Fish based food.... update

[sutulu]

OK.... So I was feeling pretty good about the statements the food companies were making about possibility of mercury in the fish used in the dog foods.

Lots of "we screen our ingredients", etc., stay away from tuna and large fish.....

So I visit my pet supply store, an independent store with a great staff that has been part of their busniess for years, very few new faces.

Two of the women I have chatted with since Tuck was a puppy were helping me talk thru food. One woman has 2 dogs and one has very severe allergies to chicken and something else.

I told them about the comments from the pet food companies regarding mercury. The one woman told me she was at a lecture from a holistic Vet within the last year who did not recommend continuous feeding of a fish based diet BECAUSE of finding mercury poisening in several dogs over the years.

She said rotating in a fish based food is fine but year after year of feeding fish based food, fish as the only protien source, was not recommended because of the mercury.

:ARG::ARG::ARG: oh.... and :ARG:

+GOOFY+

I am not terribly concerned that I have done any damage to my dogs for feeding fish based food for close to a year. But I have to admit.... I am a bit frustrated that what seemed like a logical solution may not be as wise afterall.

It makes me long for a reliable source for nutritional information. I love my Vet but I would bet that nutrition is not a specialty of hers.

Comments?

[mtoy]

That is disappointing, but, I believe in rotating foods anyway. If this changes anything in our house it's that we'll just feed the fish based foods less often. Just like with people, some fish is good, but a diet of only fish (as the protein source) isn't so good. Hmm, we will be buying food this weekend, what to try?

[Jespah]

That concerns me, as Rupe has been eating a salmon based food for over a year now. I'm going to call my vet right now and ask if it's possible to have him tested for mercury in his system. I know that there was a study on wolves that ate salmon in the wild and they tested thei hair for mercury.

I'll get back to you on this.

I'm back.

Yes, there is a test, however it's usually done at the time of the necropsy, as it involves using a piece of their liver. As much as Rupe can be a pain in the butt, I'm not prepared to go this route with him. This was the answer from my vet - I'm going to look further and send an email to the University of Guelph vet college.

[sutulu]

I suspect this is going to be like anything else we read, including human nutrition information... Everything in moderation!

Somewhere along the way.... I read it is a good idea to rotate food peridically and even rotate between manufacturers.

I intend to keep fish in their diet but rotate another protien source in. Maybe try quarterly rotation....

Frankly, except for gas (Wellness Chicken) and too much poo (Canidae)... my two have done well with thier food (even Wellness and Canidae). Tucker of course went thru his picky phase prior to Lulu's arrival!

Oh well!

[disraeli ears]

I love my Vet but I would bet that nutrition is not a specialty of hers.


Unfortunately, most vets don't spend much time on nutrition in vet school...it's an area in which many are lacking education. "NO:":

[Jespah]

I finally got a reply from the company of the food I use for my dogs. Not very helpful to say the least. I answered the email back and asked what amount of mercury is found and how does it compare to the standards.

Here is the initial email I received today:

Dear Deb,

The salmon and salmon meal used in the Performatrin Ultra Salmon foods are tested for heavy metals including mercury before the ingredients arrive at the manufacturing plant. These ingredients must have a Certificate of Analysis showing the analytical levels of many factors which affect their quality; included in this analysis are the levels of heavy metals.

I trust this answers your question.

Sincerely,

Dr. D.J. Summers
Nutritionist
Peton Dist. Inc.
(A Pet Valu company)