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If your Veterinarian recommends a pet feed…

…how will you respond? Veterinarian organizations are instructing our vets to recommend pet food to every client. How will you respond to the push?

…how will you respond? Veterinarian organizations are instructing our vets to recommend pet food to every client. How will you respond to the push?

With sponsorship from Purina, Mars and Hill’s, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and Pet Nutrition Alliance is advising veterinarians to “make a specific dietary recommendation” to each and every pet owner that comes in. These organizations ask veterinarians to recommend a pet food to clients even when the pet is determined to be perfectly healthy after exam:

And…from the same WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance guidelines, veterinarians are told to repeatedly encourage pet owners to give their pets a recommended pet food. Per the WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance recommendations, every pet owner would be ‘talked to’ about pet food eight different times during one veterinary visit – by the front desk staff, the veterinary technician and the veterinarian.

And WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance has some suggested conversations for veterinarians to have with their clients about pet food…

Have there been any changes to what [pet’s name] has been eating recently?

Has [pet’s name] had any problems with his or her current food? With previous food?

What is important to you when selecting your pet’s food?

You mentioned you are looking for what is best for [pet’s name]; can you tell me a little more about what you mean when you say “best?”

WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance provides a conversation script for veterinarians to suggest a new pet food to pet owners:

So, how will you respond if your veterinarian pushes to recommend a pet food as WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance recommends?

My two cents…

My response to any veterinarian to the WSAVA and Pet Nutrition Alliance question:

Q.What is important to you when selecting your pet’s food?

My Answer: The most important thing to me in selecting a pet food is human grade/human edible ingredients. I would not give my pets any feed grade ingredient pet food knowing that the FDA openly allows feed grade pet foods to utilize material from diseased animals and animals that have died otherwise than by slaughter. I’m hopeful you too don’t believe pet’s should be fed as scavengers, consuming basically waste.

Human grade manufacturing standards is also important to me. As you probably know, feed grade manufacturing standards are significantly less stringent than human food manufacturing standards. Several years back a FDA inspection of a Diamond Pet Food plant found manufacturing equipment held together with cardboard and duct tape. And in 2017 an FDA inspection of a Mars Petcare plant found millions of roaches in the production area. That’s unacceptable manufacturing standards to me.

And should a veterinarian question my choice of providing my pets with 1/2 commercial raw pet food and 1/2 home prepared pet food with a statement similar to this:

Q. Raw pet foods are associated with dangerous bacteria that could sicken or kill you/your family. And home prepared pet foods are linked to nutritional imbalances. Do you understand you are putting your entire family at risk by giving your pet raw pet food and might be harming your pet with a home prepared diet.

My Answer: Actually, over the past ten years, significantly more kibble pet foods have been recalled for pathogenic bacteria than raw pet foods. The statistics are about 1,000 pounds of kibble recalled per 1 pound of raw recalled. So, based on FDA recalls of pet foods over the past ten years – kibble pet foods are far more at risk to spread pathogenic bacteria than raw pet foods. Plus, I provide my pets with a raw pet food made under USDA inspection. There are no kibble pet foods made under USDA inspection.

With regards to my home prepared pet foods, I use recipes that are complete and balanced AND I vary the food ingredients I use with each batch to provide my pets a variety of nutrients from a variety of foods. I like that my pets are getting nutrients from food rather than synthetic feed grade supplements added to highly processed pet feeds.


Brace yourself…veterinarian organizations are pushing our vets to push us to feed feed. Share some of your pet food education with your vet should you be pushed too. You got this!


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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21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. judy miller

    May 8, 2019 at 12:12 pm

    My vet doesn’t do any of this! In fact, I’ve tried educating him over the years.

    A person should refuse these high powered tactics. Say, “No thank you!”

    • Lenette Evans

      August 22, 2020 at 12:38 am

      I have a cat that is diabetic and am trying to find food for her to eat that she will like that will not raise her blood glucose levels

  2. Sandra Murphey

    May 8, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    I would never follow a vet’s suggestions for pet “feed”. This happened once when I took my cat to the vet when she was constipated. The vet “pushed” Royal Canin dry food, and when I said “No thanks, I’m reducing dry food in my cat’s diet.” They didn’t take no for an answer, and carried a large bag out to my car, in spite of my protests. My bill was being paid for by my local shelter program to help senior pet guardians, so I’m sure the vet was taking advantage of that.

