OF REGISTRATION, YOU WILL RECEIVE EMAIL CONFIRMATION ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION SUCH AS DIRECTIONS, WHAT TO BRING, DOG FRIENDLY HOTELS AND OTHER DETAILS.

Pig ears and beef hooves recalled

2009-12-11T03:12:00.000-08:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm193736.htm

Pet Carousel Conducts Nationwide Recall of Beef Hoof Products and Pig Ears Because of Salmonella Risk

Company Contact:
Pet Carousel, Inc
800-231-3572

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 9, 2009 – Sanger, CA-- Pet Carousel has initiated a recall of all Pig Ears and all varieties of Beef Hoof pet treats because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The problem was discovered after FDA testing found positive results for Salmonella in pig ears and beef hoof products.

These products were recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. People handling dry pet food and/or pet treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their health care provider immediately.
Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may only experience a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products or is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The following products have been recalled: The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight, Pork Tasteez and Pet Carousel
Item No.:

* 18100-P Bulk
* 18016-P 10-pk red mesh bag
* 18120-P 20-pk red mesh bag.

The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel
Item No.:

* 1506-K 5 lb. bulk
* 1507-K 10 lb. bulk
* 1520-K 20 lb. bulk
* 12125-T 10-pk vinyl bag
* 12110-T 10-pk, vinyl bag
* 12111-T 10-pk, vinyl bag
* 12122-T 10 lb., bulk
* 1503-K 3-pk, vinyl bag
* 1510-K 10-pk ,vinyl bag
* 1405-S 5 lb., bulk
* 1408-S 10-pk, vinyl bag
* 1410-S 10 lb., bulk
* 1420-S 20 lb., bulk
* 90058-H Cheese/& Bacon Stuffed Hoof, bulk
* 90056-H Peanut Butter Stuffed Hoof, bulk
* 17005-R Rope toy with Hooves.

The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores throughout the country. All sizes and all lots of these pork ears purchased on or after 08/16/2009 and all beef hoof products in all varieties purchased on or after 09/16/2009 made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

Pet Carousel has completed notifying its consignees and requested the consignees return affected products and remove them from retail sales. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for public safety, Pet Carousel is issuing this press release to inform consumers of potential risks and to ensure that all affected product has either been returned or otherwise removed from use.
Consumers who have purchased the products described above should cease use and return the product to their place of purchase. Additionally, consumers with questions may contact Pet Carousel at 800-231-3572 from 8:00am to 4:00pm PST.

###

why kidney patients won't eat

2009-12-04T14:23:00.001-08:00

I'm asked frequently to formulate homemade diets for dogs and cats with chronic kidney disease. The main reason is that they won't eat their prescription diets. While I'm all for trying a homemade food and some pets (usually dogs) accept them better, these patients are trying to tell us something. Switching foods is ultimately a failing solution to the anorexia thing, unless we address the reasons they won't eat.

Here are the top reasons these patients don't eat:
1. Dehydration, dehydration, dehydration - this is most common and occurs because the kidney cannot conserve body water. Dehydration is uncomfortable!
2. Gastrointestinal ulcers (this is due to elevated gastrin levels, a hormone that increases acid secretion). This will result in nausea, vomiting and pain.
3. Uremia (elevated levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, etc).
4. Anemia (due to the kidney's inability to produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to make blood precursors)
5. Hypertension which, in people, can cause headaches and dizziness, among other problems.
6. Infection, especially urinary tract infections to which these animals are more susceptible than normal animals
7. Acidemia - high levels of organic acid that accumulate from the metabolism (and inadequate elimination) of protein.
8. Side effects of drugs (and don't forget herbs and nutraceuticals here either)
9. Other conditions present at the same time - especially pancreatitis
10. Food aversions - usually from offering more and more foods when the pet is feeling nauseous.

So that's a lot to stack against a new diet! I have taken to giving my clients this list as a 'checklist' when the appetite goes south. To address the checklist, we usually need to get blood and urine for a biochemical profile, cbc, urinalysis, and urine culture at least. Checking blood pressures on a regular basis is a good idea too. I'm also a proponent of calcitriol, an 'activated' form of Vitamin D that is deficient in kidney patients. I'm told that it does help some animals have a better appetite - we use this if the calcium and phosphorus levels are normal, and preferably after checking parathyroid hormone levels.

I make sure everyone knows how to check for dehydration, and teach them how to give fluids to correct it. Since we are not using endoscopy to look for ulcers during office visits, we may start long term pepcid at any of these visits just in case they are a factor.

My best pet owners bring me a current written list of all their drugs and supplements at every visit too - this is so that I don't rely on my medical records and possibly misunderstand changes that have gone on at home - people sometimes add things or change doses on their own, or run out of drugs and forget to refill them. That list is a big help to all of us so we can check the most recent regimen and analyze the doses for the potential for side effects.

Check list complete? NOW we can try a new diet!

Update on Diamond cat food recall - thiamine deficiency

2009-12-02T03:23:00.000-08:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm192404.htm

Diamond Pet Foods Announces Recall of Premium Edge Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food

Company Contact:
800-977-8797

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 27, 2009 - On September 23, Diamond Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat because they have the potential to produce Thiamine Deficiency. Today’s announcement provides additional information from the company’s posted announcement of September 23 when the initial recall information was provided.

Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. At the first stage the cat may show decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, and weight loss. Later, neurologic signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures. These ultimately may result in the death of the animal if left untreated. If your cat has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The affected products were distributed in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida.

The affected date codes were RAF0501A22X 18lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0501A2X 6 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0802B12X 18lb (BB30FEB11), RAH0501A22X 18 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAH0501A2X 6lb. (BB28NOV10, BB30NOV10, BB08DEC10)

To date, 21 cases of thiamine deficiency in cats have been reported and confirmed by Diamond. The reports have been confined to the New York and Pennsylvania areas and none have been received since October 19.

Diamond has tested the product and found the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Samples taken by the FDA indicated that there were additional lots with insufficient levels of thiamine. No other complaints have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.

Consumers who have purchased the affected lots are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-977-8797, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time.

larger hoof and pig ear recall

2009-11-06T06:56:00.001-08:00

FDA NEWS RELEASE
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm189400.htm

For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2009

Media Inquiries: Rita Chappelle, 301-796-4672, rita.chappelle@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA Health Alert for Certain Pet Treats Made by Pet Carousel
Products may be contaminated with Salmonella

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

During September 2009, the FDA conducted routine testing of pig ears made by Pet Carousel. The test results detected a positive reading for Salmonella. This prompted an FDA inspection of Pet Carousel’s manufacturing facilities. During the inspection, the agency collected additional pet treat samples. Further analysis found Salmonella present in beef hooves, pig ears and in the manufacturing environment.

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. People handling dry pet food and/or pet treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their health care provider immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may only experience a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products or is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The FDA will continue to investigate this matter to determine the source of the Salmonella contamination and offer updates as appropriate.

Consumers can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food and pet treat products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in their area. You can locate the nearest consumer complaint coordinator at:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm

FDA notice: Beef hooves recalled by PetSmart

2009-11-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

PetSmart Voluntarily Recalls Dentley's Beef Hooves
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm189296.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Phoenix, AZ, Nov 4, 2009 - PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) is voluntarily recalling two Dentley's Beef Hoof products for potential salmonella contamination. The products were manufactured by Pet Carousel, Inc. in Sanger, Calif.

The recalled products include only the following types of Dentley's Beef Hooves purchased between Oct. 2, 2009 and Nov. 3, 2009:

Dentley's Bulk Cattle Hoof UPC# 73725703323
Dentley's 10 Pack Beef Hooves UPC# 73725736055

No other products are included in this recall.

The affected products were shipped from the Pet Carousel plant to three PetSmart distribution centers in Ottawa, Ill.; Groveport, Ohio and Newnan, Ga.; and then shipped directly to certain PetSmart stores. Although the affected product was not shipped to every store, as a precautionary measure PetSmart immediately recalled the product from all of its US stores and instituted a register block to prevent any product from being inadvertently scanned and sold. In addition, PetSmart removed the product from the PetSmart.com Web site and notified PetPerks customers with valid e-mail addresses in the PetSmart database who purchased the affected products.

Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called salmonella. Most persons infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some individuals, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Many dogs do not show clinical signs of salmonella. However, when they do, they often have diarrhea or other signs of systemic infections.

