I have just shared the following with breeders but feel obligated to pass along

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

So skip the parts as they are related to breeding and food ~ or not, but consider putting to your food company or those you consider to the 'written test' as suggested many a time by Karen. Here is the entire original post I made:


irregular cycles, missed conceptions, stillborns, fading
Puppy? Such tragedies and definitely that which represents probably the
hardest part of what we do as breeders. That which many hesitate to talk of
while silently it rips their hearts out.

It has been a while friends. In addition to 'life' I have been spending
much time with some in depth examinations of pet food, specific
ingredients, numerous chemicals we handle often if you are around dogs,
potential alternatives and more. Take it for what you will, I have been
trying to bring this particular look to a more complete status and I have
recently taken an enormous amount of heat from an anonymous (?) source so
have been reluctant in my posts. But as this is flowing in I cannot in good
conscious not share it with those I often share these thoughts with,
especially breeders.

So we all know of ethoxyquin right? Well I'll tell you it is bad enough
that the *not so premium* foods still have garbage in it, but when you
think you are getting a *premium* product at a premium price it really
fires me up. More info. to follow that I do want to share and you may have
even seen this before my day around here but it is worthy of a look for
those that have not seen it.


The excerpt below has been taken from a letter you will want to read on
this site ~ http://www.holisticvetpetcare.com/ethoxyquin.htm by Gloria Dodd
DVM

"Not only are chronic degenerative diseases of pets on the increase, but
breeders complain of increasing frequency and numbers of reproductive
problems: irregular estrus cycles, missed conceptions, stillborns,
“fading puppy” syndrome, increased neonatal deaths and malformed
puppies with missing limbs, organs, hydrocephalus, cleft palates, etc."

Coincidentally a similar excerpt from Jean Dodd DVM ~
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/Ethoxyquin.htm

"Since the late 1980's, the incidence of chronic disorders in purebred dogs
appears to have increased. These disorders include dysfunction of liver,
kidney and thyroid, reproductive problems, autoimmune diseases and other
immune dysfunction, birth defects in pups, increased stillbirths and
neonatal mortalities, neoplasia, allergies and problems with skin and coat
condition. Most concerns have focused on inbred or closely linebred dog
families."

Now for the cringing stuff because I know so many rely on this product. I
have recently been permitted to view correspondence from Diamond Pet food
to a consumer I know of locally in regards to a no grain food popular among
families and breeders alike, especially for cost. I am not going to name it
because I do not need any legal hassles right now, but I am certain you can figure it
out ~ if not email me privately.

"XXXXXXXXXXX does not add ethoxyquin to any of the formulas.

Fish meal is required by law to be preserved with ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin is
most effective at preventing rancidity in the highly volatile fish meal.
Rancidity in ingredients can lead to severe illness.

Most of the ethoxyquin is destroyed in the cooking process, requiring other
preservatives to be used. Tests for ethoxyquin are run routinely on
XXXXXXXX products. The results are typically less than 5ppm. The amount
allowed, and considered to be safe, by the FDA is 75ppm."


This was dated July of 2009 and I have since found similar copies of letters posted
around the web. As a follow up we have contacted many manufacturers
verbally and in writing and have asked if they can guarantee that there is
NO ethoxyquin present in their products. Some have replied they cannot,
some have not responded and others have said they can say there is none.

Coincidence in regards to health concerns and breeder noted difficulties
with this chemical? Maybe, but we each deserve to have full disclosure of
our choice and make the decision that works best for us. It is my
recommendation to our puppy families that they initiate written
communication with any company in question and ask them the same question ~
can you guarantee there is no ethoxyquin in your product? You may wish to
do the same or at the very least explore your options and have a plan B.
Look for any fish meal ingredient (in many brands it is in formulas you
would not anticipate it like chicken, etc... and it is present in all 3 varieties of referenced above XXXXXXXXXXX brand), I think you will be stunned
with the results of your closer look.



Dianne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dianne Carter
Trinity Doodles
http://www.trinitydoodles.com
[e-mail]

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Janie, if you have any TOTW left, it will not hurt to feed it one more day. If not, plain chicken & rice should be fine.
Make sure you remove as much fat as possible from the chicken; people food is great for dogs, but when they haven't had it before, it can cause some digestive upsets until they get used to it. Also, they have a tendency to gobble it down because it tastes so good. Jack threw up the first few times I gave him cooked chicken & rice. You can also try low-fat well-drained hamburger & rice, that used to be my go-to meal for dogs with upset tummies.

[Janie]

Karen,thanks.....you are always so helpful.

[GBK]

Do you have a Petsmart in town Janie? Blue Buffalo Wilderness has a 6 rating on the dog food analysis and we have been doing really good with it the past few months.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?pro...

[Janie]

Thank you,for this information GBK. I called the company and they do not use ethoxyquin and it seems to be an excellent food but they would not tell who the manufactors is. It has a higher rating then Fromms. Do you think it is a great concern that they will not tell us what company makes it.

