What’s in your dog? Screening tests.

I have had a busy week and,  as always, one patient with a history of vomiting. Since that is a common complaint the challenge is to determine which ones are emergencies and which will pass. In further consultation with the owner, the invariable question arises,  “Is anything missing?" This patient, bright and alert, incidentally ate a golf glove approximately a month ago. So here are the lateral films. Do you see anything in the stomach.

Well, we did not know either since there is so much food in there. Yet I knew the white/ metal objects were not normal! Sooo, we gave an injection of apomorphine to induce vomiting and this is what we found. Surprise!!!! 

This is the golf glove consumed a month ago.  Just as I do not often know what an animal eats, I often do not know the genetic makeup of a patient, their allergic tendencies, and thus, their health risks.

What is out there for basic breed/genetic testing of Animals?

Royal Canin (yes, the food manufacturer) has a Genetic Health Analysis that reviews basic risks and breed background. I recently ran this on my own dog, Taco Belle and received these results. 

I am looking for more specific breed associated diseases. Is there a link?

Yes, I would look at the following sites. 

   http://www.offa.org/dna_alltest_b.html

https://www.vetstream.com/canis/corporate/html/Inheriteddiseases/Genetictestsforhereditarydiseases.htm

WHAT’S OUT THERE FOR CAT TESTING?

https://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/cat/

What do veterinarians use for more specific genetic testing?

The Metabolic Genetic Disease Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania 

http://research.vet.upenn.edu/penngen

Similarly Cornell's Comparative Coagulation Laboratory offers functional testing for many bleeding disorders 

http://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/  

 Comparative Neuromuscular Laboratory in San Diego for neurological 

http://vetneuromuscular.ucsd.edu/

What are some of the laboratories that have skeptical results?

 Here is a pet store “off the shelf’ allergy test based on hair samples and saliva swabs collected from a 6 month old dog.  Scientifically, positive results of food allergy blood testing do not correlate with clinical food allergy in dogs. Note the disclaimer and allergy to white wine among other questionable results. 

With the known inaccuracy of food allergy blood testing in companion animals, it makes more sense to spend the pet owner’s time and funds on the prescription or home cooked hypoallergenic diet trial which is both diagnostic and potentially therapeutic. I wish we could call these tests "predatory health misinformation," sort of like predatory lending.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH VETERINARY vs HUMAN LABORATORIES?

Many upscale “veterinary laboratories” are not well regulated and thus are accountable to no one. I would be skeptical of any lab that is providing animal testing with no scientific VALIDATION of the results (from reputable sources). Testimonials alone are not evidence based medicine. Clearly the obvious question is, "where is the science and does it make sense?"

Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP Canine & Feline 

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital PLLC

Cary, NC

My thanks for photos to Terry Seaks sharing Puffball the cat  and Tammy Butler sharing her Rescue Dog January staring at statue with the blog followers. Memphis Woodall is a repeat performance from last week now wearing antlers. 

Reefer Madness: the 2014 Marijuana Update

As a teenager in Cary, I distinctly remember being shown the cult film, Reefer Madness (1936), in Health Class as a deterrent to trying marijuana. The film had a distinct scare factor at the time. As time passed, it morphed into more silliness than fact. To drive the point home, a sample of artificial marijuana was produced and lit to discourage use by my classmates. I am not sure it helped. During the session, while the teacher was distracted one classmate, Curtis, began hanging out the window (2 stories up). Then he sneaked out the door, went down the stairs, and proceeded to lie on the ground below the window. Then classmates yelled, “Curtis just fell out the window," of course he didn’t, but the teacher was not in on the joke.

 The movie was on my mind at a recent lecture by Dr. Dawn Boothe from Auburn University into new points into the science of medical marijuana. As several states have decriminalized recreational use, there has been a huge upswing in dogs ingesting recreational forms. The focus of this blog is the medical application of the more that 480 unique compounds it contains. 

HOW LONG HAS MARIJUANA BEEN AROUND?