    I returned the bag within a few days, and saw other opened bags of food on the floor. I changed vets after that.

  3. Elizabeth

    May 8, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    There is more than one vet at the practice we visit (though we try to see one vet exclusively). For the most part, they’ve stopped trying to sell me their vet-approved trash-kibble because they know I feed fresh and/or dried raw to our dogs, and high quality canned food to the kitties. I often quote them statistics (frequently from this website) about the horrors of almost all kibble.

    I stand my ground and let them know I would never, ever feed that stuff they have at the vet office, even if they claim it’s a “special diet” for liver health, thyroid, etc. I know that I can feed excellent food and adjust the fat content and the give special supplements if any of my pets had a liver issue, for example.

    I’m so appreciative that your website and others are available to help consumers make better choices for our pets than feeding traditional trashy kibble. Thank you, again, Susan, for all that you do.

    Best,
    Elizabeth

  4. Cannoliamo

    May 8, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    Pet wellness care offers a financial marketplace for veterinary care professionals WHO HAVE THE NECESSARY TRAINING AND ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE ASSOCIATED LIABILITY for this wellness care.

    Unfortunately, none of the veterinarians or veterinary staff I’ve contacted for assistance offer anything more than what they’ve been told or given by the pet food industry. I strongly doubt that they would be willing to accept the liability for the wellness of the pets for whom they are offering this care.

    This is not to say I’m not optimistic about the future of pet wellness care. I’ve have had numerous detailed dietary discussions with veterinary nutritionists who are certified members of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) and also some veterinary nutrition professors at veterinary colleges that have structured curricula programs in small animal nutrition. I hope the future allows for veterinary schools to extend their mandatory curricula to include at least 12 semester hours of clinical veterinary nutrition and certification by a recognized professional organization like ACVN.

    Until then, I will not be requesting the advice of my veterinarians on nutritional guidance for my pets.

    • Zachary Chernik

      May 8, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      to Cannoliamo:

      You mention ACVN here what ACVN mentions about RAW

      http://www.acvn.org/frequently-asked-questions/

      Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats

      Are raw pet foods better than canned or kibble foods?

      Raw diets, both home-prepared and commercial, have become more popular. Advocates of raw diets claim benefits ranging from improved longevity to superior oral or general health and even disease resolution (especially gastrointestinal disease). Often the benefits of providing natural enzymes and other substances that may be altered or destroyed by cooking are also cited. However, proof for these purported benefits is currently restricted to testimonials, and no published peer-reviewed studies exist to support claims made by raw diet advocates. No studies have examined differences in animals fed raw animal products to those fed any other type of diet (kibble, canned, or home cooked) with the exception of looking at the effects on digestibility. Typically raw meats (but not other uncooked foods like grains or starches) are slightly more digestible than cooked meat.

      There are risks and concerns associated with the feeding of raw diets. One of these is the risk of nutritional imbalances, which is a reality for both home-prepared and commercial raw meat diets. Another important risk is related to bacterial or parasitic contamination. Of course, food poisoning is also a major concern for people, and the public health aspects of feeding raw foods to pets cannot be overlooked. Safe and proper handling of raw foods is crucial for reducing the risk, but safety cannot be guaranteed. At this time, the vast majority of purported benefits of feeding raw foods remain unproven, while the risks and consequences have been documented. It is best to discuss the choice of feeding raw foods with your veterinarian so that an informed decision can be made with regard to your pet’s diet.

      IMO – ACVN is in the pocket of BIG PET FEED MANUFACTURERS so I’m not sure what clinical veterinary nutrition education will be taught that is not biased towards the BPFM.

  5. Stephanie

    May 8, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    Two or three times veterinarians recommended the “specialty” diets such as urinary care, etc. I read the labels, shocked and honestly told the vets I would never feed a food containing those ingredients.

    After a look of confusion on their part there was no further discussion. To add insult to injury when the vet inquired as to what food my cats were fed none had heard of the food…I found that odd.

    Years ago in another city I lived in, my vet was forward thinking. She never promoted the food they carried instead suggesting raw or minimally processed human grade foods and no kibble. It’s a shame I moved as no vet since has been as enlightened.

