Gizmo has pancreatitis!!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Chrissybear

I completely agree, i just submitted the dogfoodadviser site as a reference. Gizmo is seeing his primary vet tomorrow for more blood work up and i have some great questions to ask her thanks to you guys. ( the emergency vet we saw really pushed Hills and bashed other brands, which is why i posted on here and got some great posts from you guys)

I may be mistaken but I don't think that the dog food adviser is a vet nutritionist.

[ladyjane]

Here is a website with a ton of great information about dog nutrition...and it is written by a board certified vet nutritionist. Perhaps you will find it to be helpful!

https://www.petdiets.com/about/aboutfounder.asp

[Chrissybear]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I may be mistaken but I don't think that the dog food adviser is a vet nutritionist.

I am aware. I just posted it because it had a compiled list of dog foods that are 'supposedly' low fat as an example of other brands. Obviously, these brands need to be discussed with my vet which i plan to do tomorrow.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Chrissybear

I am aware. I just posted it because it had a compiled list of dog foods that are 'supposedly' low fat as an example of other brands. Obviously, these brands need to be discussed with my vet which i plan to do tomorrow.

Good luck with the appointment.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I may be mistaken but I don't think that the dog food adviser is a vet nutritionist.

That's correct. He is a dentist.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by 107barney

That's correct. He is a dentist.

Ok...I just choked. A dentist for humans? rofl that is who everyone thinks knows all about nutrition for dogs? Seriously?

[Chrissybear]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Here is a website with a ton of great information about dog nutrition...and it is written by a board certified vet nutritionist. Perhaps you will find it to be helpful!

https://www.petdiets.com/about/aboutfounder.asp

thank you

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by 107barney

That's correct. He is a dentist.

I totally thought you were making this up so I had to look for myself Yep, he really is a DENTIST ----> for humans

Working within the medical community it just blows me away this man feels he can cross over to pet health from his training as a dentist. To me this says a lot about him professionally.

[Chrissybear]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

I totally thought you were making this up so I had to look for myself Yep, he really is a DENTIST ----> for humans

Working within the medical community it just blows me away this man feels he can cross over to pet health from his training as a dentist. To me this says a lot about him professionally.

I completely agree. I don't think you'll be seeing me in his office any time soon!! lol! As a nursing student, I have come across doctors that think they know it all! Apparently, this guy is one of them!

[megansmomma]

Here is Dr. Sagman's Bio:

In 2008, after more than 30 years in the clinical practice of dental medicine and as a direct result of my lifelong love of dogs, I discovered an important and unmet consumer need.

I realized dog owners were becoming increasingly frustrated trying to make sense of the vast and rapidly growing world of commercial pet foods.

So, I created The Dog Food Advisor... a trusted place for consumers to go for unbiased help in choosing pet food.

As publisher and editor of The Advisor, I've studied the labels of hundreds of dog food brands representing more than two thousand individual recipes. And I've assigned each product a simple, easy-to-understand star rating.

In addition, our blog allows pet owners to share their dog food experiences with others and has compelled them to leave more than 10,000 comments in an active community.

As a result, The Dog Food Advisor website now receives more than 45,000 page views every day. And over a million each month.

According to Alexa.com, The Dog Food Advisor is now the busiest dog food information website on the Net.

To help pet food retailers take advantage of our growing traffic of informed shoppers, we are currently building a searchable directory of business listings.

This service is completely free to consumers and helps both online and local retailers find customers looking to buy the pet food brands they sell.

Specialties
Pet food reviews, dog food ratings, pet food retailer listings, pet food marketing, pet food advertising, dog food marketing, pet food social media specialist

Mike Sagman's Experience

Creator and Editor
Dog Food Advisor
September 2008 – Present (3 years 6 months)
Creator and editor of The Dog Food Advisor, an online publisher of independent ratings and reviews of more than 500 dog food brands. The Advisor also provides a searchable directory to help pet food retailers find customers actively looking for the products they sell.
President
Michael E Sagman DDS Ltd
1975 – Present (37 years)
Captain
US Army Dental Corps
1973 – 1975 (2 years)
Mike Sagman's Education

Medical College of Virginia
Doctor of Dental Surgery
1969 – 1973
Activities and Societies: Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity
Roanoke College
Chemistry, Biology
1966 – 1969
Activities and Societies: Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity
Mike Sagman's Additional Information

Websites:
Dog Food Advisor Website
Dog Food Advisor About Page
Dog Food Advisor on Facebook
Groups and Associations:
Williamsburg Symphonia (Board of Trustees), American Dental Association, Virginia Dental Association, Peninsula Dental Society, Academy of General Dentistry, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists

Dog and Cat Food Recalls
Honors and Awards:
Fellow, Pierre Fauchard Academy
Fellow, American College of Dentists
Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry
Fellow, International College of Dentists
Fellow, Academy of Dentistry International
US Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service

This is Dr. Remillard's Bio and Veterinanry Credentials:

