According to a new EPA report at least 44,000 pets were injured from topical and on-spot flea and tick medications. The study examined EPA registered product found mostly in grocery and drug stores in 2008.
It seems that pet foods and treats are not the only things we as pet owners need to be wary of. With the ever looming threat of recalls and unsafe manufacturing practices, it is important for all pet owners to do the proper due diligence when shopping for pet supplies. The days of trusting a product simply because it has made it's way to the store shelf is a thing of the past.
Keeping your pet clean and healthy is key. Start by getting regular grooming either at home or at your professional groomer. A clean body is no place for a flea to be. Next keep them healthy by what you feed them. A strong immune system will help war off those pesky bugs. Supplements are a must and a good one is NuVet Plus.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hill's Science Diet Canine Sensitive Stomach
Why I would never feed this food.
The first ingredient is brewers rice which is a low quality grain that is a by-product of the alcohol industry for which the AAFCO definition is “the dried extracted residue of rice resulting from the manufacture of wort (liquid portion of malted grain) or beer and may contain pulverized dried spent hops in an amount not to exceed 3 percent. Yum - I would not give that to a sewer rat.
The second ingredient is Corn gluten meal, another low quality ingredient. Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is "the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm". In other words that which remains after all the nutrition have been removed. Corn appears a second time as the fourth ingredient - humm a filler perhaps.
Next in the list is by-products. These are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-product meal is “a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.” Animal fat is a further low quality ingredient and is impossible to determine the source. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this as "obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative". Chicken digest is a further low quality ingredient of which AAFCO define as "material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed chicken tissue". Oh my. Why would you feed that to your pet?
Fish meal, 9Th on the ingredient list. This is so low to make up an appreciable portion of the food. The manufacturer does not claim to use ethoxyquin-free sources (ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative commonly added to fish destined for meal, and is believed to be carcinogenic). Watch for those words in other pet food because they do use it.
OK, I have listed some of the ingredients in Science Diet Sensitive Stomach. So is it worth feeding your pet that? I think not. Try some really great food instead. Life's Abundance www.pipschoice.com
The first ingredient is brewers rice which is a low quality grain that is a by-product of the alcohol industry for which the AAFCO definition is “the dried extracted residue of rice resulting from the manufacture of wort (liquid portion of malted grain) or beer and may contain pulverized dried spent hops in an amount not to exceed 3 percent. Yum - I would not give that to a sewer rat.
The second ingredient is Corn gluten meal, another low quality ingredient. Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is "the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm". In other words that which remains after all the nutrition have been removed. Corn appears a second time as the fourth ingredient - humm a filler perhaps.
Next in the list is by-products. These are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-product meal is “a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.” Animal fat is a further low quality ingredient and is impossible to determine the source. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this as "obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative". Chicken digest is a further low quality ingredient of which AAFCO define as "material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed chicken tissue". Oh my. Why would you feed that to your pet?
Fish meal, 9Th on the ingredient list. This is so low to make up an appreciable portion of the food. The manufacturer does not claim to use ethoxyquin-free sources (ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative commonly added to fish destined for meal, and is believed to be carcinogenic). Watch for those words in other pet food because they do use it.
OK, I have listed some of the ingredients in Science Diet Sensitive Stomach. So is it worth feeding your pet that? I think not. Try some really great food instead. Life's Abundance www.pipschoice.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Website claiming to help you decide what you should feed your pet
Here is yet another website claiming to help you decide what you should feed your pet called dogfoodanalysis.com. While I applaud the efforts of such websites to alert people about junk dog foods, they also seem to be just as misguided as the people they hope to help. Below is a critique that was offered by 'dog food analysis' regarding Lifes Abundance Holistic Dog Food by Dr. Jane Bicks. Some of the information is outdated, but even if it was current, it would be inaccurate. You will find the 'dog food analysis' comments in black and my comments in orange.
Dog Food Analysis Website Comments about meat
Dog Food Analysis Website Comments about meat
- The first ingredient in the food is a named meat product in meal form. There is a further meat product, fish meal, 10th on the ingredient list, but this is too far down to make up a substantive portion of the food. We note that while the manufacturers states that they do not add any chemical preservatives to the food, they do not specifically state the use of Ethoxyquin-free fish sources (ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative commonly added to fish destined for meal, and is believed to be carcinogenic). With only one real meat source, we cannot have confidence that there is an adequate amount of meat in this food.
