Vet points to pet acupuncture as a way to heal, NC March 3, 2009

Source: Chapel Hill News, by Deborah Meyer, March 1, 2009

If there’s ever a fan club for veterinarian Doug Knueven, it’s likely that Jenn Merritt will start it.

Merritt attended two lectures Knueven gave at an Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference on topics such as natural diets and minimal vaccinations.

“I was just so impressed with his perspective,” said Merritt, who owns Blue Dog Creature Coaching. “I just thought I have to get him to North Carolina so I can share that knowledge and common-sense perspective with other people.”

Knueven integrates traditional veterinary medicine with alternative modalities, including acupuncture, in his Beaver County, Penn., clinic. On March 21, he’ll give an all-day Canine Health Seminar at Paws4Ever (the former Orange County Animal Protection Society) in Mebane.

Knueven received his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Seven years later, frustrated with the limitations of conventional veterinary medicine, he took the 150-hour International Veterinary Acupuncture Society Course.

“It was an eye opening experience,” he said. “Chinese medicine is a totally different way of looking at the body, health, and disease. Once you become aware of this new paradigm of medicine you start to apply it.”

The first case where Knueven used his new knowledge and ability involved a cat with mouth cancer. The cat had stopped eating and was hiding. Knueven told the owners he would try acupuncture at no charge because it was experimental for him. The cat started eating and stopped hiding, despite the cancer.

Another early case involved a little Yorkshire terrier with kidney failure. He too had stopped eating. The owners brought him in to euthanize him.

“I was on my way to get the solution and I came back in and said, ‘Let’s try acupuncture,’” said Knueven, who did a quick treatment and sent him home.

He didn’t hear from the owners for three days and decided the dog had probably died. When he finally called, the owners told him the dog had started eating and was bouncing around like a puppy again.

“We treated him weekly with acupuncture and the dog stuck around for another six to eight months,” Knueven said.

Knueven is the author of “Stand by Me: A Holistic Handbook for Animals, Their People, and the Lives They Share Together,” (ARE Press, 2003) and “The Holistic Health Guide: Natural Care for the Whole Dog” (TFH Publishing, June 2008).

In December, Merritt took her dog Big Sandy to Knueven. In Louisville, Knueven had talked about spondylosis, a degenerative spinal condition in dogs and people too. Big Sandy was diagnosed last year.

“I have been working with him to treat her using a natural diet and Chinese herbs. She is [no longer] having a lot of the other issues she was having like bladder infections, incontinence and kidney problems,” Merritt said. And though she loves her local vet, acupuncturist and chiropractor, “Dr. Doug brings it all together because he is all of those things.”

TO REGISTER

Dr. Doug Knueven’s March 21 seminar costs $80. Topics include canine nutrition, vaccines, massage herbs, spinal health and homeopathy. Register at www.paws4ever.org or call 304-2300, ext. 233.

Wellness(R) Natural Pet Food Gives Big to Help Dogs of All Sizes in Need February 20, 2009

Donates 120 TONS of dog food to shelters across the U.S. during economic crisis

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Yips of joy and barks of thanks resounded across the U.S. this winter as Wellness(R) Natural Pet Food, under the auspices of its charitable arm, the WellPet Foundation, donated 120 TONS of dog food to animal shelters and rescue organizations nationwide. That equates to one bowl of kibble to a half million dogs, from puppies to seniors!

With the nation’s economic crisis now affecting Main Street as well as Wall Street, many animal shelters are facing challenges in providing enough food and proper nutrition to record numbers of pets being left in their care. The animal lovers at Wellness, who are dedicated to doing the very best for the pets who depend on us, could think of nothing more meaningful than to provide these dogs, who give us unconditional love, trust and companionship, with a gift of sustenance and love through food.

Donations of Wellness Super5Mix(R) Large Breed Puppy Health, Wellness Super5Mix(R) Large Breed Adult Health, and Wellness Super5Mix(R) Small Breed Adult Health were made to the following shelters:

• Blue Lion Animal Rescue of Yoder, CO
• DAWGS N Texas of Dalhart, TX
• West Valley Animal Shelter in West Valley, UT
• Homeward Bound Shelter of Mechanicsburg, PA
• Animal Rescue Food Bank Inc. of Wellsville, PA
• Aspen Best Friends Animal Sanctuary of Kanab, UT
• National Greyhound Adoption Program of Philadelphia, PA

The Aspen Best Friends Animal Sanctuary of southwestern Utah was full of happy howls upon receiving their donation of Wellness dog food. “The more than 400 residents of DogTown here at Best Friends are happily enjoying the best in natural nutrition, thanks to the generous donation from Wellness,” said John Polis, public relations manager at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. “With so many dogs to take care of here at our sanctuary, we are especially grateful for the kindness shown by Wellness in contributing to the health needs of our animals.”

All the tails were wagging with happiness at the National Greyhound Adoption Program in Philadelphia, PA, as the dogs were fed plentifully. “Wellness is such a caring brand; we appreciate their helping us to keep the animals we look after happy, healthy and well-fed during these difficult times,” said David Wolf of the National Greyhound Adoption Program.

