By-Products

Keva,  don't be sorry you did nothing wrong!!!!  No matter what board you visit food is an extremely hot topic and brings out the worst in people.  Everyone thinks they know best and remember it is just their opinion. You do what you think is right for your dog!  I certainly do because I know what is best for mine.   Take all this with a grain of salt and go on to the next subject.   [sm=happy.gif]

Ummm... is it safe to talk again?
 
About the byproducts in RX foods, I have to say that I trust them more than I do some other foods. The companies that have previously had recalls because of dangerous substances in their foods  were Diamond, Merrick, and Royal Canin. These are supposed to be healthy natural foods, and yet the companies are not producing consistent products. Would I rather feed SD than Merrick or Diamond? Yep! I don't want Jetta getting aflatoxin poisining!!! I think at least one plus to SD   is that they have good quality control becasue they know so many people purchase their foods.What so called natural food will have problems next? My guess is TO since their customer service is already nonexistent and they have had problems regulating their food.
 
I don't think its fair to bash someone who is feeding RX diets in order to keep thier dog alive, or like me, to try to find an allergy.
 

Jettasmomma, excellent point about the big names. My SO spends a lot of time in the Purina plant in Oklahoma City and says they have stricter quality control and cleanliness standards than any human food processing plant he's been in. Does that make me want to feed it? No, but I do pretty well trust that they won't have contamination issues.

At least when TO has an issue we'll finally know where the food is manufactured.

At least when TO has an issue we'll finally know where the food is manufactured.

I'm not against TO by any means (I use it), but that definatley made me laugh! []

And I'm curious...is there actual proof that roadkill and euthanized animals go into meat from rendering plants?
Didn't Wysong dispute that claim?  Is this actually fact or just conjecture?

Here is a movie clip of the president of the AAFCO stating that there can be euthanized cats and dogs in meat and bone meals: [linkhttp://home.att.net/%7Esrcusick/deaddogsinfood.avi]http://home.att.net/~srcusick/deaddogsinfood.avi[/link]
**It's a movie file

".....you don't know if that's a cat or a sheep or a horse or....fluffy."
 
What a quote.
 
Thank you for that! 
 
So I wonder if that's the case with all meat rendering plants.
 
Keva are you still out there?

Not sure if it's safe to say that ALL meat rendering plants are like that....but I'm wondering if I should post that vid. and make a new thread so everyone can see it.... *pondering*

Alright here's my dilema....(Yep still here by the way)...

About the byproducts in RX foods, I have to say that I trust them more than I do some other foods. The companies that have previously had recalls because of dangerous substances in their foods  were Diamond, Merrick, and Royal Canin.

I don't mean to pick anyone out but Royal Canin makes a lot of RX foods.  They recently merged with IVD... but even before that they did a lot of the "allergy" diets ("Limited Ingredient Diets").  But they are suposed to be one that we can trust because our vet sells them and recommends them...just like they do Hills. 

I think it is important to put your pet first but at the same time, there is just so much information out there that I constantly feel like I am missing something.  For example I just learned for example the Royal Canin which I grouped with Hills and Purina (RX diets that we sell at my work and who just merged with IVD) is right up there with Diamond and Merrick.  Didn't know that!  SO MUCH PROPAGANDA!  I just don't know if I believe that Hills is any better then Royal Canin (I have seen many more people buying the Royal Canin then I have the Hills at work...especially people with animals that have allergies. 

Thoughts appreciated!
-Wysteria

When you're buying Rx diets you buy what works, it doesn't make one any better over the other. 

ew...that video makes me cringe!!! That's the president and he's like "eh it's still protein."  It may just be protein but immagine if you are one of those people who let you pet be "taken care of by the vets" and you just find that out....[:'(]

Keva, you are going to drive yourself crazy over this food (by-product) issue. Everyone has a different idea and I don't think you are going to get one set answer as to which food is the best.  I agree with Willow buy the RX diet that works for your dog. 

It's not so much a food issue.  I just am trying to get a grip on by-products...  I find the whole concept of them intersting.  I understand that there can be different quality levels but they are usually marked a little different with paranthesies after them containing the source of the by-product.  I also understand that there are MANY rendering plants that do accept "anything" and many others that do not accept companion pets.  I am unsure if any discriminate on what they will accept based on what it was euthanised with but that is beside the point.  And I also find the secrecy with the rendering plants and huge corporations interesting. 
The reason that I started this forum is because I was trying to understand the different quality levels of by-products.  I came to the decision a little while ago (in this particular forum) that this is a subject that is going to be debatable until the end of time (right up there with religion, politics and evolution)...I came to the decision a long time ago that you have to use what works...I am just trying to make sure that what I use is of the absolute best quality, and that (being that I work at a veterinary clinic) I am knowledgable and when clients ask me questions I have sufficient resources to answer them.  I am of the mind that I can never have too much information (for anything) and enjoy being a resource to others.  But at the same time it is REALLY important to me to keep an open mind because every situation is different and it is absolutely imparitive that I evaluate them all differently.  I also wanted to make sure that I know if the vets I am working for are knowledgable or just spitting out facts that they heard here or there...

Sorry for the rant and I really do enjoy reading everyones thoughts (until they get aggressive) because I file it all away and the stuff I find particularly interesting I do more research into. 
I have learned SOOO much since I started reading this forum and I consider every individual that responds to my posts a valuable resource whether or not I agree because even if I do agree I am getting a different point of view. 

Unfortionately I am beginning to think that the vets that I work with (for the most part) wouldn't know anything about nutrition if it slapped them in the face (aside from the holistic vets).  The other day I was talking to another vet and he was singing the praises of Iams after the night before I was going over the ingredients and googling anything I didn't know and ended up finding two different MSDS sheets...both stating that the particular ingredient I was looking at was a known "skin irritant" or "skin eye and respiratory irritant".  As a result of that I called my grandmother (she feeds iams) and started telling her what I found and she goes "maybe that's why Cody has always licked his feet."

I guess that's the end of my tangent for now.  Thanks again to everyone.  Does anyone know if there is any way to find out which rendering plants do or do not accept companion animals without making it a life long project?  I am considering looking into the big name companies and seeing if they own any rendering plants as well...and if so if the plant accepts companion animals...I wonder if I would be able to do that through emails and the web...I don't have a lot of time to make phone calls and write letters.

Thoughts always appreciated.

Lori just FTR i am not totally against presecription diets,granted i would not feed any of the dry foods,and they are the ones i'm talking about when i bag SD et al,however my dogs and cats get the tinned A/D,is it? The one for convalesing animals,every now and then.I started emma on it when i was trying to get the weight on her,she liked it so i continued,the ingredients in that one isnt so bad.

Wow lady!  I appreciate your efforts.  I also work (P/T) at my vets office, but have no desire to pursue this matter as far as you want to go.  I believe it will take you years to discover the truth.  For several reason I don't think the pet food and/or rendering plants will be too forth coming with the info. you are seeking.  Trade secrets etc. [sm=lol.gif] 

I wish you well on the stormy seas you are about to embark upon. [sm=happy.gif]