Hello fellow dog and cat lovers

Apparently I've not been a good blogger, and have neglected sharing information on the wonderful field of nutrition. 
As has been the trend since the 2007 recall, new foods have been popping up on the market daily.  It is hard to get your head around the sheer volume of new foods.  Some look great, some need two pages for their ingredient list. Each product is more than likely created with love and care, and the wish to share wholesome nutrition with every 4-legged family member in the world.  There are, however, some cautions and things to remember when shopping for dog and cat foods. For brevity, I'll list some concerns.

• Most of the new foods are not AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) tested.  Although AAFCO is very far from perfect, it is the best we have, and better than nothing.  They usually contain a statement that they have been formulated to meet the requirements of AAFCO. However, if you think about it............if they don't test the food, who will?  I guess that would be you, the consumer and your dog or cat.  Not only are you testing their food, you are being asked to pay for that food.
• AAFCO formulated diets can be great, and 5 or 6 years of great reviews from consumers should be more than  adequate "consumer testing"
• Small start up companies with new foods, likely do not have the capital to purchase all of the manufacturing equipment required to make the food for national distribution.  So, in a nutshell, someone else is manufacturing their food for them.  These are called co-packers.  Several recall problems have been traced back to employees of co-packers who make errors while producing the food.  I would think that we wouldn't see as much of that if the company owners were producing food in their own facilities.
• Quality control.  It is expensive to practice excellent quality control.  Just a few of the areas involved, are
• Checking the quality of purchased ingredients
• Checking the quality of supplements, shelf life of vitamin mineral premixes.
• Assuring the proper storage of ingredients, supplements and vitamins/minerals prior to manufacture.
• Cleanliness of and proper function of equipment used to manufacture.
• Quality of employees running the manufacturing line.
• Is the food dry enough to package?
• Is the product stable enough to withstand someone leaving it in the sun, in a hot car for several days?  Will the preservative hold up for the entire time of the "use by" period?
• How well preserved is the food to withstand the shipping, cross-country in the back of a very hot tractor trailer?

These are just a very few of the areas that need to be addressed by the maker of a new food.  Lastly though, please know that there are absolutely NO requirements of education, qualifications, experience of those formulating these recipes. Same goes for the plethora of home-cooked diet recipes on the Internet. Everyone means well, but it does not mean it will turn out well.

Susan, Seeker, Weezie, and ZuZu

Testimonial - Mr. Darby the Weimaraner

This is a case I am very proud of, and cannot believe I have met and am now friends with a most wonderful person as a result of this field of work.
Mr. Darcy had a very unusual medical condition that would have cost him his life if not repaired.  This problem is usually found after the dog is over a year of age.  Mr. Darcy was nearly 2 (if I remember correctly) when his trouble started.  Short story here.  Mr. Darcy was to have a liver biopsy, but what the surgeon found was what is called a peritoneal pericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH). This means that he had a hole in his diaphragm and in the sac that surrounds the heart.  Instead of all of his "innards" being in his abdomen, they were all scrambled up.  Some were in his chest and I believe his heart was in his abdomen.  Karin can correct me if I have said something incorrectly. The surgeon was able to repair this, but it was a long, hard, recovery for Mr. Darcy.  It is hard for the body to heal itself if there is inadequate nutrition. Thank you for your kind words Karin.

"I have known Dr. Susan Lauten since September 2009 when I contacted her as a last resort for my dog who was not getting back on his paws after extensive surgery. The veterinarians agreed that nutrition may be the key to his recovery and provided me with 20 pages about canine nutrition from a veterinary textbook. I WAS COMPLETELY LOST. Somebody recommended Dr. Lauten, and she agreed to take on a complicated case.
It required out-of-the-box thinking in a scenario rarely seen, and with Susan's guidance and advice, my dog began his slow process of recovery.
He is now healthy, but I still consult with Susan periodically because adjustments in his diets are still necessary.
I have found in Susan a person of exceptional knowledge and attention to detail. I also found a friend who was willing to listen to my fears and nursed me through the recovery process as much as my dog.
I cannot recommend Dr. Susan Lauten more as an expert in her field of pet nutrition and as a wonderful human being."
I think you all need a picture of Mr. Darcy and my friend (his Mom) Karin to go with this story.  I think he is doing very well :-)

Testimonial - Darby

Darby and his Mom are such great people.  In his later years, Darby faced several challenges such as gastrointestinal disease and gall bladder infections and surgeries. Darby always received the best of care, and he had an amazing internist who pulled him through several crises.  Darby finally went to the rainbow bridge, but he got the best out of his life. I think we started working together in 2009.
Oddly, Darby's Mom called me last night.  She was ready for a new puppy, and has saved a life by adopting from the shelter.  She will home cook for him too. I can't wait to begin with the new baby.

"Susan is great to work with when your pet is in need. I trusted that her nutrition advice was sound, and although my little dog could not tell me how he felt, I felt that the new diets created by susan were helping his conditions. She is always concerned and sympathetic, a true animal lover- it's a passion more than a job."
Jennifer Nash Ostermann

Testimonials - Lucy

It is time to share some testimonials with readers.  Maybe you'll see similarities with your own fur family and it prompts you to seek help. I have been honored to work on some amazing cases.

