How Do Our Perceptions Lead Us?

Rizzy, sleeping at the Receptionists desk.

"To change ourselves effectively we first had to change our perceptions." Stephen R Covey.

We all have a foundation of belief that motivates us to move in a certain direction. As we move down that path the question becomes; How does our perception influence our belief? If the foundation is a belief is the rest of the road determined by perception?

I had a long talk with a rescue advocate today. We were talking about joining forces to help each other with the common goal of helping pets.

After a long conversation it seemed to me that she was trying to assess where I stood on many "hot animal topics." She is obviously dedicated to helping rescue pets (a subject very near and dear to my heart), and understanding how her efforts to address their challenges, needs, and problems can be resolved. She was also asking me about my perceived role in doing the same. Seems like a reasonable question. Vets have the answers to so many pet problems, So why wouldn't vets be doing more to help alleviate them?

The questions seemed to center around utilizing veterinarians to provide more for less. Hence, bridging the gap between need and availability. They included questions about; Why are we charging perceived high prices (example $15 for a nail trim)  for what we do? If we gave our services away, or charged less, the services and goods would help more people and save more pets. A simple marriage of ethical obligation and economics.

So, how did her perception of where the help is needed become a query into how vets can do more for less?

It got me to thinking? DO people think that vets are the source? Or even a part of the pet,,,,whatever,,,problem?

I  suppose people do.

Her litmus test for me, as a way to seek out my intentions and beliefs revolved around two questions.

Question Number 1. "How do I feel about vaccinations? Because veterinarians use yearly vaccines as a way to get people into the office AND because we over vaccinate."

Was I offended by the question? No, I wasn't at all surprised by it. It is a commonly held perception.

"At my clinic we use a three year distemper combo vaccine, and a three year rabies after the first year." That's my official answer. I gave her what she wanted to hear..but it isn't the whole truth.

Perception vs Reality Statement Number 1

Why don't other veterinarians use three year vaccines? Because I think that they believe that most people won't come back for their annual physical examination unless their pet also needs a vaccine.

For this reason there are veterinary practices now offering "Free for life vaccines." How is the perception different from the reality? Well, I believe that the most important part of bringing your pet to the vet is in the conversation that you have with me, and the things that your pet tells me. It is in the yearly examination,,not the vaccines. How do you get the most value out of your pets yearly exam, regardless of the vaccines needed? The primary care giver(s) should go with the pet. For some pets the examinations should even be more often then yearly. For young (1-6 months old) and older pets (cats and small dogs at age 8, large dogs age 5) I recommend an examination every 6 months.

The answer was given to address her underlying question, and still the perception is not wholly reality. How do I address the belief that the people won't come back? I recommend Lyme, Leptospirosis, and kennel cough vaccines be given yearly (the interval they are good for). For cats we stagger the 3 year vaccines..so that at least two out of every three years we see them..and I beg for the other. Do we over vaccinate pets? Yes, we probably do. That's why titers are a great option. But the problem with running a vaccine titer is that they are about three times as expensive as vaccinating. Ask me what's better for your pet. I will give you a list an arm lengths long. But it will be tailored to your pet. That's the value in my service and expertise.

And, sometimes, regardless of my deep seeded discontent in repeating this over and over, I still say, "I don't make any decisions based on money." Although should you ever be foolish enough to open your own business you SHOULD make decisions on what to do based on what is profitable. But for whatever reason it is not ethical to make decisions about running a business focused on pets based on profits..

I often want to remind those seeking free and discounted pet services, that I spent four years in high school and vet school getting A's so that I could get into vet school. It was decades of grueling, stressful sacrifice. And, after all of that I am asked and often expected to work for free, undermine my own business, and feel terrible guilty with every decision. It is not a profession any successful, business person who truly loves animals should ever venture into. There is a reason veterinary medicine is becoming corporately driven and owned. They can do it without guilt or remorse from a tower far, far away.

Bentley, here for his dental yesterday.

Question Number Two;
"How do I feel about RAW diets?"

Perception vs Reality Point number Two;

I am a scientifically trained doctor. If the evidence points to something as being inherently dangerous why are people still choosing to use it? There have been multiple statements made and published and still the public ignores this. Is it because they think we are paid by food companies? (See the AVMA policy below).

