Canadian irradiated cat food banned in Australia
So where's the Canadian government on this issue? It was Australia that discovered that this particular product, imported from Canada, was irradiated. But once again, simply calling a halt to what is considered a controversial practice -- sterilizing cat food -- isn't the solution either.
These species-inappropriate products just need to be removed from the market entirely. After all, if it can be done with Vioxx (where thousands of people died) it can be done with cat food too.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The recalls continue
What did the settlement in the Menu Foods lawsuit resolve? Here's the latest recall. Really, the PFI cannot be trusted to produce products that are safe and healthy for a cat to consume. With the lack of effective government legislation worldwide on the pet food issue, the only solution cat guardians have is to take matters into their own hands and make their own food.
No cat should ever eat any form of dry food and the ongoing recalls just prove this point. And it's not just a matter of excessive zinc or potassium, as the company is claiming either. All dry cat food is "species inappropriate" since it is composed mainly of grain and made by the process of high heat processing and extrusion. Cats, as obligate carnivores, cannot tolerate carbohydrates.
A list of the products being recalled can be found here:
Recall of Nutro products
No cat should ever eat any form of dry food and the ongoing recalls just prove this point. And it's not just a matter of excessive zinc or potassium, as the company is claiming either. All dry cat food is "species inappropriate" since it is composed mainly of grain and made by the process of high heat processing and extrusion. Cats, as obligate carnivores, cannot tolerate carbohydrates.
A list of the products being recalled can be found here:
Recall of Nutro products
Friday, April 24, 2009
Winn Foundation hires 2 Hills vets to do study on raw diets
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/WinnGrants2009p2.html/
Well well well....so the PFI is not content to totally dominate market share in the global pet food market. Now two veterinarians closely affiliated with Hills Pet Nutrition have been hired to carry out a study on raw diets for cats. How interesting that they choose to study kittens. Geez that was my inspiration for starting this blog! I thought it would be a "case study in action" to start my new kitten, Makena, on a raw diet and to post the results on this blog.
Good grief! Do we really need a study to prove that cats are obligate carnivores? Don't these people even watch all those documentaries on felines in Africa on the Discovery channel? Running tests to prove that cats are better off eating meat? What is the real motive of this study? Will they skew the results of whatever formulation they come up with to prove that cats should not eat raw meat?
The burden of proof really lies with the veterinarians and multinational corporations who are formulating species-inappropriate diets -- diets for cats that are NOT what Mother Nature intended. Do we need a study to prove that the earth is not flat? Really. "Complete and balanced" -- well, as we know from the recalls and from the many sites dedicated to feline illnesses such as FD, commercial pet food is anything BUT "complete and balanced".
Dr. Claudia Kirk, as some of you may remember, was the PFI apologist who appeared on the panel before the Congressional Investigation into the tainted pet food scandal in 2007.
What exactly will they be doing in this study? Will they screw up the formulations in order to "prove" raw diets for cats are bad? So-called "results-oriented science"?
I've emailed the Winn Foundation posing these very questions. No response to my email.
Well well well....so the PFI is not content to totally dominate market share in the global pet food market. Now two veterinarians closely affiliated with Hills Pet Nutrition have been hired to carry out a study on raw diets for cats. How interesting that they choose to study kittens. Geez that was my inspiration for starting this blog! I thought it would be a "case study in action" to start my new kitten, Makena, on a raw diet and to post the results on this blog.
Good grief! Do we really need a study to prove that cats are obligate carnivores? Don't these people even watch all those documentaries on felines in Africa on the Discovery channel? Running tests to prove that cats are better off eating meat? What is the real motive of this study? Will they skew the results of whatever formulation they come up with to prove that cats should not eat raw meat?
The burden of proof really lies with the veterinarians and multinational corporations who are formulating species-inappropriate diets -- diets for cats that are NOT what Mother Nature intended. Do we need a study to prove that the earth is not flat? Really. "Complete and balanced" -- well, as we know from the recalls and from the many sites dedicated to feline illnesses such as FD, commercial pet food is anything BUT "complete and balanced".
Dr. Claudia Kirk, as some of you may remember, was the PFI apologist who appeared on the panel before the Congressional Investigation into the tainted pet food scandal in 2007.