DAWGS N Texas, an animal wellness group and sanctuary based in Dalhart, Texas, adds a bark of excitement to the happy throng. “We are thrilled to have Wellness make such a meaningful gift of food to our program,” said Diane Trull of DAWGS N Texas. “It is reassuring to know that our dogs will be well nourished and sustained as we help them to find loving homes.”

Wellness(R) — Guaranteed Natural Nutrition for the Life of Your Pet

Wellness, a proud member of the WellPet family of brands, delivers lifelong, natural nutrition for pets — guaranteed. The pet professionals at Wellness carefully select all-natural, human-grade ingredients proven to deliver 100% of a pet’s lifetime nutritional needs. To ensure pets enjoy a long and loving life, Wellness guarantees the best natural ingredient sourcing, most meticulous quality assurance and production standards, and nutritional analysis in the industry. Wellness is sold in pet specialty stores and natural food stores across North America and internationally. Visit www.wellnesspetfood.com to learn more.

The WellPet Foundation — Responsibility, Passion, Commitment

At WellPet, we are committed to giving back to the world we share with our pets. Through the WellPet Foundation, we support organizations and activities that promote the power of natural nutrition and the benefits of healthy, active lifestyles. Learn more at www.wellnesspetfood.com/aboutus_wellpet_foundation.html.

About Aspen Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Best Friends Animal Society, one of America’s foremost animal rescue organizations, operates the country’s largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals. On any given day, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, located in southwestern Utah, is home to approximately 2,000 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals. Founded in 1984, Best Friends advances nationwide initiatives by working with shelter and rescue groups around the country. The society also publishes Best Friends magazine, the nation’s largest general interest, pet-related magazine with approximately 300,000 subscribers. For more information, visit www.bestfriends.org.

About National Greyhound Adoption Program

National Greyhound Adoption Program was founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1989. Their main goals are to help find loving, adoptive homes for former racing greyhounds, to provide superior knowledge and support for greyhound adopters and other adoption groups, to educate the public and spread awareness about the plight of the greyhound, and to provide specialized medical care specifically geared towards the greyhound. For more information, visit www.ngap.org.

About DAWGS N Texas

DAWGS N Texas’ primary goal is to find great homes for the animals in their care. They currently house over 600 dogs and 50 cats and have placed over 3,600 animals, in homes or other no kill facilities, over the last six years. They also provide help and support to other organizations throughout the Texas panhandle and into New Mexico and Oklahoma. DAWGS also seeks to create awareness about the need to reduce the number of neglected and discarded animals by providing assistance, education and promoting spaying and neutering. DAWGS N Texas is comprised of children and adult volunteers who care deeply about animals and their community. The organization would like children, in their program, to learn responsibility, commitment, and a sense of caring for animals and community service. For more information, visit www.dawgsntexas.com.

Winners of the 5th Annual Top Ten Dog Products of the Year Awards Were Officially Announced Today by PupLife.com January 13, 2009

Source: PRWeb.com

Each year, PupLife.com honors the top ten dog products of the year. PupLife.com prides itself on offering only the finest dog supplies available. Safe, healthy and unique, PupLife.com features the highest quality dog products for pets and their people. Now celebrating its fifth year, PupLife.com’s Annual Top Ten Dog Products of the Year gives special recognition to the best of the best.

Fennville, MI (PRWEB) January 13, 2009 — Winners of the 5th Annual Top Ten Dog Products of the Year were officially announced today by PupLife.com. Now celebrating its fifth year, PupLife.com’s much anticipated Top Ten Dog Products of the Year gives special recognition to the best of the best. PupLife.com selected its Top Ten Dog Products for 2008 based on a number of factors including customer feeback, product consistency and performance, innovative design and overall sales.

PupLife.com President, Eric Houtkooper said, “PupLife.com prides itself on the fact that we only carry the finest dog supplies available. We search far and wide for the healthiest, safest, highest quality dog products and only the best are selected for inclusion on the site. For every item that we add to our selection, hundreds are turned down. For a dog product to make the cut, we think it has to be pretty special.”

PupLife.com prides itself on the fact that we only carry the finest dog supplies available. We search far and wide for the healthiest, safest, highest quality dog products and only the best are selected for inclusion on the site. For every item that we add to our selection, hundreds are turned down. For a dog product to make the cut, we think it has to be pretty special.

And now, here are PupLife.com’s 5th Annual Top Ten Dog Products of the Year:

Lupine Dog Collars
Lupine® dog collars are stylish, functional and extremely durable. In fact, Lupine collars are guaranteed for life – even if chewed. If your pooch destroys a Lupine collar, simply mail it back to Lupine’s headquarters and they will send you a free replacement! Matching Lupine Dog Leashes and Dog Harnesses are available for all Lupine patterns, and Lupine even makes wonderful Martingale Collars for Greyhounds and other dogs that can back out of regular collars.

