An amazing story how a veterinarian with the support from consumers found the cause of pet illness and death – despite all odds against them.
Below is a TEDx talk from veterinarian Ilze Matīse‑VanHoutana. It’s fifteen minutes long, but well worth your time.
From the YouTube write up on the video: “As a veterinary pathologist and researcher, Ilze never expected to find herself at the centre of a scandal. It’s not a typically scandalous job, after all. But what began as a professional investigation triggered by an outbreak of a deadly dog disease, developed into a tangled mess of vested interests and politics. Ilze is a Latvian veterinarian who has returned to her home country after 14 years in the US. In the US, she found her passion for veterinary pathology and trained in this field, receiving a PhD and becoming a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Throughout her career, she has been influenced by people that she admired for their integrity in research and diagnostic work. Veterinary pathology has opened opportunities for Ilze to assist owners of animals, as well as medical researchers using animals to study human diseases. In recent years, Ilze was drawn into the investigation of an outbreak of a previously rare disease which was affecting dogs in Latvia. This investigation has been under the microscope from the media, state institutions and politicians because it has touched on a sensitive subject, our beloved pets. This is the first time in her life that her research has been so politically charged, with her scientific credibility under challenge. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx“
The brand of dog food was “DoGo” – more information here: http://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/health/toxic-substance-found-in-dog-food.a247068/
The ingredient found in the dog food to cause the illness was “urea”. Merriam Webster dictionary defines urea as: “a soluble weakly basic nitrogenous compound CO(NH2)2 that is the chief solid component of mammalian urine and an end product of protein decomposition, is synthesized from carbon dioxide and ammonia, and is used especially in synthesis (as of resins and plastics) and in fertilizers and animal rations.”
Urea is a legally defined feed ingredient listed in the AAFCO Official Publication (book of pet food/animal feed ingredient definitions). This ingredient would be considered a legal ingredient in any feed (there are no species limitations per AAFCO) including cat feed and dog feed.
Why was urea in a pet food? Because it analyzes as protein and because regulatory authorities allow it.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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Wow, thanks so much for posting this! Shocking and disheartening what these dogs and this researcher went through. So impressed that the researcher persevered through all of it.
Wow, this ist encouraging! Wonderful, that these vets did not stop, despite of all the obstacles. Thanks for sharing!
if you have a way of contacting her, please convey my thanks for her strength and perseverance against the ‘Powers that Be’ !! Having worked with a family that had a Golden Retriever with MED I can appreciate what those owners were facing!
Wow! She’s got amazing persistence and values.
Thanks for sharing! Hoping that in the near future some responsible agency will take over the pet food industry and make the necessary changes to guarantee a wholesome, healthy and strictly regulated product which actually is beneficial to our pets! Can’t thank those like you enough for all you do to raise awareness of the critical issues that are a part of the pet food scam that presently dominates the industry. I refuse to feed my fur kids anything that doesn’t make your annual list!!
Why was urea in a pet food? Because it analyzes as protein and because regulatory authorities allow it.
Holy Cr_p!
An incredible inspiration. She is a warrior just like you, Susan. Thank you so much for sharing this info with us..
Please convey my thanks as well
Urea is a component if melamine if I’m not mistaken
I loved that video, it shows that there are still people with hearts (like you Susan). It bought me to tears to see how much it meant to her.
Politics and Poison should NOT be in our dog food,
Same as melamine and old shoe leather, and chicken feathers (but chicken feathers don’t kill animals like the previous two). 🙁
Her determination reminds me of You Susan. We are lucky to have people like you.
I am constantly amazed –and grateful for– the depth of your understanding and knowledge of the chemistry of food and feed. “Because it analyzes as protein…” –how did you know that?!?
I looked up the legal definition of the ingredient in the AAFCO OP – definition includes this: “It must contain not less that 45% nitrogen (equivalent to 281.25% crude protein).”
Outstanding and thank you. Now we need your help in America
Hello! I am watching pet fooled right now on Netflix and came to your site as a result. For some reason, the list for 2017 isn’t working. Is there a new list instead? My dog jack, whom i love more than i can say, is the reason i watched this film. Iv’e done research on what is the best food to feed, and came away shocked at what iv’e found! I am happily going to begin the raw food diet, using meat from a large cattle outfit in Colorado that prepares ‘ground beef’ just for dogs, with all the proper amounts of bones, organs, fat, etc for very affordable prices. In the end, i’m more than happy to make more trips to the meat store, if it means i’m doing the very best i possibly can to ensure jack is getting the correct balance, nutritional and textural, that his species requires. NOT the ‘dry’ disgusting food that i ‘thought’ i should be giving him! I’m rather *heated* that in the ‘industries’ eyes, our BE-loved pets mean ZERO to the ‘powers-that-be’ (Oh how i hate that term!) and that ALL have their chubby fingers in the TREAT JAR! A word to the wise for these vile, ahem, ‘humans’? Remember the food bars in the movie…’Soylent green’? Chew on that awhile…..;)