It has been part of recreational, religious, and medical activities for a variety of cultures for over 5000 years. Interestingly, marijuana was one of the more commonly prescribed medications in the USA until it was declared illegal in the 1930’s.  Due to its control of pain, many states have passed laws that allowed medical use in people. There is little to no research of benefits in pets.  Marijuana is still illegal on the federal level.

HOW DOES ONE KNOW Street POT’s STRENGTH? 

You do not know as it can vary depending on how much of what plant part is contained, the quantity consumed, sex, age, grown indoors vs outdoors, when harvested, and how it is dried/stored. 

WHAT ARE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA?

Problems with memory and learning, red eyes, distorted perception, difficulty thinking and problem solving, incoordination, increased heart rate, and panic attacks. The tolerance varies between people, and withdrawal leads to nervousness, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. Concerns in teenage use include lower IQ’s and depression. 

WHAT ARE THE TOUTED BENEFITS/MEDICAL TREATMENTS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

THC, the most active component, is a muscle relaxant, ant-inflammatory, anti-depressant, increases appetite, and stimulant. Other components (CBD, CBC, and CBG) are touted for treatment of behavioral, sleep disorders, protection of the nervous system, ant-anxiety (think valium-like), bone healing, nausea, glaucoma, diabetes, suppression of the immune system, malaria, and pain control.

Memphis , proudly owned by Jon & Jane Woodall

There is NO DATA to support this broad appeal in pets and limited in people. The smoke/lung cancer risks of inhaled forms are not widely discussed.  Marijuana is still illegal on the federal level.

ARE THERE legal, PRESCRIPTION FORMS OF MARIJUANA AVAILABLE AT HUMAN PHARMACIES? If so, what are its benefits compared to the marijuana dispensary? 

Yes, Marinol (dronabinol) is a synthetic THC prescription medication form of marijuana that has been out for 30 years.  The benefits are that  this is a narrow spectrum compound versus smoking marijuana, which contains a wide variety “buffet line” of chemical components. Marinol is used to treat nausea, vomiting, and stimulate appetite, all of which are side effects of chemotherapy, when other treatments are unsuccessful. Cost on the goodRx site in Cary, NC average about $10 per tablet. 

Epidiolex (a version of marihuana lacking THC) is used for seizures with other measures have failed. 

ARE MOST MEDICAL MARIJUAHUA DISPENSORIES PRESCRIBING MEDICAL MARIHUAHA UNDER THE ADVICE OF A BOARDED SPECIALIST (FOR EXAMPLE ASTHMA)?

No, it appears most prescriptions are from doctors that are general practitioners, and security of those prescriptions was lax due to the lack of money and coordination with the Federal government. Yet, the costs are higher to consumers to obtain medical marihuana from dispensaries (government taxes) rather than traditional pharmacies. 

STAY TUNED AS MARIJUANA STUDIES ARE BEING CONTEMPLATED FOR PAIN CONTROL IN PETS. 

As a side note, from the nutritional talks and lots of options after the scare from the melamine and the wheat gluten scare around 2007, what happened to the Food and Drug czar in China? Well in China, Zheng Xiaoyu: China Ex-Food and Drug Safety Chief WAS Sentenced to Death. http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/2007/Zheng-Xiaoyu-China29may07.htm

Dakota, owned by Dave Bubb

Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP canine & feline

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital

Cary, NC

Myths about Food Allergies

Having experienced an extreme gastric overload over the Thanksgiving holiday, gluttony and talking about food is the furthest thing from anything we would want to discuss. It is very common for clients to come in with statements that they THINK I want to hear, such as “I'm feeding grain free, raw, gluten free, or corn-free are among several that are mentioned. As a follow-up to previous blogs, I thought I would put these in 10 myths with comments.

1. FOOD ALLERGY IS COMMON AMONG DOGS.
Confirmed cases of food allergy are actually pretty rare; only about 5 % to 10% of dogs with an allergy have a confirmed reaction to food.



