The Pet Food Bible Blog

Zheng Xiaoyu, China’s ex-food and drug safety chief, was given the death sentence recently for taking bribes from drug companies and approving unsafe medicines. Here’s a excerpt from a recent newsletter published by WATT Publishing, Inc.

“Zheng Xiaoyu, director of China’s State Food and Drug Administration from 1998 to 2005, was convicted of dereliction of duty and taking more than US$832,000 in cash and gifts, according to state news agency Xinhua. An antibiotic approved under Zheng was withdrawn from the market last year after 10 patients died, state media reported, and six types of fake drugs were approved while he led the agency. Zheng’s sentence requires review by a higher court and approval by China’s highest judicial panel before he can be executed. On a related note, Chinese authorities have announced plans for a system that would enable them to recall unsafe or unapproved foods.”

In the meantime, a class action lawsuit has been filed against several pet food manufacturers and retailers. A cat and dog owner from Michigan and two cat and dog owners from Florida filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. A copy of the complaint and supporting research materials is available at http://www.mflegal.com/petfoodlawsuit

These people mean business! Definitely some interesting reading material to be found if you take the time to read through it all.

The 2007 Petfood Forum was recently held on April 18 in Chicago, IL. Individuals and companies associated with the commercial pet food industry gathered to discuss the latest issues relating to pet food. Of course the latest recall was a hot topic. Here’s some highlights from some of the speakers:

Ladd Hardy, senior VP of marketing at Nutro Products says, “Since it is impossible to test for every possible contaminant, we do feeding trials on every batch of dry pet food we make. That batch is held until it passes the feeding trial.” According to Petfood Industry magazine, Nutro is starting the same procedure for its wet foods.

Dr. Doug Powell, scientific director of the International Food Safety Network says, “You better know your suppliers–and that goes way beyond HAACP [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points]. You need to have your people on the ground watching to see that suppliers are doing what they say they are doing.”

Matt Frederking, manager of regulatory compliance for Southern States Cooperative says, “Paperwork is not enough to ensure pet food safety. Anybody can make paper look as good as they want paper to look.”

And Brian Connolly, cofounder or Castor and Pollux Pet Works says, “Let’s set up an industry-wide crisis fund to help the pets and people affected by contaminated pet foods–no questions asked.”

Yep, Tim Phillips, DVM pretty much sums it up when he says, “A firm handshake and a solemn pledge to deliver safe pet food is no longer enough.”

[This post is a continuation from Part 1 which can be found here.]

Last post we talked about homemade pet food and how there’s some important factors we need to consider before embarking on this path. Here’s a few others:

Do I understand that if for some reason I’m no longer able to prepare my pet’s meals that he will have a difficult time switching back to commercial pet food?

Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD, author of Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets—The Healthful Alternative, states that many pets develop an intolerance for commercial pet food after being fed a home-prepared diet.

Am I willing to make additional visits to the veterinarian to ensure that my pet remains in good health?

Pets that eat a homemade diet should be brought in for regular veterinary exams at least two to three times per year to ensure they are not experiencing any nutrient deficiencies or excesses. These visits may involve the cost of routine blood and urine tests or x-rays.

Am I willing to accept the risks involved in feeding my pet a homemade diet?

There are potential short-term and long-term risks involved with feeding pets a homemade diet, especially if the owner decides to omit ingredients that supply the pet with essential levels of vitamins and minerals. Clinical signs may not occur until the pet has been fed the inadequate diet for an extended period of time—several months or in some cases several years later.

Remember that certain table scraps should never be feed to pets. Gravy, meat fats, and poultry skin can cause serious digestive upset. There is also the potential for pancreatitis, a life-threatening disease, to occur. Bones can also splinter when chewed and have the potential to cause intestinal blockages and perforations.

Other ingredients that should not be fed to pets include chocolate, raisins, grapes, onions, garlic, avocados, coffee, macadamia nuts, salt, tea leaves, raw yeast dough, and xylitol, a common sweetener found in baked goods, gum and candy.

Who will prepare meals for my pet should I become ill or go on vacation?

Pet owners should instruct a friend or family member on how to properly prepare the pet’s diets.

Many pets do very well on a homemade pet food, and some do not. But then again, the same can be said for commercial pet food. Owners who are considering feeding their pet a homemade diet should always consider the validity and nutritional training of those recommending a particular diet or recipe.

If you’re certain you want to cook for your pet, consult first with your veterinarian and do plenty of research on the topic, both online and offline.

© 2007 Amanda K. Jones