Unfortunately pets get ill from time to time. What ever the reasons are, whether it is life long feeding the wrong diet or other circumstances, these reasons today shall not be the subject of my comment. As the headline suggests I want to go into a little different direction.
This one pet owner wrote to Dr. Michael Fox in the Palm Beach Post’s pet column the other day:
“I have a 10 year old pit bull mastiff mix. He is on a daily dose of glucosamine for his joints. On cold mornings he is really stiff. Is it ok to occasionally give him an Advil?”
Joint problems unfortunately are common with heavy large breeds like in this example bull mastiffs. That the owner wants to ease the pain is understandable and I commend her for her best intentions.
About the glucosamine: Dr. Susan Baker, D.V.M, answered another pet owner in the same column: “One glucosamine tablet will not hurt your dog. Glucosamine is a nutraceutical*. It can be purchased without a prescription at regular human pharmacies.” (Comment: Why send her to the human pharmacy? Go where she belongs for that, the pet supply store or the vet, this way she will not get tempted or talked into buying the wrong stuff.)
Dr. Baker continued: “You can think of it like a vitamin in your dog’s joints. It helps nourish and support the cartilage (sponge white stuff at the end of the bones) and joint fluid. The joint fluid is important to keep the joint moving freely. Think of your dog’s arthritic joints like a rusty hinge on a door frame. If we put grease on the rusty hinge the door will open better. Glucosamine does a similar thing to your dog’s joints. The big thing about glucosamine is that it needs to be taken at least six weeks daily to see results and then continued for life. Not all glucosamine supplements are equivalent. Stick to good quality supplements and ask your vet to recommend the right one for your pet.” (Comment: Or instead of asking your vet ask knowledgeable pet food supply store reps for their advise, it’s going to cost you a lot less money and there is a huge number of good quality products available to you without having to go the prescription route.)
Sorry I wandered away from the actual topic, but joint problems and glucosamine are a very common issue and it just offered itself to talk about it briefly. Coming back to the “Advil woman”: I could write and bring up plenty more of similar questions and inquiries. It amazes me how many pet owners are under the impression that people medicine will do the trick on their companion animals as well. It is bad enough that we live in a time where it is all too common that illness and diseases are being treated with some type of remedy rather than finding the actual cause and eliminating that. It is worse that some people even think like the mastiff owner. And these are only the pet owners wondering about what they are doing. I wonder how many are out there putting their animals on a human medication regiment without even talking about it and thinking it is totally ok. Well, here is what I read on a pet insurance company’s** website about those “treatments”:
“As pet owners, we dread seeing our furry friends suffer pain. It’s natural to want to ease your pet’s pain if he’s experiencing illness or discomfort. But before you act, you must be aware that common medications used for adults and even children can be toxic and even fatal to your pet.
In fact, animal poisoning by drugs is the most common type of small-animal poison exposure, according the American Veterinary Medical Association. This type of poisoning accounted for 75 percent of toxin exposures in 1990 and resulted in 82 fatalities.
It is always recommended that you contact your veterinarian before administering any medications to your pets. It could be the difference between life and death.
Danger Lurks in the Medicine Cabinet
While some over-the-counter medications are used to treat cats and dogs, the dose is critical, says Dr. David Reinhard, a consulting veterinarian for VPI Pet Insurance. “There is often a fine line between the effective dose and the toxic dose in cats and dogs,”
Reinhard says. Below is a list of some of the most dangerous drugs for cats and dogs.
Tylenol: Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in this pain reliever, is very toxic in cats, Reinhard warns. The drug interferes with oxygen uptake in the blood of cats and can result in death if not treated promptly. Acetaminophen (also used in Excedrin and other aspirin-free drugs) can be used in dogs, but the dose is key. Consult with your veterinarian. Acetaminophen overdose in dogs can cause severe liver damage. As few as two regular-strength pills can cause overdose in dogs.
