Information on working terriers, dogs, natural history, hunting, and the environment, with occasional political commentary as I see fit. This web log is associated with the Terrierman.com web site.
Patrick, I've been wondering something since reading your many posts about dog foods and their relative merits (or lack thereof). I just re-read this link about Dalmatians and the uric acid problem, and the question came up for me again. It seems this problem in Dals is genetic, which would seem to rule out a link to dog food. Certainly, it would make sense that if diet were a factor, and if changing that diet could prevent the sludge and stones referred to, that owners would change the offending diet. In cats the same problem occurs, but in my animal's case (after a lengthy stint in the hospital for treatment of a blockage) he was prescribed a Science Diet food that was supposed to lower the acid levels in the urine and thus help prevent crystal build-up and blockages. When I was a kid they developed low-ash cat foods for the same reason, blockages in mainly male cats. I believe today the commercial foods all are low ash, but I don't know if that change has made any difference in the number of blockage problems. So, the question is, do you have an opinion on these specialized cat food formulas, and is there anything similar for dogs? Could some foods exacerbate a potential genetic problem? My cat is pure barn variety, so not likely to be descended from a closed gene pool. He's also quite the critter-gitter, so has a varied "natural" diet. I can't prove a negative, but he has not had a problem since switching foods. He also never had a problem prior to switching foods except the time he landed in the hospital. I've always wondered if it was truly helpful, or just balm for the brain of this owner.
Cats are so different from dogs, especially in regards to food, that I generally stay away. That said, you might want to read the section on Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease from the FDA web site here >> http://www.fda.gov/cvm/labelint.htm
_ _ _ _ _ _
FLUTD Products
CVM has incorporated some of the philosophy of NLEA in its policies in order to allow meaningful health-related information on pet food labels. Much of CVM's efforts to date have focused on label claims related to cat foods and the prevention of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Although FLUTD occurs in less than 1% of cats, it is a concern for cat owners. The exact causes of FLUTD are still unclear, and a number of dietary and non-dietary factors may be involved.
Label claims to prevent or reduce the risk of FLUTD, cystitis, urinary problems or similar verbiage are drug claims and are not allowed under the law. However, in an effort to get some meaningful health-related information to the consumer, CVM is exercising regulatory discretion in not taking action against products that bear claims akin to "reduce urine pH to help maintain urinary tract health" or to have low magnesium levels. With respect to urine pH claims, this discretion is contingent upon adequate controlled studies to demonstrate that consumption of the product results in an appropriately acidic urine. Since too much acidification of the urine can also result in serious health problems, data to demonstrate safety of the product are reviewed as well. With respect to dietary magnesium levels, the "cut-off" criteria to support a "low magnesium" claim are less than 0.12% on a dry matter basis and less than 25 mg per 100 kilocalories of metabolizable energy. Companies submit the results of proximate analyses (including crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, moisture, and ash) and magnesium analyses of a number of production runs of the product. Demonstration that the product formulation consistently meets the cut-off criteria supports the label claim. The estimation of magnesium content as calculated by using guaranteed analysis values on the product label must also meet the criteria.
In order to be most useful in reducing the risk of FLUTD, products must also be used correctly. If the product is mixed with other foods or "meal fed" (offered for only a short period of time per day), it might not be able to maintain the proper urine pH to be beneficial. Thus, feeding directions are added to recommend the product be fed alone and to be made available throughout the day. Also, the nutritional adequacy statement on the label must be for adult maintenance only. This disease occurs primarily in young to middle-aged adults, and the most serious problems occur in males. Since the safety of these products for kittens and pregnant or nursing queens has not been established, it is recommended not to use these products for these life stages.
Another FLUTD-related claim, "low ash," is not allowed on cat food labels. The current scientific consensus is that ash per se is not related to the incidence of FLUTD. There are no valid reasons to reference ash on the product label (other than in the guaranteed analysis) except in regard to this outdated theory. Thus, "low ash" or similar claims, even without reference to FLUTD, are inherently false and misleading, which render the product misbranded and subject to regulatory action.
Thanks, you are very kind to have replied. I read myself blind at the time, and it appears in reading this that the jury is still out on the matter, except perhaps regarding the ash theory. If out-crossing some dogs will avoid the genetic componant at work in Damatians, that would seem the simplest, quickest and cheapest way to solve this serious problem. Me, I'm about the animals, not the piece of paper that some organization provides to "enlighten" my wallet.
A mixed diet should be balanced and relational needs of your animals. No one can do to own liking!
A dog of the campaign (job) has different nutritional needs from a dog who lives in an apartment!
There is also difference between the dog work in the countryside and working sports:
Besides all that D'apartment dogs, sporting dogs and exposure for most of the time it must wait for the landlord to make their needs, for the dog in the countryside much more free to make its needs! Between a need and another, time is short, the expulsion of urine much more often helps to remove certain harmful substances that can damage if acumolate in the body.
The factors that determine today some animal diseases are so many! depend on both man and nature! Most of the 'man. selections exasperated to find a Platonic beauty!