  6. Deep Search

    May 8, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    In the past when vets have recommended feeding the prescription diets I haven’t been direct with them, I usually just fed what was best for my cats as what they wanted them to eat wasn’t medically necessary. I still get mad that all the vets my mom’s cat has been to want him to go on high carb food to lose weight and maintain UT health. They all push kibble, which is the worst for a cat that needs to lose weight and has urinary problems. And the prescription canned food they want him to eat is also high in carbs. I was able to get him to a healthy weight on a high protein diet of basically only meat, no kibble, but when I moved away my mother let him get really fat again by giving him the dry food… So I had to firmly tell her not to give him any even if the vet offers her bags of “weight loss” kibble. Doesn’t matter if it’s the Blue Rx brand, it’s all still very high in carbs.

    It really does seem like their go-to solution is to offer you their preferred brand of prescription diets. When I had an 8 week old stray kitten who wasn’t gaining weight like he should, the vet insisted that the Hill’s kitten diet was what he needed as what I was giving him wasn’t as high quality, and I had to isolate him from his litter and monitor how much he was eating. So I did what she said. He ended up being fine, but I don’t know why I couldn’t watch how much he was eating on his own without being pushed to feed him Science Diet for several weeks.

    That same vet wanted my cat who had bouts of anxiety and cystitis to be put on a “stress reducing” UT canned food. I said if I fed it to him I would order it on-line by the case rather than buy it from their clinic. Looking at the ingredients it really isn’t something to feed a cat, as it’s high in carbs and seemed to be mostly wheat gluten. So I fed him a wet food that was appropriate for him and only once the source of his stress was gone was he totally good again. I really don’t understand why they advocate cats be on these diets for the long-term that predispose them to get diabetes and gain weight.

  7. TB

    May 8, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Hi Susan, seeing as I am from Canada, how would I respond to the Vet with regards to Raw food being inspected? I do trust the companies that I use, as I do my research on them, but we do not have USDA here. Thank you.

    • Susan Thixton

      May 8, 2019 at 4:23 pm

      If meats are CFIA inspected that would be similar to the inspection process for meat here.

      • TB

        May 8, 2019 at 4:30 pm

        In Canada, the human food supply is one of the safest in the world. However, when it comes to pet food, the regulatory system is mostly based on trust. When pet food is made and sold in Canada, the government simply trusts the manufacturer, assuming they have crossed all their t’s and dotted all their i’s. There are no legislated manufacturing practices or standards to follow, and there are no inspections or verifications required.
        Although one of the companies I use is HACCP certified.

        • Tins

          May 8, 2019 at 9:27 pm

          What is the name of the food you use

  8. ~Pet Owner~

    May 8, 2019 at 4:41 pm

    The idea of a “conversation” about PF with a Vet needs to be put into context.

    Here’s what Vets do. They treat specific ailments and the not even with a guarantee the pet will be cured (just our trust). We don’t sign any contract with them for guaranteed services. Treatments are based on rates (demonstrated cases) of (probable) success. Lawsuits are based on whether more harm than good was done to a pet based on proven carelessness or neglect. So except for vaccinations (some would consider prevention) Vets aren’t responsible for keeping a pet well (or even in superior health) because they have no control over what happens outside of the clinic. They have no control over the PFI either. They are as much a consumer-victim as is every other pet owner. They just buy wholesale from suppliers and not retail. In fact a Vet can only answer a question about diet with two possibilities: (One) feed anything safe or (Two) feed one of the 4 recommended brands. For a Vet to be suggesting (specific) PF does step beyond their “mission statement” as a profession. Otherwise they might as well be counseling an owner against all kinds of potentially hazardous situations, like poisonous substances, or dangerous devices like “retractable leashes” … and on it goes.

    Just as treatments are guided by studies and statistics, the 4 recommended brands (Purina, Mars, Hills & Royal Canin) were selected (not only because of financial incentives) but because there is no objective third party testing or evaluation done among all possible PF products. So the entire marketplace of PF can’t even be ranked across the board. Instead, Vets are assuming that feeding trials done by the 4 brands are at least “something” rather than nothing at all. Having a PF discussion with a Vet slides further downhill, being there are no long term (objective) scientific studies demonstrating the superior wellness of pets who eat raw or homemade diets, compared to commercial PF. In terms of the statistic that approximately 50% of pets are likely to die of cancer, who or how has that fact been correlated with brand name PF – is what the Vet will push back and ask.