A little background:  The Shar Pei breed is subject to a hereditary disease called renal amyloidosis. In the Shar Pei amyloidosis is a reactive condition. This form of systemic amyloidosis usually occurs with chronic inflammatory diseases.

Lucy, had an awesome family who went way above and beyond the call of duty.
When I received the case, Lucy was not eating and was brought to a specialty clinic for evaluation.

"Lucy, a Shar Pei, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure in April, 2010; that she had less than a month to live.  I called Susan anyway.  It is now October.  She has two vets, a specialist and a regular vet.  They cannot believe she is still alive, much less running and playing.  I believe in Susan so much that I will personally recommend her to anyone.  My email is pam@dbswebsite.com
Thank you Susan for giving our family hope that was once lost."
Pam Sullivan Masters
Louisville, KY

Renal or kidney disease is common in older dogs and cats, and requires careful monitoring and dietary changes. The commercial choices are limited but targeted to the disease process, while some dogs or cats are unable to tolerate the veterinary/prescription diets formulated for this disease. Should this happen to your furry family member, remember that we can formulate home-cooked diets specifically tailored for your family member's needs. We would work through your veterinarian to make recommendations about appropriate recipes. A nutritionist will regulate each nutrient that blood and urine tests indicate as problem areas.
If you live in the Orange County, CA area, there is someone who can teach you to make the diet, come to your home to make it, or it can be delivered, frozen, to your home. http://www.californiak9kitchen.com/

Early detection is important for long life.  Annual or semi-annual health checks for your "mature" family member with your veterinarian allow early detection of many diseases.

A personal Thank you to Pam and her daughter Cyndi.  I appreciate the kind words and you guys deserve a medal for your efforts. Perhaps I could come back as a 4-legged family member of yours.

Be well,
Susan and family

susan@petnutritionconsulting.com
http://www.petnutritionconsulting.com/
http://www.howlinghound.blogspotslauten/

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THE DIRTY DOZEN OF FRESH FOODS--keep your family safe

The Environmental Working Group (EWG)just published the 2011 DIRTY DOZEN and CLEAN 15 list. It is FOR EVERYONE, adults, children and pets. 
Briefly, some foods absorb the pesticides that have been sprayed on them.  Peeling these will not eliminate the risk of eating pesticide residues.  With tight budgets, buy organic foods from the dirty dozen list and conventional products for the Clean 15 list, as these foods don't absorb the pesticides.  It will save you money and keep your family healthier. EWG Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 for 2011

Hill's Pet, CVMA release pet health, wellness study

Good evening everyone.  Please don't delete this because it says Hill's.  The study is very good and points out some very interesting statistics. Even if you feed the best food you can and your pet family is slim and trim, I'm pretty sure you know of a dog and/or cat that fits in here somewhere.  Be an advocate, speak up to these families.

Oh, BTW, I think I'm the statistics on the internet time.

Be well.

Susan

 

Study on pet health in Canada finds pet owners may not be making proper petfood choices

Release Date: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Hill's Pet Nutrition and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association released a research study on pet health and wellness in Canada, which found that the choices pet owners make regarding petfood and exercise may affect the length and quality of their pet's life. 
The study, Canada's Pet Wellness Report, surveyed 1,000 Canadian dog and/or cat owners, and 100 veterinarians, on topics including exercise, nutrition, veterinary care, lifestage-related needs and overall health status.
The study found that pet owners are missing  the visible signs of common pet health issues that must be managed in order for pets to live longer, healthier lives.
"Overall, the research suggests that addressing the exercise, nutritional and dental care needs of pets is key to enhancing pet health and wellness in the country," said Dr. Jim Berry, veterinarian and member of CVMA Executive.
Canadian pet owners choose to surf the Internet more than exercise their pets, according to the study. On an average weekday, the study found pet owners spend 48 minutes surfing the Internet and 79 minutes watching TV, as they do playing with or exercising their pets, an average of just 25 minutes. On the weekend, Canadian pet owners surveyed said they only exercised pets for 29 minutes on average, while they spent triple the time watching TV (89 minutes) and 44 minutes online.
"Pet owners need a better understanding of the health implications of inadequate exercise of their pets and the importance of basic decisions, such as what and how to feed them," said Dr. Berry. "Otherwise their pets might be at risk for a range of broader health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes and mobility issues."
The study's findings suggest pet owners also need to adjust how they evaluate what food to buy for their pets and how to properly feed them, so as to maintain a healthy weight. Pet owners said they were 60% more likely to buy petfood based on the food's palatability, versus 30% who said they purchase petfood that will meet the health needs of their pet, regardless of how much the pet likes the food's taste. Findings also showed that just 18% of pet owners feed their pets the amount recommended on the petfood package, and only 17% of pet owners said they actually review the food's ingredient information. Moreover, 44.5% of overall pet owners said they feed their pets by "making food available to their pet(s) at all times," which was more common for cat owners (57%) than dog owners (32%), according to the study.
Veterinarians surveyed said they believe the majority of dogs (55%) and cats (70%) that they see do not receive an adequate amount of exercise to maintain good health. Of all veterinarians surveyed, 63% said they were most likely to cite weight control as one of the most important factors pet owners can control to increase their pet's life, yet only one in 10 pet owners proactively ask them about the proper nutrition for their pet. The majority of veterinarians, 65%, said overfeeding is the most common mistake pet owners make when providing food for their dogs or cats, and that a majority of pet owners are surprised to hear the veterinarian diagnose their pet as obese.