Diets are not appropriate, to say the poor quality!................etc
4 comments:
Patrick, I've been wondering something since reading your many posts about dog foods and their relative merits (or lack thereof). I just re-read this link about Dalmatians and the uric acid problem, and the question came up for me again. It seems this problem in Dals is genetic, which would seem to rule out a link to dog food. Certainly, it would make sense that if diet were a factor, and if changing that diet could prevent the sludge and stones referred to, that owners would change the offending diet. In cats the same problem occurs, but in my animal's case (after a lengthy stint in the hospital for treatment of a blockage) he was prescribed a Science Diet food that was supposed to lower the acid levels in the urine and thus help prevent crystal build-up and blockages. When I was a kid they developed low-ash cat foods for the same reason, blockages in mainly male cats. I believe today the commercial foods all are low ash, but I don't know if that change has made any difference in the number of blockage problems. So, the question is, do you have an opinion on these specialized cat food formulas, and is there anything similar for dogs? Could some foods exacerbate a potential genetic problem? My cat is pure barn variety, so not likely to be descended from a closed gene pool. He's also quite the critter-gitter, so has a varied "natural" diet. I can't prove a negative, but he has not had a problem since switching foods. He also never had a problem prior to switching foods except the time he landed in the hospital. I've always wondered if it was truly helpful, or just balm for the brain of this owner.
Seahorse
Cats are so different from dogs, especially in regards to food, that I generally stay away. That said, you might want to read the section on Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease from the FDA web site here >>
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/labelint.htm
_ _ _ _ _ _
FLUTD Products
CVM has incorporated some of the philosophy of NLEA in its policies in order to allow meaningful health-related information on pet food labels. Much of CVM's efforts to date have focused on label claims related to cat foods and the prevention of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Although FLUTD occurs in less than 1% of cats, it is a concern for cat owners. The exact causes of FLUTD are still unclear, and a number of dietary and non-dietary factors may be involved.
Label claims to prevent or reduce the risk of FLUTD, cystitis, urinary problems or similar verbiage are drug claims and are not allowed under the law. However, in an effort to get some meaningful health-related information to the consumer, CVM is exercising regulatory discretion in not taking action against products that bear claims akin to "reduce urine pH to help maintain urinary tract health" or to have low magnesium levels. With respect to urine pH claims, this discretion is contingent upon adequate controlled studies to demonstrate that consumption of the product results in an appropriately acidic urine. Since too much acidification of the urine can also result in serious health problems, data to demonstrate safety of the product are reviewed as well. With respect to dietary magnesium levels, the "cut-off" criteria to support a "low magnesium" claim are less than 0.12% on a dry matter basis and less than 25 mg per 100 kilocalories of metabolizable energy. Companies submit the results of proximate analyses (including crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, moisture, and ash) and magnesium analyses of a number of production runs of the product. Demonstration that the product formulation consistently meets the cut-off criteria supports the label claim. The estimation of magnesium content as calculated by using guaranteed analysis values on the product label must also meet the criteria.
In order to be most useful in reducing the risk of FLUTD, products must also be used correctly. If the product is mixed with other foods or "meal fed" (offered for only a short period of time per day), it might not be able to maintain the proper urine pH to be beneficial. Thus, feeding directions are added to recommend the product be fed alone and to be made available throughout the day. Also, the nutritional adequacy statement on the label must be for adult maintenance only. This disease occurs primarily in young to middle-aged adults, and the most serious problems occur in males. Since the safety of these products for kittens and pregnant or nursing queens has not been established, it is recommended not to use these products for these life stages.
Another FLUTD-related claim, "low ash," is not allowed on cat food labels. The current scientific consensus is that ash per se is not related to the incidence of FLUTD. There are no valid reasons to reference ash on the product label (other than in the guaranteed analysis) except in regard to this outdated theory. Thus, "low ash" or similar claims, even without reference to FLUTD, are inherently false and misleading, which render the product misbranded and subject to regulatory action.
Thanks, you are very kind to have replied. I read myself blind at the time, and it appears in reading this that the jury is still out on the matter, except perhaps regarding the ash theory. If out-crossing some dogs will avoid the genetic componant at work in Damatians, that would seem the simplest, quickest and cheapest way to solve this serious problem. Me, I'm about the animals, not the piece of paper that some organization provides to "enlighten" my wallet.
Seahorse
A mixed diet should be balanced and relational needs of your animals. No one can do to own liking!
A dog of the campaign (job) has different nutritional needs from a dog who lives in an apartment!
There is also difference between the dog work in the countryside and working sports:
Besides all that D'apartment dogs, sporting dogs and exposure for most of the time it must wait for the landlord to make their needs, for the dog in the countryside much more free to make its needs! Between a need and another, time is short, the expulsion of urine much more often helps to remove certain harmful substances that can damage if acumolate in the body.
The factors that determine today some animal diseases are so many! depend on both man and nature! Most of the 'man.
selections exasperated to find a Platonic beauty!
Diets are not appropriate, to say the poor quality!................etc
Mirko
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