Aspirin: This drug is also very toxic to cats except in a very low dose. At times, veterinarians will use aspirin as an anticoagulant for cats with heart disease, Reinhard says. This should only be done under a veterinarian’s supervision, as aspirin can be fatal. Dogs can tolerate this drug, and veterinarians will sometimes recommend it for use as a pain reliever. Chronic use of the drug produce side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding.
Ibuprofen: This is the active ingredient in over-the-counter medications such as Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDS such as Aleve. This drug is never recommended for cats or dogs. “There are many drugs available specifically for dogs that relieve chronic pain and loss of function from arthritis,” Reinhard says.
“There is often a fine line between the effective dose and the toxic dose in cats and dogs.”
Safe Options
There are some over-the-counter medicines that are safe to use on your pet, according to Reinhard. While these are some common medicines that can be safe for your pet, it is very important that you consult your veterinarian for dosage instructions.
Imodium: This drug can be used to treat diarrhea in dogs and cats. Collies are prone to toxicity from this product, so it shouldn’t be used to treat that particular breed. If the treatment is not effective within 48 hours, stop using it, Reinhard advises.
Metamucil: This can be used as a bulk laxative and stool softener in dogs and cats. It is also used to treat fiber responsive diarrhea. However, if your pet is suffering from an intestinal obstruction, Metamucil is not recommended.
What to Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned
If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned by a medication, call your veterinarian immediately. If your veterinarian is not available, call one of these animal poison hot lines. There is often a charge with these services, but paying a minimal fee could save your pet’s life.
As a precaution, dog owners might want to keep Ipecac syrup on hand. The drug is used to induce vomiting in case of accidental poisoning of dogs. It is not recommended for cats. Cat owners should use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide as an alternative. However, you should not induce vomiting in your pet without first consulting a veterinarian; you might do more harm than good, Reinhard says
.
Pets Are Different
Though we like to think of our pets as part of the family, the simple fact is, their bodies are not like ours. Medicines that we use all the time to treat pain or illness can have devastating effects on our pets. Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about any medications. Never assume a drug is safe for your pet.”
I hope this is a wake-up call for the pet owners addressed above.
Notes:
*Nutraceutical, according to Wikipedia, is “a portmanteau of nutrition and pharmaceutical, refers to extracts of foods claimed to have a medicinal effect on human health. traditionally the nutraceutical was contained in a medicinal format such as a capsule, tablet or powder in a prescribed dose, although more modern Nutraceuticals such as Probiotic drinks and yogurt are now found in ordinary supermarkets alongside normally everyday versions of the product. More rigorously, nutraceutical implies that the extract or food is demonstrated to have a physiological benefit or provide protection against a chronic disease. Functional foods are defined as being consumed as part of a usual diet but are demonstrated to have physiological benefits and/or reduce the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional functions.”
**Source: VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance) Health Zone “Protect Your Pet from Toxic Medications - What’s Safe for You Could Be Deadly To Your Pet”
Showing posts with label pet supply stores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pet supply stores. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pet food recall: Have a disaster supercharge pet food sales
Well, here is something new: Karlene Lukovitz concluded in her article “Pet Food Recalls actually boosted Sales” for Media Post News Marketing Daily that after all there also came something good out of the pet food industries most disasterous recall back in 2007. Hard to believe that someone can find anything good about that nightmare. Here’s what she said:
“The recalls of contaminated pet food in Spring 2007 encouraged owners to convert to higher-priced foods that were perceived to be safer. This trend to premium helped boost dollar sales for the category not only in 2007, but to a smaller extent last year--despite the dramatic downturn in the economy, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
U.S. pet food sales grew 5.5% to an estimated $17 billion in 2008 and grew by a cumulative 20.9% (CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 4.9%) between 2004 and 2008, PF estimates in the latest edition of "Pet Food in the U.S."
IRI InfoScan data showed category sales in tracked retail outlets up 6.4% to $5.9 billion for the 52 weeks ending Nov. 2, 2008, including a 7% gain in dog food sales (to $227 million), a 6% gain for cat food (to $125 million) and a 3% gain for other pet food (to $6 million).