Manners Minder Remote Dog Training System
We love the Manners Minder Remote Reward Training System developed by world renown behaviorist, Dr. Sophia Yin. The Manners Minder Remote Reward Training System can help you train your dog to behave appropriately — not with punishment but with positive reinforcement!

Nina Ottosson’s Puzzle Toys for Dogs
Nina Ottosson’s interactive puzzle toys enhance canine problem solving skills and provide stimulating activity for dogs of all ages. These unique wooden puzzles are designed to enrich your dog’s mind and foster a stronger bond between you and your pet. Nina Ottosson’s puzzle toys for dogs (The Brick, The Tornado & Dog Smart) will revolutionize the way you play with your pet and provide a positive outlet for your dog’s energy and intellect.

West Paw Eco Slumber Dog Bed
The West Paw Eco Slumber Dog Bed is the ultimate in earth-friendly design. Your pooch will sleep in eco heaven in this super comfy, earth-friendly pet bed. The Eco Slumber dog bed combines eco fabric, made with 85% recycled IntelliLoft™ fibers and then filled with our 100% recycled IntelliLoft™ fiber fill.

Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Raw Dog Food – Keen
A nutritious raw dog food diet can be wonderful for your pet’s health and well-being. Honest Kitchen’s line of dehydrated raw dog foods offer the performance of raw dog food without all of the preparation hassles. Specially formulated for gluten-senstive dogs, Keen combines the wholesomeness of a home made diet with the convenience of an easy-to-prepare, scientifically balanced blend.

Red Dingo Stainless Steel Dog ID Tags
Attaching dog tags to your pet’s favorite collars is the best protection you have against losing your pet. Red Dingo Dog Tags are made from durable enamel and stainless steel, so you can trust them to protect your pet when you need them. These designer inspired dog tags come in a variety of fun patterns and colors. Plus, custom engraving is FREE!

Tazlab Joshua Tree Healing Pet Salve
Developed by rock climbers in the Mojave Desert, this healing salve contains a potent blend of antibiotic and healing herbs in a beeswax base. 100% organic and petroleum free. This unique formula effectively treats your pet’s cracked paw pads, abraded pads caused by urban dwelling, dermatitis, pink ear, pruritus. It is wonderful!

Stella & Chewy’s All Natural Dog Treats – Carnivore Kisses
These delicious freeze-dried treats can be given whole as a training reward, or crumbled over food at mealtimes for added flavor and nutrition. These all-natural, all-meat treats contain no preservatives, no dyes or colorings, and no sugar or salt. Carnivore Kisses are perfect for travel or training. They come in a screw-top plastic jar for easy storage and should be kept in a cool, dry place. Available in four awesome flavors: Turkey Tidbits, Angus Beef, White Meat Chicken or Grass-Fed Bison.

New York Dog Carriers
New York Dog makes luxurious dog carriers that are simply charming. With a multitude of styles and patterns to choose from, New York Dog certainly has the perfect carrier for your precious pet. Our favorites include their glamorous Hollywood Dog Carrier, the versatile faux suede Croco Dog Carrier and the popular Westport Dog Carrier. A PupLife.com favorite!

Dynamic Accents Dog Gates
Dynamic Accents’ beautiful hardwood gate construction is top notch and the hands only operation means no tools are required. They are gorgeous, durable and they fold away for easy storage when not in use. They also make amazing dog toy boxes!

A list of the winners along with pictures and descriptions can be found online at
PupLife.com.

All products are available for purchase. For more information, contact Leslie Hayes-Houtkooper at 773-620-0050 or visit PupLife.com.

Lawrence animal lovers pack natural ingredients into homemade pet treats, MA January 13, 2009

Source: LJWorld.co, By Sarah Henning, January 12, 2009

When Khristina Kirstatter got her first dog, Maggie, almost 20 years ago, she went to the store to stock up on some treats for the little pup.

Photo by John Henry

Khristina Kirstatter turned her love of dogs into a business, Lucky Paws Bakery. On the left is Nina, a 4-month-old boxer, and on the right is Yuri, a 2-year-old boxer.

When she flipped over package after package, she was appalled to see the unpronounceable ingredients on the back.

“I looked at the ingredients, and when you can’t even pronounce the words, it’s like, that’s not good. And so I started baking for Maggie, way back then,” Kirstatter says. “I was kind of a freak for even thinking about baking for your dogs, because there was no such thing.”

From there, she made it her hobby to make sure other dogs ate as well as hers, soon forming the Lucky Paws Bakery. These days, the Lawrence resident has 40 to 50 dog biscuits in her repertoire — including everything from a blueberry biscuit to one with a garbanzo bean base — and even does custom cakes for doggie birthdays and holidays.

She uses organic ingredients, nothing artificial, and doesn’t even dye the treats specific colors, preferring instead to focus on fun shapes and names — like Peamutt Butter Puppies and Pupparazzi Pizza Pleasers. And her clan of happy dogs gets a chance to taste-test every one before they are sold at Hy-Vee and the Casbah Market, 803 Mass., and on her Web site at www.luckypawsbakery.net.