Customers who purchased the recalled products should discontinue use immediately and return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers who have concerns about their health or their pet's health should consult a medical professional. For additional information about the recall, customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com, www.petsmart.com ; www.fda.govor contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company operates more than 1,145 pet stores in the United States and Canada, 156 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel(R) cat and dog boarding facilities, and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers complete pet training, pet grooming, pet boarding, Doggie Day Camp(SM) pet day care services and pet adoption services. Since 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization, has funded more than $87 million in grants and programs benefiting animal welfare organizations and, through its in-store pet adoption programs, has helped save the lives of more than 3.7 million pets.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.petsmartfacts.com
customercare@petsmart.com
1-888-839-9638

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Jessica White
PetSmart Media Line (623) 587-2177
mediarelations@ssg.petsmart.com

SOURCE: PetSmart, Inc.
http://www.petsmartfacts.com
mailto:customercare@petsmart.com
mailto:mediarelations@ssg.petsmart.com

More Wysong recalls

2009-10-28T03:21:00.001-07:00

http://www.wysong.net/moreinfo.php

MOLD IN PAST EXTRUDED DOG FOODS

-Notice, Explanation, and Response-

Mold has been found in some bags of Wysong dry extruded dog foods manufactured in June, July and August of 2009. No problems have been found or reported in any other Wysong food product.

No products from the following batches should be sold or fed. The affected products are:

Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090720
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090817
Wysong Senior™: lot #: 090623
Wysong Senior™: lot #: 090811
Wysong Synorgon™: lot #: 090629
Please contact the point of purchase for an exchange or refund.

Mold spores are in all natural foods. When there is heat, oxygen, and sufficient moisture the spores can bloom into mold. Everyone has experienced this with foods at home.

From what can be determined, the problem with the Wysong foods stems from unusually high heat and humidity on those summer dates. This combined with a malfunctioning moisture checking device is believed to be the cause of the higher moisture and this isolated problem.

All Wysong foods have been tested for mycotoxins and are negative. That is the primary danger in consuming moldy foods. If your pet has consumed the product, the most that could be expected would be loose stool, and this should clear upon changing from these lot numbers.

As noted in the article below, mold is a ubiquitous problem in all packaged foods. Wysong takes many measures to address this:

1. Incoming ingredients are tested for moisture and mycotoxins.
2. Finished products are also tested.
3. Ingredients are used to inhibit mold growth.
4. The NutriPak oxygen and light barrier packaging inhibits aerobic mold growth.
5. Products are nitrogen flushed to remove oxygen.
6. Products are fresh batched.
7. Ingredients are used to help adsorb toxins should they be present.
8. People are advised to refrigerate or freeze unused product, i.e. treat it like any fresh natural food is treated.
9. Most importantly, Dr. Wysong has advised for the past 30 years against feeding any singular food meal after meal. Diets should be rotated and fresh foods incorporated into meal planning in order to decrease the risk of chronic exposure to toxins that may be present in any one food. This information is on all Wysong packaged pet foods.

If you have any further questions please email us at wysong@wysong.net

Wysong food recall

2009-10-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

This is all over the web - that is, everywhere except Wysong's home page....

http://www.wysong.net/recall.php

The following batches of Wysong Canine Diets Maintenance™ and Senior™ have shown above acceptable moisture levels and may contain mold.

Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090720
Wysong Senior™: lot #: 090623

We ask that if you have received any of these Wysong products to please not feed them, and contact Wysong for product replacement.

Email: Wysong@Wysong.net
Subject: Product Replacement

Alternatively, please return or exchange at the store from which you purchased the product. Credit will be issued via our Distributors to the Retailer.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Premium Edge pet food recalled

2009-10-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

I got an email from a veterinarian today, giving notice that Premium Edge cat food is causing thiamine deficiency in cats. Premium Edge is made by Diamond Pet Foods, so naturally I went over to the web page looking for information. None could be found. Yet Christie Keith, over at the petconnection blog, did find some information. She quotes this:

"Diamond Pet Foods has withdrawn from distribution the following date codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat: RAF0501A22X 18lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6lb. The calls from pet owners or veterinarians regarding this issue have been centered in the Rochester, NY area. All retail outlets shipped the above lots were contacted, asking them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, if you or anyone you know has these date codes of Premium Edge cat food, please return them to your retailer.

Symptoms displayed by an affected cat will be neurological in nature. Any cats fed these date codes that display these symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinarian.

Product testing proved no contaminants were discovered in the cat food; however the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Diamond tracked the vitamin premix lot number that was utilized in these particular cat foods and have performed testing on another lot of Premium Edge cat food that used the same vitamin premix, and it was not deficient in thiamine. No other neurological signs have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods."

That's great that they have recalled the food. Sure would be nice to see the information on their webpage. I guess the word will get out in the usual guerilla fashion before the company responsibly broadcasts word of a potential problem to cat lovers?

10-3-09:
The link for the announcement is here: http://www.premiumedgepetfood.com/promotions/66/

Just tried to find any announcement on the FRONT page of the company's website - still nothing. Interesting.

AVMA and the use of antibiotics in food animals

2009-08-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

My professional association, the AVMA, has come out opposing the passage of H.R. 1549 and S. 619, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). The bills aim to ban the use of certain antibiotics in large food animal production and finishing facilities, known as CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations). Within two years of enactment, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA) would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the previous approvals for animal feed uses of seven classes of antibiotics that are important to human medicine. Any found to be associated with human antibiotic resistant bacteria will have their approvals rescinded.

The FDA, AMA, Union of Concerned Scientists and many other consumer, scientific and agricultural associations support passage of this bill. The agricultural industry and AVMA do not. The Pew Charitable Trust to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was commissioned to investigate problems with industrial farm animal production, resulting in the Final Report of the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production: I was saddened to read this quote:

“There have been some serious obstacles to the Commission completing its review…while some agriculture representatives were recommending potential authors for technical reports to the Commission staff, other industrial agriculture representatives were discouraging those same authors from assisting us by threatening to withhold research funding for their college or university. We found significant influence by the industry at every turn: in academic research, agriculture policy development, government regulation and enforcement”.

I’ve become uncomfortable with the AVMA’s close relationship with ‘big agriculture’ and their stance on this bill, primarily because the AVMA is supposed to represent me and my colleagues. I’ve read the entire Pew Commission report (http://www.ncifap.org/_images/PCIFAPFin.pdf) as well as the AVMA’s response to it (http://www.avma.org/advocacy/PEWresponse/PEW_report_response.pdf), and I remain unconvinced that AVMA is really advocating for its 67,000+ members (constituting about 86% of veterinarians in the U.S.).

What I’ve gleaned from the response is this:
1. AVMA disagrees with the Pew’s contention that prophylactic use of antibiotics in food animal production can be classified as “nontherapeutic”. AVMA says that antibiotics recommended for feed efficiency or growth promotion prevent or treat subclinical disease. My take: antibiotics NEVER *prevent* disease – they don’t work when bacteria are not present. So they are preventing undiagnosed, uncharacterized bacterial diseases before they become clinical. I was taught in vet school that antibiotics should be used intelligently, with knowledge of what kind of bug is likely present in a documented infection. Maybe that’s good, maybe it’s not, but the point being raised is that widespread indiscriminate use is EXACTLY what causes antibiotic resistance.

2. AVMA believes that everyone is all up in arms about nothing until risk assessments have been done. In fact, there are 4 strong studies mentioned in the Pew report that suggest CAFOs contribute to environmental pollution, and the AVMA refutation quotes from one of them (p. 26) that the present study is only preliminary and deserves further study. Um, this is a common dissimulation pretty much required of any author publishing a strong but small or early study in an area. That doesn’t lessen the strength of the association in this case.

3. Weirdly, the Pew report says that after the antibiotic ban in Sweden and Denmark, animal reservoirs for antibiotic resistant pathogens were reduced and that there was no diminishment in animal health (citing a 2002 WHO report -Impacts of antimicrobial growth promoter termination in Denmark. In: International Invitational Symposium: Beyond Antimicrobial Growth Promotersm in Food Animal Production. Panel wir (ed). Who Department of Communicable Diseases, Prevention and Eradication: Foulum, Denmark.). AVMA directly disputes this, and yet neither report give references to peer-reviewed publications. AVMA cites a report from Denmark in 2007 (http://www.danmap.org/pdfFiles/Danmap_2007.pdf) That summary report says things like this:

“The veterinary antimicrobial consumption in animals increased by 5.2% from 115.2 tonnes in 2006 to 121.1 tonnes in 2007.”

“These results support that the use of antimicrobial agents might select for multiple resistant clones and that this might be the driver of changes in antimicrobial resistance within a serovar.”

“Increased use of cephalosporins in the animal production and for humans has undoubtedly led to the present situation with increasing prevalence of ESBL producing bacteria.”

” Like in previous years, resistance to ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and tetracycline was significantly higher in C. jejuni from imported broiler meat compared to Danish broiler meat.”

I did not see the following referenced inn the AVMA report, which actually DOES support its position: http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/52/2/159.pdf

My take: it’s too early to tell if animal health has really declined from the antibiotic ban by what is now almost the entire EU (if Pew is correct), but by 2007, we are still documenting the danger of using antibiotics prophylactically in food animals.

4. AVMA notes that one cannot make assumptions about the level of animal health based on the size of the farm, and imputes that Pew seems to have a bias against big farms. AVMA pointedly avoids referring to intensive and factory farms, which is what MOST if not all of these large farms do. They even defend big farms by saying that more veterinarians are employed by big farms than small ones, saying that veterinary oversight is a critical preventive strategy. I agree, but I’m not sure that’s why big farms employ more veterinarians – maybe it’s because big farms express more production-based illness. While I would like to support large animal veterinarians, I do think we need to take a looking glass to this defense by AVMA.