Dollar sales reflected consumer trading up and higher ingredient costs, not volume gains. Overall pound sales were down 2% and unit sales were down 6% last year, continuing the pattern seen in previous years, PF reports.
The analysts project that the economy will slow the category's sales to 4.5% in 2009 and 2010, followed by more tapering off through 2013. CAGR for 2008 through 2013 is projected at 4.1%, with premium demographics and products accounting for an even larger part of the overall market going forward.
As owners extend their concern with healthy eating to their pets and manufacturers push premiumization, the products that continue to drive growth are those that include claims such as organic, locally grown, human-grade, made in the U.S.A., whole and "real" ingredients (meat, fruit, vegetables, grains), high-protein and grain-free/non-allergenic).
As with human foods, functionals and nutraceuticals are hot for the pet set--especially those targeting age- and weight-related conditions with ingredients like glucosamine, omega fatty acids, antioxidants (including "dark fruits" like blueberries and cherries) and probiotics, PF points out.
The number of new pet food products shot up last year. During the first 11 months of 2008, 270 new pet food products were launched-- 51% more than in all of 2007, with the number of SKUs rising 119% to nearly 1,500, according to Datamonitor's Productscan Online.
PF also sees potential in the frozen/raw and refrigerated pet food segments. "Each will likely see the entry of a large marketer such as Del Monte (a natural for refrigerated especially) or Nestlé Purina during the near future," the analysts note.
On the marketing front, U.S. manufacturers spent $520 million on national advertising of food and non-food pet supplies in 2007. Over 60% went to television and only 5% to the Internet.
However, like other categories, pet food marketing is shifting online. PF notes that both Procter & Gamble (Iams) and Del Monte (Meow Mix, Milk-Bone) have been allocating more of their spending to branded-entertainment projects instead of traditional media spends.
Meow Mix has been particularly aggressive. The brand launched its first game show for pet owners ("Meow Mix Think Like a Cat") on GSN last November, in addition to its earlier branded series for Oxygen and Animal Planet, and has been hosting high-profile "pop-up" events and seminars for cat owners.
Celebrity branding is also becoming a bigger factor in the pet food category, with Ellen DeGeneres, Cesar Millan and Rachael Ray entering the market last year.”
Wow, just like I said the other day in “Chemicals in pet food Part 2: Marketing campaign indicates: Unhealthy, chemically enhanced pet nutrition is here to stay”, how easy we forget. Let some time go by, get a write up like the above and the number of pet owners who will remember is dwindling down. That same comment of mine also showed that Karlene Kukovitz’s predictions are no fantasies: The latest marketing campaigns initiated by the big guns clearly indicate just that. Now while Karlene makes it sound that all of this is actually something good happening, I would suggest to think again. To me the entire article actually sounds more like a marketing manual to be used for the near pet food future. If sales indeed increased in favor of the good guys, i.e. smaller, actually seriously health conscious pet food manufacturers actually providing good food, then there is nothing wrong and this trend has to be applauded. We can see some of that development happening at our store. And that’s good for the pets. But what scares me is when I hear the names she brings up. Because she makes it sound like the big players are on the track to doing something good. All I can do is to refer you once more to my comment about chemicals in pet food part 2: If Del Monte defines the ingredients of its Pep-eroni treats as healthy, then we have more than enough reason to be worried. That simply calls for a pessimistic view of the future. If Rachael Ray’s list of ingredients on her junk is considered to be good for our pets, then let’s pray. Because these and many other similar concerns I could bring up right here make me wonder: The next recall is not a question of “if” it happens, it’s a question of “when”. Phrases like human grade, nutraceuticals, dark fruits as anti oxidants, targeted premiumization, all sound to familiar and are a sure indication that the saga continues and nothing ever changes. And Ellen and Rachael will make it fly. Lets hope I am wrong. Rather than waiting to see what's going to happen, I for my part will continue to stick to my guns, tell interested pet owners what’s wrong with the pet food world and feed my pets what I have been feeding ever since we started the store: Real, healthy, natural pet food. That's why they are healthy and happy and have no indication of any disease whatsoever.
