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Originally Posted by Lil Ladies  I wasn't verbally attacking anyone (a diatribe). I was debating what you wrote while trying to share what I have learned. If you don’t agree, you don’t agree, but it’s more like you are attacking me for it.
I don’t believe that the ingredients that make up a food are marketing; I believe making undesirable ingredients look healthy is marketing. Also, imagine how much money is in dog food that is averagely marked up 30%? As an estimation, if a bag of food is $50, 30% would be $15 a bag! Even if they only had 30 dogs and 30 cats on it (not to mention treats etc.) would gross $900 a month! Whether retail or kickbacks, making money is still making money (most vets here have both dry and raw, but raw is more difficult to carry). Doctors for humans do it too --reps admit that they provide all sorts of gifts and gratuities to doctors, ranging from financial aid to educational programs, in the hopes that they will encourage doctors to remember and perhaps recommend their brand. Thus, to base your opinions solely on “real vet nutritionist advice” (without doing your own independent research) may not be optimal if the vet learned it from these educational programs.
Opinions aside, we ALL agree that what it really comes down to is what works for both you and your pet… and that we are all very passionate about our babies! |
You are so misinformed that it would take me hours to correct your fatally flawed opinions and philosophy. Insofar as you believe "ingredients" in dog food matter, let me ask you this -- do you think some dog food company is selecting grade A beef or organic free range chicken to make dog food out of? Haven't you heard of 4D meat and rendering facilities? To think that dog food companies are feeding your dog wholesome ingredients of the same caliber that you yourself would eat means that you have fallen prey to marketing tactics. It just isn't the case because some marketing guru says it is. I will agree that ingredients matter -- but only if you are making home cooked food. If you want to home cook for your dog as I do, then you control the ingredients and yes you can say that they matter. But when purchasing dog food, it is far better to look at the nutrient profiles and not ingredients. Things like quality control, testing, vet nutritionist on staff, and feeding trials should dictate your decision to buy a food, not fancy marketing with a photo of a dog on the front that eats something other than what's inside the bag!
As for your contention that making money is making money, that insults every vet who has chosen the noble profession for their love of animals not the almighty dollar. I can certainly think of many professions that are higher paid than veterinary medicine without the huge loans that plague them for 20-30 years after they get out of school.
Attacking vets who prescribe -- YES PRESCRIBE -- foods that are meant for certain medical problems is not doing anyone any favor. If you really want to do your research, spend some time here on YT in the sick and injured boards so you can see the many owners who ignore vet advice and end up with sick dogs. As for your research on the internet, are you seriously trying to argue that vet nutritionists are less informed than you and your online websites written by lay people? If so, thanks for the morning laugh. LOL.
Lastly, I do agree that a food that is best for your dog is the one that works. However, I have to say that subjectively speaking most people think their dog looks wonderful. I have seen people on here and in real life tell me their dog is thriving on this or that food and then I see the dog and realize the person has a different perception than I do. You start asking questions and you learn the dog vomits, has runny eyes, funky stools, bad breath, and just overall body condition looks like crap. So yes if a VETERINARIAN says your dog looks good and the LAB WORK says your dog looks good then you can assume your dog is doing well on the food you are feeding. I know from first hand experience it takes a critical eye to pick up subtle changes in a dog and that is a skill some people have and some do not.