5. Pew makes quite a few recommendations for increased monitoring and regulation by government agencies. AVMA counters most of the recommendations with the claim that the infrastructure is already there. Yeah, but…is it working?

6. Pew claims that CAFOs have serious detrimental effects on the environment, particularly because of animal waste. They show how large and small farms use recycled manure effectively as fertilizer. Strangely, AVMA attacks Pew’s contention that CAFOs have detrimental effects, then go on to show how large farms use recycled manure as fertilizer. Whatever, but I wonder, don’t we get E.coli and salmonella infected produce because…the big CAFOs are leaching or selling manure contaminated with antibiotic resistant bacteria? Hm?

7. AVMA makes a very reasoned response to the Pew’s contention that animal welfare is suboptimal in CAFOs, but it doesn’t directly address some of the examples given by Pew. I’ll go back to my old favorite- ramming a metal tube down a duck’s throat for weeks in order to make fois gras isn’t *proven* to be painful (maybe because no one has bothered to study it), but let’s have a little common sense, shall we? We know that if we wear a parachute when falling out of an airplane, we are likely to have fewer injuries and that if we stop catastrophic bleeding, we’ll probably feel better and have a chance of living longer. Do we really need studies to tell us that this is unpleasant for the duck? Or that dehorning and castrating cattle without anesthesia is painful? Or that amputating tails on dairy cattle and sheep without anesthesia is painful?

AVMA may be correct that we can’t guess at the unintended consequences of banning prophylactic antimicrobial use in food animals – I’ve no doubt about that. But I’m a little confused by a minor hypocrisy I’ve seen lately. Recently I brought up the possibility of rabies vaccine exemptions for sick pets, and was thumped down at my local VMA because the people accustomed to working with public health and political officials said ‘if we were blamed for even ONE human death from rabies, the consequences would be unimaginable’. I ask now – have we been responsible for even ONE human death by giving intensively raised, stressed out food animals antibiotics that contributed to bacterial resistance? I fear that our use of antibiotics to support an intensive production system is unfair to animals, and in addition enables Americans to eat more animal protein that makes them fatter and unhealthier with each passing year.

I appreciate AVMA’s need to rely on science-based policy making, but where science is absent, we cannot fail to act. And anyway, science does not exist in a vacuum, and is accountable, at least where the public health and public funding is concerned, to the public.

However you feel about this, you should read the bill and both reports, then contact your legislator. And if you're a veterinarian, contact your AVMA delegate.

Genetic relationships: African wild dogs and purebreds of supposed African descent

2009-08-07T06:05:00.001-07:00

Press Release 09-147
Of Mutts and Men

Genetic study of African village dogs challenges the ancestral origins of several dog breeds

August 3, 2009

..."They found that most African village dogs are genetically distinct from non-native breed dogs, but share some markers with mixed breed dogs from North America. These results indicate that African village dogs descend from indigenous ancestors related to Basenjis, while Pharaoh hounds and Rhodesian ridgebacks, previously believed to be African in origin, are more closely related to mixed-breed American dogs."

Entire article here: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=115370

Genetic relationships: African wild dogs and supposedly

2009-08-07T06:04:00.001-07:00

Press Release 09-147
Of Mutts and Men

Genetic study of African village dogs challenges the ancestral origins of several dog breeds

Watch the audio slideshow.
Credit and Larger Version

August 3, 2009

View an audio slideshow of researchers studying village dogs.

Domesticated animals provide man with benefits such as food, clothing and muscle power. Dogs, which descend from gray wolves that originated in Eurasia, were the first animals domesticated by man. Since that time, man has imposed a strong artificial selection pressure for desirable traits, resulting in the various dog breeds we have today.

A recent study published in the August 3 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides insight into the origin of some popular breed dogs and how domestication has affected the overall level of diversity in dogs. Adam Boyko in the Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology at Cornell University is the lead author of the study.

Boyko is optimistic that this NSF-supported study will help refine the statistical models scientists currently used to understand evolution and genetic diversity. He stated, "How the domestication process affects genetic diversity is poorly understood. We were interested in studying village dogs because we expected them to be the modern day dogs most similar to dogs that existed before man began to create breeds. Our study is unique because we are able to surmise whether specific village dog populations are more genetically similar to breed dogs or indigenous ancestral dogs."

Mobility is another factor that affects genetic diversity of dogs. Because ancient dog populations have a location-specific genetic "signature," researchers can learn about migration patterns and population history by comparing the markers found in breed dogs to those observed in the semi-feral village dog populations of geographically isolated areas.

Boyko and his team, which includes his brother, sister-in-law, and a number of African research partners, sampled 318 village dogs from seven distinct regions of Africa. They compared the genetic signature of village dogs to Pharaoh hounds, Rhodesian ridgebacks and other breed dogs thought to be native to Africa, in addition to Puerto Rican street dogs and mixed breed dogs from the U.S.

They found that most African village dogs are genetically distinct from non-native breed dogs, but share some markers with mixed breed dogs from North America. These results indicate that African village dogs descend from indigenous ancestors related to Basenjis, while Pharaoh hounds and Rhodesian ridgebacks, previously believed to be African in origin, are more closely related to mixed-breed American dogs.

"For the most part, African dogs are distinct from other dogs we have studied, and these village dog populations display more diversity than purebred dogs across the markers we tested," explains Boyko. "We found exceptions in Namibia and Giza, which may be due to European colonization or proximity to Eurasia, the ancestral home of modern breed dogs."

The unique relationship between humans and dogs provides the opportunity to infer details about the ancient people that also inhabited the places in which these dogs lived. Using genetics to trace the movements of dog populations across continents will likely yield insights into the migrations of man during these periods. Therefore, the genetic history of man's best friend may also speak to the history and habits of man.

-NSF-

Popularity of CAM in the U.S.

2009-08-02T04:40:00.000-07:00

Despite skeptical outcry, Americans continue to utilize complementary and alternative practices, although the level of use may be plateauing....

"Approximately 38 percent of adults use some form of CAM for health and wellness or to treat a variety of diseases and conditions, according to data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)....CAM accounts for approximately 1.5 percent of total health care expenditures ($2.2 trillion2) and 11.2 percent of total out-of-pocket expenditures (conventional out-of-pocket: $286.6 billion2 and CAM out-of-pocket: $33.9 billion1) on health care in the United States. "

Full story here:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159430.php

liver shunts and proper diets

2009-07-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Congenital liver shunts are quite common in some breeds of dog - in the U.S., this is notably the yorkie. The proper terminology is "Portosystemic shunt" (PSS), and it denotes a situation where blood flow from the GI tract bypasses processing by the liver. This critical mistake means that protein particles absorbed from the GI tract are left untended by the gentle ministrations of the liver. The liver specializes in converting ammonia, a by-product of protein breakdown, into urea, which is less toxic and easily eliminated by the kidneys.

When ammonia accumulates in the blood, changes in neurotransmitters lead to brain dysfunction and the clinical manifestation ranges from simple lethargy to outright seizures. This condition is called hepatic encephalopathy or HE. For dogs with PSS, this is the limiting factor on quality of life and life expectancy, although the disease can be managed more or less with surgery or diet change (and often both).

It helps to restrict the protein in the diet, because that will lower overall ammonia levels. Some evidence also suggests that the *type* of protein influences the types of neurotransmitters orchestrating brain function. If aromatic amino acids predominate (more common in meat protein), the neurotransmitter balance will be tipped towards brain dysfunction.

This study compared the clinical results of feeding a low protein diet composed primarily of soy protein vs a low protein diet containing primarily poultry protein.
Dogs with PSS were fed first one of these diets, then the other, in blinded fashion so that neither the investigators nor the owners were aware of the diet being fed.

The study showed that both diets reduced signs of encephalopathy, which might be expected when reducing overall protein content. Interestingly, when dogs were eating the soy-based diet, ammonia levels were significantly reduced. In addition, these dogs had better blood coagulation capacity. [When the liver fails, the clotting factors normally produced are decreased, leading to possible bleeding episodes). This improved clotting capacity, along with an increase in another protein made by the liver, suggests that the soy-based diet actually enhances the liver's capacity to function.

The results of this study may be particularly important to owners considering shunt surgery for their dogs. Elevated ammonia levels (with the associated changes in brain neurotransmitter levels) mean that anesthesia is a bigger risk in these dogs than in normal dogs of the same age. And if clotting is immpaired, surgery could lead to uncontrolled bleeding.

So the study is *really* interesting because it suggests that feeding a low protein soy based diet BEFORE surgery could reduce the risk surgery presents. Nice.