Dianne Morgan, who is behind Good Dog! biscuits made in Lawrence, says both her clients and their pooches can tell the difference between homemade and store-bought treats.

“Yes, they are different from store brands. First, they are hand-made in small batches on a weekly basis, so they are always fresh. Second, you won’t find any ingredients in our biscuits that can’t be found on a grocery store shelf. And last, they taste better,” says Morgan, who sells her biscuits at The Community Mercantile, 901 S. Iowa, and Pawsh Wash, 1520 Wakarusa Drive, among other places. “Ask any of our clients which product their pets prefer. My own dog won’t even eat a Milk-Bone anymore.”

Kirstatter concurs. She says her animals wouldn’t know what to do with processed foods — and that they’re better for it.

“They’re no different than we are,” Kirstatter says.

Photo by John Henry

Khristina Kirstatter’s homemade dog treats.

Thrive! Foods Offers Holiday Dog Deals; Send Snack Pack for $.99 with SuperTreats Purchase; $1 Per Gift to Animal Rescue November 19, 2008

Thrive! Foods, maker of the SuperTreats line of nutrient-rich healthy dog treats, is offering a best-of-the-web holiday dog deal. With purchase of one SuperTreats pouch, Daisy can send a Surprise! snack-pack for $.99 and free shipping to her four-legged friend, Bella. For every gift sent now through Dec. 25, Thrive! will donate $1 to select animal rescue organizations nationwide.

Roswell, Ga. (PRWEB) November 19, 2008 — Seeking something special for man’s best friend this holiday season? Check out http://www.GetDogHealth.com where a best-of-the-web gift is available for dog lovers who want a unique, healthy dog treat people can eat, too!

Send a SuperTreats! Surprise Snack Pack!

Thrive! Foods, maker of the SuperTreats line of dog snacks with only natural ingredients including whole grains, vitamin-dense fruits and vegetables, antioxidant-rich spices and healthy omega-3′s, is offering a Surprise! Snack Pack.

For $.99 AND free shipping when you buy one pack of SuperTreats, Thrive! will send a two-treat pouch accompanied with a personalized message from your dog to her best friend. With gifts bought now through December 25, 2008, $1 from every purchase will go to select rescue organizations across the country.

Also available at GetDogHealth.com are SuperTreats! gift boxes in a four- or- five healthy treat variety pack with free shipping. SuperTreats come in five flavors including: Hip Health Pumpkin Spice, Pro-Immune Ginger Snaps, Vitality Granola Bites, top-seller Pro-Digestive Papaya Chews and Pro-Health Biscotti. Made in the U.S.A. in an FDA-certified facility, the dog treats are available at independent retailers or on the web at http://www.supertreats.net/store.

About Thrive! Foods
Thrive! Foods is privately held and was launched in 2006 to deliver great tasting, nutritious snacks made with fruit, vegetable, and grain super foods that are nutrient-dense and loaded with antioxidants to address the growing chronic health issues among families and their pets. The company’s line of SuperTreats contains a variety of best-selling products including Pro-Immune Ginger Snaps, Vitality Granola Bites, Pro-Digestive Papaya Chews; Pro-Health Biscotti and the Hip Health Pumpkin Spice. The company’s web site is accessible at http://www.thrivefoods.net.

Dear President Elect Obama, November 18, 2008

Source: The American Chronicle, By Susan Thixton, The Trust About Pet Foods, Nov 17, 2008

The near future is bringing many changes to your family, including the addition of a family dog. Becoming a new dog owner adds another responsibility to your family, including deciding on which dog food is right for the ´First Dog´. The dog food decision might be more of a challenge than you think; before you select a dog food, the following will provide you with some necessary information.

Not that the first family is going to walk into a Petsmart or Petco to purchase their first bag of dog food like other new dog owners across the U.S., but if you did, you´d find aisles and aisles of dog foods to chose from. You and your beautiful family would wander down the aisles to find hundreds of different brands, varieties, and price ranges; everything from kibble, canned, frozen, to dehydrated.

Being a very intelligent man, and caring about the nutrition your new family member will receive, you´ll probably carefully read the labels. On each dog food you´ll notice reassuring words like ´Premium´, ´Choice´, and ´100% Complete´. Some dog foods will also mention health promoting benefits on the label such as antioxidants and omegas.

Before you make your dog food decision however, there are some things about dog foods, cat foods, and pet treats that you need to know.

As you read the reassuring words on the dog food labels, you should be aware that pet food regulations allow “Unqualified Claims, either directly or indirectly” on the pet food label. It turns out that those reassuring words such as ´Premium´ or ´Choice´ can be ´unqualified´ or misleading to pet owners. As an example, a dog food labeled as ´Premium´ might contain cow intestines as a source of protein and risky chemicals to maintain freshness.

