arrogant vet for "grocery store" dog food

[soft pawz]

just came across this article about dog food:

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/dogdiets.html

"And nearly all of us (Veterinarians) are laughing all the way to the bank after we fix - if possible - the problems caused by some of the alternative diets"

whats funny about a sick dog?


"The worst thing I have found about those who answer the questions about diet as raw, barf or home-cooked on my admission sheet, is that they to be somewhat uneducable. I spend great amounts of time supplying my clients with information that I have, and that I think will be of assistance to them and benefit to their dog. I know however, that with this group, my efforts will fall on deaf ears. I ask them a simple question; 'Are you a nutritionist'? They stand there, their eyes moving and their lips clenched - verging on saying something, but never getting it out. It seems that they feel they are nutritionists by virtue of reading alternative diet books and Internet articles. They want to say they are. But they know I can call their bluff if they do. It's a fascinating look at human behavior. It results, pretty often, in visible hostility to me. A simple question. Perhaps I should change it to 'Do you have a university degree in nutrition?' - that would make it easier for them to answer, or would it? Actually, there's a hotel ad something like that, isn't there -- "no I'm not really an animal nutritionist, but I did stay at a H-- Inn last night"?"

how arrogant can a person be???

 

[PoodleMommy]

Wow, would not want him to be my vet.

My vet knows the diet I feed my animals... we have discussed it and she supports it.

She knows we try non medicine alternatives first and whenever we have a sick dog she recommends bland diets of chicken and rice or some alternative instead of attempting to give us "prescription food".

If anyone out there has a vet like the one quoted above... get out QUICK... find a new vet PLEASE

Elissa

 

[whatszmatter]

The first thing out of my lips would be No, i'm not a nutrionist, are you?? and then i'd have him explain to me "ALL" of the nutrition classes he took as a vet and then I'd switch vets.

i'm glad I have a vet that can talk about things and respect someone else's viewpoint.

 

[smkie]

i have learned so much from the nutrition part of this forum. I was absolutely clueless until after my dog died of cancer and i came to this board. I hope this thread inspires others to question what they are feeding and learn as i did how to take better care of the ones they love.

I had just taken it for granted that PUrina was an old and established name. NEver even questioned.

 

[Renee750il]

Can you say, "Pompous Ass?"

 

[Renee750il]

I wonder if we should show this to Mordy when she gets back from her trip?

 

[Gempress]

*devil's advocate hat*

I don't see arrogance. I see frustration. This is a vet who believes that kibble is healthy, and is venting.

Let's sit in her shoes for a few minutes. She basically says that many dogs who are fed raw are coming into her clinic with problems. And as most of us know, an incorrect raw diet is harmful to your pet. She counsels owners to give kibble instead, and is argued with. (Keep in mind, this very vet is in the middle of treating the health problems caused by afforementioned diet). Can you honestly say that, in her position, you wouldn't be a tad bit frustrated?

And I also understand her rant about these raw food books. Just becuase it's in print doesn't mean it's accurate or true. All we have to do is look at the Oprah debacle to know that.

I'm not against the feeding of raw food at all! I think it is a healthy way to feed! But I do think that a raw food diet fed without proper education or research is worse for a dog than feeding grocery store kibble.

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

LOL that's funny. That Shows what an idiot looks like .

 

[Zoom]

*devil's advocate hat*

I don't see arrogance. I see frustration. This is a vet who believes that kibble is healthy, and is venting.

Let's sit in her shoes for a few minutes. She basically says that many dogs who are fed raw are coming into her clinic with problems. And as most of us know, an incorrect raw diet is harmful to your pet. She counsels owners to give kibble instead, and is argued with. (Keep in mind, this very vet is in the middle of treating the health problems caused by afforementioned diet). Can you honestly say that, in her position, you wouldn't be a tad bit frustrated?

And I also understand her rant about these raw food books. Just becuase it's in print doesn't mean it's accurate or true. All we have to do is look at the Oprah debacle to know that.

I'm not against the feeding of raw food at all! I think it is a healthy way to feed! But I do think that a raw food diet fed without proper education or research is worse for a dog than feeding grocery store kibble.

Good response!

It doesn't seem to be against the kibbles from say, Innova or Eagle Pack, but those people who feed raw because they've heard about it and think it's a big hunk of meat tossed into the bowl. I ran into someone out at the park one day, we got to talking about food and she mentioned that she fed raw, so I asked her if her dogs liked carrots as much as mine do. Her response was "Carrots? I don't add those, or any vegetables...dogs are carnivores you know. They eat meat, they don't eat vegetables..." Meanwhile I kept watching her dog sneak bites of grass whenever my two would quit chasing it long enough to do so.

 

[whatszmatter]

Good response!

They eat meat, they don't eat vegetables..." Meanwhile I kept watching her dog sneak bites of grass whenever my two would quit chasing it long enough to do so.

There are many theorized reasons as to why dogs eat grass, none have ever been proven, and to date I have seen nothing that shows dogs not eating vegetables will eat more grass to supplement their diet, compared to kibble fed or veggie fed dogs.

The best stuff I have seen, shows that they will eat things other meat, when meat isn't readily available. It was even argued that they got plant matter from eating the stomach contents of their herbivore prey, but I've read that wolves actually shake out the stomach contents before eating the stomach. Personally I don't think plant matter is all that directly impt. to a dogs health.

 

[Renee750il]

I didn't even get into the tirade on raw . . . what got me was the insistence that Purina and Eukanuba were the be-all and end-all, with no attention given to the actual quality of the food ingredients. THEN to go on and ramble that old "bigger is better" corporate propaganda . . . what a sell-out.


Now, we've all seen that this is a fallacious argument:

I've always contended that the larger the pet food manufacturer, the better and more frequent quality control and more research they will run, eventually benefiting you and your dog.

And how about this little gem of wisdom:

We all seem to loathe the idea of feeding 'grocery store' dog food, but consider this; the grocery store food comes from huge companies with superb quality control and research programs.

I guess we know who paid attention to their corporate-sponsored nutrition seminars in school, don't we?

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

Zoom, I've read sites and met people who say "dogs don't need vegetables". I completely disagree. Wild dogs eat the stomach contents of their prey (vegetables, fruits, and probably some grains), and they eat berries themselves. Vegetables and fruits are necessary for a healthy diet, and my dogs like them anyways. My lab loooooves broccoli and cucumbers, my terrier mix loves carrots, and my border collie mix goes nuts over bananas and avacados.

 

[Zoom]

There are many theorized reasons as to why dogs eat grass, none have ever been proven, and to date I have seen nothing that shows dogs not eating vegetables will eat more grass to supplement their diet, compared to kibble fed or veggie fed dogs.

I realize there haven't been any conclusive studies, but it was funny (or ironic) to see her dog grazing as she was telling me that his diet was bascially big chunks of hamburger and nothing else. There was no balancing to this diet. And she always bought the lean stuff, so he didn't even get much fat or blood nutrients.

Gaddy: Sawyer will not leave you alone if you have a banana in your hands! He loves apples (and raisins before I found out they can kill him) and carrots as well. Not a fan of the green beans though. Aubrey will eat just about anything you give her.