2. DOGS ARE ALLERGIC TO CORN AND OTHER GRAINS.
Contrary to current marketing campaigns by many pet food companies, true corn and grain allergies in dogs are rare. Most allergies are to meat protein. In dogs, beef is the most common food allergen, while in cats it is fish. Surprisingly to some pet owners, many dogs on a grain-free diet still have symptoms of food allergy.



3. MY DOG HAS A GLUTEN ALLERGY leading to skin lesions.
Although gluten is a protein, it has not been documented to cause skin disease in dogs. The report in Irish Setters having GI issues related to wheat gluten is flawed in that the dogs in the study were genetically related.





4. MY DOG IS TOO OLD TO DEVELOP A FOOD ALLERGY.
Your dog can develop an allergy at any age, and the deciding factor is usually exposure in addition to a genetic predisposition.



5. IT CAN’T BE FOOD ALLERGIES BECAUSE MY DOG DOES NOT HAVE DIARRHEA.
Most canine food allergies manifest as recurrent skin diseases (eg. itching, skin lesions) and recurrent ear infections. Food allergies leading to diarrhea are a less common form.



6. MY DOG HAS HAD THE SAME DIET FOR YEARS SO FOOD ALLERGIES, NO WAY!
A food allergy takes time to develop. Even though the diet has not changed, the immune system response to food proteins may change. Sometimes, manufacturers change the formula slightly, without notification, which can trigger a new, unexpected allergic response.



7. I SWITCHED FROM ONE PROTEIN SOURCE TO ANOTHER AND MY PET IS STILL ITCHING, SO IT CAN’T BE FOOD ALLERGIES, RIGHT?
Often a pet owner may switch food brands but not the protein source. NOTE That MANY over the counter diets may contain ingredients that are not on their dietary labels.4 Elimination food trial of at least 10 to 12 weeks duration, with a prescription veterinary hypoallergenic diet still remain the best option for diagnosis of food allergies.

8. I DID THE FOOD TRIAL AS SUGGESTED AND MY DOG IS STILL SCRATCHING SO I NEED TO PROCEED TO ALLERGY TESTING, CORRECT?
Before allergy testing, skin infections (bacterial, fungus) and parasites (eg. fleas, mange mites) must be addressed for the food trial to succeed. In addition, it is so easy to sabotage a food trial. Was a snack provided containing a different protein? Give pills with a Pill Pocket or cheese? Give flavored medications? Did the dog get into the trash? Remember that some dogs will have environmental and seasonal allergies as well concurrent with food allergies..

9. I HEARD THAT RAW FOODS ARE BEST FOR ALLERGY DOGS.
If the raw diet consists of a raw version of the protein trigger, then the diet will still cause problems for the dogs.

10. CAN I AVOID FOOD ALLERGIES BY CHANGING THE DIET FREQUENTLY?
There is no evidence that changing diets frequently will prevent a dog from developing allergy signs. In fact, it limits the future diet trial options due to prior exposure.


The below is my family gathering for Thanksgiving. My thanks to Bradley Brodbeck for posing for my pet photo.

Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP canine and Feline
Creature Comforts Animal Hospital
Cary, NC

Sources for this article: 

1) Rosenthal, M. DVM, DACVD. 2013. Sleuth out allergy problems/ 10 allergy myths. Trends Magazine. May 2013 

2) Brooks W.C. DVM, DACVD. 2013. Food Allergy Myths. The pet Nutrition corner. VIN.2013

3) Moriello, K.A. DVM. DACVD. 2009. Food Allergy: How to achieve a successful food trial. NAVC Conference.

4) Tater K. DVM, MPH, DACVD. 2013. Real or not real: Top dermatology myths debunked. VIN Rounds. January 2013.

Pet Poisonings: the Unexpected

Aren't those pictures great? My thanks to Dr. Clarke Atkins for sharing his travel postcards from Africa. 

