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Who is really spreading misinformation? – Truth about Pet Food

Kar-Bay-Inc 661 Comments

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All too often pet owners get the blame for spreading false information about pet food. A recent article published on VeterinaryPracticeNews.com is another one of those instances where pet owners get the blame when in truth the veterinarian is the guilty party for spreading pet food misinformation.

Veterinarian Brennen McKenzie recently published “A closer look at popular pet food myths… and why they are just that.” He states “Clients readily pick up myths and misconceptions from breeders, other pet owners, the internet, and, sadly, even some veterinarians promoting unscientific ideas about animal health.”

His first so-called pet food myth is “Commercial pet foods are ‘processed’ or ‘junk food‘.” He tells readers that the term ‘processed’ is so broad it is “nearly meaningless“. And he states that pet foods are not ‘junk food’ because unlike human junk foods they are complete and balanced; “Just because food comes in a can or a bag doesn’t mean it is the same as a bag of potato chips or a can of Spam.”

Is processing “nearly meaningless” when meat on slaughtered poultry is so fully removed it leaves only skeletal frames destined for pet food. Then the frames are ground and cooked to become a fine powder (chicken meal), then added with other ingredients that are ground and cooked 3 more times to finally become small brown pieces of food?

Potato chips are not openly allowed by FDA to be made from condemned potatoes. SPAM is not openly allowed by FDA to be made from diseased animals or animals that have died other than by slaughter. But pet food is. Dr. Steven Solomon, FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine Director, stated in April 2019 “we do not believe that the use of diseased animals or animals that died otherwise than by slaughter to make animal food poses a safety concern and we intend to exercise enforcement discretion.“

Does adding vitamins and minerals to processed diseased animals or non-slaughtered animals make the pet food any less junk?

Dr. McKenzie attempts to bust what he believes is myth “Conventional diets aren’t ‘natural’” with some far reaching arguments. “Critics of conventional canned and dry pet foods will sometimes claim they are nutritionally poor because they contain by-products or ‘filler.’ Most clients don’t know precisely what these terms mean, but they sound inherently second-rate. Animal by-products, however, are simply parts of food animals that humans don’t normally eat. These animal parts may be less aesthetically appealing to us than skeletal muscle, but they can be excellent nutrient sources if properly processed and used as part of a well formulated diet.”

He’s correct – many animal by-product ingredients are not consumed by humans, but he is not correct that all animal by-products are ‘excellent nutrient sources’. Federal law was written to protect us and our pets, but remember FDA doesn’t enforce those laws with pet food. Repeating FDA’s admission they allow pet food to violate federal law: “we do not believe that the use of diseased animals or animals that died otherwise than by slaughter to make animal food poses a safety concern and we intend to exercise enforcement discretion.”

Dr. McKenzie attempts to bust what he believes is myth grains and carbohydrates are unhealthy ignoring the risk of mycotoxins in grains and the health consequences science has proven they cause even at low levels.

Dr. McKenzie also addresses what he believes is myth regarding euthanized pets in pet food. His argument includes a misunderstanding of federal law: “The law doesn’t explicitly prohibit adding dead pets to pet food because there’s little evidence this is actually happening.” Actually, federal law absolutely prohibits any euthanized animal in any food including pet food. Section 342, Subchapter IV of the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act states (in part): “A food shall be deemed to be adulterated- (5) if it is, in whole or in part, the product of a diseased animal or of an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter.”

It has yet to be definitively proven euthanized cats and dogs have been processed into pet foods, but it HAS been more than proven that euthanized animals have been commonly processed into pet food. In 2017 and 2018 alone, more than 91 million pounds of pet food were recalled because they contained the euthanizing drug pentobarbital – because they contained some type of euthanized animal.

Next Dr. McKenzie attempts to bust what he believes is myth regarding veterinarians providing nutritional advice to pet owners; his myth: “Veterinarians aren’t reliable sources of information about nutrition“. “One of the most frustrating myths is veterinarians can’t be trusted to guide pet owners in making feeding choices. Proponents of alternative diets often claim we get little or no education on the subject or that all we know is pet food industry propaganda.”

There are only a small number of veterinarians that speak out against FDA’s allowance of illegal waste ingredients in pet food. The rest appear to choose to ignore FDA’s enforcement discretion with many vets selling in their clinics products that violate federal law. How can pet owners believe vets are educated about nutrition when they ignore facts straight from FDA regarding illegal waste ingredients in pet food?

Dr. McKenzie…pet owners aren’t as stupid as you believe we are. We’ve read FDA’s words, we’ve read the law. Why haven’t you?

We (pet owners) challenge every veterinarian to ask the FDA themselves. Ask the FDA if they allow condemned diseased animals and non-slaughtered animals to be processed into pet food with no warning or disclosure to pet owners (or veterinarians). And while you are gathering information, ask the USDA how many tons of non-slaughtered dead animal carcasses and diseased animal parts are disposed of in pet food through rendering each year. Once you’ve done your research as many of your clients have, then we can have an informed discussion on myths.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here

The 2020 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.



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