“The recalls of contaminated pet food in Spring 2007 encouraged owners to convert to higher-priced foods that were perceived to be safer. This trend to premium helped boost dollar sales for the category not only in 2007, but to a smaller extent last year--despite the dramatic downturn in the economy, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
U.S. pet food sales grew 5.5% to an estimated $17 billion in 2008 and grew by a cumulative 20.9% (CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 4.9%) between 2004 and 2008, PF estimates in the latest edition of "Pet Food in the U.S."
IRI InfoScan data showed category sales in tracked retail outlets up 6.4% to $5.9 billion for the 52 weeks ending Nov. 2, 2008, including a 7% gain in dog food sales (to $227 million), a 6% gain for cat food (to $125 million) and a 3% gain for other pet food (to $6 million).
Dollar sales reflected consumer trading up and higher ingredient costs, not volume gains. Overall pound sales were down 2% and unit sales were down 6% last year, continuing the pattern seen in previous years, PF reports.
The analysts project that the economy will slow the category's sales to 4.5% in 2009 and 2010, followed by more tapering off through 2013. CAGR for 2008 through 2013 is projected at 4.1%, with premium demographics and products accounting for an even larger part of the overall market going forward.
As owners extend their concern with healthy eating to their pets and manufacturers push premiumization, the products that continue to drive growth are those that include claims such as organic, locally grown, human-grade, made in the U.S.A., whole and "real" ingredients (meat, fruit, vegetables, grains), high-protein and grain-free/non-allergenic).
As with human foods, functionals and nutraceuticals are hot for the pet set--especially those targeting age- and weight-related conditions with ingredients like glucosamine, omega fatty acids, antioxidants (including "dark fruits" like blueberries and cherries) and probiotics, PF points out.
The number of new pet food products shot up last year. During the first 11 months of 2008, 270 new pet food products were launched-- 51% more than in all of 2007, with the number of SKUs rising 119% to nearly 1,500, according to Datamonitor's Productscan Online.
PF also sees potential in the frozen/raw and refrigerated pet food segments. "Each will likely see the entry of a large marketer such as Del Monte (a natural for refrigerated especially) or Nestlé Purina during the near future," the analysts note.
On the marketing front, U.S. manufacturers spent $520 million on national advertising of food and non-food pet supplies in 2007. Over 60% went to television and only 5% to the Internet.
However, like other categories, pet food marketing is shifting online. PF notes that both Procter & Gamble (Iams) and Del Monte (Meow Mix, Milk-Bone) have been allocating more of their spending to branded-entertainment projects instead of traditional media spends.
Meow Mix has been particularly aggressive. The brand launched its first game show for pet owners ("Meow Mix Think Like a Cat") on GSN last November, in addition to its earlier branded series for Oxygen and Animal Planet, and has been hosting high-profile "pop-up" events and seminars for cat owners.
Celebrity branding is also becoming a bigger factor in the pet food category, with Ellen DeGeneres, Cesar Millan and Rachael Ray entering the market last year.”