    Recommending a homemade PF diet to just any or every client without understanding the owner’s level of competence, commitment and the requirements of the individual pet – is taking a chance. Doing so through a professional (animal) nutritionist is expensive. Baselines are difficult to manage. And if a pet’s lab profile is off, then that owner will question the Vet. When pet owners decide to feed homemade, generally it’s a (defensive) move to avoid substandard, rendered, spoiled ingredients (garbage) and choose food that is not. This is the biggest issue in terms of convincing (or at least informing) Vets about the critical difference between pet “feed” and “food.” We do not own “small animal livestock” we care for specialized (domesticated) dogs and cats for the sake of companionship! (Emotional welfare if you will). And to that purpose those pets share our life on a par with our human family so we require long term quality of life for them!

    If we’re going to have any dialogue with Vets it should be this. That Vets need to DEMAND of the Big 4 Suppliers, that if they are promoting their products they must be accompanied by premium pet FOOD too. (First) the commercial product is needed, (second) the testing to prove that it is, (third) earning a Veterinarian recommendation, and (fourth) demonstrating that there is a marketplace for assurances in PF!

    I suggest that Vets should receive the TAPF Newsletter, to keep them informed, provide access archived background, which would make having a conversation about PF with their clients easier, and to demonstrate the real need for Pet FOOD (not feed).

    This could be done through obtaining a database of email addresses for Vets nationwide.

  9. jenn

    May 8, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL

  10. Tryn

    May 8, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Great! Very helpful, thank you. Although, I’d change “no kibbles are made under USDA inspection”, to “very few kibbles are” – to be accurate. And that only helps to ensure quality – that says nothing of whether my pet is receiving metabolizable nutrition!

  11. chucklinker

    May 20, 2019 at 6:23 am

    if vet reccommends a specific pet food , my initial thought would

    kickback $$ as from Hills.

  12. Mighty Sea Tide

    November 22, 2019 at 8:18 pm

    This certainly explains what I’ve experienced the last couple of days. My approximately 4 year old male cat had crystals and a urethral obstruction that required emergency treatment at our regular vet, which is also a 24/7/365 emergency vet clinic. The vet who did the surgery mentioned dietary changes but didn’t state a specific food at first. The next morning, the vet who called me to give me the morning update proceeded to very firmly inform me that Spotty would have to eat the Royal Canin urinary SO food and no other food or treats for the rest of his life. I researched it, saw immediately that it is crap and insanely overpriced and knew that would not be happening. I tried discussing better (READ: Non-Prescription) diet options with the vet who examined and diagnosed Spot and with the morning phone update vet. It was like phone calls with telemarketers who won’t take no for an answer. Both of these vets refused to even acknowledge that there are other options and insisted that if I don’t feed Spot that food and only that food he will get obstructions over and over for the rest of his life and be constantly needing surgery and hospitalization. Spot’s written discharge instructions also state, “The MOST important aspect for Spotty’s future care includes switching him to a prescription diet FOREVER. He must not be allowed to eat any other cat food, no treats that are not prescription and no people food.” And the first sentence is even highlighted for extra emphasis.

    This whole thing is organized, pre-planned bullying. And the biggest victims are our innocent pets. It should be forbidden, and vets who do this should lose their licenses. I will be finding a new regular vet clinic for Spot, that’s for sure.

    • Leidy

      February 16, 2020 at 10:26 am

      Mighty Sea Ride,
      The vet it’s just giving you a recommendation. Under the law, your cat is your property, and they can’t not force you to feed him what they recommend. Unfortunately, in regards of the disease your cat is suffering (crystals and bladder obstruction) research has not giving many answers of why that happens but that prescription diet seem to help most of cats with Feline Lower Urinary tract disease. Remember here, the vet just wants the best for your pet, just like you. They didn’t get into Veterinary medicine to sell you stuff. That’s just what they are told. Like any other consumer, make sure to educate yourself on the disease of your cat and not just plainly say no to your vet. Educate your vet, bring research of your own and make a plan together, instead of fighting him/her. The goal at the end for both is to keep your cat as healthy and happy as he could be. Ohh and stress-free your house, which is another reason for FLUTD.
      Good luck!

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