Should you, like millions of other pet owning families, decide to give your children some pet care responsibilities, you might want to think twice before allowing your girls to feed the new dog. Sadly, it is currently acceptable practice for diseased animals and euthanized animals to be processed into pet food. Should you give your girls this responsibility, they could be handling a dog food that contains the remains of a diseased animal, possibly even the remains of a cow suspect of spreading BSE or mad cow disease. While the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act firmly states no food, including animal food, can contain a diseased animal or an animal that has died other than by slaughter, the FDA (soon to be your FDA) has been ignoring this law with regards to pet food.

Another consideration is the country of origin of your pet´s food ingredients. Even though you did not have a dog at the time, in 2007 thousands of U.S. pets became ill and died from contaminated grain proteins imported from China. When you face the decision of what food to provide to your new dog, you´ll be at risk of your dog consuming contaminated Chinese imported pet food ingredients, just like millions of other U.S. pet owners. Sadly, country of origin of ingredients is NOT provided to pet owners on any dog food, cat food, or pet treat label. Your children´s new dog could be poisoned without your knowledge because existing pet food regulations don´t feel it is necessary to provide country of origin information to pet owners.

President elect Obama, it is apparent you love your children and truly care about their future. Your children are about to fall deeply in love with a four legged, tail wagging best friend; a friend they will fondly recall for the rest of their lives. Can you imagine how broken hearted your girls would feel if their dog was poisoned by imported Chinese pet food ingredients unknowingly fed in the pet food? Should your children and millions more U.S. children be denied the life lesson of pet care responsibilities because the dog food or cat food might contain diseased animals?

Millions of unknowing parents, whose children have the responsibility of feeding the dog or cat, are not aware the pet food can contain rendered diseased or euthanized animals. Millions of U.S. children every single day are handed the chore of feeding the family pet; these children handle pet food that despite Federal Law against it, is the dumping ground for useless, risky animal remains. You should also be aware of a pet food rumor that has existed for years; that some pet foods contain euthanized dogs and cats. The FDA attempted to disprove this rumor; however their test results only proved that pentobarbital, the drug used to euthanize dogs and cats, is found in many popular brands of dog food. The FDA testing found no positive evidence to disprove that millions of euthanized shelter dogs and cats are rendered and become a pet food ingredient. The rumor remains.

Millions of unknowing pet parents feel they can trust and believe pet food labels that state ´Premium´ or ´Choice´; they are unaware regulations allow pet food to make ´unqualified claims´ on the label. They are unaware that pet food labels, despite Federal Law against it, can be misleading. They remain unaware that risky Chinese imports could be included in their pet´s food.

As you will soon discover, your new dog will become a member of your family. He or she will steal a tiny bit of your heart the day you bring them home, and everyday following they will become more and more a part of you. He or she will become your children´s beloved friend, and if you are lucky, your friend and confidant as well. Unlike average parents, you perhaps will have your staff feed the dog or even have your staff prepare your new dog´s meals. Most pet parents don´t have these options. Most pet parents hold their breath every time they open a new bag of dog food or cat food, hoping this bag of food will be safe. Hoping their children won´t become sick from handling a dog food or cat food. This is America, this shouldn´t happen here. We can only hope that once you are President, and once you have decided upon and adopted your new family member, you will become aware of the challenge 74 million U.S. pet parents face daily. We can only hope that you´ll care enough, not only about your daughter´s dog, but the dogs and cats of all others in the U.S.; and that you will do something to protect everyone.

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Buying a ‘Natural’ Pet Food Product is Like Buying Fool’s Gold November 15, 2008

Source: (NaturalNews) By SusanThixton, Nov 12, 2008

A recent survey from the GoodLife Recipe Pet Food company provided by (www.mediapost.com)
website states that two-thirds of pet owners don’t consider cost when
selecting a dog food or cat food. Their survey states that nearly 60%
of pet owners said that “natural ingredients” are the most important
issue to influence a pet food purchase. The problem for pet owners is
that searching for a pet food labeled ‘Natural’ can be like finding
fool’s gold.

AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control
Officials) and the FDA has no official definition for the word
‘natural’ in pet food regulations. ‘Natural’ on a pet food label
implies the food should be free of risky chemicals, colors, or any
ingredient considered treated or disguised. You know… natural. But
instead, under current pet food regulations, any pet food manufacturer
can make the claim ‘natural’ on the label, yet the food could contain
many ingredients most would not consider natural; such as added
chemicals, colors, and other unnatural ingredients. Even though there
are no survey results to substantiate this, my guess would be that
almost every pet owner who seeks out ‘natural ingredients’ in their dog
food or cat food choices, firmly believes the food is natural.

The power of advertising

A northern California newspaper InsideBayArea.com
puts advertising of pet food into a realistic light — “Playful puppies
and adorable kittens almost seem to jump out of the colorful packages,
beckoning pet owners to choose their very special brands of food. Large
pallets containing bags of dry food, stacks of orderly cans and rows of
moist pouches often leave pet owners literally dazed and confused with
the overwhelming selection. Marketing ideas leap off the products
claiming to be “organic”, to have “no by-products” and to have “real,
wholesome ingredients.” All of these speak to us as ways to provide the
very best for our family members. But in light of pet food recalls and
concerns about pet food manufacturing, how can pet owners really know
they are providing the best?