The people behind the analysis website state quite clearly that they believe dogs and cats need "meat, meat, and more meat..." But, they also state on their site, "Until or unless the percentages of the ingredients are required to be shown on the ingredient lists or manufacturers disclose that information voluntarily, it can only ever be an educated guess or assessment, based on the knowledge that we do have." Basically then, their analysis only assumes that Lifes Abundance is lacking in enough meat because they cannot actually know (unless maybe they simply called us - just a thought).As far as Fish and Ethoxyquin are concerned, they assume that since their is no mention of being "Ethoxyquin free", we must indeed have it. Interesting. I guess this is due in part by their lack of true investigation of HealthyPetNet since, as they specifically state, "We make no assessment of their ethics, involvement in food recalls, animal testing, phenobarbitol 'scandals' or other practices, believing this to be a matter for the individual consumer". Incredible! Ethics makes all the difference in the world. That is one of the only true ways to evaluate a company or product. A simple phone call to Dr. Jane Bicks free national Q&A conference call on Wednesday nights would have informed them that our fish does not contain Ethoxyquin.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Rubber Neckers Dog Toy - Enter to Win
August 26 is National Dog Day and what better way to celebrate than to spend some extra time playing with your pup. After a long nap, your pooch will be ready for action! Rubber Neckers are the toy to get them into the playful spirit! These chewerific toys are outrageously fun and seriously strong! They make for a perfect tug-o-war toy! You can Win the Rubber Necker by leaving me a comment telling me why your dog should win. The winner will be picked at random and will be identified in the comments. Contest closes on September 3TH
Please check back on September 7TH to see if your the winner. I will need your email address at that time to obtain your mailing address. You will need to email me at the address for a Free Nuvet sample. For contest: Please Put "I'm the Winner" in the subject line.
Just tell me your story and your dog could win.
Wonky Bonkers Dog Toy - Enter to Win
August 26 is National Dog Day and what better way to celebrate than to spend some extra time playing with your pup. If your pooch is ready to play all day, Wonky Bonkers is the toy for you! These totally tough, yet fantastically floppy cats are made of heavy-duty canvas with a ball inside the head and body for wonky bonker fun!
You can Win the Wonky Bonker by leaving me a comment telling me why your dog should win. The winner will be picked at random and will be identified in the comments. Contest closes on September 3TH
Please check back on September 7TH to see if your the winner. I will need your email address at that time to obtain your mailing address. You will need to email me at the address for a Free Nuvet sample. For contest: Please Put "I'm the Winner" in the subject line.
Just tell me your story and your dog could win.
Dog Breath Mints - Enter to Win
August 26 is National Dog Day and what better way to celebrate than to spend some extra time playing with your pup.
DogToids are Ferociously Flavorful™ bite-sized treats, packaged in a convenient and stylish tin, that contain breath freshening ingredients and natural flavors so your pooch has fresh breath all day.
What are DogToids?
DogToids are Ferociously Flavorful™ bite-sized treats, packaged in a convenient and stylish tin, that contain breath freshening ingredients and natural flavors so your pooch has fresh breath all day.
What are DogToids?
- DogToids are ferociously flavorful. A tasty flavor combination including beef, liver, and fish flavors. Natural flavors that dogs can't resist. Made with parsley to help freshen breath. Treats that keep dogs coming back for more.
- Ideal for pets on the go
- Tin slides into a pocket, purse, or glove box
- High quality ingredients
- Made in the USA
DogToids™ Breath Mints are not licensed, sponsored, approved or endorsed by or affiliated with Altoids® or Callard & Bowser®
Enter to win a Free tin of DogToids.
You can win a tin of DogToids by leaving me a comment telling me why your dog should win. The winner will be picked at random and will be identified in the comments. Contest closes on September 3TH
Please check back on September 7TH to see if your the winner. I will need your email address at that time to obtain your mailing address. You will need to email me at the address for a Free Nuvet sample. For contest: Please Put "I'm the Winner" in the subject line.
Just tell me your story and your dog could win.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Pet Food Comparison Test / Formula
This is a common pet food comparison test found on the internet. No doubt, the people who constructed this test are sincere, just sincerely wrong. Below is a copy of the test with my response to each item in red. Hopefully this helps you to better understand why Life's Abundance is a superior option to what is found in the commercial marketplace.
How to Grade Pet Food
2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points How about throw it away! Why take the chance with mystery meat.
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points How about throw it away! There are clearly natural options which eliminate the need for these chemicals. * If chemical preservatives are used in pet food, a dog/cat will eat its body weight in chemicals after only 3 years.
