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Originally Posted by Nancy1999  When I first started studying, there were two schools of thought, one was as long as you got all the nutrients you need, and you’d be fine as long, as you weren't overweight. You could eat fast food and take a vitamin, and that was considered fine. Don’t get mad, but this is how a lot of dog food companies produce kibble, any combination of ingredients that fit the bill and then they add the extra synthetic vitamins as needed. Tested and approved. Just so all the blanks were filled; it didn’t matter if the protein was easy or hard to digest or if the vitamins are synthetic or not.
The other school of thought was that there was more to food than amino acids and vitamins and minerals, and eating foods with real vitamins allowed our bodies to use them better. While no tests could really show the differences at that time, new tests are showing some differences in real vs. synthetic vitamins. Also, I notice diet didn't make much difference when I was young, I think it was when I reached middle age that "you are what you eat" became more true for me. I do notice a great difference when I eat a certain type of diet. I've been studying this for over 50 years, and it's only in the last few years that I'm leaning toward what some call “biologically appropriate” and real vitamins vs. synthetic and whole food rather than processed foods. Dog foods that have these things are also tested, so I don’t know why people think they aren’t tested and approved. I heard one vet say something about a diet that is close to the moisture content of food they would eat in the wild and how it may make a difference as a dog ages because being in a state of constant dehydration might be stressful on the kidneys. Do we have proof of that yet, no but it is interesting. I wish I could be as sure as all of you are, but I have major doubts that a food is the best just because a vet nutritionist hired by a company approves it.
Also, does anyone know if you can even become a vet nutritionist without studying through one of the major food manufacturers?
On cloning, I think people just think it's not right to keep an animal in a lab all of it's life and then dissect it. It's not the cloning per say they are against. That's actually the way they did food trials in the past, but many of us don't feel like the knowledge is worth it. That's how they learned what minimum standards were and if they went below a certain level how bones and organs would suffer, those things aren't noticeable to the naked eye. |
I'll just address the last two paragraphs, since that's where I have the most knowledge. Veterinary nutritionists have to have a veterinary medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college. Then they go through additional education and certification through the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. It has nothing to do with working for a dog food company. See
Frequently Asked Questions American College of Veterinary Nutrition The residency training program in veterinary nutrition is extensive. After achieving a degree in veterinary medicine and completing at least 1 year of internship or clinical experience, residency training includes at least 2 years of study, with a focus on both basic and clinical nutrition as well as research and teaching. Trainees study under the mentorship of at least one boarded veterinary nutritionist and often with contact with many others over the course of the program. Some programs also require graduate level coursework and rotation with other specialists (such as Internal Medicine, Critical Care, and Clinical Pathology). Trainees must prepare and write up three case reports to qualify to take the board exam. The two day written examination is offered annually and covers a wide range of nutritional and medical knowledge.
About the cloning, I too would object if dogs spent their entire life in the lab and then were sacrificed and dissected just for a dog food trial. I would think that physical exams and blood testing would be sufficient to judge the dogs' health. Now that they know the basics of nutrition and how to keep dogs alive, they don't have to starve them or deny vitamins and minerals anymore.