That’s a difficult question; really
knowing you are providing the best food for your dog or cat is not as
easy as it should be. It should be that a pet owner can read the pet
food label claiming ‘natural’ or ‘real wholesome ingredients’ knowing
that label is providing true and accurate information. It should be
that pet owners are provided with ingredient country of origin
information on the label. It should be that pet food labels clearly
state if dangerous chemicals or inferior ingredients are used. ‘Should
be’ is not what ‘is’ however.

What ‘is’ legally allowed on pet food labels:

Unqualified
claims (either directly or indirectly) – Pictures displaying choice
cuts of meat even if no meat is provided in the food. Misleading pet
food names such as Albacore Tuna ‘Flavor’ or Sirloin Steak ‘Flavor’ –
no tuna or steak is required to be in the pet food. The list goes on
and on.

You can imagine that dog foods and cat foods providing
accurate information on the label such as ‘Chemical Preservatives
inside linked to tumors and cancer’ or ‘Includes By-Products rejected
for use in human food’ wouldn’t be top sellers at the pet store. The
pet food companies that use these types of ingredients are not forced
by regulations to tell you; which in turn hurts the companies that
wouldn’t consider using risky chemicals or inferior by-products in
their foods. One pet food might actually contain natural ingredients
yet because of existing rules and regulations, they can’t tell you
anything different than the pet food who claims natural while using
added colors and risky chemicals. All pet food labels must stay within
particular parameters, hiding the truth from pet owners. Hiding the
truth of quality ingredients and hiding the truth of risky ingredients.

Pet
food regulations need to be changed — yesterday. As the research shows
the majority of pet owners are actively seeking out dog and cat foods
that are natural. That’s great news and would be beneficial to millions
of pets if only someone could decide what ‘natural’ means. But since
AAFCO and the FDA give pet owners no official definition for ‘natural’,
pet owners might as well be searching for Fool’s Gold. Current pet food
regulations designate ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘Natural Pet Food’ to have an
equal value.

Ongoing Pet Food Recalls Have this Pet Sitter Barking Mad November 15, 2008

Source: PRWeb, Pub. Nov 15, 2008
Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails is doing their part to find natural products to keep pets safe from pet food recalls and heartbreaking medical problems such as cancer and kidney failure. Some common factors are poor quality pet food, toxic chemicals in household cleaners and pet vaccination overload.

Glendora, CA (PRWEB) November 15, 2008 — The pet food recalls in 2007 had many pet parents concerned over their pet foods safety. Unfortunately, many have resorted back to the same food or something similar, setting themselves up for more possible problems occurring in the pet food industry.

HSUS has reported more than 10 recalls since the major pet food recall involving Menu Foods.

For the last year, I have made it my mission to find why pets are experiencing organ failure or suffering from things like allergies and how they are linked to common pet products or practices like vaccines.

Knowing that my holistic veterinarian recommends this food, I know I have found a premium pet food to offer my dog and customers

Even in this struggling economy, you can save money on your pet expenses!

Ms. Madden of Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails says, “For the last year, I have made it my mission to find why pets are experiencing organ failure or suffering from things like allergies and how they are linked to common pet products or practices like vaccines.”

Sorting through the hundreds of pet foods can be quite a daunting task for pet parents. To address this issue, Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails spent countless hours researching things such as pet food recalls and what makes a quality meal for pets. Home made diets can be an intimidating task, although excellent if done correctly. For that reason, this should only be done under the guidance of a vet. Realizing many pet guardians will not cook for their pets, finding a premium pet food kibble is the next best thing.

Holistic or organic pet food is an excellent choice since it does not have by-products or chemical preservatives like BHT and BHA. An added bonus, is it human grade quality. However, not all natural and holistic pet foods are created equal. Here are a few very important questions you should ask yourself.

1) Is manufacturing and packaging kept in house or is it outsourced to another company? This is relevant due to possibility of cross contamination.
2) What are the ingredients used in the food, and are they coming from trusted sources with the United States?
3) Is the food oven baked or extruded? Oven baking makes for easier digestion. It also aids in the prevention of bloat.
4) Does is contain a healthy balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids?
5) Is it bagged in smaller quantities? Ex: 40 lbs of dog food is packaged as two 20 lb bags. Importance? Once a bag is opened, freshness starts to decrease.

Flint River Ranch Natural Pet Food meets all these criteria. “Knowing that my holistic veterinarian recommends this food, I know I have found a premium pet food to offer my dog and customers,” said Ms. Madden, Flint River Ranch Independent Distributor.

“Even in this struggling economy, you can save money on your pet expenses!” exclaimed Madden. Flint River Ranch pet food, whose price includes UPS shipping, is super concentrated so you can feed 20-25% less of this food compared to commercial pet food while still maintaining proper nutrition. Therefore, the cost breakdown of FRR pet food is the same or less than the brand you are currently feeding. Specifically, Flint River Ranch Dog Food is $1.74 p/lb (based on 40 lb bag) and Flint River Ranch Cat Food is $2.25 p/lb (based on 20 lb bag). Bottom-line, prevention is cheaper than a cure!