[3jjyubejf81l5]

Diane - Thanks for all the info. Now I don't know what to feed these two. No Fromm or Orijen close to me. Does anyone feed Blue Buffalo or Halo?? This is getting to be a bit ridiculous. Do we need to hire a lobbyist!! I am seriously thinking about switching to homemade. Thanks again for all your hard work!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Halo is one or the foods on Dianne's list above that is ethoxyquin free.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Again, let's be sure we all understand what is being said here. TOTW apparently contains a small amount of ethoxyquin, a preservative commonly used in fish meal. The amount is well below the FDA maximum for ethoxyquin, which is considered a safe level. But nobody knows for sure what levels may cause liver problems down the line. It would be preferable to avoid it completely, but it has not been determined that there will be any health problems with the amount that is contained in the TOTW foods at this time.
Here is the FDA information on ethoxyquin:
"Another pet food additive of some controversy is ethoxyquin, which was approved as a food additive over thirty-five years ago for use as an antioxidant chemical preservative in animal feeds. Approximately ten years ago, CVM began receiving reports from dog owners attributing the presence of ethoxyquin in the dog food with a myriad of adverse effects, such as allergic reactions, skin problems, major organ failure, behavior problems, and cancer. However, there was a paucity of available scientific data to support these contentions, or to show other adverse effects in dogs at levels approved for use in dog foods. More recent studies by the manufacturer of ethoxyquin showed a dose-dependent accumulation of a hemoglobin-related pigment in the liver, as well as increases in the levels of liver-related enzymes in the blood. Although these changes are due to ethoxyquin in the diet, the pigment is not made from ethoxyquin itself, and the health significance of these findings is unknown. More information on the utility of ethoxyquin is still needed in order for CVM to amend the maximum allowable level to below that which would cause these effects, but which still would be useful in preserving the food. While studies are being conducted to ascertain a more accurate minimum effective level of ethoxyquin in dog foods, CVM has asked the pet food industry to voluntarily lower the maximum level of use of ethoxyquin in dog foods from 150 ppm (0.015%) to 75 ppm. Regardless, most pet foods that contained ethoxyquin never exceeded the lower amount, even before this recommended change."

The CVM is the Center for Veterinary Medicine, and they requested that dog foods contain no more than 75 ppm. The TOTW level is currently well below that, at less than 5 ppm. There is no immediate danger, so please don't panic if you are feeding TOTW. You have time to find another food among those that are ethoxyquin free, if you decide you cannot accept whatever risk there may be with even a low amount of this chemical in your dog's food.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is perfect...thanks Karen. I am going to finish my TOTW and then transition to Fromm. But this article helps keep me from panicking. Perfect...very much appreciated!

[fergie11]

In hear you stated:
Fish meal is required by law to be preserved with ethoxyquin. Ethoxyquin is
most effective at preventing rancidity in the highly volatile fish meal.
Rancidity in ingredients can lead to severe illness.

I just rec'd some samples of SOLID GOLD WolfKing Adult (Bison). Here's the ingredients:
Bison | Ocean Fish Meal | Brown Rice | Millet | Oatmeal | Cracked Pearled Barley | Rice Bran | Canola Oil | Tomato Pomace | Flaxseed | Natural Flavor | Salmon Oil | Choline Chloride | Dried Chicory Root | Parsley | Pumpkin Meal | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Thyme | Blueberries | Carrots | Broccoli | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Ferrous Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Manganese Proteinate | Manganous Oxide | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Manganese Sulfate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) | Riboflavin | Vitamin D3 Supplement | Folic Acid |


The second thing mentioned on here is Ocean Fish Meal. So, am I thinking right the I can assume that ethoxyquin is in this food also?

:

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Cathy, I am not sure it is true that fish meal is required by law to contain ethoxyquin. That statement above in Dianne's original post is a quote from Diamond Foods. So I wouldn't assume that the SG contains ethoxyquin.
Orijen contains several different kinds of fish meal, and it is ethoxyquin free.
I would call or email SG and ask them, they are very good about responding.
From Solid Gold's website:
"We specialize in the development of "low allergen" products, which work together to enhance total health, boost up the immune system, and protect against disease. We always use wholesome USDA Choice meats, USDA grade I and II grains, and healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils.
We never use chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin, which may be related to some diseases in pets. We never use wheat, corn, or soy, which are often genetically modified and common allergens for dogs, causing them to have uncomfortable skin disorders, chew incessantly at their feet, or suffer from chronic problems such as ear infections. We never add animal or poultry fat to our products, as these are saturated fats that may contribute to heart disease and certain types of cancer."

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Karen has already amply addressed the ethoxyquin, I would like to call attention to yet another developing trend in the pet food industry. In the past you would often see the specific and individual named type of fish meal. By using the generic term 'ocean fish' they are now able to make substitutions without changing the label or keeping the type consistent. This of course may allow them to keep cost down but for the sensitive pets needs you no longer know from batch to batch what the fish is. This company was one that made that change. As I understand it at least one other large company is also moving to do this.

[Janie]

Dianne,do you feel free to give us the name of that company?