Proot S, Biourge V, Teske E, Rothuizen J. Soy protein isolate vs meat-based low protein diet for dogs congenital portosystemic shunts. J Vet Intern Med 2009;23:794

More web claptrap from pet nutrition expert

2009-07-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

From: http://www.examiner.com/x-12702-Pittsburgh-Animal-Health-Examiner~y2009m6d24-7-reasons-dogs-and-cats-should-not-get-table-scraps-or-eat-people-food

7 reasons dogs and cats should not get table scraps or eat people food
1. Giving pets table scraps supplements their diets with unnecessary calories. Animals depend on the nutrients found in food specially formulated for them. If they eat people food, they will eat less of their own food and miss out on adequate nutrition.

COMMENTS FROM DR. WYNN: There are really two different issues. Yes, most dogs and cats eat formulated foods, designed to provide complete nutrition. If you provide a lot of some other, non balanced food, it could cause very real deficiencies. But this one irks me – “Giving pets table scraps supplements their diets with unnecessary calories”. Well, yeah, if you assume people are giving junk food, pure meat and cheese, etc. But let’s try to parse this out for the majority of people who are capable of understanding the difference between veggies/fruits and everything else. How about a better sweeping statement, that goes like this: “Giving pets table scraps supplements their diets with unnecessary calories, unless the scraps consist primarily of fresh veggies and fruits”.

2. Animals who eat their normal amount of pet food in addition to the extra calories in table scraps can easily gain weight. Obesity puts animals at risk for health problems.

COMMENTS: see #1

3. Receiving table scraps or people food encourages unhealthy food behaviors. It can cause food aggression in both cats and dogs, and it encourages begging at the table.

COMMENTS: Ok, help people understand how to give fresh foods in the bowl at mealtime, or as a reward for a requested behavior.

4. Some food is toxic to cats. Cats are carnivorous and cannot digest many vegetables or starch. Franny Syufy from About.com reminds pet owners that “...may have forgotten that the gravy slathered over your Thanksgiving turkey used broth that was flavored with onion, among other things. While it is tasty and harmless to humans, onions are very toxic to cats.” In her article titled “Human Foods for Cats?” Syufy lists onions, garlic, green tomatoes, raw potatoes, root vegetables, chocolate, grapes and raisins, and milk as food especially toxic to cats. (If the cats insist on drinking milk, they should drink lactose free milk such as CatSip, which can be purchased at most pet stores.)

COMMENTS: milk toxic to cats? Are you kidding me? OK, some cats might not tolerate it, like humans with lactose intolerance, but toxic? And what on earth is she talking about with root vegetables being toxic? Ok, onions are toxic, but sweet potatos? Burdock? Perhaps we need better sources for our information than About.com?

5. Some foods are toxic to dogs, such as chocolate in large quantities, and dairy products. Onions can also be poisonous to dogs so pet owners should be aware of the ingredients in anything they feed to animals (even onion powder can have adverse effects on pets.) Fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis, and excessive levels of sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes.

OK, I’ll support this except that I still don’t think that lactose intolerance is in the same class with toxicity.

6. Animals cannot digest all food. Corn and sugar are especially tough on animals' digestive systems. Potatoes, lunch meat, and condiments often have high sugar contents.

COMMENT: I’m not sure what this means – corn and sugar are tough on digestive systems? Sugar is highly digestible, but lots of it will lead to metabolic problems. Corn – it’s not digestible if given as whole kernels because none of us break down that cellulose kernel coat very well. But it’s digestible if processed either by human teeth (dogs don’t spend a lot of time chewing), a food processor, or in dog food factories. Do we want a corn-BASED diet? No, but let’s try more precision when we talk about the effect corn has on digestive systems.

7. Any meat product containing bones can break and puncture the throat, stomach, or intestines, or cause constipation by actually blocking the digestive path. Even if bones do not cause an injury, they are sure to cause discomfort. Crushed bones or very frail bones typically do not cause problems. (If the dog insists on getting the bone from the roast, monitor the dog and remove the bone once it breaks or becomes small enough to be a choking hazard.)

COMMENT: I’ll go with this. By the way, I’ve never found authoritative support for the raw feeding claim that cooked bones are more brittle than raw ones. I can see how it might be true but I’ve never seen a good explanation. Has anyone else?
Likewise, dogs receive too much protein from cat food, and dog food lacks important nutrients like taurine for cats. There's a reason these foods are labeled for what they are. The best way to ensure animals get adequate nutrition is to find a quality pet food they enjoy and stay consistent.

COMMENT: Cat foods do not supply too much protein to dogs. Protein is not toxic unless you have severe kidney disease. What cat foods do provide along with all that meat is a high fat level, and that can lead to diarrhea and/or pancreatitis. But there is no doubt that cats can die from eating dog food – which I’ve seen happen when food is left down for the dog free choice – yet another reason not to do that!

2009-07-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the lines for 2 restaurants at the Seattle airport. The sign on your left denotes an asian restaurant with sushi, salads, and udon. The one on the right is, well, a popular American fast food joint.

See the lady in the salmon shirt? She is at the end of the line for sushi place - maybe 7-8 people at most. See the line behind her for the burger place? Add another 50% and you'll know how long it was.

What is WRONG with us?

Pet glucosamine products fail

2009-07-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

If you're not already familiar with the work of ConsumerLab, you should get to know them and consider forking over the very reasonable subscription fee. They regularly quality test nutraceutical and herbal supplements and have reported some pretty startling results, such as lead contamination in common pet multivitamin products (http://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/multivitamin_multimineral_supplements/multivitamins/) and mold in a probiotic product (http://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/Probiotic_Supplements_Including_Lactobacillus_acidophilus_Bifidobacterium_and_Others/Probiotics/#results). The manufacturers generally responded with reasons why the testing was inaccurate or irrelevant. Whatever. But please note that by the time the dust settled, those manufacturers likely corrected those problems, so you can view negative ConsumerLab reports as wake-up calls.

The most recent is an updated review of glucosamine/chondroitin products for people and pets. Most of the products (including Cosequin which had been found to have deficiencies in a previous review) tested fine.

4 pet products did not past muster, however. One product contained only 6% of the claimed glucosamine and 15.9% of the claimed chondroitin. Not to mention that each treat only claimed to have 13.6 mg of glucosamine, which is enough to treat a 1 lb pet daily.

Another contained only 17% of the claimed chondroitin. A third product contained only 15.9% of claimed chondroitin. Another contained only 5.4% of claimed chondroitin.

I note that at least 3 of the companies with approved products are members of the National Animal Supplement Council (www.nasc.cc). None of the non-approved products come from NASC members. I'm just sayin.....

ADDENDUM: I posted the names of the products that failed and passed, but heard from ConsumerLab that those results are copyrighted. They wrote that posting these products publicly impacts their ability to collect subscription fees and conduct research. I understand that and have removed their names, and would again encourage everyone to subscribe - the rate is about $30/year and you would be pretty surprised at what you'll learn about over the counter products that you might think are good quality!

I'm a wild foodie

2009-07-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this picture of a wild foods dinner I attended a couple of weeks ago - freshly harvested daylily (stuffed with saffron rice), wild greens, and some roasted burdock root. And that was just the first course- you should have tasted the rosehip shortbread and elderberry sorbet for dessert! If you get a chance to attend a wild foods dinner with Patricia Kyritsi Howell near Clayton GA, do it!

Faith based feeding and the defense of science

2009-07-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

I’m a clinician, not a scientist. But I’ve known quite a few scientists, starting in college when I worked in a physiology lab, through 4 years of veterinary school, 3 years of post doctoral immunology research, and 2 years of a residency. And one very common characteristic of scientists is that they are very aware of what they don’t know. In fact, one DVM, PhD nutritionist told me that studying for the board examination should be done with an eye to the limits of our knowledge – what we don’t know about nutrition rather than what we do.

I’ve been following a very interesting email dialogue between, on the one hand, a person who is feeding a prey-model raw diet to her dog with kidney disease, and on the other, people who have studied nutrition and are trying to convey what is and is not known about feeding renal patients based on existing science.

What’s interesting to me is that the raw feeder has developed a feeding regime that she thinks is working, and states that she is a die hard raw feeder who is not likely to change her mind about that aspect of feeding her dog. That’s consistent with every die-hard raw feeder I’ve ever met – they know what they know and really don’t want to be confused by facts.

One theme that needs to be explored is why they’re so sure of their facts. This is clearly based on first hand experience and the remarkable improvements we often observe in dogs who are switched to raw. But that certainty, when based on an n of 2 (the two dogs that live in the house) or even 200 rescue dogs, is suspect. Because there are usually other factors at work, such as whether a diagnosis is accurate in the first place, changes in environmental stressors, drugs stopped or started, supplements started, etc. And in the case of rescue dogs, there is inadequate follow-up to know whether improvements were sustained and whether the dogs lived normal (or shorter or longer than normal) lifespans. Veterinarians and other scientists require more information about cases to be convinced by new information, rightfully addressing all other mitigating factors as is done in properly written, peer reviewed case reports.

The other theme here is the raw feeders’ attitudes towards science. What we do know about nutrition of the renal failure patient is that restriction of phosphorus slows progression of the disease, and that in the later stages of kidney disease, restriction of protein reduces the number of uremic episodes that require hospitalization. Prey model diets by definition cannot be restricted in either, and reducing the phosphorus in other ingredients like carbs and veggies (if being used at all) will have minimal impact compared to reducing meat levels.

