In a recent post on a veterinary website, “How to Manage Misinformation from Dr. Google”, veterinarian Sarah J. Wooten gives her colleagues suggestions on how to handle pet owners with a different opinion on pet food.
The post starts off with a pretend situation, a pet owner asking the veterinarian for a pet food recommendation for a healthy 2 year old dog. The veterinarian “suggested a chicken-based adult maintenance kibble made by a well-known pet food company.” The pet owner responds to the veterinarian “she no longer wants to feed commercial food made by any of the big pet food manufacturers because it’s all ‘garbage’ and that veterinarians must only recommend those foods because we’ve been ‘brainwashed.’”
In this scenario, Dr. Wooten recommends veterinarians pose the question to the client “May I share what I know with you?” – trying to “remind the client that she is paying for my opinion and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t share what I know.”
And Dr. Wooten recommends veterinarians to “document your discussion in the medical record to cover yourself legally in case she decides to go ahead and feed raw against your medical recommendation.”
First…if you were in this situation and your veterinarian asked ‘May I share what I know with you?’ – what would you do?
What I (Susan Thixton) would do…
I would answer yes and listen to what the veterinarian tells me. I have great respect for veterinarians even when I do not agree with their recommendations of pet food. I appreciate they know things I do not know, and I also appreciate an opportunity to share with them things I know that they probably don’t.
I assume I would get the Hill’s, Mars, and Purina coached spiel, assuring me that dry/kibble pet food is best from these ‘well known’ brands. I also assume there would be no mention of feed grade or rendered ingredients. After the sharing is complete, I would ask…
…Are you recommending my pet consume solely an ultra-processed diet? Are you aware of the worldwide research evidencing that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is linked to obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer? Kibble pet foods are the perfect example of an ultra-processed food (with multiple fractioned ingredients such as corn meal, pea protein, soybean meal and meat meals). Why is my veterinarian telling me to feed my pet ultra-processed foods when my human doctor advises me to avoid ultra-processed foods?
There are many different arguments against “a chicken-based adult maintenance kibble made by a well-known pet food company”, I would choose the ultra-processed argument because it is the most scientifically researched issue that many veterinarians ignore.
Veterinarians have the right to believe what Hill’s, and Purina, and Mars tells them. BUT, pet owners also have the right to research commonly known science (regarding ultra-processed foods, illegal ingredients allowed by FDA, and more) and apply that research to their pet’s food – without being labeled by our veterinarians as some sort of a trouble maker.
Second…why would it be necessary for the veterinarian to (bold added) “document your discussion in the medical record to cover yourself legally in case she decides to go ahead and feed raw against your medical recommendation”? ‘Cover yourself legally?’ Against what?
What many veterinarians don’t seem to understand is that most pet owners want to trust our vets. We want your advice, we do respect your training. But, when you tell us to feed our pets feed grade, ultra-processed foods…we cannot help but take several steps backwards on trust. And then when you believe you have to protect yourself legally when we choose to feed our pets a minimally processed diet based on worldwide recognized science, we take several more steps backwards.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Marsha
August 11, 2023 at 3:22 pm
What a bunch of garbage. My vet told me that my dog had kidney disease. He is a wonderful vet. I went home and checked out they give humans for kidney disease. We started our dog on the 3 fresh veggies and fruit. He lived for another year. My vet went along with me on it.
Jane Eagle
August 11, 2023 at 4:41 pm
I would show them your list of contaminates allowed in pet feed:
FDA’s Compliance Policy “CPG Sec. 675.100 Diversion of Contaminated Food for Animal Use” states “FDA does not object to the diversion to animal feed of human food adulterated with rodent, roach, or bird excreta.”
Compliance Policy “CPG Sec. 675.200 Diversion of Adulterated Food to Acceptable Animal Feed Use” states “The *Center* will consider the requests for diversion of food considered adulterated for human use in all situations where the diverted food will be acceptable for its intended animal food use. Such situations may include:
a. Pesticide contamination in excess of the permitted tolerance or action level.
b. Pesticide contamination where the pesticide involved is unapproved for use on a food or feed commodity.
c. Contamination by industrial chemicals.
d. Contamination by natural toxicants.
e. Contamination by filth.
f. Microbiological contamination.
g. Over tolerance or unpermitted drug residues.
then I would ask them which of these is part of a healthy diet?
https://truthaboutpetfood.com/is-it-feed-or-food/#:~:text=It%20is%20interesting%20that%20with,%E2%80%93%20cat%20food%2C%20dog%20food.
