AVMA Stay Out of My Kitchen

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Now this has to be the most preposterous idea yet. The American Veterinary Medical Association (“AVMA”) is proposing a resolution at its House of Delegates meeting to be held this August such that:

RESOLVED, that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) adopt the policy on Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets as indicated below.

Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets

The AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs as well as humans. Cooking or pasteurization through the application of heat until the protein reaches an internal temperature adequate to destroy pathogenic organisms has been the traditional method used to eliminate pathogens in animal-source protein, although the AVMA recognizes that newer technologies and other methods such as irradiation are constantly being developed and implemented.

Now just what is this nonsense all about? What’s behind this? Dear gentle reader, I assure you it has nothing to do with canine nutrition or public health. It has everything to do with an agenda by the pet food industry to try to control what is considered proper animal feed. What galls me the most is that an association is trying to, well quite frankly I am not sure what it is trying to do with this policy, tell folks what they should and shouldn’t feed their dogs and cats. I think I am intelligent and informed enough to make that decision for myself.

First of all most vets still are under the mistaken belief that dogs are omnivores and should be fed as such. They believe this in large measure because it’s what pet food companies have taught them in vet school. Did you know that most small animal “nutritional” classes for vets in training are sponsored by yes you guessed it big pet food companies. Dogs are carnivores (see the Wikipedia article here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog) and cats are obligate carnivores and both require a diet geared to their classification as such.

As for risk of illness to the animal because of eating raw, natural food, give me break. “Canine saliva contains lysozyme, an enzyme that lyses and destroys bacteria, but more importantly, the absence of plaque [in a raw fed dog, sic] means the dog's mouth is no longer a hospitable place for bacteria to inhabit. A kibble-fed dog's mouth, however, provides the perfect environment for bacteria growth: plaque-covered teeth with sugary and starchy complexes provide both food and shelter for bacteria. The bacteria thrive in the mouth of a kibble-fed dog because it provides both a perfect atmosphere and a good food source (Lonsdale, T. 2001. Raw Meaty Bones.). Why does a kibble-fed dog have stinky dog breath? Because of the bacteria in their gums and on their teeth (just like the bacteria in our mouths gives us halitosis). A raw-fed dog's mouth provides neither food nor a viable atmosphere for bacteria, which is why a raw-fed dog has odorless breath.” (http://rawfed.com/myths/zoonotic.html) Salvia in a dog is used for two things, killing the nasties and sliding food down into the stomachs. Dogs regularly slide rather large pieces of food into their stomachs because they don’t chew. They rip, tear, shred, crunch bone, and then swallow. They do not chew; their jaws are not capable of chewing as we know it.

I would just like to remind folks that all of the recalls of pet food have been done on kibble.

The governing body of the AVMA contradicts itself when it says there is scientific veterinary studies proving all of the evidence it cites against raw foods as these studies are slanted, small, no double-blind parameters, and done by veterinarians working for the pet food industry. Can anyone say conflict of interest?

The AVMA is also saying that this ban, policy, regulation, whatever, is for food-borne pathogens, but it is only targeting raw food.  That’s seems odd to me. Why does this policy or recommendation not include ALL pet food including kibble and ALL dog treats not just raw foods? Of course raw meat has pathogens on it. Yes, even the meat you buy for your own consumption and raw meat must be cooked for you to eat it. But dogs are carnivores that are designed to eat raw meat, bones, and organs. Dogs’ bodies can cope with the pathogens and have for generations of dogs. As I am sure you have witnessed, dogs lick their own behinds, the behinds of other dogs, they eat poop, and, mine at least, have eaten fresh road kill (their idea not mine) and have never had to worry about pathogens.

The pathogens making us sick are associated with kibble not from feeding a dog his natural, raw meaty bones diet.

At the very least, this policy vote is one more step in trying to control things that don’t need any control. I live in Canada and this may not affect me in the short term but where the AVMA goes so to may the CVMA. I’ve included some links for those interested including a petition against this nonsense.

http://atwork.avma.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Resolution_5_raw-...

http://atwork.avma.org/2012/07/18/the-facts-on-avmas-proposed-polic...

http://www.change.org/petitions/american-veterinary-medical-associa...

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Vets advice regarding the feeding of dogs is I would imagine in most cases taken very seriously by their clients, this is why they manage to sell so much of that Hills and so called prescription diet food.  It is a dangerous precedent to have as official policy the 'discouragement' of feeding raw taking into account the considerable influence that these professionals have and it is this aspect that is of concern to those who choose to feed raw.  I have no intention of feeding raw and am very happy with the dog food I do use so personally it would not affect me.   I wish the vets would offer truly scientific dietary knowledge on this subject and that they were trained better in this whole area. 

My vet did does not even ask what food I feed Riley.  It has never come up since at his check ups (so far) he is healthy and there is no need.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

That's really interesting. Unless there is evidence that says raw is dangerous, I agree, it should be free choice. Thanks for sharing.