When confronted with this science, the information is brushed off, but other science is presented to support the contention that the way they feed high protein diets is just fine for these patients.

You see, some die-hard raw feeders are using faith-based care for their animals. They pick and choose the science that fits their faith, but wrap themselves in a pseudoscientific exterior to try and persuade others that they are knowledgeable about the science of feeding. A good scientist remains open to conflicting information and incorporates it into the existing knowledge base going forward. Are die-hard raw feeders the Christian Scientists of the pet owning world?

If you're in Atlanta....

2009-06-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

Caring for aging and ailing pets...

It’s a tender and emotional subject, but one in which many people have many questions. Georgia Veterinary Specialists (GVS) is here to help.

GVS, a multi-specialty veterinary referral hospital and 24-hour emergency center in Sandy Springs, will offer a free seminar to the public to help pet owners navigate the often unfamiliar road we face when supporting an aging or ailing pet.
What: Caring for Your Aging or Ailing Pet: The Road Ahead

This seminar with feature discussions from veterinary specialists, Nick Berryessa DVM, DACVIM and Dr. Susan Wynn CVA, CVCH, experts in caring
for our geriatric canine and feline friends. In addition, Robin Chisolm-Seymour, M.Ed., will address loss and grief.
· What to expect with elderly pets
· Myths and Facts: age is not a disease
· Understanding the changes: evaluating quality of life
· How a pet owner can help
· Knowing when to say goodbye
· Coping with loss: before, during and after

When: Saturday, July 18th
10 am to 12 pm

Where: Georgia Veterinary Specialists
455 Abernathy Road, NE
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
The seminar is free to the public, but seating is limited.
To make a reservation, please contact:
Kimberly DeMeza, 404.459.0903. ext. 193, or email kdemeza@gvsvet.com.

Pedigree recall- correction

2009-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Post deleted - yesterday's news feed apparently posted something that was news in August 2008. Apologies, and please ignore that notice.

New perspectives on 2 tough feline problems

2009-06-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

At the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine meeting 2 weeks ago, I spent some time in the poster sessions, which are brief communications about new research. It's important to keep in mind when reading these projects that these are preliminary communications and haven't undergone peer review in their expanded forms; nonetheless, they are sometimes harbingers of things to come.

There were some great posters, like the one that showed that GFR (glomerular filtration rate or the kidney's waste elimination function) is different between different breeds (just as we know that digestibility of food is different and many other breed differences).

But one that interested me was the ongoing work showing that cats with asthma may benefit from hyposensitization injections. Let's back up - asthma is an allergic response, centered in the lungs, to an allergen. In children, food allergy is a major concern but in adults, this is usually an environmental allergen although other triggers include pollution, exercise and infections. We presume the same triggers affect cats.

For other allergic signs such as itching, we identify the allergens using skin testing and treat it (with about 75% success) with allergy shots. So why not approach asthma the same way? This was the thinking behind the project. Unfortunately, these cats were rendered asthmatic experimentally and the project was not designed to show clinical benefit, measuring only immunologic markers of improvement. But improvement there was. And I've heard of at least one veterinarian who swore that allergy shots saved his cat's life.

So if your cat is asthmatic, will allergy testing and shots cause harm? We don't know, but depending on the severity of the cat's problem, you may be desperate enough to try it.

Also related to cats is a recent report from the ICA update, the news magazine of the Interstitial Cystitis Association, summarized here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154701.php

Websites about IC have long talked about food triggers but always acknowledge the controversial nature of the food connection. This article suggests that up to 40% of one doctor's IC patients have food allergies, but there may be a larger population who are sensitive to environmental allergens as well. Doctors who shared certain patients were noticicng that as their environmental allergies (known as atopy) were treated, the symptoms of IC were improving as well. This has inspired new studies to better define the link and potential for treatment.

So again - do we skin test and administer allergy shots to IC? The most well known researchers on feline IC would probably say no, as they would consider an experimental procedure yet another stress, which is now considered the most well understood cause of feline IC. In fact, this group would probably also argue that a food allergy trial (using an elimination diet containing ingredients that are novel to the cat) is enough of a stress to avoid in an IC patient.

I'm not sure this is a well enough proven concept to prevent me from doing a food trial in a gentle, gradual matter in these guys. But we do have another route to take if food allergy is playing a part, and that is to treat "leaky gut". We know that many allergy patients have a hyperpermeable intestinal tract, allowing exposure of the immune system to too many normal components of the gut. At the very least, probiotic therapy may be worthwhile because probiotics can reduce permeability and inflammation in the gut. Oh by the way, probiotics are being intensely studied right now in the treatment of atopic disease (or environmental allergies).

Just some thoughts to consider if your cat has one of these tough to treat chronic diseases.

Why are Americans fat?

2009-06-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Interesting study - it suggests that unhealthy food is discounted and made more affordable than healthy food. This shouldn't be news to anyone, but since it takes proof to make policy, maybe this is a breakthrough?

Supermarket discounts: Are they promoting healthy non-alcoholic beverages?
Sarah POLLOCK, Louise SIGNAL and Carolyn WATTS

Aim: The present study investigates the role of supermarket discounts in promoting healthy choices through evaluation of discounts applied to non-alcoholic beverages in New Zealand supermarkets.

Methods: Discount information was collected from four supermarkets in the Wellington region over a four-week period. These included two supermarkets aimed at customers of a high socioeconomic status and two aimed at low-socioeconomic-status customers. The beverage brand and size were recorded along with the original and discounted prices. The beverages were classified into green (drink most), amber (drink in moderation) and red (drink less) categories based on the Waitemata District Health Board Beverage Guidelines.

Results: A total of 1487 discounts were documented over the four-week period with the majority (57.6%) of these from the high-socioeconomic-status supermarkets. A higher percentage of beverage discounts were classified as amber (40.9%) or red (44.1%) rather than green (14.9%) across all beverage groups except water (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This research suggests that less healthy beverages are discounted more frequently and to a larger extent than healthier beverages, but a nationwide study is required to confirm this. It appears likely that supermarkets could play a role in promoting healthy beverage choice if they refrain from discounting amber and red products.

The greening of pet foods

2009-06-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

Greenopia is an online directory that purports to help people make 'green' choices in their every day living. They have just posted a rating of 30 pet foods, with the most green being Karma (made by Natura brands) and Raw Advantage.

I found it very difficult to determine how they rated the products as the website doesn't appear to post their criteria. Pet food Industry magazine reports:

"Greenopia collected data from manufacturers and independent sources about each brand's ingredients, packaging, sustainability reporting, supply chain, animal testing policies and green building design. Companies were given additional points for their adoption of environmental initiatives. One-third of the brands evaluated earned zero-leaf ratings, revealing them to be below Greenopia's minimum green threshold."

You can see the entire listing here: http://www.greenopia.com/LA/petfoods_search.aspx?category=PetFoods&Listpage=0&input=Name%20or%20product&subcategory=None

Australian outbreak of feline neurologic disaster prompts govt policy change

2009-06-10T19:07:00.001-07:00

From Pet Food Industry magazine:

Australia suspends irradiation of cat food
Release Date: Tuesday, June 09, 2009

An outbreak in neurological disorders in cats has lead Australia to cease sterilization of cat food by irradiation. Scientific studies have suggested food irradiation as the source of the illnesses afflicting cats, but exactly how irradiation is causing food to be toxic to cats is unknown.

Ninety cats in Australia were afflicted with neurological disorders after they ate Orijen imported dry cat food, manufactured by Champion Petfoods, according to Dr. Georgina Child, a neurologist familiar with the cases.

Only Australia, which requires irradiation of pet food, has reported issues with Orijen cat food; all other countries who imported non-irradiated Orijen cat food reported no problems.

veggies aren't necessary in diets for dogs and cats, are they?

2009-05-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

A colleague lamented to me that she had recommended a homemade diet containing vegetables, and the pet owner's regular veterinarian said that vegetables didn't contribute anything and weren't necessary. The owner apparently found that the undigested chunks of carrots in her dog's stool supported the regular veterinarian's opinion.

Here was my answer:

It is true that vegetables contain much cellulose and that if the cell
walls are not broken down by prolonged mastication, steaming/cooking,
or pulping them, they will pass out unidgested. Dogs are gulpers, and
descend from animals that got any benefits from vegetable matter
secondarily from their prey, who predigested it for them. So veggies
cannot just be given as chunks, unless you are trying to give the dog
something to chew on just for fun.

The benefits of veggies to dogs are mostly unknown, though one study
in Scottish terriers showed that dogs eating vegetables in their diets
had lower cancer incidence. In the absence of studies, we kind of
assume that the benefits are similar to the benefits for humans,
including not just some of the essential vitamins and minerals, but
also functional ingredients that may prevent cancer, like flavonoids.
In addition, vegetables are great for diluting the calories in a diet,
and with so many overweight dogs, they can be an essential part of
weight management.