The holiday season is upon all of us. Families and their guests get busy with festivities, traveling, and cooking. Guests often leave opened suitcases and exposure to a variety of substances. Unexpectedly, a family pet starts showing unusual signs: vomiting, diarrhea, depression, hyperactivity, and even seizures. The common question is “now what?" I thought this might be a good time to go back and look at the emergency contact numbers for poison control – the first step – and contacting your veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital. 

WHAT ARE THE EMERGENCY PET POISONING HOT LINE NUMBERS? Note both have a fee

ASPCA is 888-426-4435

Pet Poison Hot Line is 800-213-6680 (check out the iphone app) www.petpoisonhelpline.com

There is a Pet Poison Help on iTunes for $1.99



WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON POISONINGS?

This time of year it is human food that is toxic to pets (dark chocolate, xylitol sweetened products, raisins, macadamia nuts, garlic, onions, raw-yeast dough, and grapes), garbage can stuff, and human meds.

SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HUMAN MEDICATIONS WHICH ARE THE MOST WIDELY REPORTED OF CONCERN TO VETERINARY POISON CENTERS?

1. NSAIDs - ibuprofen pain medication (e.g., Advil and some types of Motrin) and naproxen (e.g., Aleve). **may develop serious gastro –intestinal ulcers as well as kidney failure.

2. Acetaminophen—(e.g., Tylenol for pain) is popular. While approved for dogs’ pain (though not very effective) one regular tablet to cats may lead to red blood cell destruction (limiting their ability to carry oxygen) and liver failure.

3. Antidepressants (e.g., Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro)— can lead to sedation, incoordination, tremors and seizures. Other forms of these medications may lead to elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Cats seem to enjoy the taste of Effexor.

4. ADD and ADHD medications (e.g., Concerta, Adderall, Ritalin)— contain potent stimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate. ** can cause life-threatening tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures, and heart problems.

5. Benzodiazepines and sleep aids (e.g., Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, Lunesta)— About half of dogs that ingest sleep aids become agitated instead of sedate. In other pets may see severe lethargy, incoordination (including walking “drunk”), and decreased breathing. In cats, some forms of benzodiazepines (think valium) can cause liver failure when ingested.

6. Birth control (e.g., estrogen, estradiol, progesterone)— small ingestions typically do not cause trouble. However, large ingestions can cause bone marrow suppression and irreversible anemia.

7. Ace Inhibitors (e.g., Zestril, Altace)—Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are commonly used to treat high blood pressure in people and, occasionally, pets. Overdoses can cause low blood pressure, dizziness, and weakness..

8. Beta-blockers (e.g., Tenormin, Toprol, Coreg)—Beta-blockers are also used to treat high blood pressure but, unlike with ACE inhibitors, small ingestions of these drugs may cause serious poisoning in pets. Overdoses can cause life-threatening decreases in blood pressure and heart rate.

9. Thyroid hormones (e.g., Armour desiccated thyroid, Synthroid)—luckily, the dose of thyroid hormone needed to treat low thyroid in dogs is much higher than a person’s dose. However, large overdoses in cats and dogs can cause muscle tremors, nervousness, panting, a rapid heart rate, and aggression.

10. Cholesterol lowering agents (e.g., Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor)— most statin ingestions only cause mild vomiting or diarrhea. Serious side effects from these drugs come with long-term use, not one-time ingestions.


What is the concern about dietary supplements and vitamins in opened suitcases of guests and risk to pets?

Although Vitamins C, K, and E are pretty safe, those of concern include iron, vitamin D, and alpha-lipoic acid when consumed in overdose situations. This is compounded by the artificial sweetener xylitol that is contained in sugar-free vitamins and is very toxic to pets.

What should you do if you think your pet is poisoned?
1. Remove your pet from the area. Make sure no other pets or children are exposed to the area, and safely remove any poisonous material.

