Pet food debate -- the real issues

The recalls continue. See the latest recall of pet food containing salmonella.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/02/pb_king_recall20.html/

It’s pretty clear that this unregulated industry is producing products that are unsafe. Basically, given the total lack of effective government regulation, citizens need to take matters into their own hands in order to ensure that their beloved pets are fed real food. If it’s in a can or a bag – don’t buy it!

The debate is now hitting mainstream vet publications. I composed this letter to the editor as a response to questions posed about veterinarian ethics and the pet food industry, published in the Canadian Veterinarian Journal here:

Canadian Veterinary Journal
Volume 48, November, 2007


http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/tocrender.fcgi?journal=202&action=archive/

This elicited a response from a Dr. Tony Buffington, a veterinarian with close ties to Hills Pet Nutrition. Notice how Dr. Tony dodges the issue of dry food. He doesn't outright say it isn't causing illnesses in cats, just dances around the issue.
You'll need to go to the Canadian Veterinary Journal again and search for it. It's in the CVJ June 2008 issue; 49(6), pages 561-563.

A further rebuttal by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins and Dr. Marion Smart can be found in the same CVJ journal, October 2008; 49 (10) page 945

and on that same page, by Fiona MacMillan, UK pet food activist, and others...

The emperor truly has no clothes, but one can see how compromised many veterinarian academics have become when institutions are dependent upon funding from multinational corporations.