I recommend that pet owners feeding complete and balanced of ANY type - dry, canned or homemade, include veggies as part of that dog's regular fare. If you start from the time they're puppies, they won't object to the taste, which helps later in life if veggies are used therapeutically in the diet.

If your vet tells you not to feed veggies or fruits, smile sweetly and reply that you appreciate the reminder and that you would never feed onions or grapes to your dog!

What is holistic medicine anyway?

2009-05-25T08:21:00.001-07:00

Ask some people, and they confidently define holistic medicine as use of natural remedies. Others would suggest that it is the studious avoidance of conventional medicine. Professionals who don't bother to read before they use the language of another discipline believe it is synonymous with homeopathy.

Holistic medicine has been defined in alot of different ways:

Princeton word database: medical care of the whole person considered as subject to personal and social as well as organic factors; "holistic medicine treats the mind as well as the body"

IsabelleHutton.com Alternative Health Glossary (this is the business website of a reflexologist): Sometimes called alternative medicine or natural medicine, this type of health care involves a whole mind-body approach to health emphasizing preventive medicine and often effective at relieving chronic conditions like recurrent colds, headaches, arthritis and even cancer.

From Missouri's Dept of Health and Senior Services: An approach to medical care that emphasizes the study of all aspects of a person's health, including physical, psychological, social, economic, and cultural factors.

The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association had a discussion on their email list in 2004, and decided that a good definition was: "Holistic veterinarians are those who offer all therapies (both conventional and alternative) which are potentially safe and effective, assess and treat the whole patient's lifestyle, genetics, environment, and history, provide long term relief where possible, and who spend sufficient time educating clients so that animal owners are satisfied that they understand their animal's condition, prognosis and treatment plan."

On occasion I have discussions with new clients (and sometimes immediately ex-clients) who prefer their own definitions of holistic medicine. This usually means that they define holistic medicine as [usually] homeopathy, adherence to the single right way to feed your pet (note my inability to remove tongue from cheek) and strict avoidance of vaccines and drugs.

So where do people get these ideas that holistic medicine is so narrow in scope? Do they really believe that after all of these centuries, their chosen therapies have suddenly become more effective than they once were?

Recall of Nutro cat foods due to other manufacturer'rs formulation error

2009-05-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Nutro Products Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Dry Cat Food Products

Contact:
Monica Barrett
Nutro Products, Inc.
(615) 628-5387
monica.barrett@effem.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Israel. We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® dry cat food product. Cat owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST, or visit www.nutroproducts.com.

Recalled Pet Food

The varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods listed below with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are affected by this voluntary recall.

Nutro Products Recall List – Dry Cat Foods

U.S. Product Name

Bag Size

UPC

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food

4 lbs

0 79105 20607 5

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food

8 lbs.

0 79105 20608 2

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Bonus Bag)

9.2 lbs.

0 79105 20695 2

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food

20 lbs

0 79105 20609 9

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Sample Bag)

1.5 oz

none

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult

4 lbs

0 79105 20610 5

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult

8 lbs.

0 79105 20611 2

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Bonus Bag)

9.2 lbs

0 79105 20694 5

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult

20 lbs

0 79105 20612 9

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Sample Bag)

1.5 oz

none

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor

4 lbs

0 79105 20622 8

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor

8 lbs

0 79105 20623 5

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor (Bonus Bag)

9.2 lbs.

0 79105 20698 3

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor

20 lbs

0 79105 20624 2

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

3 lbs

0 79105 10228 5

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

6 lbs

0 79105 10229 2

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

16 lbs

0 79105 10230 8

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag)

1.5 oz

none

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

3 lbs

0 79105 10243 8

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

6 lbs

0 79105 10244 5

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor

16 lbs

0 79105 10245 2

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag)

1.5 oz

none

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor

3 lbs

0 79105 10246 9

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor

6 lbs

0 79105 10247 6

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor

16 lbs

0 79105 10248 3

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control

3 lbs

0 79105 10249 0

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control

6 lbs

0 79105 10250 6

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control

16 lbs

0 79105 10251 3

For serious students - the details of the 'anti-cancer' diet

2009-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Special diets for canine cancer patients have been in use since the 90's, based on research that spans from the 1940's to present. Proof that they really make a difference is lacking, but I do tend to use them because many dogs show general improvements in health and over attitude - at least when homemade versions are used.

Tumors take up large amounts of glucose, and they can metabolize it only via anaerobic glycolysis. The end result of tumor glycolysis is release of lactate into circulation. The patient converts lactate back to glucose via the Cori cycle. Increased lactate negatively effects Cori cycle functioning, resulting in a net loss in energy. Tumors also preferentially metabolize certain amino acids at the expense of the host.

Ultimately the metabolic state of cancer patients resembles that of a Type II diabetic – these patients exhibit glucose intolerance, glucose recycling, increased hepatic glucose production, and insulin resistance. A recent study showed that administration of insulin to human patients with a variety of cancers significantly improved food intake and survival (Lundholm, 2007).

Lactate, resting insulin and glucose levels are elevated in dogs with cancer (Ogilvie, 1994a), and they do not improve after treatment (Ogilvie, 1992). Studies in dogs have shown that those with cancer have different lipid profiles than normal dogs. Dogs with cancer had higher levels of cholesterol, total triglyceride and very low density triglycerides, and treatment normalized only cholesterol levels (Ogilvie, 1994b).

In theory, a diet in low in carbohydrates would help to minimize lactate production and prevent complications of glucose intolerance. Special diets targeted towards ameliorating these metabolic changes have been tested in dogs, though apparently not in humans. A high carbohydrate, low fat diet resulted in elevated lactate and insulin levels in dogs with cancer. A high fat, low carbohydrate diet increases the probability that dogs with lymphoma would go into remission and have longer survival times (Ogilvie 2003), (Tisdale, 1987), although these limited data remain unconvincing to many veterinary nutritionists.

A commercial diet formulated to be low in digestible carbohydrates, high in fat (particularly n-3 PUFA) and moderate in protein is Hill’s N/D for dogs. This was the diet tested to improve outcomes in canine lymphoma. However, that study (Ogilvie 2000) did not test a high carb diet vs a low carb diet - both diets tested were low in digestible carbohydrates.Dietary management using these principles is still controversial, as oncologists note that the majority of dogs and cats die or are euthanized because of their tumors but are not cachectic, suggesting that this state of insulin resistance and hyperlactatemia has little clinical significance. I do recommend low carbohydrate diets, however, based on the fact that dogs and cats have no dietary requirement for carbohydrates and on my positive observations of cancer patients on these diets over the years.

Pet owners often find “grainless” commercial “holistic” diets, but should be made aware that if the food in question is a dry food, it must be processed using some kind of starch, and most of these foods contain potato or tapioca. These are starch sources and should perhaps be avoided if possible. The other difference between the commercial low carbohydrate diets and N/D is that the omega-3 levels are not nearly as high nor the proportion of n-3:n-6 fatty acids controlled.

I really prefer homemade food if we are going to change a cancer patient's diet. One of the problems with any of the commercial diets is their very high fat contents. Meat comes with fat, ya know. Homemade diets can be formulated for an individual's specific tastes, medical history and body condition score. Take a fat dog with a history of pancreatitis, for instance - the commercial diets are simply not an option. Not only can we manipulate the fat content, we can change the ingredients to address patient preferences, especially as they may change due to chemo-induced nausea.

My recipes always include veggies and some fruits as well. Plant-derived flavonoids have been studied in the prevention of cancer. These include resveratrol from red grapes (and wine), green tea polyphenols, and phytoestrogens from soy and other plants. Other less well known flavonoids commonly found in medicinal herbs include curcumin (from turmeric), apigenin, anthocyanidins (from berries), quercetin, and many others (approximately 4000 flavonoids have been described). In addition to well-recognized antioxidant effects that may help in prevention of cancer, certain flavonoids have been found to have activity in inducing differentiation and apoptosis, inhibiting protein kinases, facilitating cell-cell communication, inhibiting angiogenesis, cancer cell invasion mechanisms and metastasis mechanisms, as well as enhancing immune function (Boik 2002), (Lopez-Lazaro 2002).

I know, that was a lot of details.

Factoid: Tomato pomace

2009-05-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

The leftovers from production of tomato juice, sauce and paste include seeds, skin and pulp – about 750,000 metric tons yearly. Since humans don’t eat tomato pomace, where does it go? That’s right – the pet food market, like beet pulp, grape pomace and other by-products of processing for human food.

Dried tomato pomace has a nutritional profile of about 20% protein, 13-15% fat, 3-5% fat, and 25-57% crude fiber. The fiber includes 4% soluble fibers- the stuff that primarily supports probiotic populations in the gut. The other fiber can also be fermented by bacteria as well, and as with many foods, there is a concern that a high fiber content can lead to flatulence. As it turns out, testing shows that tomato pomace produces less gas on fermentation than most other fiber sources.

