Dr. Karen Becker's Direct Words about Purina Weight Loss Program
Written By: Susan Thixton8-18-2010Categorized in: Pet Food NewsIt is rare when Veterinarians speak out publically (or privately) about one of Big Pet Food. When it happens, it must be noticed and shared.
Project: Pet Slim Down is what got this particular veterinarian in an uproar. Dr. Karen Becker says "Project: Pet Slim Down looks a lot like a marketing campaign masquerading as a pet health care initiative." The Project: Pet Slim Down website (yes, they have developed an entire website for this campaign) looks similar to human weight loss sites, complete with online tracking of your pets weight and inspirational videos. http://www.projectpetslimdown.com/Home
While overweight pets are a true and valid concern, the question remains is Project: Pet Slim Down a valuable tool for pet owners or is it a slick marketing campaign for Purina's new line of Veterinarian (Rx) Diets?
At the bottom of the home page of the Project: Pet Slim Down website (and perhaps at the bottom of the entire project) is a small logo for Purina Veterinary Diets, including weight loss foods.
The Purina OM Canine formula (Overweight Management) lists the following ingredients: "Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, soybean hulls*, soybean germ meal, soybean meal, pea fiber, wheat gluten, poultry by-product meal, animal digest, powdered cellulose, tricalcium phosphate, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), salt, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite." http://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/CanineProductDetail.aspx?prod=227
By definition (of ingredient) there is no meat in this dog food; according to AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials), Poultry by-product meal is not meat. Worse yet, the only animal protein sources in the food are listed 8th and 9th on the ingredient list (Poultry by-product meal and Animal Digest); Animal digest is one of 'those' ingredients determined by FDA testing to be likely to contain the lethal drug pentobarbital and thus likely to contain a euthanized animal. This soon to be Veterinarian recommended weight loss dog food contains no chelated or proteinated minerals (for better absorption) or probiotics (for a healthier immune system). But it does contain a wealth of grains.
Dr. Karen Becker looked at the ingredients of the Purina Veterinary Diets and said:
"1. The ingredients are of very poor quality and include impossible to pronounce additives and preservatives, not to mention known allergens, and the every-popular 'meat byproducts.' And don't forget the locust bean gum.
2. These diets are about as far from canine or feline species-appropriate nutrition as it gets." http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/17/is-the-fox-guarding-the-henhouse-purina-launches-project-pet-slim-down-for-pets.aspx
Thank you Dr. Becker!
We need more vets to publically stand up to any and all inferior ingredient pet foods. A few have the integrity and courage to do so; here's hoping this will become trend instead of a rarity.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com
Written By: Susan Thixton8-18-2010Categorized in: Pet Food NewsIt is rare when Veterinarians speak out publically (or privately) about one of Big Pet Food. When it happens, it must be noticed and shared.
Project: Pet Slim Down is what got this particular veterinarian in an uproar. Dr. Karen Becker says "Project: Pet Slim Down looks a lot like a marketing campaign masquerading as a pet health care initiative." The Project: Pet Slim Down website (yes, they have developed an entire website for this campaign) looks similar to human weight loss sites, complete with online tracking of your pets weight and inspirational videos. http://www.projectpetslimdown.com/Home
While overweight pets are a true and valid concern, the question remains is Project: Pet Slim Down a valuable tool for pet owners or is it a slick marketing campaign for Purina's new line of Veterinarian (Rx) Diets?
At the bottom of the home page of the Project: Pet Slim Down website (and perhaps at the bottom of the entire project) is a small logo for Purina Veterinary Diets, including weight loss foods.
The Purina OM Canine formula (Overweight Management) lists the following ingredients: "Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, soybean hulls*, soybean germ meal, soybean meal, pea fiber, wheat gluten, poultry by-product meal, animal digest, powdered cellulose, tricalcium phosphate, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), salt, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite." http://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/CanineProductDetail.aspx?prod=227
By definition (of ingredient) there is no meat in this dog food; according to AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials), Poultry by-product meal is not meat. Worse yet, the only animal protein sources in the food are listed 8th and 9th on the ingredient list (Poultry by-product meal and Animal Digest); Animal digest is one of 'those' ingredients determined by FDA testing to be likely to contain the lethal drug pentobarbital and thus likely to contain a euthanized animal. This soon to be Veterinarian recommended weight loss dog food contains no chelated or proteinated minerals (for better absorption) or probiotics (for a healthier immune system). But it does contain a wealth of grains.