What exactly will they be doing in this study? Will they screw up the formulations in order to "prove" raw diets for cats are bad? So-called "results-oriented science"?
I've emailed the Winn Foundation posing these very questions. No response to my email.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The latest from Makena
Yes I do get picture requests. Here's the latest picture from Makena, who is now 1 year 10 months old. This girl is HUGE at almost 12 pounds -- and -- still growing. Her coat is so shiny and soft, our pet sitter asked if I was putting oil on her coat. She is a very active, alert and content kitty. Raw fed since I got her at 10 weeks. Don't let any pet food company vet tell you that a raw diet is dangerous -- Makena is proof positive that it isn't.
It's best to find a holistic-minded or -- the new term -- integrative medicine vet. They will not push veterinary kibble on you and will support safe health care alternatives for your kitty.
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.
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.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
FOI Request - Terms of Reference
Here are two documents that are part of an Freedom of Information request I filed.
It's really a travesty that publicly funded institution would have such an incestuous relatioship with a major multinational. Royal Canin is owned by candy bar giant Mars, a fact that the corporation has made great efforts to conceal from the public. They don't want candy bars associated with pet food in the public's mind.
It truly is pitiful that the government allows the universities to sell out our educational institutions and professional associations to multinational corporations in order to get funding for nutritional research and continuing education.
If all research funding monies went to a central independent or government controlled nutritional research funding body and this group included non-industry influenced academics and people with real nutritional knowledge to review research grant proposals, the process would not be tainted as it is now.
There would also be money for continuing educational programmes as well.
What a unique concept -- the government controlling the multinational's distribution of research and professional
association monies. The government acting in the public interest, instead of being at the behest of the multinational corporations. The multinationals could contribute but in a hands off manner -- their contributions could be recognized but
they would not be allowed any control over how the monies were spent or to influence research towards their own product lines.
In these documents there are also a gushing emails with a handwritten note on an April 15, 2008 letter to the RC CEO Xavier Unkovic from Joanne Shoveller, Vice President of Alumni Affairs. "We are delighted to be moving forward with this new Chair. Thank you for your support and vision."
Vision? And exactly what kind of vision would that be? The production and false marketing of massive amounts of species-inappropriate prescription diet kibble products?
Note in Appendix B how they refer to certain illnesses in cats as "naturally occurring", such as diabetes. Diabetes is not a "naturally occurring disease" in either humans or cats. See Dr. Hodgkins article: www.yourdiabeticcat.com where she states, quite clearly and eloquently, that FD is the result of the highly processed kibble products currently inundating the pet food market.
Take a look at these documents. Feel free to email me if you need to see originals and I can photocopy and mail them to you.
This agreement has nothing to do with feline health or correct nutrition for obligate carnivores and everything to do with massively obscene profits for Royal Canin. Any academic associated with this should be ashamed of themselves for selling out their academic integrity and ethics if they agree to be part of this in any way.
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE
Office of the Dean
Terms of Reference
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.
1. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition was established through a gift endowment of $2,500,000 (“Endowment”) made to the University of Guelph (“UofG”) by Royal Canin Canada Company (“Royal Canin”).
2. It is agreed that the purpose of this Endowment is as follows:
To establish the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition (the “Chair”). The Chair will be filled by a canine and feline clinical nutritionist, who will be hired as a regular full time tenure track faculty member at the Ontario Veterinary College (“OVC”), for the purpose of veterinary and graduate student teaching and research in canine and feline clinical nutrition.
3. The expendable income from the Endowment should be sufficient to pay the appointee’s full initial term and prospective reappointment salary and benefits. The expendable income is determined in accordance with the UofG’s policy, “General Endowment Fund Management Policy” (see Appendix 1), as may be amended from time to time. If available, additional expendable income could be used as an expense allowance for research and appointment-related travel costs.
4. From time to time, Royal Canin will provide additional support to the Chair including research grant support (students and program funding). This research and student support will be considered as part of the overall package available to the appointee.
5. The UofG, OVC, and Royal Canin will collaborate with each other for their mutual benefit and the benefit of the stakeholders. This will include, but not be limited to, discussion on the needs for nutrition education and research and ways to meet those needs.