Wow, just like I said the other day in “Chemicals in pet food Part 2: Marketing campaign indicates: Unhealthy, chemically enhanced pet nutrition is here to stay”, how easy we forget. Let some time go by, get a write up like the above and the number of pet owners who will remember is dwindling down. That same comment of mine also showed that Karlene Kukovitz’s predictions are no fantasies: The latest marketing campaigns initiated by the big guns clearly indicate just that. Now while Karlene makes it sound that all of this is actually something good happening, I would suggest to think again. To me the entire article actually sounds more like a marketing manual to be used for the near pet food future. If sales indeed increased in favor of the good guys, i.e. smaller, actually seriously health conscious pet food manufacturers actually providing good food, then there is nothing wrong and this trend has to be applauded. We can see some of that development happening at our store. And that’s good for the pets. But what scares me is when I hear the names she brings up. Because she makes it sound like the big players are on the track to doing something good. All I can do is to refer you once more to my comment about chemicals in pet food part 2: If Del Monte defines the ingredients of its Pep-eroni treats as healthy, then we have more than enough reason to be worried. That simply calls for a pessimistic view of the future. If Rachael Ray’s list of ingredients on her junk is considered to be good for our pets, then let’s pray. Because these and many other similar concerns I could bring up right here make me wonder: The next recall is not a question of “if” it happens, it’s a question of “when”. Phrases like human grade, nutraceuticals, dark fruits as anti oxidants, targeted premiumization, all sound to familiar and are a sure indication that the saga continues and nothing ever changes. And Ellen and Rachael will make it fly. Lets hope I am wrong. Rather than waiting to see what's going to happen, I for my part will continue to stick to my guns, tell interested pet owners what’s wrong with the pet food world and feed my pets what I have been feeding ever since we started the store: Real, healthy, natural pet food. That's why they are healthy and happy and have no indication of any disease whatsoever.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Visiting a supersized pet supply store
Today I had to stop by at the local supermarket kind of pet store, I needed something urgently and didn’t have it in stock myself. Anyway, the good thing about that store is that well behaved dogs are allowed to come inside the store, so I took Roxy along with me (Camouflage is everything). Boy oh boy, when we got there they must have just received two semi truck loads of dry food. It was piled up all over the store up to the sealing, you hardly could find your way around and see any of the (few) other items they have. It was like the battle between the female TV chef and the scientists who also make a pet diet. I wonder who’s going to win this one, the female chef lately seems to have her “super premium” food in any place just remotely connected to pets. By the way, some day someone has explain the definition of “super premium” to me, because I did indeed now look at the ingredient panel and nothing on it appears to be super, except they mention a “lot of her love” as a nutrient. Hope that satisfies a dog’s appetite.
Well, we didn’t find what we were looking for. Asking the store clerks didn’t help either, they didn’t even know what I was talking about. But maybe that was because they really were busy discussing their weekend plans among themselves.
Before taking off, we stopped by at the treat corner. They now even carry Red Barn treats. I’m telling you, it is the original ones, not the knock off Red Barn brand you find at the grocery market. No, these ones are authentic, I know, because they have the banderole. But we ended up not buying any. Why pay more than twice as much as I pay at our own store. And I am talking retail, not wholesale price. On our way out we grabbed a brochure on healthy pet feeding. In it they told us that there are two kinds of food, premium and non-premium and that puppies have different nutritional needs than adult and overweight dogs. All of this without much of further explanation.
So why am I telling you all this? The concept of pet super markets doesn’t sound to be such a smart deal for the consumer after all. Think about it: The food and the treats you buy there are mostly not of the greatest quality and many certainly don’t deserve a classification as being really healthy. The high quality items they carry are outrageously overpriced. This is by the way similar to what I see at the supersized on-line stores as well. Customer service leaves a lot of questions unanswered and if you are looking for educational and professional background support, you are on your own.
Well, we didn’t find what we were looking for. Asking the store clerks didn’t help either, they didn’t even know what I was talking about. But maybe that was because they really were busy discussing their weekend plans among themselves.
Before taking off, we stopped by at the treat corner. They now even carry Red Barn treats. I’m telling you, it is the original ones, not the knock off Red Barn brand you find at the grocery market. No, these ones are authentic, I know, because they have the banderole. But we ended up not buying any. Why pay more than twice as much as I pay at our own store. And I am talking retail, not wholesale price. On our way out we grabbed a brochure on healthy pet feeding. In it they told us that there are two kinds of food, premium and non-premium and that puppies have different nutritional needs than adult and overweight dogs. All of this without much of further explanation.