Thoughts about increases in allergies - humans and animals

I came across two articles that were interesting, but frightening at the same time.  Hopefully we'll have some reader comments and input on this subject.

I have a job because the incidence of food allergies, food intolerances, and immune-mediated disease have risen at a dramatic rate in dogs and cats.  In my mind, I attribute this increase to processed foods. Commercial foods in no way resemble the original whole foods that were processed to make pet food.  Similarly, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, etc. do not resemble the whole foods from which they are made.

This plays out in our daily lives in many ways.  For instance, think about the making of margarine, that we did for years. We learned that in the process of making a solid fat from a liquid fat, we made some "other" molecules, namely trans fatty acids.  We now know how bad they are for us.
Several years ago, the "too clean theory" was used to explain some of the increases in asthma and other allergies (including food) in children. But the increases in human and pet cases continue to rise.

Some scientists are looking at molecular changes that occur during the processing of foods for human consumption.  For example there has been a rise in the incidence of peanut allergies in the US. It is speculated that the very high roasting temperatures now used to process peanuts, is producing new or unnaturally occuring molecules. 

"Boiling Versus Roasting"

Most peanuts in the United States are dry-roasted at high temperatures. It is the high roasting temperatures, some believe, that causes problems by changing the protein structure. "The dry-roasting process makes these peanuts more allergenic," Weinberger said.

A report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that frying or boiling peanuts, as practiced in China, appeared to reduce the allergenicity of peanuts compared with dry roasting. According to the study's authors, this may explain the different rates of peanut allergy seen in the United States and China.

"Asians predominantly eat boiled peanuts," Weinberger said. "Asians have a much lower incidence of peanut allergies."

The theory that knowledge and identification of diseases processes enhances reporting of these diseases, and I am sure that this is partly responsible for the increases.

How might the processing of our human and pet food affect our lives?

Scary thoughts.
Susan

My clients

There is no big article to post today, but I do have something to say that comes from my heart and is addressed to all of my clients and patients.

Many times, clients have said that I saved their fur child, or that without me their family member would not be alive. 

Today is my day to thank each and every one of you.  When you found your way to me, it was because you cared so much about your fur family that you were willing to open up your mind to the role of nutrition in health.  This is a new field.  You Rock!

Secondly, I have many patients that have outlived their anticipated life span.  Not by a little, but by years in most cases.  It is simply amazing to think about it.  But, please know, that the credit goes to you for your fur family member's life.  You did all the work, were dedicated above and beyond the requirements of the typical pet family and you never let frustration or bumps in the road stop you.

Maybe the tools came from me, but the life came from you. 

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. I'll name a few first names of exceptional people: Karin, Joe, Don, Cheryl S., Carol, and Leah.  These are just a handful of the hundreds of clients I have had the honor to work with.

Thank you for letting me be part of your family at some time, and thank you for being a blessing in my life.

Best,
Susan

NUTRITIONAL RISKS FOR LARGE- AND GIANT- BREED DOGS:

An Accidental Case of Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis can be life threatening for dogs 

Taco's story
A client, now a good friend, has a small breed dog with a sensitive stomach.  Taco (not her real name) cannot eat commercial dog foods, and over time, a balanced, home-cooked, low fat diet was developed that worked for Taco.  Fast forward a couple of years.  I received a call that Taco is at an emergency clinic with acute pancreatitis. 

What happened?
Taco had some urinary issues and ended up with some debris and crystals in her bladder and urine.  Taco was prescribed one of the "prescription or veterinary diets" to help dissolve these crystals. Within 3 days of eating the special diet, Taco started to vomit. The new food had a very high fat content which probably caused Taco to become seriously ill.

Outcome
Perhaps today, ten days and more than $10,000 later, it is may be safe to say that Taco will survive.  Doctors are still not certain. 

Food as medicine 
I believe that everyone needs to be more aware of nutrition and what is being fed to your 4-legged children. Your veterinarian is your dog/cat's advocate.  They want to keep you as a client and your fur family as patients.  Nutrition is part of the "long healthy life" equation, along with vaccines, regular health checkups, and preventative medicine.

If your veterinarian doesn't discuss the subject, you should bring it up.  Many younger vet graduates now have basic nutrition training, and those that don't know can find out. A few qualified nutritionists are available to help you and your vet keep your 4-legged family members healthy and happy.

Nutrition Rocks!