2. Collect a sample of the material, along with the packaging, vial, or container for documentation.

3. Don’t induce vomiting or administer milk, food, salt, oil, hydrogen peroxide* or any other home remedies unless instructed by professional advice. *do not use in cats


Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP canine and feline

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital



Cary, NC

Intestinal Foreign Body: A sock is missing

Like any other pet owner, I recently had that morning episode where there is vomit and bowel movements all over the laundry room with no apparent cause. Trying to get ready for work, I quickly reflected on the prior 24 hours (any new foods, trash cans, stuff missing, exposure to other dogs). Hoping to ignore the obvious, I walked my dog, Taco Belle, outdoors and noted the bodily functions to confirm the evidence noted back in the house. So what is a pet owner to do? Should you go to work, drop the pet off at a veterinary office, or simply offer supportive care until a recheck at lunch time? 

Well, since I own the business and I am a veterinarian (Yes, my friends say Taco Belle is lucky to have her own personal doctor), she went to work with me. Fortunately, after a battery of tests including radiographs, Taco Belle recovered after 36 hours of supportive care. 

Realistically, that is not the same for my clients. Thus an overview of steps follows. 

What are some basic principles for a pet with an upset stomach?

Search the house and see if any trash cans are invaded (bones, grease), cabinets open to poisons, yard/rat bait exposure, anything shredded (fabric, thread, balls) and laundry (socks, hand towels, and underwear L missing). If something is of a concern, call the Creature Comforts office for further instructions. I once had a dog eat approximately one pound of pea gravel where grease from a grill had been discarded so search well! 

If nothing is noted, take up food, give some ice cubes, and monitor for frequency of diarrhea/vomiting or both. If having three or more of each in a four to six hour period, call for additional instructions. If no vomiting for three hours, give a trial of Pepto-Bismol liquid (87mg/ tsp) at ½ to 1 tsp ( 2 to 5 mls per 10lbs) twice  a day for 3 days. If using the tablets, that would be around ¼ of the 262 mg tablets per 10 lbs. of body weight. 

Is there a home diet to fix?

Typically some poultry broth ( assuming no food allergy) may be provided after three to four hours, followed by one part of a meat to two parts of a starch (such as potato) at a rate of 1 cup per 10 lbs. a day. 

At Creature Comforts, what are some of the more common GI emergencies?

Continuous vomiting, lack of appetite, and diarrhea (often bloody) lasting over four to six hours are frequent client concerns. In addition, suspicious exposure to a toxin (chocolate, yard treatments) and a possible foreign body are the most common emergencies.  In large, deep-chested dogs such as Great Danes, twisting of the stomach (Gastric dilatation and volvulus) is a life threatening emergency. 

What is a linear foreign body/ obstructions?

It is a blockage created by eating thread or dental floss (very common in cats) and in dogs more commonly a sock/knee highs or a strip of towel, fabric, or carpeting. Most of these do not completely block the intestines. Rather they gather (fixed at one point) and pleat the intestine (think the shape of an accordion) causing a partial to complete obstruction. IN ADDITION, the object cuts into the wall of the intestine leading in many cases to a life-threatening perforation of the bowel.  Although vomiting is seen in many patients with linear foreign bodies, often the pets exhibit only anorexia or depression (depending on where the object is lodged). Radiographs, ultrasound, and ultimately surgery is needed in such circumstances as the object if often too far down into the bowels of the intestine to induce vomiting. 

Once things settle down, what do you use to clean carpeting?

I blot up the excess, throw away as much of the solid material as possible, and then use Nature’s Miracle available at most major pet retailers.

This is a picture of my son Jason when he was 3 years old and then today in Hong Kong.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family

Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP, canine and feline

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital

Cary, NC

PET FOOD LABELING, PART 2

                                                

Continuing the blog from last week, I share my own experience in reading food labels on my own cookie favorite, Vanilla Oreos. In a quick glance, three cookies have 170 calories. That is a mid-day treat for me, when time allows. However, in a quick change of allegiance, I noted the lemon flavored Oreos had only 150 calories. Or so I thought.  As a reward for a calm moment the next day I sat down to eat the little treasures and surveyed the back panel. Well, much to my surprise, now my allotment was 2 cookies! Yes, great marketing that appeared to have less calories, and I am down 1 cookie. The point –  I did not read the label carefully and was fooled. This got me thinking. In the 5 seconds that the average pet owner spends to select a pet product, how many flip to the pack panel?