Tomato pomace contains approximately 50% linoleic acid, followed by oleic (20%) and palmitic (15%) acids. Other FAs present in lower concentrations are myristic, stearic, arachidic, linolenic, behenic, erucic, and lignoceric acids. Because of this high fat content, tomato pomace usually has a preservative added by the manufacturer (which, you will recall, means that this preservative is not listed in the final ingredient list on a pet food bag). The pomace is included in pet foods at about 3-7% of the total mix.

Other nutrients contained in tomato pomace include lycopene, Vitamin E and other tocopherols and phytosterols, giving it antioxidant potential. The nutrient composition might be expected to differ between lots of this product however, depending on the types of tomatoes used and how they are raised. One study found differences in the contents of minerals like cesium, iron, potassion, molybdenum, and sodium between tomato seeds from conventional or organic systems.

Some people have voiced concern about the connection of nightshade products to arthritis and other problems. Vegetables in the nightshade family – potato, tomato, eggplants and peppers – contain much lower levels of the offending alkaloids than do the poisonous plants in this family. They do contain traces of alkaloids such as solanine, chaconine, nicotine, and tomatine, but the connection with arthritis remains unclear if it exists. On the other hand, some of these alkaloids seem to prevent cancer, at least in test tubes.

My conclusion remains the same – feed your pets a variety of different brands and flavors, and if some of them contain tomato pomace, that’s ok.

Aldrich G. Functional Fiber with Color. Pet Food Industry, April 2009, p. 42-43
Cámara, M., Del Valle, M., Torija, M.E. and Castilho, C. 2001. Fatty acid composition of tomato pomace. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 542:175-180
A. A. Ferrari, E. A. De Nadai Fernandes, F. S. Tagliaferro, M. A. Bacchi and T. C. G. Martins. Chemical composition of tomato seeds affected by conventional and organic production systems. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. Volume 278, Number 2 / November, 2008.

Critical care nutrition - what to expect if your pet is hospitalized?

2009-05-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

None of us want to consider the eventuality that our pets may develop some sort of critical illness requiring hospitalization. If it does happen, we want to be sure that the critical care being provided is the best it can be. One sign that this is the case is when the attending clinician demonstrates an eye to nutrition from the first days of hospitalization.

Active nutrition therapy is known to preserve normal immune function, attenuate the metabolic response to stress, prevent oxidative damage and may involve feeding enterally (through a tube that supplies food via the GI tract, known as enteral nutrition (EN)) or parenterally (intravenous nutrient infusion, known as parenteral nutrition or PN).

The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) has published guidelines for nutrition support for hospitalized people in critical condition. While guidelines for people cannot be applied to dogs and cats without question, the sad fact is that there is a lack of evidence to support most of their recommendations, and there is even less to support any recommendations at all for dogs and cats.

It’s the best we have, and veterinary internists, criticalists, and nutritionists will use evidence from human clinical trials in light of their knowledge about metabolic differences between the species to find the best plan for each individual patient. The recommendations are made, but provided with qualifiers so we can see the level of evidence supporting them. Those levels are A (supported by more than one controlled clinical trial) through E (uncontrolled studies or expert opinion).

So without further delay, here are relevant recommendations for nutrition support of critical patients – they are abridged, paraphrased and modified for animals here, and the grade is supplied in parentheses at the end. I present them here so that pet owners can have a conversation with their veterinarians about providing nutrition actively, and for veterinarians to have a sense of the place of nutrition in the human ICU. These recommendations should not be viewed as a standard of care, but rather as a point of discussion.

A. Regarding the Initiation of Enteral Feeding

Nutritional assessment should include a history that documents changes in weight and food intake and the functional status of the GI tract as well as the severity of the disease and other medical conditions (E). For pet owners, this means you need to be very aware of weight changes in your pet – get a diary and document this on your own at every hospital visit.

Enteral nutrition therapy should be provided in critically ill patients who cannot eat on their own (C). This means that if your pet is not eating in the hospital within a day or two, your doctor should be having a discussion with you about placing a feeding tube or starting parenteral nutrition as appropriate for the medical condition. Enteral nutrition is always the preferred route of feeding over parenteral nutrition (B)

In patients suffering from severe hemodynamic aberrations (for example, shock or blood loss), enteral nutrition should be initiated only after the patient is stable (E).

B. When to Use Parenteral Nutrition

If early enteral nutrition is not feasible for the first 7 days following admission of a patient with no evidence of malnutrition, it is not necessary to provide alternative nutrition support except to encourage voluntary food intake (C). If there is evidence of malnutrition, and enteral nutrition is not feasible, parenteral nutrition should be initiated as soon as possible (C)

C: Dosing of Enteral Feeding

If energy requirements cannot be met after 7-10 days of enteral feeding, supplemental parenteral nutrition should be provided (E). Earlier supplementation does not improve clinical outcomes. This means that your pet could be receiving nutrition from both a feeding tube and intravenously depending on their progress in the ICU.

D: Monitoring Tolerance and Adequacy of Enteral Nutrition

Ileus (lack of gut motility) is propagated by lack of food intake, so npo orders should be minimized (C). This means that if a patient is undergoing multiple anesthetic episodes for procedures, they are spending a lot of time with orders not to be fed. Doctor and pet owner should be aware of this and watch for weight loss in the hospital.

E. Selection of Appropriate Enteral Formulation

Immune modulating enteral formulas should be used for patients undergoing elective surgery, trauma, burns, head/neck cancer and patients on mechanical ventilation, but with caution in patients with sepsis. These formulas contain such supplements as arginine, glutamine, nucleic acids, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. In particular, there is good evidence for these supplements in surgical ICU patients (A) and medical ICU patients (B). Other patients should receive standard enteral formulations (B).
Soluble fiber and small peptide formulas should be used if the patient develops diarrhea (E)

F: Adjunctive Therapy

Probiotic administration has shown definite benefit in post-op transplant and major surgery patients and those with severe trauma (C). Studies have shown both benefit and potential harm in conditions such as pancreatitis, so the benefit of probiotic use in other conditions is unknown (C). Combinations of antioxidants, including selenium, should be administed to all ICU patients. Enteral nutrition for burn,trauma and some other ICU patients should incorporate glutamine.

If a patient on enteral nutrition develops diarrhea, soluble fiber may be beneficial. Insoluble fiber should be avoided in critical patients. Hemodynamically unstable patients are at risk for bowel ischemia, and fiber supplementation of any sort may harm these patients (C).

G: When Indicated, Maximize Efficacy of Parenteral Nutrition

Serum glucose should be closely monitored and strictly controlled during parenteral or other nutrition therapy (E).

Periodic attempts to introduce enteral nutrition should be made while on parenteral nutrition. Parenteral nutrition should be terminated when enteral nutrition is providing ≥ 60% of target calories.

K: Acute Pancreatitis

People with acute pancreatitis should have a nasoesophageal tube placed and enteral nutrition therapy initiated as soon as hypovolemia (dehydration, low blood pressure) is corrected (C). This is currently being debated by veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists.

Patients with mild/moderate pancreatitis should not be fed unless they fail to eat on their own within 7 days or develop an unexpected complication (C).

Use of parenteral nutrition should be considered only where enteral nutrition is not feasible (C) and only after the first 5 days of hospitalization (E).

L. Nutrition Therapy in End-of-Life Situations

Nutrition therapy is not obligatory in futile care or end-of-life situations. Decision to provide nutrition care should be based on family desires and communication and realistic goals.

are grains all bad?

2009-05-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

There is no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates for dogs. There is also none for fiber, though we well recognize the benefits, and the same could be said for other nutrients like glutamine, Vitamin C and even probiotics. Carbohydrates contain calories. Grains contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, fiber, and a little protein.

Recently, carbohydrates included in diets for dogs have been vilified, especially in the form of grains such as rice, wheat, corn, barley, oats, etc. The reasons are myriad:

Fallacy 1: Dogs have a shorter GI tract than people, so they cannot digest grains unless they are partially digested first.
Fact: Decades of research proves that dogs digest grains as well as carbs quite well.
• The lack of salivary amylase has been stated to be one reason why dogs don’t digest carbohydrates well. Why would dogs need salivary amylase when they gulp their food? Dogs produce potent pancreatic amylase as well as ‘brush border’ enzymes to digest their carbs (like humans).
• Most digestion of carbohydrate occurs in the first part of the small intestine (like humans).
• Some have stated that dogs have more acidic stomachs and retain food in their stomachs longer than people, making a meat based diet more suitable for dogs since protein is initially digested in the stomach. The pH of the dog's stomach ranges from 1.08 to 5.5 (Ouyang et al., 2006, Smith, 1965, Buddington et al., 2003, Sagawa 2009). For people, the pH ranges from 1-4 (Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy). This makes the acidity equivalent between the species, with the dog ranging slightly more alkaline in certain settings.
It is true that like humans, dogs cannot digest cellulose, a single structural carbohydrate used by plants to form stalks, seed coats, vegetable structure etc. Only herbivores like cows can digest cellulose, turning it into some other vital nutrient, but it doesn’t seem reasonable to compare the GI tracts of dogs and people to cows. Canine digestive physiology resembles human digestive physiology much more closely, so grains and veggies should be cooked or ground as finely as possible (either before or during the act of chewing) to derive the benefits contained in them.