6. An Advisory Committee will be created to support the Chair and to assure that the canine and feline clinical nutritional educational and research programs and activities align with the mission mandate of the UofG and Royal Canin. The members will be approved by both parties and will include 2 representatives from the UofG and 2 from Royal Canin. Terms of reference will be developed by this Committee for approval by the UofG and Royal Canin.
7. The appointees will be hired as regular full time tenure track faculty member by UofG and be subject to its policies and procedures. It is acknowledged that as a tenure-track faculty member, the appointee has the academic freedom to pursue interests in addition to the mission and mandate of the Chair. The Chair will not participate in any outside consultation or media activities that create a conflict of interest with the UofG or with Royal Canin.
8. Research carried out through the Chair will be consistent with Royal Canin’s Research Policy (see Appendix B). If in future, a conflict arises between UofG’s policies and procedures and Royal Canin’s Research Policy, the conflict will be referred to the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will provide advice to UofG and to Royal Canin on possible resolution of the conflict.
9. The Chair will be expected to establish a successful teaching program in canine and feline clinical nutrition for veterinary students and graduate students. The Chair might also participate in undergraduate education as time permits. The Chair will maintain a superior program of research (as evidenced by publications and external grant support), and will play a leadership role in facilitating world-class research in feline and canine clinical research.
10. The home department for the Chair will be the Department of Clinical Studies. The Chair will have an appointment in the OVC Teaching Hospital (OVCTH) in canine and feline clinical nutrition. The Chair will provide learning opportunities for veterinary students, interns and graduate students in the OVCTH and will provide nutritional consultation for clinicians from other clinical services within the OVCTH (e.g. critical care, internal medicine, oncology).
11. The professional rank of the appointee may be at the assistant, associate, or full professor level depending on the available funding from the Endowment for salary and benefits and the qualifications of prospective candidates. The first appointee, based on available funding, will be recruited as an assistant professor.
12. Faculty searches follow normal procedures for the UofG. Designates from Royal Canin will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates during their interviews and will be invited to the candidates’ interview presentations.
13. In the event that the appointee leaves the UofG, UofG will fill the position as quickly as possible.
14. If the expendable income is insufficient to meet continuing appointment and expense costs, the Dean will consult with the Advisory Committee, the Provost, the OVC Director of Advancement and Royal Canin. A decision may be made to leave the position vacant intermittently, supplement the income from other sources, and secure additional investment or some combination of these measures.
15. During the period when the Chair is not permanently occupied such as when a candiate search is in progresss, after consultation with the Department Chair, the Advisory Committee, and the Provost will use the Endowment’s income to maintain the continuity of the research and teaching programs in canine and feline nutrition.
16. The capital gifts contributed to this Endowment shall be held in perpetuity.
17. This document may be amended by mutual consent in writing by UofG and Royal Canin.
Signed by the parties hereto this 22nd day of April, 2008.
Dr. Alastair J.S. Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Guelph
Xavier Unkovic
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Canin Canada Company
Appendix B
MediCal/Royal Canin (MCRC) Veterinary Diet Research Policy
Excellent nutrition contributes to the quality and longevity of a companion animal’s life. To maintain excellence, ongoing research is necessary in the field of veterinary nutrition. It is our mission to continue to evolve in the acquisition of knowledge in this field as it pertains to wellness and disease prevention in dogs and cats.
To this end: MCRC is governed by the following guiding principles:
1. Dogs and cats are important members of the family and they will be treated with respect and humaneness at all times.
2. There will be no involvement in studies requiring and resulting in the euthanasia of dogs or cats.
3. There will be no involvement in studies requiring creation of disease by inducing organ manipulation or damage.
4. All clinical studies will investigate diet efficacy in naturally occuring disease (for example, diabetes, osteoarthritis, urolithiasis, food allergies, obesity).
5. Studies will only be conducted to prove efficacy if existing research cannot answer the hypotheses generated from the research and development team.
6. The result of research trials must contribute to the health and well being of dogs and cats.
7. Clinical trials will be performed, if at all possible, on client-owned dogs and cats. The pets are kept in the home environment under the care of their owners. The client’s veterinary clinic of choice will be involved in the clinical trial to provide ongoing monitoring and care of the pet as required. A veterinary internist (ACVJM diplomate) will be available through MCRC for consultation on any aspect of the clinical trial.