Whether your canine needs a hypoallergenic formula or your feline is a picky eater, FRR has a variety of types and sizes of natural food and treats for cats and dogs. They offer the convenience of on-line ordering, 3-5 days UPS nationwide shipping of fresh food and optional automated shipping. FRR is so confident you will see positive results in your pet such as reduction in itchy dry skin and hot spots; they offer a 30-day guarantee.

Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails owner, Ms. Madden, is a life long pet lover and pet parent. H.T.W.T, has applied a strict selection process to all products in order to provide pet products that stand out from the crowd. Our priorities are to pets with holistic and eco-friendly products and practices in mind.

Is it Ethical for Veterinarians to Recommend Pet Foods? November 15, 2008

Almost every Veterinarian Clinic across the country offers dog and cat food for sale. Some only offer prescription foods specifically for pets needing a diet to address a disease; however, many others offer for sale maintenance dog and cat foods to their clients. Do veterinarians know enough about pet food to ethically recommend a particular brand of food to their clients?

The Canadian Veterinary Journal website posts medical ethics questions from member veterinarians. In June of 2007, shortly after the deadly pet food recall, veterinarian Dr. Lea Stogdale posted the following ethical question: “Many veterinarians sell nonprescription pet foods along with prescription pet foods as a service to their clientele. Some pet food companies insist that if their products are sold through a veterinary clinic, then no other brand of pet food can be sold through that clinic. Does the exclusive marketing of only one brand of pet food by a veterinary clinic imply a professional endorsement of that product over all other products on the market? Are pet food companies indirectly using veterinarians´ good reputations to market their products?”

Her question received two replies from veterinarians on the website. Dr. Marion Smart responded: “When a client purchases any product or service from his or her veterinarian, he or she trusts that the veterinarian has knowledge of its efficacy and safety. Advertisements by the pet food companies and magazine and newspaper columns invariably advise pet owners to “ask their veterinarian” for correct nutritional information. The recent recalls involving Diamond Pet Foods, Medi-Cal, and other pet foods manufactured by Menu Foods has made it clear how complex the pet food industry is, and that blind faith in pet food manufacturers can be a mistake. If a veterinarian is selling pet food, he or she must accept a degree of responsibility for the products´ efficacy and safety. This is particularly true if a veterinarian is endorsing one brand of pet food exclusively at his or her practice.”

The next reply posted to the ethical question, is from veterinarian Dr. Clayton MacKay – Directory of Veterinary Affairs, Hill´s Pet Nutrition Canada – one of the most commonly recommended pet diets by veterinarians, Science Diet: “Professional endorsement of any product or service could take place when the veterinarian has investigated the particular product or service to the best of his or her ability. The professional should use an “evidence-based approach” matched with his or her own knowledge, use, and experience. In fact, most clients want exactly this kind of recommendation, that is why they seek advice from a professional. Pet food companies (like pharmaceutical/biological/equipment companies, etc.), do indeed believe that appropriate recommendations of their products/services are of value in the compliance use by the public/client. However, I am unaware of nutrition companies that demand exclusivity of their product in a particular clinic. For certain, demanding exclusivity is not the practice of Hill´s Pet Nutrition, Inc.”

Dr. MacKay´s response, again, a representative of Science Diet pet foods, is interpreted to tell veterinarians that clients WANT the recommendation of a pet food brand from their veterinarian. However, most veterinarians are NOT animal nutritionists. At almost every Vet School across the U.S., dog and cat nutrition classes are known to be very brief, most lasting only a couple of hours in total. Furthermore, most of these classes are taught by representatives from Science Diet, Iams/Eukanuba, and/or Purina pet foods. In other words, most veterinarian´s knowledge of pet food, ingredients, use of chemical preservatives, and so forth – is extremely limited.

Dr. MacKay also recommends to veterinarians to use an ´evidence-based approach matched with his/her own knowledge, use, and experience´ in recommending a dog food or cat food. Most pet owners would find this statement close to ridiculous. Would ´evidence´ be countless pets dying from melamine tainted imported ingredients? Would evidence be photos of prime choice cuts of meat on pet food labels when NO prime cuts of meat are contained within the pet food?

While US pet owners continue to seek pet food advice from veterinarians, Europe has taken legal steps to prevent veterinarians from misleading clients into pet food purchases. New European Consumer laws put into effect in June of 2008, veterinarians must not hard sell pet food, vaccinations, or drugs and must not make any health claims for anything they sell, unless they have veterinary research to back it up.

Pet owners DO want their veterinarian to recommend a healthy pet food for their dog or cat, unfortunately many pet owners have learned the hard way that most vets do not understand the ´truth´ of many commercial pet foods. The continued veterinarian recommendations of dog foods and cat foods that contain by-products, chemical preservatives, and various risky ingredients has caused countless pet owners to ignore the advice of a ´should be´ trusted partner in their pet´s care, and search for healthier options on their own. What a shame for the veterinarian/client bond.

