Another ethical question surrounding Veterinary Organizations

You wouldn’t think that the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, an organization devoted to the advancement of veterinary knowledge of animal nutrition, would be endorsing pet foods that utilize what many experts consider inferior pet food ingredients.  But they do.

On the home page of the American college of Veterinary Nutrition website, the following Mission Statement is provided:

“The primary objective of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition is to advance the specialty area of veterinary nutrition and increase the competence of those who practice in this field by establishing requirements for certification in veterinary nutrition, encouraging continuing professional education, promoting research, and enhancing the dissemination of new knowledge of veterinary nutrition through didactic teaching and postgraduate programs.”
http://www.acvn.org/site/view/58628_Home.pml

While the site is mostly geared for Veterinarians and students, there is some information on the site geared for pet owners; information that could influence pet owners.  The ‘Nutrition Related Links’ page (Links) provides any website visitor with a list of links to various animal nutrition websites.  There are many ‘expected’ links to Veterinary Universities; however there are also some un-expected links to pet food companies.
http://www.acvn.org/site/view/58669_Links.pml

The American College of Veterinary Nutrition offers the follow disclaimer (I would guess) of criteria used to their list of websites…
•    Ease of understanding.
•    Credibility of the source (University-based, individual expert, breed group, food company, zoo, vet hospital, individual (expert vs. enthusiast).
•    Identification of sources of information.
•    Depth.
•    Up-to-date information, evidence of regular revision.
•    Availability of contact information for further questions.
•    Presence and quality of links.

Under the category ‘Commercial’ – ‘Dog & Cat Nutrition’, the following websites are listed…
Cycle Dog food
Friskies
Iams/Eukanuba
Milkbone
Nutro
Pedigree
Nestle Purina
Royal Canin
Waltham

With further investigation…
Cycle Dog Food – there is no ‘Cycle Dog Food’.  The Cycle Dog website sells collar and leashes recycled from bicycle tires.
Friskies – among other ingredients, Friskies Cat Foods include by-products, meat and bone meal, and animal fat.  Meat and Bone Meal and Animal Fat are included on the FDA list of pet food ingredients likely to contain pentobarbital, thus likely to include euthanized animals.  Made by Purina
Iams/Eukanuba – Iams Pet Foods include by-products; Eukanuba Pet Foods include by-products.
Milkbone – Dog treats include BHA and dyes.
Nutro – Nutro Pet Foods include numerous vegetable proteins (versus meat proteins and synthetic Vitamin K (menadione sodium bisulfite).  Made by Mars Petcare.
Pedigree – Pedigree Dog Foods includes Meat and Bone Meal, Animal Fat (ingredients included on the FDA list of pet food ingredients likely to contain pentobarbital, thus includes euthanized animals), and BHA/BHT (chemical preservatives linked to serious illnesses).  Made by Mars Petcare.
Purina – Purina Pet Foods includes by-products, and Animal Fat (ingredient included on the FDA list of pet food ingredients likely to contain pentobarbital, thus includes euthanized animals).
Royal Canin – Numerous vegetable proteins (versus meat proteins).  Made by Mars Petcare.
Waltham – Waltham is part of Mars Petcare, makers of Pedigree, Nutro (listed above) and more.

So basically, the American College of Veterinary Nutrition approves of pet foods made by three companies…Purina, Iams/Eukanuba, and Mars Petcare.  All three of these companies manufacture dog foods and cat foods with one or more ingredients that many pet food experts (pet nutrition experts) believe to be less than optimal quality or grade.  Co-incidentally, all of these pet food companies are also large contributors to veterinary schools and veterinary organizations.

Surprisingly, one pet food company – known to be a large contributor to Veterinary Schools and sold in almost every veterinary clinic across the country was missing…Science Diet.

It could be that the American College of Veterinary Nutrition is aware of the ingredients used the pet foods listed on their website.  It could be donations were made to the association – needed donations to run their organization and educate veterinarians – in return for a listing on their website.  Regardless to ‘why’, it seems extremely conflicting that an association of Veterinarians dedicated to animal nutrition would be associated in any fashion with pet foods and treat that contain by-products, rendered euthanized animals and the lethal drugs used to kill them, as well as chemical preservatives scientifically linked to serious illnesses.

It doesn’t make good sense.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com

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