I use prescription food exactly the same way I use prescription drugs. Do I make money off of the drugs I sell and the food I sell? Yes. But I don't care where you buy them. You can buy your drugs from me, from the human pharmacy, and the same goes for food.

Do I think that some people believe that their pet benefits from a raw diet? Yes. But did they try other diets? Did they ever get a professional opinion? If you, or your child were ill would you go to the grocery store to get advice about what to feed them? Do you think that the untrained attendant at the grocery store isn't going to sell you a food that they don't carry? They are trained to sell only what they carry. I don't know of one person on a raw diet because an accredited veterinary expert recommended it. People really hate that answer, I know. Although I still don't understand why?

She then went on to regurgitate the same slanderous misleading jargon that I hear everyday from people with no business calling themselves an "expert" in anything..it is usually about "prescription diets being inferior because the label starts with"..., or "the benefits of grain free, holistic, all natural," etc. etc. Unfortunately, the public has been mislead into believing that the perceptions of good food companies, and good products are not reality. Worse yet, you all were lied to by other food companies..or people who are willing to risk you and your pets lives because they no longer trust "the establishment."

If you want advice about food see a nutritionist..and if you don't believe that we have your pets best interest in mind then we have failed you and your pet.. Every nutritionist that I know is only providing advice for one single thing..(like the rest of us in veterinary medicine),,  to help your pet. But be careful who lays your foundation of belief and who provides your perception of what is optimal for your pet..

Somewhere along the line the people who spent decades learning about how to help you take care of your pet lost their credibility and the advocates for pets became the outspoken but untrained.  A veterinarian spends years to earn their DVM. Then we spend many more to understand the big picture and how every single participant influences it. You can't do it with one dog, one case, and one perception.

My advice; If you need expert advice for your pet go to a medically trained certified veterinary professional. If you don't like that advice get a second opinion..and if you are looking for an answer that's not the answers you get then ask yourself why? And what your perception might be?

Skittles. Found on the side of the road.
The people who found her believed that she was blind and suffering.
They believed she should have been killed.
In fact, she is visual, happy, and will be just fine.
She is with us, and looking for a home.

Where is my reality fading from perception?

I believe that helping each other is group effort, and this infighting divides  us from our goal. And, I don't want to be a part of the problem as I try to be a part of the solution.

What do I believe is at the heart of her questions?

Trust.

That one simple word. It defines everything we do, are, and hope to become.


Related Articles;
The Raw Food Blog

Raw Pet Food AVMA Policy

Charlie.. Whose perception and reality are one in the same..
Magpie is going to school him about who is in charge.

I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

And if you have a pet question you can ask me, or any of the rest of us pet lovers, at Pawbly.com. Pawbly is an open platform to help people and their pets. It is always free to use.

Or find me at the clinic, Jarrettsville Vet, or on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.

And as always,
Always Be Kind..

AAHA and AVMA Raw Protein Statement

August 15, 2012 Volume 10 issue 32

FDA expands jerky investigation The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expanding its investigation of jerky treats to now include duck and sweet potato jerky treats. Read more Law prohibts animal cruelty offenders from working with animals A new bill signed into law in Massachusetts will prohibit anyone convicted of cruelty to animals from working with any animal, including in veterinary hospitals. Read more 49 human illnesses from Diamond recall According to a July 20 report from the global food safety blog eFoodAlert, the number of pets and humans sickened by a Diamond Pet Foods recall has continued to rise. Read more AAHA joins AVMA, passes raw protein statement Feeding a raw protein diet can endanger the health of both people and animals, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). AAHA plans to release a position statement discouraging pet owners from feeding raw protein diets later this week. The second major veterinary group to take a stand on raw protein diets in recent weeks, AAHA says it is doing so because it wants to strengthen the valued relationship between human and animal. "We value the relationships between our pets and their families – we want to strengthen the human-animal bond by keeping both pets and people as healthy as possible," said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, executive director of AAHA. AAHA joins the likes of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which passed a policy discouraging the feeding of raw protein diets at its yearly conference in San Diego in early August 2012. AAHA leaders say its statement on raw protein diets was actually developed and passed by its board of directors prior to the AVMA policy. According to AAHA, the statement was developed without any input or knowledge from the AVMA. The text of the AAHA statement emphasizes the danger of feeding pathogenic organisms to animals that may then shed those organisms through their stool, creating danger for both humans and animals that may come in contact with it. Read full article. . For the entire article please see the link below: http://trends.aahanet.org/VetNewsArticle.aspx?key=20d25a74-c446-4634-93c2-4a16a107ee81 What I find most interesting is the number of very angry, skeptical, and passioante Raw feeders who have posted comments to the ad. I will whole-heartedly attest to the fact that I am NOT paid by any company, I recieve no royalties, or compensation from anyone. I have no allegiance to AAHA, the AVMA, or anyone other than my clients and the well-being of every animal on our planet. I am not trying to sell commercial dog or cat food from any company but I am trying to educate people to help take better care of their pets. For more information on my blog about RAW diets please see;