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points How about throw it away! (are you seeing a pattern here?) Again, why buy a food with mystery ingredients?
5) If the same grain ingredient is used two or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer's rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points Not a bad suggestion, but with all of the options on the market, why settle for a 5 point deduction. Just buy something better.
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than two meats in the top three ingredients, subtract 3 points Incorrect. If you are using high quality chicken meal, it will contain almost all meat (no bone, cartilage, fat, etc.) and there is no need for 2 meats in the top three) This criteria assumes that the meat source is not optimal.
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points How about throw it away! This is not necessary and doesn't reflect well on the scientific advances of the company.
8) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points How about throw it away! Frankly, I’m surprised that only 3 points will be subtracted for this considering that corn is in the top 3 known allergens.
9) If corn is listed in the top five ingredients, subtract 2 more points Same as above
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points ??? Would someone care to explain? Fish oil is great but it is almost never used as a primary fat source. Chicken fat will break down at body temperature and is highly digestible. Beef tallow (animal fat), however, should be avoided completely – not just subtract 2 points.
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points Again, please explain the logic here. I guess it is not very relevant anyway since it only represents 2 points!
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points How about throw it away! Soybeans are known allergens and aren’t worth the risk
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points How about throw it away! Wheat is a known allergen and isn’t worth the risk
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef), subtract 1 point How about throw it away! With the low quality of meats that are often used in pet foods and the constant threat of mad cow disease, why risk it? 1 point seems awfully low.
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point Is there some new study that indicates salt is no longer needed in a dog’s diet? A minor issue, however, seeing it only represents 1 point.
Extra Credit: The whole concept of extra credit amazes me. It’s as if to say, go ahead and use the bad ingredients listed above as long as you counter balance it with the stuff below. So if my food uses organic meats and it is endorsed by a major breed group, I can use BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin?
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points Organic by what standard? I would rather know that the ingredients have passed APHIS inspection for human quality.
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points Science Diet is recommend by almost every vet in the country. Does that make it good? I know groups of breeders who feel that food is not important and buy whatever is cheapest.
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points WRONG. How about asking at what temperature the food is cooked, or for how long, or if a multi thread extruder is used.
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points I somewhat agree with this but it depends where the probiotics were obtained and if it is used in significant amounts.
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points Human quality or rotten, discarded fruit?
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points Human quality or rotten, discarded vegetables?
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points Only 2 points! By the way, our chicken meal is hormone and steroid free but I guess that doesn’t count since it is meal. Interesting.
8) If the food contains barley, add 2 points Barley is fine. Not sure why it is singled out.
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points How about flax seed meal (which is more stable)?
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point I’m OK with this but still not sure why they are singling out certain grains
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point No explanation is given for any of these single ingredients. (Of course, I know this test is for people who don’t want explanations)
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point Not very relevant as it is only worth 1 point. I would agree, however, that different meats provide different nutritional profiles.
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point What for? Both of these ingredients get cooked out after processing and is nothing more than a marketing ploy. What if I have a very arthritic dog, should I feed him more food and fatten him up so he can get more glucosamine? The best thing is to supplement. I say if there is glucosamine and chondroitin listed on the bag, get rid of it. You are dealing with a marketing company, not a concerned pet company.
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point OK.
Grading 94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 = F
Let’s Summarize
Using a test like this is FAR from helpful. It is actually dangerously misleading. Considering that pets eat the same thing day in and day out, it is important to do some proper ‘due diligence’. Be sure that the company you choose uses TOP grade ingredients, not just certain types of ingredients.
It’s no different than saying a fast food hamburger is the same as a Filet Mignon because they are both beef.
So how can you know the quality of your pet food? Good question. You can only know if you have direct access to the people behind the company. That is what sets HealthyPetNet apart from most every company on the market. We pride ourselves in being different in every way. Not just by using superior ingredients, but by focusing on pet health and providing outstanding customer service. What other company invites you to speak directly with their product formulator every month on a National Conference Call?
To learn more about how to properly compare pet foods, click here. Please use your back button to return to The Healthy Dog
I personally want to thank John Albrecht for taking the time to give us his expertize of HealthyPetNet products. His knowledge of pet food ingredients come from his association with Dr. Jane Bicks
How to Grade Pet Food
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
How about throw it away! By-products are inferior proteins and hard to digest. They present no nutritional benefit.2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points How about throw it away! Why take the chance with mystery meat.