Dr. Karen Becker looked at the ingredients of the Purina Veterinary Diets and said:
"1. The ingredients are of very poor quality and include impossible to pronounce additives and preservatives, not to mention known allergens, and the every-popular 'meat byproducts.' And don't forget the locust bean gum.
2. These diets are about as far from canine or feline species-appropriate nutrition as it gets." http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/17/is-the-fox-guarding-the-henhouse-purina-launches-project-pet-slim-down-for-pets.aspx
Thank you Dr. Becker!
We need more vets to publically stand up to any and all inferior ingredient pet foods. A few have the integrity and courage to do so; here's hoping this will become trend instead of a rarity.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com
8 comments:
What do you feed the mob? I am constantly looking for the best diet for our kids and with four cockers Sophie a senior at 7, Tucker still a puppy and Bella at 2 1/2 and Bailey at 1 1/2 we wonder if what we are doing is right. We try and feed for different needs but frankly they all end up eating out of each other's dish even when we stand above and monitor. They will not eat unless they are all eating at the same time and because of our schedules that needs to be the way it works on our household. Help! I know your kids get different meals but do you feed a good quality dog food as a base?
Cathy
We stopped using Purina Pro Plan when they changed their recipe (proven to be the best) to "shredded" which was a 15% additive to inhance flavor and encourage more to be eaten. Gave them awful diarrhea. So we looked around and decided on Iams Lamb and Rice. We fill a roaster pan with it on the back deck and an inside feeder for those house bound. Everyone eats at their own pace/times and no one here is over weight (except blind Ruby who get's little exercise and lots of naps.) Even the puppies love to eat out of the big kids bowls and do well by it. Of course they are given their puppy food at meal times....but once again all foods are lamb and rice kibble only. We have eliminated all corn/wheat foods and only allow a little wheat in their treats.For the cockers with special needs....preggies as well as oldies, we will give them Taste of the Wild Buffalo/Venison. Everyone loves this, too. Given a piece at a time, they think it is a treat. Truthfuly, when feeding as many as we do, we look for the sale foods and so far find that Iams the most affordable for us.
Of course, the ever popular cottage cheese and eggs remains the fav. Self feeding has proven to work for us and save our sanity for other issues. All food is picked up at 8pm and put down again at 8am. People coming here to get their puppies are amazed that everyone can eat out of the same pan without any fights. No one here has ever been without their next meal in clear view. They are content and secure. Hope that helps.
Great Minds think alike! That is what we feed too. We had tried Pro Pla but had too many stomach issues for all the kids. We were doing four separate bowl and they would all eat out of one bowl and move to the next. So we went to a giant stoneware bowl ( grandma's old bread making bowl!) and a giant stoneware water bowl (another of grandma's) and they keep the food fresh and the water cool and fresh, everyone seems happy and no one is over weight. Well, Sophie could use a pound or two, but she had back issues and does not get the exercise the others get to have daily. Thanks for the input and advice! As Bill always says, you ARE the Queen!
Cathy
Hey,
Good to know. Most of Mr. H's food right now is the Buffalo and Venison. The lady told me where I buy it that it doesn't have any grain in it. Would it be ok to feed that alone and not mix in the lamb and rice at all?
I just googled the iams food and found there was recently a recall on it for salmonella. I was on the aspcs.org web sight and they have the recalled lot numbers and also some very interesting comments from other consumers. It seems so hard to find anything well made especially for our babies.
Larry
The Iams recall was for only specialised food purchased at the vets. What we feed was cleared. But you're right, Larry. Human food is scary enough with all that's added and not declared that makes us sick. Wish I knew the answer. But I do believe the foods provided today are way much better than five years ago. We all need to keep searching and sharing in the knowledge. Tractor Supply recently presented a wonderful food line called 4-Health. While it contained all the best for our pets, it did not contain enough good food fiber and all our mob got horrible diarrhea that took us weeks to correct. Actually used Benefiber in their food to get them up to speed again.
big sigh.......thanks for your imput.
I've given all my dogs Iams for years and have had very good luck so far. None of my dogs ever had digestion problems with it either. I highly recommend this food. We also like Eukanuba, but got way too expensive trying to feed 3 dogs. I think the dogs coats were shinier with Eukanuba, though. I give daily vitamins to my dog from puppyhood on up and I believe this really helps, too!
Chris
Chris
Okay, so not even Pro Plan for Puppy? it is not shredded. there is also Pro Plan Select that Cassie likes. Cassie does not like Iams. Ranger is doing okay on the PPP. thanks.
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