Table Food

It seems the brainwashing that table food – people food – is bad for pets will never end.  Another U.S. vet publically tells pet owners table food is bad, and a new campaign launched by the Pet Food Institute to unknowing pet owners in the Philippines tells the same old incorrect story.

Back in the 1970’s, the lobby organization for Big Pet Food – The Pet Food Institute (PFI) – initiated a pet food educational campaign across the U.S.  Their goal was to ‘educate’ pet owners to the misgivings of feeding table food to pets.  Veterinarian spokespersons were hired to warn petsumers of harm they could be causing their pet by giving them food from the human table.  Ads were purchased in leading newspapers, magazines and radio stations.  No human food leftovers was their message; only ‘balanced and complete’ food made specifically for cats and dogs.

It seems forty years later, the PFI message continues.  Not only with veterinarians in the U.S., but in countries all over the world (where Big Pet Food is beginning to take over the minds of innocent pet owners).

It is pet food brain washing at its finest.  ‘No’ to table food is not based on science; it is pet food marketing.

In a recent New Jersey Herald post by Dr. Don Costlow, the veterinarian was asked “Is table food really bad for my pet?”  Dr. Costlow responded…
“In a word, yes.  The average caloric content of table food is twice that of dog/cat food.  In addition, our pets weigh substantially less than we do, yet we tend to give them human portions.  For example, a 50 pound dog eating a half of a cheeseburger is like me eating 2 cheeseburgers. For either of us, this would lead to weight gain.  The calories of table food ingested will also replace the calories ingested by their well balanced dog/cat food, similar to a child eating candy before dinner.

Finally, we see many cases of pancreatitis a week. This disease is often triggered by the pet eating table food which is higher in fat than their normal meal and causes severe vomiting.  The patient often needs to stay in the hospital on intravenous fluids for several days.  So please, only feed a well balanced diet made for pets.”

This is just simply not true.  According to National Research Council (NRC) guidelines (accepted by AAFCO and FDA), a 50 pound (inactive) dog caloric intake per day is close to 1000 calories.  A cheeseburger – though this can vary – is roughly 360 calories.  A fifty pound dog would need to eat three cheeseburgers to come close to the needed 1000 calories per day; not even close to the 1/2 cheeseburger Dr. Costlow misinformed readers of.  He put the fear of disease into readers minds of feeding any real food (table food) to pets based on incorrect calorie and fat content.

What Dr. Costlow didn’t tell readers was that commercial pet food can contain ANY amount of fat – any.  There are no maximum calorie or fat (or protein) restrictions established for dog and cat foods.  Pet foods are only required to tell the consumer the minimum amount of fat included in the food.  Makes one wonder if those cases of pancreatitis Dr. Costlow talked about were actually caused by commercial pet food with extraordinary high levels of fat the pet owner was never told about.

My guess would be, that Dr. Costlow didn’t intentionally mislead pet owners.  My guess would be he has been brainwashed by Big Pet Food and doesn’t even realize it.

And now Big Pet Food takes their message into a new country – the Phillippines.  From a Inquirer.net story…
“MANILA, Philippines – Man’s “best friend” should not be eating man’s leftover food.
This was the primary goal of the “Well-Fed, Well-Nurtured” campaign launched Friday by the Pet Food Institute (PFI), a trade association based in the United States, and the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP), to make Filipinos aware that pets deserve more than table scraps.”

This is exactly what was done in the U.S. in the 1970’s.  Brainwashing.

Why are they pushing their decades old sales pitch to Filipinos?  “99 percent of pet owners still feed leftovers and table scraps to their pets” in the Philippines.  They aren’t selling enough pet food there…yet.

We all understand that a balanced diet is significant to humans and to our pets.  No argument there.  But to tell us real food – table food – can harm our pets…is ridiculous.  To cause pet owners to believe that each meal a dog or cat eats must contain exact nutrition or the pet will become ill is ridiculous (and by the way, most commercial pet foods aren’t exact either!).  It is Big Pet Food marketing plain and simple.

Do not feed your pet Chocolate, Coffee, Avocado, Macadamia Nuts, Grapes, Raisins, Yeast Dough, Onions, Garlic, Chives, Milk, Salt.  Go very minimal on the spices.

But do give them table food!  Remember, we have been brainwashed.

Compensate for the table food by simply lessening the amount of commercial food given.  Start slow (small amounts of table food) and avoid the risk foods above.  Don’t feed more than 1/3 of their diet as table food without making efforts to balance the nutrition (proper amount of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals in the table food).  Vary the people food given; meat, fish, vegetables and fruit.

As for my pets, they have eaten table food everyday for the last three years.  No pancreatitis, no health consequences what so ever…only happy, extremely healthy pets.  We’re both happy.

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

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports?  Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 2500 cat foods, dog foods,  and pet treats.  30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com

Are you subscribed to Truth About Pet Food Newsletter?  Click Here to subscribe

Follow Truth about Pet Food on Twitter

Become a Fan of Truth about Pet Food, Dinner PAWsible, Buyer Beware on Facebook

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here