So why am I telling you all this? The concept of pet super markets doesn’t sound to be such a smart deal for the consumer after all. Think about it: The food and the treats you buy there are mostly not of the greatest quality and many certainly don’t deserve a classification as being really healthy. The high quality items they carry are outrageously overpriced. This is by the way similar to what I see at the supersized on-line stores as well. Customer service leaves a lot of questions unanswered and if you are looking for educational and professional background support, you are on your own.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Hear me now, believe me later
John Cox of the Bakersfield Californian wrote this last weekend an article titled “Pet owners face tough decisions as medical advances increase vet bills”. In it he is reporting of a Bakersfield couple and their visit with their middle age dog to the animal hospital. Unfortunately they were facing the grim news that cancer had spread through the dog’s lymph nodes. The good news was that there is cure. The attending vet told them that the disease can be treated with chemotherapy. The bad news is that the treatment costs several hundred dollars a month. And the couple, not being able to afford the expense, had to decide that their dog has to go on a treatment regimen simply to relieve his pain, but not to cure the problem. I feel bad and sorry for all of them, dog as well as the owners.
In general, it all comes back to the same good and bad news. According to Cox’ research, advances in veterinary medicine these days are making a lot more options available to extend the lives of our ill companion animals. It’s just that the costs are extremely high. A cat kidney transplant or a dual dog hip replacement can cost easy $10,000. This makes it a lot tougher on pet owners to decide whether or not they want to proceed. “It’s different than people medicine” said the Bakersfield couple’s vet. “Since very few people have health insurance for their pets, we have to be a bit more realistic in veterinary medicine about the fiscal aspects of it.”
Cox further found that this kind of drama is a regular occurrence around Bakersfield, where many veterinary practices are investing in high tech equipment, like for instance digital radiology and ultrasound machines. Another reason for the high expenses is the hiring highly paid specialists in the area of advanced veterinary procedures.
Spending on veterinary care has been rising. The about almost half of 50,000 Americans surveyed in 2006, who considered their pets being part of their family rather than thinking of them as companion animals, shelled out $24.5 Billion for vet care already back in 06, an increase of 13+% over 2001. More updated numbers don’t seem to be available yet. As one vet put it: “People’s willingness to do almost anything for their pets has pushed our (the vet’s) profession ever closer to human medicine. Thirty years ago it was a choice between euthanasia and a week of penicillin. Today its way different from that.”
Nontraditional medicine is crossing over as well. Acupuncture ($65 for 15 minutes) to treat arthritis and cancer side effects or herbal medicine for cats and dogs are nothing new any more these days.
But in these tough economic times it is also a fact that “people are doing the basic necessities rather than going and spending money on extras.”
Here’s my take: I feel sorry for anybody who has an ill pet and can’t afford the right treatment. I think its great that we have all this advanced technology available to us. However, what does it do us good if we simply can’t afford it? I want to take this a little further. When the one vet talked about what was going on 30 years ago, he also should have mentioned that back then pets and owners were not facing so many diseases in such large numbers. Today the number of pets plagued with diseases is of epidemic proportions. 30 years ago there where no 60+% pets suffering from diabetes, or cancer, or kidney disease or obesity or you name them all, there is simply no more disease around, which does not apply to more than half of all existing companion animals. And 30 years before that there were even less. Those of you who know me, probably know were I am going with this. Right, there was no commercially mass produced pet food available. That’s the root of all the problems we are facing today. That’s were we should start making an effort towards healthier pets. To me it is amazing how many pet owners are still buying the 50 lbs bag of garbage for 25 bucks at the mass merchant or the grocery store. Saving with this short sight does not pay off. It will cost them dearly in the long run, as we have just seen here. But some people just never seem to learn. And then, when it’s too late (like the one woman said in the local paper’s pet corner the other day: “I know I was feeding him (her dog) the wrong food all this last 8 years, but now it’s too late. Please help me, what can I do?”) the pain is big and the crying starts. Somehow I just don’t understand. Especially not because there is so much information available to us these days on healthy and correct feeding. I am just afraid that we may end up like 30 years ago, with a lot more euthanasia.