8. The collection of blood, urine and feces and the obtaining of radiographs will be carried out in a humane fashion, meeting or exceeding the standards established by animal welfare guidelines.
It's really a travesty that publicly funded institution would have such an incestuous relatioship with a major multinational. Royal Canin is owned by candy bar giant Mars, a fact that the corporation has made great efforts to conceal from the public. They don't want candy bars associated with pet food in the public's mind.
It truly is pitiful that the government allows the universities to sell out our educational institutions and professional associations to multinational corporations in order to get funding for nutritional research and continuing education.
If all research funding monies went to a central independent or government controlled nutritional research funding body and this group included non-industry influenced academics and people with real nutritional knowledge to review research grant proposals, the process would not be tainted as it is now.
There would also be money for continuing educational programmes as well.
What a unique concept -- the government controlling the multinational's distribution of research and professional
association monies. The government acting in the public interest, instead of being at the behest of the multinational corporations. The multinationals could contribute but in a hands off manner -- their contributions could be recognized but
they would not be allowed any control over how the monies were spent or to influence research towards their own product lines.
In these documents there are also a gushing emails with a handwritten note on an April 15, 2008 letter to the RC CEO Xavier Unkovic from Joanne Shoveller, Vice President of Alumni Affairs. "We are delighted to be moving forward with this new Chair. Thank you for your support and vision."
Vision? And exactly what kind of vision would that be? The production and false marketing of massive amounts of species-inappropriate prescription diet kibble products?
Note in Appendix B how they refer to certain illnesses in cats as "naturally occurring", such as diabetes. Diabetes is not a "naturally occurring disease" in either humans or cats. See Dr. Hodgkins article: www.yourdiabeticcat.com where she states, quite clearly and eloquently, that FD is the result of the highly processed kibble products currently inundating the pet food market.
Take a look at these documents. Feel free to email me if you need to see originals and I can photocopy and mail them to you.
This agreement has nothing to do with feline health or correct nutrition for obligate carnivores and everything to do with massively obscene profits for Royal Canin. Any academic associated with this should be ashamed of themselves for selling out their academic integrity and ethics if they agree to be part of this in any way.
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE
Office of the Dean
Terms of Reference
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.
1. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition was established through a gift endowment of $2,500,000 (“Endowment”) made to the University of Guelph (“UofG”) by Royal Canin Canada Company (“Royal Canin”).
2. It is agreed that the purpose of this Endowment is as follows:
To establish the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition (the “Chair”). The Chair will be filled by a canine and feline clinical nutritionist, who will be hired as a regular full time tenure track faculty member at the Ontario Veterinary College (“OVC”), for the purpose of veterinary and graduate student teaching and research in canine and feline clinical nutrition.
3. The expendable income from the Endowment should be sufficient to pay the appointee’s full initial term and prospective reappointment salary and benefits. The expendable income is determined in accordance with the UofG’s policy, “General Endowment Fund Management Policy” (see Appendix 1), as may be amended from time to time. If available, additional expendable income could be used as an expense allowance for research and appointment-related travel costs.
4. From time to time, Royal Canin will provide additional support to the Chair including research grant support (students and program funding). This research and student support will be considered as part of the overall package available to the appointee.
5. The UofG, OVC, and Royal Canin will collaborate with each other for their mutual benefit and the benefit of the stakeholders. This will include, but not be limited to, discussion on the needs for nutrition education and research and ways to meet those needs.
6. An Advisory Committee will be created to support the Chair and to assure that the canine and feline clinical nutritional educational and research programs and activities align with the mission mandate of the UofG and Royal Canin. The members will be approved by both parties and will include 2 representatives from the UofG and 2 from Royal Canin. Terms of reference will be developed by this Committee for approval by the UofG and Royal Canin.
7. The appointees will be hired as regular full time tenure track faculty member by UofG and be subject to its policies and procedures. It is acknowledged that as a tenure-track faculty member, the appointee has the academic freedom to pursue interests in addition to the mission and mandate of the Chair. The Chair will not participate in any outside consultation or media activities that create a conflict of interest with the UofG or with Royal Canin.