Dr. Rebecca L. Remillard
Dr. Remillard has been awarded B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from three different US Universities. She earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987 and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in 1991. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Surgical Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1993. She has been the Senior Staff Nutritionist since 1993 at the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, a major metropolitan referral hospital serving more than 40,000 dog and cat cases annually.
Dr. Remillard is founder and president of Veterinary Nutritional Consultations, which has been incorporated in Massachusetts since 1993. There are approximately sixty individuals in the world with the combined qualifications of a Ph.D. in animal nutrition, a D.V.M., and Board Certification by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (DACVN). Her interests primarily lie in the area of nutrient utilization as altered by disease processes. She continues to train veterinary students, interns, residents and provide continuing education to practitioners on the subject of canine and feline nutrition at international conferences.

She served on the Executive Board of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (Home) (1999 to 2005) and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (American College of Veterinary Nutrition) (2000 to 2006). She is considered a legal expert in the field of clinical pet nutrition, has conducted numerous clinical studies at several universities in the actual use of nutritional pet products, and has authored more than 50 publications in the field of nutrition for veterinarians. She has co-edited editions of a major nutrition textbook, Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, for veterinarians and veterinary students. These textbooks have since been translated into five languages for worldwide distribution. Dr. Remillard has extensive relationships with professionals in veterinary medicine. She has been conversing regularly with veterinarians worldwide as a Nutritional Consultant on the Veterinary Information Network since 1997, and therefore has a wide network of resources and experiences in the practice of veterinary clinical nutrition, which she brings to each individual consultation.

[megansmomma]

I also found this interesting~at the bottom of every dog food review there is a little disclaimer that reads:

A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.

Take note of the last sentence which is bolded (on their website and not by me). I find this interesting and it goes back to my original post when I learned that Dr. Sagman is a dentist.

[megansmomma]

Here is the sites statement on RX foods which I also find interesting:

The following items represent some of The Dog Food Advisor’s most frequently asked questions about prescription dog foods.
How do you rate prescription dog foods?
With prescription dog foods, we always limit our judgment to the estimated meat content of the recipe as well as the apparent quality of their ingredients only. And nothing more.

What about the claims of efficacy made by the manufacturer or a prescribing veterinarian?
Our ratings have nothing to do with the ability of a product to effectively treat or cure a specific health condition.

Why do some prescription dog foods not get a star rating?
To treat certain health conditions like kidney or liver disease, some veterinary products have been intentionally designed to reduce or completely eliminate the meat protein content of a recipe.
Since we shamelessly favor dog foods rich in meat, it would be inappropriate for us to assign a star rating to such meat-restricted prescription food products.
In these cases, we award the product our “not rated” designation.

Why do you still rate most prescription dog foods? Shouldn’t they be exempt from scrutiny?
Although we respect the right of every veterinary professional to prescribe what would be in the best interest of each patient, we still believe these foods should be held to the same scrutiny allotted virtually any other commercial food product.
Every consumer of veterinary products has the right to expect at least the same quality and good value for his money afforded any other pet food purchase (as well as protection from lower-quality, over-priced dog foods… no matter why or how they’re dispensed).

Can you recommend a dog food I can get from a pet food store that’s designed to treat a specific health problem?
Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific medical advice. However, please see our FAQ page for a list of some suggested products for you to discuss with your veterinarian.

Since one of the prescription foods you reviewed received a low rating, can you suggest a non-prescription substitute?
Because our ratings have nothing to do with a product’s ability to treat a specific condition, we do not recommend ignoring your veterinarian’s advice and replacing a professionally prescribed product with an over-the-counter substitute.

I think this final paragraph pretty much says it all. If your dog is healthy I see no reason not to feed what you feel is best. But if you have a dog that has issues even the dentist feels you should follow your vet's advice.

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by 107barney

You've made these kinds of sweeping generalizations so many times that I often sit here wondering what kind of back woods outmoded vet you take your dog to. That aside, I want to point out that many holistic vets "push" raw premade diets and useless supplements lacking any scientific proof of efficacy. One can easily walk into a holistic vet's office, pay $250 for the visit and tack on about $500 in supplements and raw premade food only to have to go to conventional veterinarian when their dog gets sick. Just saying.

I don't think this is the place to attack anyone on their knowledge of pet foods. I suggest you educate yourself on the topic and start a new thread.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by gracielove

I don't think this is the place to attack anyone on their knowledge of pet foods. I suggest you educate yourself on the topic and start a new thread.

My post had nothing to do with pet foods. It had to do with your post, and your newest assault on veterinarians. I suggest YOU educate YOURSELF on the topic. BTW, I'll post on whatever thread I want to.

[Chrissybear]

Originally Posted by 107barney

My post had nothing to do with pet foods. It had to do with your post, and your newest assault on veterinarians. I suggest YOU educate YOURSELF on the topic. BTW, I'll post on whatever thread I want to.

Ladies if you would like to bicker and act like children please make your own thread. Thank you.