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1. on 24 Aug 2007 at 9:11 pm1Zach

   Just to give you a little background on me. I’m a vet student in the US and am also the student representative for the Iams Co. within my school and as such have a mild familiarity with the company as well as pet nutrition in general, but by no means am I a nutritionist. I am writing both in response and in true curiosity to your blog and response on the Iams article on that Houston Chronicle article.
   I am in support of both the trend toward “all natural” pet foods made with high quality ingredients and some of the bigger pet food companies that ascribe to provide just that. As I write I am honestly looking and expecting to hear your thoughts, if you have the time, on public perception, knowledge, and the media’s role in perpetuating some of the misinformation that’s out there. As a future vet, I want to understand both sides so that I can better serve my clients & patients.
   1) Do you perceive bigger companies like Iams as putting out products that “cut” nutritional corners understanding that they have multiple licensed nutritionists & DVMs that formulate their food?
   2) Do you perceive that anything besides the vitamin supplements required for a balanced dog food are made in China?
   3) Are you familiar with the marketing ploy by all these new smaller and even the big-boys to place the terms “All Natural” on the packaging when the term “natural” covers every ingredient in most all major pet foods? And that legally, no company can place those terms on their packaging without proving it to the government?
   4) Do you support research (assuming no animals are harmed - just fed diets and analysed for improvements) that furthers our understanding and improves quality of life for our pets that only the bigger comercial companies engage in (and probably can afford)?

   Thanks for your interest in pet health and your time considering these questions.

   Regards,
   Zach

2. on 31 Aug 2007 at 6:58 am2Teri

   Dear Zack:
   Your post has brought up some important points.
   Although large pet food companies hire, and seek advice from Vets, there is little nutritional education taught in Veterinarian schools, as you stated, which is a very important factor in dealing with pet illness. In answer to your second question, I don’t understand the point, however, I will say that I do hope that no further ingredients for pet foods are imported from a country that has no regulations. As the pet food industry in the USA and Canada remain unregulated also, they are more so in China as we have just experienced. Number 3 question; The term ” natural” means nothing today, and companies use the term loosely.

   The term ” Certified Organic” means there are no preservatives, no chemicals, no additives, no dyes or colors, no artificial flavours, no by-products, no fillers and no hormones used to make the food products. There are not many ” national” dog food manufacturers that can pass that test. Unless, you look at Paul Newman’s Own Organic Pet Food, now there you have a man with not only good looks, but a brain.

   Fourth question, I do support research, however, there is not much of a need for research when you are trying to convince consumers that dead animal stock and road kill are good for their dogs. All the research in the world will not persuade dog owners to buy cheap dog food, thats advertised as ” natural” or ” healthy”, but is rather ” Unfit for Dog Consumption”.

   You may want to find out more of what dog food makers use as ingredients in pet food, and then write me back. I do hope that in the school you are attending, will teach vets that a life time diet, of the ingredients I mention here, is killing our pets. You don’t have to be a nutritional expert or scientist to understand this. I also do hope also that vet schools remember to teach that a pet is not just a dog, or a cat, or a rabbit, they are a member of a family. For more information read the article here on : Pet Food Labels. Also, good reading are two books by : Ann Martin called,
   ” Foods Pets Die For” and ” Protect Your Pets”.
   Thank you for your comments Zach and good luck in your studies and your career.

3. on 16 Feb 2008 at 3:03 pm3Diabetes Curing

   A Look At Natural Cures for Type 1 Diabetes…

   Are there natural cures for type 1 diabetes? Many people seem to think so, judging by the number of products and books for sale. The fact is that there are herbs, botanicals, minerals and common vitamins that help the body naturally control blood sugar…

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