Officials are also watching the human food chain but
to date, there have been no reports of melamine
contamination.
That doesn't mean we're safe.
Melamine was just found in livestock feeds as
confirmed by the American Association of Swine
Veterinarians.
So far, pig farms in six states are under
quarantine, and pork prices have shot up in the
supermarket due to anticipated scarcity.
For pet owners, there are really only two questions:
1. How did this happen?
2. What can I do to protect my dog now?
Answers to the first question are Overwhelmingly
complex and still incomplete, and we are all
watching current reports as they come in.
Most people believe the FDA protects us from unsafe
medicines and foods and to some extent, this is
true. But not so in other arenas.
As proven by the current disaster, there is little
if any monitoring of pet food until a problem is
reported.
Dogs and other pets continue to die even as
manufacturers scramble to ascertain product safety,
but we must also accept personal responsibility for
what we feed our dogs.
That leads us to the second question. The most
obvious way to protect your dog from unsafe
ingredients is to feed it "people food"
Many dog breeders and owners do just that.
It may be anything from table food to a structured
BARF (biologically available raw food) diet.
The problems are a tendency to include tidbits of
starch, sugar, or fats from the table;
inconvenience; and achieving proper dietary balance.
For the determined dog owner; these problems can be
solved by research and through feeding a natural
diet of meat, poultry, fish, green vegetables, and
eggs.
Another solution is organic or human-grade pet food and
thankfully, there are good products available.
Again, attention to labeling and direct contact with
the dog food company will help determine whether or
not the buzz-words {organic, human-grade) apply to
all of the ingredients.
A note for "indoor dog" owners. Does your dog or cat
have access to unpolluted live grass? Wild
carnivores derive vegetation from the stomach
contents of their prey.
Domestic dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles need fresh
grasses and herbs as part of a balanced diet.
Provide your house pet with a tiny indoor garden or
be sure your dog has access to fresh non-toxic
grass, meaning no recently applied fertilizer or
pesticides.
We will also provide a list of pet foods made with
human-grade foodstuffs or predominantly organic
ingredients, as well as info on where to obtain
these foods!
A "dog nutrition section"
has been assembled by
TheDogPlace.org, one of the web's oldest,
largest, and most reliable dog sites.
The Science and Advisory Board (SAAB) represents a
cross-section of internationally respected
Veterinarians, related-field PhDs, and
Breeder-Exhibitors.
When it comes to feeding our dogs, the pet food
disaster is an owner wake-up call heard way too
late. We trust your pets are still healthy.
