Diet Information

[k9diabetes]

For those feeding or interested in feeding Royal Canin, here's a page of information on their veterinary diets.

http://www.ivdvetdiets.com/library/veterinary.aspx.

Holy Cow! I was just comparing calories between Royal Canin IVD Green Peas and Lamb, which is what we will be feeding Gus (or trying to) and the Felidae Platinum he's been on...

They say at Royal Canin that the IVD has 233 calories per cup.

Felidae (www.felidae.com) says the Platinum dry has 431 calories per cup!!

Guess I'd better increase the quantity of the IVD! I'm glad I decided to look it up.

Canidae's information (for dogs) is at www.canidae.com.

Nearly every food made is covered in a website that lists the content of the food, the percentage of protein, fat, and fiber, and the calories per cup or kilogram so if you ever have to change foods you can compare the calories between the old food and the new food and plan portions accordingly. If the site name isn't obvious, just search the name of the food to come up with the appropriate page by the manufacturer.

[Denise]

Re: Diet Information

I've been surprised by calories too, especially in dog kibble since I've been trying so many lately.

When I fed Flint River for years Reba got 1 1/2 cups per day, the Spot's Stew or Merrick Before Grain have her getting 3 cups and that looks like a lot of food!

I think dog people also get into problems not knowing the calories in dog treats. If you have a dog eating 500 calories a day then a couple 50 calorie treats IS a big deal. 25-50 calorie treats are relatively low compared to some treats.


I saw one brand of dog treats is making theirs up in the 100 calorie packs like they do human snacks now. I just laughed!

[k9diabetes]

Re: Diet Information

I've seen that catalog where you order individual portions of food for your dog! I may not have any self control for myself.... but I have plenty for Chris. We've been trying hard to keep his weight down to take pressure off his back and hips.

Life got so much easier once I started counting Chris' calories. It makes changing foods a lot less of a hassle. But I sure didn't expect to find that the Felidae was so rich.

Chris is down to just 560 calories a day because his activity level has dropped so much between the back pain and his heart and lung problems.

I was really irritated with Nutro because they didn't post calorie information back when the cats were eating the pouches... made me suspect the quality of that food since they weren't willing to say what was consistently in there. Then it was recalled.

I'm not having a lot of luck getting Gus to eat the IVD. He wants the Fancy Feast canned...

Natalie

[We Hope]

Re: Diet Information

FWIW, AVMA is pushing to have calorie information included on all pet food labels. The Pet Food Institute, who represents quite a few to most of the major pet food manufacturers, is claiming it's not needed:

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/ma...t_food_sought/

Lawrence Journal-World (KS) May 14, 2008

Nutrition labels on pet food sought

"Future pet food labels that indicate the number of calories per serving could help obese animals shed the extra pounds, a veterinarians’ association recommended to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.

“"Pet owners do not always know how much to feed. They may not realize the high number of calories associated with some of the pet food they are giving their pets,” said John Branam, testifying on behalf of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"The FDA held the hearing as part of legislation passed last year that requires the administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine to establish pet food labeling standards in two years.

"According to the AVMA, 54 million pets in the U.S. are obese, an “epidemic” that the association says is growing at an alarming rate.

"But Nancy Cook, vice president of the Pet Food Institute’s technical and regulatory affairs, said that calorie labels are unnecessary and won’t prevent obesity in pets.

“It doesn’t work for people,” said Cook, a voice for the industry’s manufacturers.

"The labels already contain serving sizes based on a pet’s size. Calorie information can be obtained from food manufacturers, she said.

"But the AVMA said that it’s not consumers’ and veterinarians’ jobs to track down manufacturers for that information.

"A standard nutritional label that lists the number of calories per weight of food and per household items such as a can or a cup would prevent owners from overfeeding their pets, the group said.

"Although pet obesity is determined by other factors, such as genetics, the environment and medical influence, a standard label would make it easier for vets to recommend the correct food portions, Branam said."

PFI and its mouthpiece have opened their mouths and inserted their feet, biting down hard before:

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content...ntentid=172182

Cattle Network October 29, 2007

"In view of growing concerns about the safety of U.S. imports, no fewer than 13 bills relating to food safety are in play in Congress, Nancy Cook, vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based Pet Food Institute, told attendees of the Meat Industry Research Conference at Chicago's McCormick Place.

""Some involve inspections, others certification, penalties, record keeping and country-of-origin labeling. It's not going to stop at pet food, either," she said, acknowledging last spring's massive recalls of melamine-laced pet food. "Have we figured out how to put a COOL label on a Hershey bar? It's about 10 feet long."

"She warned that U.S. legislators and others involved in trade negotiations with China, the source of the melamine, "must walk a tightrope. We can't insult them. They're our largest growing supplier of ingredients in the world."


http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/...7102963508.txt
Kane County Chronicle (IL) November 1, 2007

Organic lifestyle choices go to the dogs

"Most pet foods and treats are made and travel within a particular region of the U.S. or Canada, said Nancy K. Cook, vice president for technical and regulatory affairs for the Pet Food Institute, a pet food manufacturer trade association.

“"You’re not going to bring ingredients across country if you can help it.”"

In both cases, totally oblivious to the Chinese-imported wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate which was really melamine-spiked wheat flour for both which prompted all of the recalls just months earlier. Both the organization and its spokesperson need to crazy-glue that 10 foot Hershey bar wrapper TIGHTLY in her mouth!

[eyelostit]

Re: Diet Information

Any suggestions on what brand of Candiae for Niki? I seen the Royan Canin has diabetic food but looks like only can get a vet