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4667516629745731439#editor/target=post;postID=7301419632962055173

The Entire Raw Diet Nutrition Blog, (JIC anyone missed any of it)

Before I jump into today’s topic I wanted to start with a few side notes.

First, we spend a long semester in vet school on Nutrition. It is an incredibly vital and important part of proper pet care, and in many cases is the single most important decision clients make every day for their pets. It is a difficult and complex field of study. Many of my dedicated clients have very set opinions as to what they are feeding. At every appointment I make it a point to ask what the clients are feeding their pets? And I say about a hundred times a day, “You are what you eat, and you get what you pay for.” This holds for humans, dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc., etc. We are all a flesh and bone picture of the food we eat, the exercise we get, the environment we live in, and the genetics we inherit. Most of us can do little to change the genetics our parents gave us, and most of us don’t have the ability to move from our environment easily. So that leaves us with getting our butts off of the couch and eating right.

Second, I think most of us would seek the opinions and advice of an “expert” if we were diagnosed with a life-threatening, or life changing diagnosis. We would likely seek the advice of an expert in oncology if we were handed a scary diagnosis of cancer. If you were diagnosed with a terrible or rare brain tumor you would seek out the best brain tumor expert you could find. Why then do pet parents seek advice from the internet product sites, the TV, or as what I just encountered at the Pet Expo, people claiming to be “pet food experts” and now telling pet parents to buy “grain free”, “corn free”, “by-product free”, “single source”, “all-natural”, “wild game”, etc foods. I had so many people coming up to me at the Pet Expo because they had been told 2 aisles over that their commercially available pet food was “inferior because it had grain, corn, soy, wheat, by-product,” etc. in it. I told them to go back to the booth and send the food representative (along with their credentials) my way. There was a ton of misinformation being exchanged and a lot of confused people purchasing foods based on this.

The issue of food suggestions should be based on facts from the veterinary nutrition experts. Advice shouldn’t be given by those who are trying to sell you something.  And if you haven’t been told this before be careful of what you find on the internet and labels. There are some very creative and down-right deceptive wording and claims out there. Find an unbiased nutritionist, or ask your vet. And then please don’t disregard their advice. Sometimes your pets’ life does depend on it.

I applaud that so many of you are concerned about what you are feeding your pets. BIG accolades for thinking about nutrition as an important part of providing excellent pet care! Because it is! But I just spent all day at a veterinary nutrition lecture and I wanted to share some of the incredibly informative information that I learned.  

The lecture was given by Cailin Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVN. She is Asst. Professor of Nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She spoke at the Greater Baltimore Veterinary Medical Associations monthly meeting.

Her first topic was called “Myths and Misconceptions.” These are the food/nutrition topics that we Veterinarians hear day in and day out from our clients about the foods their pets eat. Many of these clients, with the very best of intentions to provide the very best care to their pets possible have been literally fed “tidbits of half truths.” These “tidbits of half truths” have become so prolific that many clients now unknowingly hold these “tidbits of truths” to be “facts” when in reality they have simply become misconceptions.

Here are her top 5 myths and misconceptions. (And p.s. based on my clinical experience, I agree with all of them).