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points How about throw it away! There are clearly natural options which eliminate the need for these chemicals. * If chemical preservatives are used in pet food, a dog/cat will eat its body weight in chemicals after only 3 years.
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points How about throw it away! (are you seeing a pattern here?) Again, why buy a food with mystery ingredients?
5) If the same grain ingredient is used two or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer's rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points Not a bad suggestion, but with all of the options on the market, why settle for a 5 point deduction. Just buy something better.
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than two meats in the top three ingredients, subtract 3 points Incorrect. If you are using high quality chicken meal, it will contain almost all meat (no bone, cartilage, fat, etc.) and there is no need for 2 meats in the top three) This criteria assumes that the meat source is not optimal.
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points How about throw it away! This is not necessary and doesn't reflect well on the scientific advances of the company.
8) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points How about throw it away! Frankly, I’m surprised that only 3 points will be subtracted for this considering that corn is in the top 3 known allergens.
9) If corn is listed in the top five ingredients, subtract 2 more points Same as above
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points ??? Would someone care to explain? Fish oil is great but it is almost never used as a primary fat source. Chicken fat will break down at body temperature and is highly digestible. Beef tallow (animal fat), however, should be avoided completely – not just subtract 2 points.
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points Again, please explain the logic here. I guess it is not very relevant anyway since it only represents 2 points!
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points How about throw it away! Soybeans are known allergens and aren’t worth the risk
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points How about throw it away! Wheat is a known allergen and isn’t worth the risk
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef), subtract 1 point How about throw it away! With the low quality of meats that are often used in pet foods and the constant threat of mad cow disease, why risk it? 1 point seems awfully low.
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point Is there some new study that indicates salt is no longer needed in a dog’s diet? A minor issue, however, seeing it only represents 1 point.
Extra Credit: The whole concept of extra credit amazes me. It’s as if to say, go ahead and use the bad ingredients listed above as long as you counter balance it with the stuff below. So if my food uses organic meats and it is endorsed by a major breed group, I can use BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin?
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points Organic by what standard? I would rather know that the ingredients have passed APHIS inspection for human quality.
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points Science Diet is recommend by almost every vet in the country. Does that make it good? I know groups of breeders who feel that food is not important and buy whatever is cheapest.
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points WRONG. How about asking at what temperature the food is cooked, or for how long, or if a multi thread extruder is used.
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points I somewhat agree with this but it depends where the probiotics were obtained and if it is used in significant amounts.
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points Human quality or rotten, discarded fruit?
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points Human quality or rotten, discarded vegetables?
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points Only 2 points! By the way, our chicken meal is hormone and steroid free but I guess that doesn’t count since it is meal. Interesting.
8) If the food contains barley, add 2 points Barley is fine. Not sure why it is singled out.
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points How about flax seed meal (which is more stable)?
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point I’m OK with this but still not sure why they are singling out certain grains
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point No explanation is given for any of these single ingredients. (Of course, I know this test is for people who don’t want explanations)
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point Not very relevant as it is only worth 1 point. I would agree, however, that different meats provide different nutritional profiles.
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point What for? Both of these ingredients get cooked out after processing and is nothing more than a marketing ploy. What if I have a very arthritic dog, should I feed him more food and fatten him up so he can get more glucosamine? The best thing is to supplement. I say if there is glucosamine and chondroitin listed on the bag, get rid of it. You are dealing with a marketing company, not a concerned pet company.
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point OK.
Grading 94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 = F
Let’s Summarize
Using a test like this is FAR from helpful. It is actually dangerously misleading. Considering that pets eat the same thing day in and day out, it is important to do some proper ‘due diligence’. Be sure that the company you choose uses TOP grade ingredients, not just certain types of ingredients.
It’s no different than saying a fast food hamburger is the same as a Filet Mignon because they are both beef.
So how can you know the quality of your pet food? Good question. You can only know if you have direct access to the people behind the company. That is what sets HealthyPetNet apart from most every company on the market. We pride ourselves in being different in every way. Not just by using superior ingredients, but by focusing on pet health and providing outstanding customer service. What other company invites you to speak directly with their product formulator every month on a National Conference Call?
To learn more about how to properly compare pet foods, click here. Please use your back button to return to The Healthy Dog
I personally want to thank John Albrecht for taking the time to give us his expertize of HealthyPetNet products. His knowledge of pet food ingredients come from his association with Dr. Jane Bicks
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