I'm way behind on my email, so apologize that this response is
so tardy.
Mark, and all - yes, most research on pet foods is done or at
least financed by the pet food manufacturers. The reasons for this
were well explained in another post. However, something to bear in
mind is that, at least with the big names in the vet industry (though
in some fancier circles, they are considered 4 letter words) like
Iams and Science Diet, the research they do usually results in
them changing THEIR forumulas. I would be much more
concerned if all their research tended to "prove" that their formulas
and diets were best. But the opposite is what tends to happen -
they either do or finance research into a particular problem and
when that research shows that their formulas are not the most
appropriate, they change their diet to reflect the new knowledge.
The large breed formulas came about as a result of research into
the causes of developmental orthopedic problems. Those studies
showed that higher energy levels (read fat and carbs, NOT protein)
were actually more closely associated with increased orthopedic
problems, as were inappropriate calcium:phosphorus ratios. So,
they developed their large breed formulas to address these
problems.
Interestingly enough, a few years ago I attended one of the big
veterinary conferences and had the opportunity to speak with a
veterinary nutritionist - in other words, a vet that's a specialist in
nutrition. I asked him about the common breeder's preference to
switch large breed puppies to adult foods, and some even wean
directly onto adult foods. He said that this was completely
reasonable and justified before the large breed puppy foods were
available - the regular puppy foods were just too "rich" for the large
breeds and encouraged them to grow too rapidly, thus increasing
their risk of orthopedic problems. Now, however, it was not
necessary, or even advised - the large breed formulas are better
suited than adult formulas because the puppy will be able to get a
better level of nutrition in a food that is designed for them. A puppy
may not be physically able to eat enough of a less nutrient dense
food to meet his needs, and if he does eat enough to meet some
needs (like protein and calories), then he may actually wind up
getting too much of other things, like calcium.
Just something to think about. A lot of people view the larger
pet food manufacturers as some evil entity whose only purpose is
to take our money and who care nothing for the well-being of their
dogs. But, if the dogs (and cats) did not, in general, do well on
these foods, who would keep buying them or recommending them
to others? Certainly, not all dogs will do well on every diet, nor is
every diet right for any dog. But the research does show general
trends. Personally, while there ARE certain brands I try to steer
my clients away from due to their complete lack of quality, other
than that I merely recommend that they really research their
choices. Most are willing to trust my judgment (and don't want to
do the research themselves <G>), so ask what I feed my dogs and
go from there.
Melissa
On 9 Mar 03, at 11:16, Mark Mohapp wrote:
However, one of my concerns however lies in the
> fact that the pet food industry wants to accommodate the consumer and
> some times it gets rather trendy. In reviewing research about large breed formulas I
> have found that
> most of the research was conducted by the manufacturers of dog food
> and pet food industry.
Melissa, Tyra and Orry Granite Falls, NC
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
BEHAF Homepage: http://www.behaf.com
