Taurine Deficiency

[Sue & Lily Grace]

hi Karen, I came across this article posted on my ALD Facebook group. This does concern me because champion foods does not have this in their foods. Lily Grace has been eating acana duck and pear for the last five years and done really well on it.   I hate to be reactionary but this Makes me pause and think about things again. Thank you.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sue, this whole thing is the result of a lot of misunderstanding of a study done by the Morris Foundation, and it has nothing at all to do with either grain free diets or with any Acana formula. Dr. Stern is being misquoted, and it's a shame that this cardiologist has not done her own research.

We had a discussion here about this when the hysteria in the FB groups first started. Please read through it, for accurate information including Dr. Stern's actual remarks. it will make you feel better. http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/taurine...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, regarding Champion foods "not having Taurine in their food", Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that dogs (and people) make themselves and do not need to get from their food. It is abundant in all animal proteins, so it is "in" every dog food that contains meat, fish or poultry. 

[Sue & Lily Grace]

 I knew I could depend on you to have the right answer. Thank you once again. Lily Grace is almost six and has not had any problems since we finally found the Acana solution.  She, unlike a lot of others, had no problem switching to the food once it was made it in Kentucky.   I use the kibble for her ”cookies” all day and She will do just about anything for them.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As I mentioned in the discussion I linked above, I really truly feel that nobody should be getting information about health or diet from groups on FB, for themselves or for their pets. I can barely even look at any of the dog related groups there without feeling like I need a tranquilizer. The misinformation and just plain BAD advice is so widespread that I honestly fear it may be creating illness in the pets (and children) of those who follow it. 
It's fairly well known that the science education in this country lags far behind that of other developed nations, and I really think that contributes to the problem. There is no way for someone to evaluate information about which they have no knowledge to begin with. The misinformation about the subject of allergies alone makes my head spin. People don't even really seem to know what protein is. It's fine if people want to share photos and stories about their dogs in groups on FB, but please do your best to ignore/avoid any information pertaining to health/diet in these groups. It's really the blind leading the blind. In the groups I administer, I prohibit health/diet advice from anyone without a college degree in the subject, and I try to only participate in those groups that have similar rules. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

I feel the same way. Sometimes I just have to step away before I say something rude and get myself kicked out of the group. Right now it is the ones that try to sway you to the "natural" flea and tick prevention. The other day someone actually said she just rubs her dog down with coconut oil and it works just as well as the meds with chemicals. People were just willing to believe that nonsense and jump on that bandwagon no questions asked.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Just reading this here makes me feel like screaming.
Even when a dog has been diagnosed by specialists with a serious disease, and is being treated for it, you see people telling them to ignore the specialists' advice and use something "natural". I honestly can't understand it. I've seen cases where I know for an absolute fact that the dog would die if the owner took the advice. I'm sure the person making the suggestion doesn;t really want to be responsible for killing someone's dog, but what on earth makes them think they know more about how to treat a genetic, immune-immediated disease than a professor of veterinary medicine at Duke University, lol? 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

One of my well-intentioned neighbors suggested that Luna's lymphoma could be cured with flaxseed oil -_-

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wish we had emoji's here. 
:(

[Amy and Annabelle]

It does make you want to scream "idiots" at the top your lungs when you read possibly deadly advice. What possesses people to spew the nonsense in the first place, and why would dog owners put their faith in some random person on Facebook instead of their own qualified and educated veterinarian or specialist. If they think that little of their vets advice, maybe it's time for a new vet.

[Amy and Annabelle]

J and Luna, you're much nicer than me. I didn't know Luna had lymphoma, sorry to hear that.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Yeah she was diagnosed about a month ago.  She's doing pretty well for now on a hefty dose of prednisone but as we understand it only gives her a month or two.  This month+ we've been given has been great though, she's mostly been back to her old self :)

[Amy and Annabelle]

Glad she is feeling more like her old self. Sorry you're going through this.