FOOD NOT FIT FOR PETS
by Dr Wendell O. Belfield, D.V.M.
The most frequently asked question in my practice is, "Which commercial pet food do you recommend?" My standard answer is "None." I am certain that pet-owners notice changes in their animals after using different batches of the same brand of pet food. Their pets may have diarrhea, increased flatulence, a dull hair coat, intermittent vomiting or prolonged scratching. These are common symptoms associated with commercial pet foods.
Pet food company executives make the usual denials. But federal and state agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, and medical groups, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health authorities; and the end product finds its way into pet food.
Condemned livestock carcasses treated with chemicals become meat and bone meal for the pet food industry. Because rendering facilities are not government-controlled, any animal carcasses can be rendered;even dogs and cats. As Eileen Layne of the CVMA told the Chronicle, "When you read pet food labels, and it says "meat and bone meal", that's what it is: cooked and converted animals, diseased meats, grocery store rancid products, including dogs and cats."
Some of these dead pets; those euthanised by veterinarians; already contain pentobarbital before treatment with the denaturing process. According to University of Minnesota researchers, the sodium pentobarbital used to euthanise pets "survives rendering without undergoing degradation". Fat stabilizers are introduced into the finished rendered product to prevent rancidity. Common chemical stabilisers include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene); both known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction; and ethoxyquin, a suspected carcinogen. Many dog foods contain propylene glycol; first cousin to the anti-freeze agent, ethylene glycol, that destroys red blood-cells. Lead frequently shows up in pet foods, even those made from livestock meat and bone meal. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, titled "Lead in Animal Foods", found that a nine-pound cat fed on commercial pet food ingests more lead than the amount considered potentially toxic for children.
I have been practicing small-animal medicine for more than 25 years. Every day I see the casualties of pet industry propaganda. But the professors in the teaching institutions of veterinary medicine generally support an industry that has little regard for the quality of health in our companion animals.
(Dr Belfield is a graduate of Tuskegee Institute of Veterinary Medicine and is now in private practice in San Jose, California. Dr Belfield established the first orthomolecular veterinary hospital in the US. He is co-author of The Very Healthy Cat Book and How to Have a Healthier Dog. This article first appeared in Let's Live Magazine, May 1992.)
Proper diet not only is important for humans, it is the most basic aspect of a pet's lifestyle. Flint River Ranch food is structured to help the animal's body to holistically heal itself through proper nutrition. Benefits are noticeable in the pet's shiney coat, healthy skin and energy level.
Made and shipped fresh.
Concentrated
Costs less to feed
Recommended by Vets and Breeders
Sold nationally
Delivered by UPS to your home (no more lugging heavy bags of pet foods!)
A "NO RISK" GUARANTEE!
You have a full 30 days to try our product, then if you are not 100% satisfied, simply return the unused portion for a FULL REFUND!
Your pet will have eating enjoyment - a greater energy level - improvement in coat and hair - a reduction in "hot spots" , dry skin and itching - smaller stool volume with less clean-up, gauranteed!
WHAT MAKES FLINT RIVER RANCH PET FOOD UNIQUE?
No Chemical Preservatives
No Ethoxyquin
BHA or BHT
No By-Products
We are proud to announce the addition of some super new items to our Flint River Ranch items for your pet pleasure. Flint River Ranch has added a wide variety of Dog Bone Treats in some great flavors, in the big meaty sytles as well as the nylabone styles. You also have available to you, some great deals on leashes, pet food bowls, and dog frisbees too! We have just created a new page for you to find information on these new items we now carry, and we do hope you will visit the new page to see just what new products are available now.
We do hope you find some interesting reading materials here on our site, and that you find it in your heart to change the way you feed your beloved pets.