Pet Food Recipe Changes and Challenges November 11, 2008

Source: NaturalNews  Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by: Susan Thixton

(NaturalNews) If you haven’t seen it yet with your brand of dog food or cat food, you probably will soon. Prices of pet food ingredients are rising just like the prices of your groceries in recent months. Many pet food manufacturers are scrambling to stay competitive; some changing the formulation or recipe of their products trying to save money. What is going to happen to our pet foods is a question on many pet owners minds.

The rules of pet food manufacturing state that a company can change the ingredients in a pet food at any time yet they are not required to show the changes on the label for six months. With rising prices of ingredients in a very competitive market, every pet food manufacturer is facing the decision of a formula change using less costly ingredients or risk raising product prices and losing customers. The worry for pet owners is the quality and nutritional value of those ‘cheaper ingredients’. And of course they worry if more pet food companies will turn to countries with little to no quality control as a supplier of ‘cheaper ingredients’.

After the six months label change has been made, reflecting the new list of ingredients, do you think you would notice it? Do you examine the ingredient list every time you purchase a new food? If you are like most consumers, you don’t. And you shouldn’t have to.

I am not sure what can be done about this, but it’s certainly time that all food regulations – pet and people – are developed to protect the consumer or petsumer instead of business. The pet owning customers are solely responsible for the profits and the existence of pet food companies. It’s time we are treated far better than how you are treating us. We’ll be glad to take our money elsewhere if you continue this way.

Here is an example of how important it is that rules of pet food manufacturing and labeling be changed; proving the point that the existing non-disclosure is of no benefit to pet owners and to quality minded pet food companies. In 1938 when the world listened to radio, a 60 minute broadcast of the H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds terrified listeners all over the country. Excerpts of the book were presented as news bulletins, suggesting to listeners than an actual Martian invasion was in progress. Listeners panicked assuming the broadcast was real and an invasion was actually happening. In reality it was just Wells’ novel being read as a ‘show’. Fast forward to the present; multiply the H.G. Wells reaction by millions with the Internet. One unknowing pet owner’s dog has a reaction to the ingredient changes in their pet food. The dog gets loose stool and is showing signs of ‘tummy’ problems. With all the recalls in the last few years, the owner justifiably panics and turns to the Internet; posting the information about her dogs reaction to the food. She discovers that other pets have suffered the same experience; more tummy problems. And naturally everyone – NOT knowing the pet food company changed their recipe – assume the next recall is on the way! Then later when they discover the pet food had an ingredient change – without their knowledge. They feel duped. Taken advantage of. Misled and mistreated for years of customer loyalty. This pet food company, by NOT being upfront with customers regarding ingredient changes, just put many pet owners through great worry and concern. Because they did not put the concern of the pet first, they just lost customers.

You should know that pet food companies CAN choose to alert their customers to any ingredient changes or supplier changes, but they do not have to. The existing regulations do NOT deny them the opportunity to alert their customers to any changes in the pet food.

Pet owners should also be aware that some pet food companies have hired representatives all over the globe to secretly post good reports about their products on blogs and forums all across the Internet. Some of these representatives have blogs of their own – pretending to be a faithful fan of a particular pet food line; spreading nothing but positive information. Others are sent to post comments on forums regarding the pet food line they work for. Take great caution with any information you read.

Add everything together – pet food regulations protecting pet food instead of petsumers, higher ingredient prices, non-disclosure of recipe changes, non-disclosure of ingredient sources, and the rapid spread of information on the Internet – pet owners continue to fret and worry what to do about pet food. Unlike pet food companies, pet owners don’t look at their dog or cat as a business. They are family to us. Without changes to pet food regulations demanding timely and truthful information, without responsible pet food manufacturers taking the fight on themselves for changes in existing regulations (instead of letting consumers groups do all the work), pet owners continue to worry and stress over which pet food products they can trust. Surely somebody will ‘get’ this.

Responsible pet food manufacturers should be the ones lobbying AAFCO and the FDA to demand changes in pet food regulations instead of leaving all this work to a few pet consumer groups. It is time things change and the few responsible pet food companies out there that DO care about producing high quality pet foods instead of high quality commercials should step up and take the bull by the horns. Demanding changes to the extremely lax laws governing pet food will not only benefit pet owners, it will benefit reputable pet food manufacturers as well. Are you listening?

In the meantime, changes in a pet food, even small changes, can affect your pet; dogs especially. Most dogs need to change foods – even change of a new recipe of the same food – slowly. I suggest to pet owners to add ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to 7 days, ½ to ½ for another 4 to 7 days, and so on. Cats can typically change foods quickly without problems. But should you notice any problems in elimination or behavior with your dog or cat, immediately call the pet food manufacturer and ask of the ‘formulation’ or recipe has been altered. Slight changes of ingredients will probably only affect your pet for a few days. Don’t wait to see if ‘things’ improve in a few days, call the manufacturer right away. If they tell you no changes have been made in the food’s formulation, you should probably consult your veterinarian just to be safe.