Jane Eagle
August 11, 2023 at 5:17 pm
And then I would ask them to eat some, to show me that they believe this is harmless.
lynne
August 11, 2023 at 4:56 pm
Love this post. thank you.
Terrie Rolph
August 11, 2023 at 6:42 pm
I think it’s shocking, tht veterinarians would be counselled in this way.
I would not ask my veterinarian what they thought I should feed my dog. If they were to ask me, I would say something vague like “Oh, I feed them a variety of things” and then change the subject. 😉
Grateful
August 12, 2023 at 1:11 am
Vet, who is a very good compassionate vet and competent diagnostician has one blind spot, diet. She and I have locked horns over diet since I went raw 12 years ago. She can’t seem to help herself, pushing garbage kibble at every visit, even as she runs her hands through my 18 year old cat’s fur and mummers “so soft!” When the “Hill’s” profanity comes out of her mouth now I simply clam up and refuse to engage.
Will Falconer, DVM
August 13, 2023 at 7:58 pm
This experience is perhaps the biggest eye roller for me. How a vet see and feel the amazing results of your raw feeding and STILL talk junk food, like you’re missing something vitally important, doing what you’re doing?
Mind blowing.
The humble ones in the vet world will at least say, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it!”
Michele
August 12, 2023 at 1:44 pm
That is definitely a merry-go-round I have been on! It immediately made me wonder if the vet was getting kickbacks from the recommended pet food company. Which instantly turned me off. And the only reason the issue of diet was discussed is because my cat is overweight and I solemnly swear she is not nor has ever been over fed. I believe that some animals are just destined to be overweight just like some humans. Granted, I know it’s not the best way to be but putting my cat on a restricted diet isn’t the best answer in my opinion. I’m going with the idea of a bit more exercise for starters and see where that gets her.
I wish everyone the best of luck with the food revolution for our pets!!
Kelley
August 14, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Most veterinarians are exhausted and don’t have the time/energy, nor maybe any interest in researching nutrition beyond what they are told by the pet food industry. Please don’t base your “trust” in them on how they handle nutritional advice.
Tina
August 20, 2023 at 5:18 pm
Since veterinarians have so little training in canine/feline nutrition, they should limit their advice to what they are truly competent in rather than opt to be condescending to their clients who are better versed in animal nutrition than they are.
Unfortunately, far too many vets are little more than shills for Big Pharma and the pet food industry evidenced by the fact that so many of them regularly push what even a layperson can conclude is unscientific and/or harmful (i.e. repeated vaccination, ultra-processed kibble diet, never-ending pesticide administration for fleas/ticks/heartworms, etc.).
If a vet would like the trust of his/her client, that trust needs to be earned by acting as a true advocate for the animals in his/her care rather than acting like a sales rep for Big Pharma and the pet food industry.
Francine
August 17, 2023 at 4:57 am
Disgusted when I read that ridiculous post the first time and disgusted to read it again. So embarrassing to witness, from licensed “health professionals.”
So depressing, the state of that sad, 100% Industry.
Gdoggie Stone
August 22, 2023 at 9:12 pm
Don’t forget you can only purchase prescription food from these Vets, I went along with my vet and saw no difference. I stopped. Then she was attempting to UPSALE me on medications my dog didn’t need. Needless to say, I finally stopped going to her. Also, in the Los Angeles areas there is a lack of Vets. I’m being told that the Vets don’t want to work the hours. I’m presently faced with a situation where one of my dogs needs some xrays done. The vet clinic I’m using doesn’t have an xray machine. I’m getting quotes from 200 to 500 for a couple of xrays.
Karen Mitchell (ANI)
August 29, 2023 at 9:24 am
Oh don’t get me started and don’t bring up these WELLNESS PLANS!!!
I feel sorry for these vets stuck in the system!
Kami Seal
September 14, 2023 at 8:58 am
I have been going through this with my vet as well. I have a overweight rescue that had just come through a broken leg recovery and was told to put him on a special veterinary diet through Hills. It is important to note that I had watched Pet Fooled, I found and purchased your list of your researched food, I did my own research and I can not thank you enough with arming me to stand up for his health and make the choice that was right for him. To be honest, the food I selected is no more expensive than the special diet food. He is losing weight with the aid of better choices I made for him, not from the “metabolism boosting diet food” I was pushed to try and buy.