In general, it all comes back to the same good and bad news. According to Cox’ research, advances in veterinary medicine these days are making a lot more options available to extend the lives of our ill companion animals. It’s just that the costs are extremely high. A cat kidney transplant or a dual dog hip replacement can cost easy $10,000. This makes it a lot tougher on pet owners to decide whether or not they want to proceed. “It’s different than people medicine” said the Bakersfield couple’s vet. “Since very few people have health insurance for their pets, we have to be a bit more realistic in veterinary medicine about the fiscal aspects of it.”
Cox further found that this kind of drama is a regular occurrence around Bakersfield, where many veterinary practices are investing in high tech equipment, like for instance digital radiology and ultrasound machines. Another reason for the high expenses is the hiring highly paid specialists in the area of advanced veterinary procedures.
Spending on veterinary care has been rising. The about almost half of 50,000 Americans surveyed in 2006, who considered their pets being part of their family rather than thinking of them as companion animals, shelled out $24.5 Billion for vet care already back in 06, an increase of 13+% over 2001. More updated numbers don’t seem to be available yet. As one vet put it: “People’s willingness to do almost anything for their pets has pushed our (the vet’s) profession ever closer to human medicine. Thirty years ago it was a choice between euthanasia and a week of penicillin. Today its way different from that.”
Nontraditional medicine is crossing over as well. Acupuncture ($65 for 15 minutes) to treat arthritis and cancer side effects or herbal medicine for cats and dogs are nothing new any more these days.
But in these tough economic times it is also a fact that “people are doing the basic necessities rather than going and spending money on extras.”
Here’s my take: I feel sorry for anybody who has an ill pet and can’t afford the right treatment. I think its great that we have all this advanced technology available to us. However, what does it do us good if we simply can’t afford it? I want to take this a little further. When the one vet talked about what was going on 30 years ago, he also should have mentioned that back then pets and owners were not facing so many diseases in such large numbers. Today the number of pets plagued with diseases is of epidemic proportions. 30 years ago there where no 60+% pets suffering from diabetes, or cancer, or kidney disease or obesity or you name them all, there is simply no more disease around, which does not apply to more than half of all existing companion animals. And 30 years before that there were even less. Those of you who know me, probably know were I am going with this. Right, there was no commercially mass produced pet food available. That’s the root of all the problems we are facing today. That’s were we should start making an effort towards healthier pets. To me it is amazing how many pet owners are still buying the 50 lbs bag of garbage for 25 bucks at the mass merchant or the grocery store. Saving with this short sight does not pay off. It will cost them dearly in the long run, as we have just seen here. But some people just never seem to learn. And then, when it’s too late (like the one woman said in the local paper’s pet corner the other day: “I know I was feeding him (her dog) the wrong food all this last 8 years, but now it’s too late. Please help me, what can I do?”) the pain is big and the crying starts. Somehow I just don’t understand. Especially not because there is so much information available to us these days on healthy and correct feeding. I am just afraid that we may end up like 30 years ago, with a lot more euthanasia.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
And just for how much longer is this going to go on?
A week ago we visited one of these big pet stores here in town. Just doing our regular thing, checking out the competition. What they offer, how they price stuff, etc., business as usual trying to stay competitive. I think there is nothing wrong with doing that and am sure that my competitors do the same in our store. Well, entering the place, we where immediately overwhelmed: They just must have gotten truckloads of dry pet food. It was difficult to see all the other items the store has to offer. The only other thing we saw a great deal of was employees. About 10 of them were standing around and chatting, Two were sweeping the floor, they were actually the only ones proving helpful when asked questions. Just wondering, how do so many employees impact the overhead and actual product prices? Those prices are supposed to be so much less than everywhere else. Well, next time you’re in one of those stores, check again and see for yourself. Just another myth.