What are some tricks in reading dog food labels?

I remember the Consumer Reports article years ago that had a dog food where shoe leather was the main ingredient. For many consumers, the percent of protein is the gold standard. However, that number does NOT reflect digestibility and bioavailability of that protein to a dog.

The second trick is the word minimum. For example the 4% fiber minimum on a can is non digestible. So the true fiber content could be much higher.

Finally, ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity with often minute amounts of human attractive foods such as “blueberries." To sort it out, find the sodium chloride (or equivalent salt) in the list, and all over ingredients listed behind it are 1% or less.

Is there a quick questionnaire to ask the manufacturer to establish is it a balanced diet?

Yes, ask who formulates the diet and do they have one of the following on staff: board certified nutritionist or PhD nutritionist.

Are they available for consultations?

Do they perform in house feeding trials?

Where is it manufactured and is it contracted out?

Is complete nutritional analysis available?

Is there research on the product published in peer reviewed journals?

Where is the documentation that the marketing materials stated on the label are based on sound science and have an industry standard meaning? (Ex. Healthy weight)

Are there some independent sites to check out common varieties of pet food for calories, etc?

The Association for Pet Obesity,  www. Dog food Analysis.com , and the Truth About pet food.   Note the site “Pet Food Advisor” is written by a human dentist, not a veterinary nutritionist.

How does a pet owner search out meaning of terms in pet food?

Words such as meat, by-products, dinner, supper, with flavor, chicken meal, and fish meal, for example, all have special meaning defined by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). . Chicken meal is actually the spine and ribs of the carcass ground up fine (and less digestible than the by-products). It is NOT the chicken breast in human chicken salad as marketers would have portrayed.

What is Organic pet food?

 There is no data to back that organic is healthier, nor does it refer to the quality of the raw material. It is a verb that describes the process under which the plants or animals are grown or raised.  

What is natural?

It means solely from a plant, animal, or mined source not having been chemically synthesized, except trace minerals or vitamins.

What is the industry standard on how much to feed a dog?

The standard is for an intact Beagle; yet, when neutered the metabolism is 30% less. Therefore feeding guidelines on pet food bags typically overestimate by 30%.

What are human or holistic grade pet foods?

There is no such term defined by AAFCO so it is a marketing term that is baseless. 

What guidelines are established for the acquired textures of pet food for small dogs and cats?

 They are texture driven, not taste driven (only 500 taste buds). They do not like: the crumbly pieces in the mouth after biting into a hard kibble (think teddy graham when you crunch on it).  In summary small dogs over all prefer soft and cats often like the x shaped kibble.  

Will dental diets get rid of hard tartar on the teeth as a treatment?

Dental diets work as a preventative, not a jack hammer once tartar is present

When my pet during an office visit is given a body score of 6 (1 to 9 scale) what does that mean?

So if ideal is a 5 , and your pet is  labeled a 6, then each even number is 10% over with so for a 50 lb dog that would be if 55 lbs. want to get to 50.

Is there a site to calculate human treats to more accurately determine my pet’s total calories in addition to the pet food consumed?

Yes, http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/

What is the basic calculation that is utilized on adult pets to determine their caloric needs for weight loss?

To calculate ideal weight go to metabolic formula 70 x body wt.  in kg to the 0.75 power will be the caloric intake. Some start with current amount x 0.8 and others go straight to ideal weight and calculate it.

Last week I mentioned Erik Axelsson’s work at an evolutionary geneticist at Uppsala University in Sweden to separate wolf from dog diets  as domestic  dogs evolved around human garbage dumps. A similar link is noted in http://www.wired.com/2014/11/genes-cat-domestication/ on how cats evolved around people.