8. Research carried out through the Chair will be consistent with Royal Canin’s Research Policy (see Appendix B). If in future, a conflict arises between UofG’s policies and procedures and Royal Canin’s Research Policy, the conflict will be referred to the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will provide advice to UofG and to Royal Canin on possible resolution of the conflict.
9. The Chair will be expected to establish a successful teaching program in canine and feline clinical nutrition for veterinary students and graduate students. The Chair might also participate in undergraduate education as time permits. The Chair will maintain a superior program of research (as evidenced by publications and external grant support), and will play a leadership role in facilitating world-class research in feline and canine clinical research.
10. The home department for the Chair will be the Department of Clinical Studies. The Chair will have an appointment in the OVC Teaching Hospital (OVCTH) in canine and feline clinical nutrition. The Chair will provide learning opportunities for veterinary students, interns and graduate students in the OVCTH and will provide nutritional consultation for clinicians from other clinical services within the OVCTH (e.g. critical care, internal medicine, oncology).
11. The professional rank of the appointee may be at the assistant, associate, or full professor level depending on the available funding from the Endowment for salary and benefits and the qualifications of prospective candidates. The first appointee, based on available funding, will be recruited as an assistant professor.
12. Faculty searches follow normal procedures for the UofG. Designates from Royal Canin will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates during their interviews and will be invited to the candidates’ interview presentations.
13. In the event that the appointee leaves the UofG, UofG will fill the position as quickly as possible.
14. If the expendable income is insufficient to meet continuing appointment and expense costs, the Dean will consult with the Advisory Committee, the Provost, the OVC Director of Advancement and Royal Canin. A decision may be made to leave the position vacant intermittently, supplement the income from other sources, and secure additional investment or some combination of these measures.
15. During the period when the Chair is not permanently occupied such as when a candiate search is in progresss, after consultation with the Department Chair, the Advisory Committee, and the Provost will use the Endowment’s income to maintain the continuity of the research and teaching programs in canine and feline nutrition.
16. The capital gifts contributed to this Endowment shall be held in perpetuity.
17. This document may be amended by mutual consent in writing by UofG and Royal Canin.
Signed by the parties hereto this 22nd day of April, 2008.
Dr. Alastair J.S. Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Guelph
Xavier Unkovic
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Canin Canada Company
Appendix B
MediCal/Royal Canin (MCRC) Veterinary Diet Research Policy
Excellent nutrition contributes to the quality and longevity of a companion animal’s life. To maintain excellence, ongoing research is necessary in the field of veterinary nutrition. It is our mission to continue to evolve in the acquisition of knowledge in this field as it pertains to wellness and disease prevention in dogs and cats.
To this end: MCRC is governed by the following guiding principles:
1. Dogs and cats are important members of the family and they will be treated with respect and humaneness at all times.
2. There will be no involvement in studies requiring and resulting in the euthanasia of dogs or cats.
3. There will be no involvement in studies requiring creation of disease by inducing organ manipulation or damage.
4. All clinical studies will investigate diet efficacy in naturally occuring disease (for example, diabetes, osteoarthritis, urolithiasis, food allergies, obesity).
5. Studies will only be conducted to prove efficacy if existing research cannot answer the hypotheses generated from the research and development team.
6. The result of research trials must contribute to the health and well being of dogs and cats.
7. Clinical trials will be performed, if at all possible, on client-owned dogs and cats. The pets are kept in the home environment under the care of their owners. The client’s veterinary clinic of choice will be involved in the clinical trial to provide ongoing monitoring and care of the pet as required. A veterinary internist (ACVJM diplomate) will be available through MCRC for consultation on any aspect of the clinical trial.
8. The collection of blood, urine and feces and the obtaining of radiographs will be carried out in a humane fashion, meeting or exceeding the standards established by animal welfare guidelines.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
July pictures Manu and Makena
Okay you cat photo gallery fans here are a couple of the latest pics. See how healthy kitties on a natural raw meat diet look?
Great fur, shiny and soft. Strong and muscular. Active and alert -- these kitties are no couch potatoes.
Makena can jump up to 6 feet in the air and also jump 13 steps in a single bound. They usually get active around 9 pm -- hunting time -- and chase each other up and down the stairs vigorously. They do get fresh air every day -- supervised of course -- in a safe location where they get to watch the birds and squirrels in the trees.
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