Coming back to the food: All new commercial dry foods from well known labels. Now they all are natural, healthy and yes, the newest gag: Green. As far as the eye could see, pure health, the pets are going to be so happy. Or are they? A closer look at the labels reveals that actually extremely little has changed. Ingredients are still subject to the widely flexible rules and regulations which allow the largest manufacturers the generous use of quality and cost lowering synthesized chemicals. My point is, why bother guys? Slapping on a new label and a cuter picture just doesn’t cut it. Ok, I admit, there was another change: One of the employees at the food manufacturer’s plant, while eating breakfast was careless and one of his blueberries fell into the big 20 ton raw ingredient washer. So it ended up on the ingredient listing and the food, as the beautiful picture on the bag.shows, its rich in Vitamins and antioxidants. Sorry, almost forgot to mention that.
My point is, iIf you pretend you’re “Green” amd "Healthy" then live it by doing, don’t just say it. Being green is more than using a recycled, biodegradable paper bag, it must include the well being of our companion animals. I can’t help it, I just don’t see any “Green” in a chemical synthesizer. And how long can a manufacturer camouflage his food with a new package every time he’s involved in a recall, which is in one particular case about every 3 months? How long are consumers going to support this? How many recalls, how many suffering animals do we need to witness before things change? But the only player who can change this once and forever is ultimately a consumer refusing to buy product because it’s, excuse me but its true, little more than garbage.
I also noticed that some smaller manufacturers are trying to break into this high volume market. I am talking about the labels, which until now had and still have a great reputation for offering real, actual healthy food with the right ingredients and the right concept behind it. These guys utilizing this distribution arm really worries me. How long is it going to take until these so far great products are going to be watered down and becoming just another no-good premium pet food because of sheer competitive pressures? You know it’s going to happen, the big market players are going to buy tons of product, driving the small manufacturer into a dependency and then dictate how food has to be made and how much they are going to pay. And the number of companies making high quality healthy food decreases more and more, leaving the health conscious pet owner with a very few choices. But that would be simplifying our lives and after all wouldn’t be too bad either.
Coming back to the food: All new commercial dry foods from well known labels. Now they all are natural, healthy and yes, the newest gag: Green. As far as the eye could see, pure health, the pets are going to be so happy. Or are they? A closer look at the labels reveals that actually extremely little has changed. Ingredients are still subject to the widely flexible rules and regulations which allow the largest manufacturers the generous use of quality and cost lowering synthesized chemicals. My point is, why bother guys? Slapping on a new label and a cuter picture just doesn’t cut it. Ok, I admit, there was another change: One of the employees at the food manufacturer’s plant, while eating breakfast was careless and one of his blueberries fell into the big 20 ton raw ingredient washer. So it ended up on the ingredient listing and the food, as the beautiful picture on the bag.shows, its rich in Vitamins and antioxidants. Sorry, almost forgot to mention that.
My point is, iIf you pretend you’re “Green” amd "Healthy" then live it by doing, don’t just say it. Being green is more than using a recycled, biodegradable paper bag, it must include the well being of our companion animals. I can’t help it, I just don’t see any “Green” in a chemical synthesizer. And how long can a manufacturer camouflage his food with a new package every time he’s involved in a recall, which is in one particular case about every 3 months? How long are consumers going to support this? How many recalls, how many suffering animals do we need to witness before things change? But the only player who can change this once and forever is ultimately a consumer refusing to buy product because it’s, excuse me but its true, little more than garbage.
I also noticed that some smaller manufacturers are trying to break into this high volume market. I am talking about the labels, which until now had and still have a great reputation for offering real, actual healthy food with the right ingredients and the right concept behind it. These guys utilizing this distribution arm really worries me. How long is it going to take until these so far great products are going to be watered down and becoming just another no-good premium pet food because of sheer competitive pressures? You know it’s going to happen, the big market players are going to buy tons of product, driving the small manufacturer into a dependency and then dictate how food has to be made and how much they are going to pay. And the number of companies making high quality healthy food decreases more and more, leaving the health conscious pet owner with a very few choices. But that would be simplifying our lives and after all wouldn’t be too bad either.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