Fallacy 2: Feeding carbohydrates place stress on the pancreas.
Fact: The pancreas was created to produce enzymes to digest fats, proteins and starches. That’s its job. Many people feed digestive enzymes as a daily supplement, I suppose to support what they see as this delicate flower of an organ do its job with protein and fat. There is evidence that supplementing enzymes actually downregulates the pancreas’ own production of proteases. That’s not necessarily a good thing – see my blog from 1-27-09 for more information. But during bouts of pancreatic inflammation (otherwise known as pancreatitis), where those very enzymes are released to cause inflammation and damage to the pancreas and surrounding organs and tissues, the treatment is to reduce fat in the diet in order to suppress production of those enzymes. The treatment is…….high carbohydrate diets - and they work.

Fallacy 3: Since food moves through the GI tract rapidly, there is no time to ferment carbohydrates and therefore no need for them. Because carbohydrates are not fermented, if they are included in the diet they will cause gas and voluminous stools.
Fact: Like humans, dogs harbour many lactic acid producing bacteria which ferment fibers contained in grains. This fermentation itself can cause gas. Odiferous gas can also be caused by clostridial organisms. Clostridia are more numerous in the GI tract when dogs are fed a high meat, high fat diet such as raw, grainless diets.

Fallacy 4: Grains cause allergies.
Fact: If dogs have the genetic predisposition to develop food allergies, they can become allergic to certain foods. A recent review of 7 studies indicates that dogs are most commonly allergic to the following foods (in descending order): beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb/mutton, soy, pork, rabbit and fish. In cats, the most common allergens are beef, dairy, fish, lamb, poultry and barley/wheat (in equal numbers), egg and rabbit in equal numbers. I will admit that I’ve seen higher numbers of corn allergy than would be suggested by these numbers, as well, but please note that grains do not constitute the majority of allergy offenders.

While dogs do not require the carbs found in grains or potatoes or any other food, there are some instances where you still might derive benefit from them being there. For instance, grains contain certain fibers that are beneficial for the growth of probiotic bacteria in the gut. They also contain various required vitamins and minerals. And since grains, as compared to meats, contain lower fat contents, they can be used as a “place-holder” in a diet that fills a dog up while reducing the fat content. I’ve seen people feed pitifully small amounts of raw diets to dogs whose weights needed better control. Poor hungry dogs!

This is not to say I approve of diets formulated with high concentrations of carbohydrates simply to limit cost. I just want to note that there is no reason to expressly avoid them unless your dog has a specific intolerance to them or some condition that requires use of a diet that is low in carbohydrates. And remember that cats are another matter entirely- they are true, pure carnivores, and as such, should probably not be fed diets that contain noticeable carbohydrate levels.

Back to carbohydrates vs grains – take this to the bank: If it’s a dry kibble, it contains carbohydrates. This is because kibble is made by the process of extrusion, which doesn’t work without a certain minimal level of starch. So those grainless diets that sound so good, and so paleolithic – yeah, those contain carbohydrates. Just in the form of potato, tapioca, or other starch containing food.

My point is that if we are going to eschew grains, let’s do it for the right reasons, and if we instead want to avoid carbs, we *have* to read the labels carefully.

I'm back!

2009-05-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

OK, I’ve spent a couple of months finishing some schooling and moving my house. One I’ve almost finished, and the next I’ll never do again. At any rate, I can get back to studying, which means my notes become your blog postings. I hope to be a more regular correspondent!

Controversial post, coming up next....

Holistic vets: a threatened species

2009-03-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

So considering the post yesterday suggesting why a holistic veterinarian might have a better understanding of holistic choices for sick pets.....

Would you believe that the single 'accreditation' body for veterinary continuing education (CE) has just tightened the rules on signing off on CE related to complementary/integrative/alternative/holistic medicine? In this day and age when more human medical centers are opening integrative medicine programs?

The American Association of Veterinary State Boards maintains a registry of approved continuing education (RACE). From their website: "RACE is a national clearinghouse for the approval of continuing education providers and their programs. All RACE-approved providers and programs are listed on this website. Providers voluntarily apply to the RACE program and agree to abide by the RACE Standards."

"An important aspect of RACE-approved continuing education is that it meets the definition outlined in the RACE Standards: “Continuing education ...shall build on or refresh the participant in the standards for practice and courses as found in the curriculum of accredited colleges or schools of veterinary medicine or accredited veterinary technician programs.”

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine."

This pretty much means that any RACE approved CE is automatically going to be accepted by a veterinarian's state veterinary board as approved CE. And a CE program that is not approved -well, the veterinarian may have to fight this state government entity to ensure that it's acceptable as required CE. And since CAM (or CAVM, for veterinary medicine) is not considered conventional medicine and therefore not taught in accredited colleges or schools of veterinary medicine.....well, you can see where this is going.

And considering the economy, veterinarians will have to choose wisely how they spend their limited continuing education funds.

So if you want intelligent discussion of holistic options by a veterinary-educated professional, it may be time to get over it. RACE and the AAVSB are going to 'disappear us' right out from under the public's collective noses. What do you think of that?

Treasure Hunts in Alternative Medicine Land

2009-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

Teaching gives me a chance to get a new perspective on a problem every time. I love it.

So I have a favorite teaching device or two when it comes to educating veterinary students on what their clients will face out there in alternative medicine land. It’s called a treasure hunt, and it puts them face to face with the best and the worst of holistic capitalism…. er….. healing.

Today, I sent two students to a local feed store that apparently concentrates its inventory on the natural/holistic diets. What is a natural/holistic diet, you might ask? Actually, you would only be asking that if you are a veterinarian, nutritionist or a skeptic, because people interested in holistic medicine seem to understand it on an intuitive level, and for everyone else, there is no regulatory definition.

I know what *I* think a holistic diet is. And I plan to talk about that one day, but I’d be more interested in what YOU think it is. Of course, you’ll have to post to start that discussion, and I hope you will.

But back to the treasure hunt. I ask my students to pose as typical pet owners who are interested in natural and do-it-yourself cures for a chronic and frustrating problem. Not actually all that hard for them to do, because many are faced with the same problems you are – not much money and a long term veterinary expense.

So one goes to a feed store and asks about her cat who has a history of lower urinary tract disease (LUTD). This is a painful and potentially deadly set of diseases – one version is severe inflammation of the bladder, not due to infection and not well understood which, like the similar condition in women, can lead to a serious diminishment in quality of life because the patient lives in constant pain. Another version of LUTD is due to the accumulation of mucus and mineral crystals that form an uncomfortable sludge in the bladder, in some cases blocking the urethra which requires emergency treatment to prevent death.

Veterinarians need a good history and some labwork to decide which of these disorders afflicts your cat. But that doesn’t stop the holistic food manufacturers….no….they simply propose to treat your cat without this information.

Let’s look at the treatment for interstitial cystitis, the horribly painful, bloody cystitis that has nothing to do with a urinary tract infection. Veterinarians doing research in the field believe that this disorder is associated with stress, and some are investigating the theory that an underlying viral infection or other pathology may make it re-activate when the cat is stressed. Recommendations are to dilute the urine by feeding food that has more water in it (i.e. canned or fresh/homemade food) and possibly to treat with glycosaminoglycans (like glucosamine) that are thought to protect the bladder wall. Stress reduction is a vital part of treatment of this disease.

On the other hand, if your cat forms crystals and mucus plugs, the treatment is mostly to dilute the urine so that those crystals are less likely to form. To a lesser extent, we try to manage the acidity of the urine, but on a long term basis this is fraught with danger as preventing one type of stone (struvite) by urine acidification can predispose to another type (calcium oxalate) which gives us a completely different set of management problems.

The newest thinking is that it’s best to manage cats with these problems by making sure they are getting plenty of water in their diets – and this isn’t gonna happen if they eat dry food, unless it’s a prescription diet. Although we used to talk about management of mineral concentrations in the urine by limiting ‘ash’ and then magnesium in the diet, we realized sometime in the last decade or two that this wasn’t really the right target.

And since these problems are sterile (at least initially) – that is – they are not urinary tract infections – no antibiotic therapy is needed at all.

So back to the treasure hunt – here is what the holistic pet food store employee recommended:

1. a low ash diet
2. a diet that contained cranberry (cranberry being for urinary tract infections and to acidify the diet).
3. Not a word about avoiding dry food.

Sigh. Disappointing not only that they are giving out inaccurate information, but that the information is at least 10 years out of date! And this store actually holds ‘nutrition seminars’ given by a local dog trainer!

OK, I’m a fan of holistic diets too, but friends, please ASK about the medical training of a person making recommendations for your sick pet. There are veterinarians out there who can help you with holistic diet and other therapeutic choices. My students now better understand why they need to help their clients find reasonable holistic options rather than leaving it up to chance.