 I am grateful to Helen Poe sharing her picture of her Dalmatian, Wiggins,  and this photo of Sadie, a golden Retriever shared by Terri Rice 

Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP Canine and Feline

Hospital Director, Creature Comforts Animal Hospital

Cary, NC

Pet food Labeling: sorting out the facts, PART 1

While attending a continuing education meeting in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend, I took some time to visit the Country Music Museum  and enjoy some good "eats".

It was interesting to see a convertible with pistols for door openers, a machine gun on the trunk, and long horn ornament on front of car for Web Pierce.  Elvis Presley’s 1960 Cadillac Limo with gold plating of mirrors and portable TV was a MUST See.  

Clients frequently express their frustrating experience sorting through the maze of selecting a diet for pets. The average time spent in the pet food aisle is approximately 5 minutes.  However, there are hundreds of choices out there to cater to every dog owner’s taste – organic kibbles to generic nuggets. Therefore, the marketing appeal of the “front of the bag” often is in contrast with the flaws detected on the back panel. In fact, for many packages or cans, it is a challenge to interpret the ingredients or the actual calories.  More telling is the emotional fervor, like political or religious affiliation, that some clients are adamant about feeding commercial, home cooked, or raw diets. For those reasons, I have skirted this issue in prior blogs. In an honest discussion to separate some fact from fiction, I will present some of the pearls discussed.

Since dogs are descendants of wolves and evolved in the wild, should they not eat a predominately meat diet? What about cats?

Dogs, unlike wolves, as they became more social actually evolved around garbage dumps adapting to the starchy, plant based diets of people. Thus, their digestive tract adapted to eating carbohydrates found in grains and vegetables. Compared to wolves, these ancestral dogs had higher survival rates and were the parent stock of dogs of today. This is a key difference from wolves as they lack many of the key glucose transporters so they are less efficient in digesting carbohydrates. Dogs are omnivores (eat meat and plants), while cats are carnivores and thus must have a meat based diet.  

Are there any quick formulas to analyzing protein & fat  pet food labels to compare wet to dry food with extreme differences in moisture content(as fed) to a dry matter basis to compare “apples to apples”?

Although not fool proof, a multiplier of wet food by 1.1 and dry food by 4x’s will get the protein and fat content pretty close.

I have read on the Internet that grain-free is better. Yet I read on many grain free package ingredients such as oats and flax seed. Aren't those grains? What is the truth about grain free?

The body does not treat grains differently from potatoes, peas, tapioca, or other starch sources; rather the body simply recognizes the nutrients it contains. Contrary to marketing claims, dogs and cats have the enzymes to effectively digest the grain starches that are highly digestible in most breeds. In addition, grains are not fillers; rather they contain protein and many important vitamins and minerals. While some grain free diets provide excellent nutrition, they have no inherent nutritional advantages over diets that have grains.

Are grains a common cause of food allergies?

Since food allergies are a reaction of the immune system to certain proteins, they are actually quite rare to grain. Food intolerance demonstrated by intestinal signs (vomiting or diarrhea) are more likely related to meat (beef, dairy, chicken, egg) in the diet or excessive fat. There are 2 breeds – Irish Setters and soft coated Wheaton terriers – that seem to have some wheat sensitivity.  

What concerns are noted about weight gain with grain free diets?

Many are low in fiber and high in and fats. They are easy to overfeed as the low fiber does not tend to “fill up animals”. Many of the highest calorie pet foods are labeled as grain free. Note: The jury is still out on what is “grain free” as many contain oats and barley that are considered grains by independent thinkers. Any diet high in calories can lead to obesity.

A GOOD REFERENCE OF ANSWERING PET FOOD QUESTIONS IS DR. LISA FREEMAN, A VETERINARY NUTRITIONIST AT TUFTS AND HER ARTICLEWWW.DCAVM.ORG/11MAYNOTES.PDF

It was a cold weekend so My dog Taco Belle headed for the blankets!

Betsy Sigmon DVM, Diplomate ABVP, Canine & Feline

Creature Comforts Animal Hospital

Cary, NC