1.       By-products are bad. The American Association of Feed Control Officials, (AAFCO) defines meat by-product as “the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone..and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.” Chicken by-products is defined as “ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.” Now let’s think about cats in the wild, or your own cat, if you let them go outside. They will hunt, and usually they will eat what they kill and then leave the parts they don’t like so much on your doorstep. They will likely eat the guts, they don’t like the head (doorstep offering), and they are not the filet only loving carnivores that we humans are. If we universally use the AAFCO definition then the “ground rendered clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken necks feet undeveloped eggs, feathers,” etc. are exactly the same parts that cats eat if they catch their prey. By-products are also the parts of the animals that we use in our food, and/or eat as our entrée. Many people, especially in other cultures across the globe, eat liver, intestines, necks, feet, gizzards, etc. If you truly wanted to feed your pet “a natural diet” then by-products like feet, intestines, and skin are included. Organ meats are considered a by-product and they are excellent source of vitamins and minerals. In an effort to not use the term “by-product” on their labels some companies are instead listing these organs separately; ex, “beef liver, kidney, tripe,” etc. So I would argue that term “by-product” is not “bad ingredient” or inferior food. But rather it is a vital part of not only our pets’ diet, but also many of our own. Any pet that lives on chicken breast alone will be deficient in calcium, vitamins and minerals.

2.       Bacteria in raw meat doesn’t make dogs or cats sick. There is a plethora of misinformation about raw diets. I don’t quite understand why people have become so crazed about raw diets? But I will openly admit that I have a few clients that are so bound to feeding raw that they refuse to listen to the advice of the people who are trained professionals in the field. Why do so many people seek and then follow the advice of their breeder over the advice of the veterinary nutritionists? I just don’t get it? All of the veterinary nutritionists that I know will all tell all of us that raw is equivalent to contaminated. Many studies have been done to prove this. A Consumer Reports investigation published in 2010 found that 2/3 of all chicken purchased in major grocery stores had Campylobacter and/or Salmonella. If you take care to properly cook and then clean up after you handle meats because you are worried about contamination and the diseases these can cause then you should not be feeding raw. We have great concerns over these raw fed pets that live in households where there are very young, old, cancer patients, immune-compromised patients, HIV positive people, etc. because these pets can shed bacteria from contaminated food they have been fed for up to 7 days. This is why many service or therapy dogs are not allowed to participate in community functions if they are fed a raw diet. It is safest to assume that all meat is contaminated. There is no evidence that washing meats will decrease the amount of contaminants found on them. Also a major study has proven that pet bowls that were used to feed raw foods remain contaminated despite all forms of cleaning. It is important to remember that there is no scientific evidence that raw diets have any benefits over commercially available diets. Moreover, there is significant evidence that raw meat diets and treats can cause significant harm to both pets ad their human companions. I would strongly discourage the feeding of raw food. It just isn’t worth the risk.

3.       Grains are bad for dogs and cats. Food manufacturers that sell “grain free” foods state this saying that grains cause allergies, obesity, other health problems, and that grains are not able to be digested by pets. Of the grains, corn is considered the most offensive. The truth according to veterinary nutritionists is that properly cooked grains are beneficial to pets because they provide protein, fat, vitamins, and fiber. The concept of corn causing allergies is used as evidence of “grain free” being beneficial and has caused a belief that corn causes allergies because it is used in many foods. But there is little evidence for corn being the true cause of the food allergy some pets suffer from. In the authors opinion she has not found these previously owner diagnosed “corn allergy pets” have not undergone a true hypo-allergenc food trial and re-challenge. The idea that grains cause other problems is also unsubstantiated because few dogs are truly allergic to corn. It is far more likely that they are allergic to one of the other protein sources in their food (i.e. beef, chicken, dairy).  Some of the “grain free” ads state that grains and sugars are bad and should therefore be avoided because they may raise the glycemic index . In an effort to market their food as “grain free” these manufactures have substituted potato or tapioca for the grains that would otherwise be used. Typically these diets use similar amounts of these simple carbohydrates. These simple sugars actually have a higher glycemic index and lack many of the important vitamins and minerals found in whole grains. Therefore, we would argue that substituting a simple sugar for a whole grain is not better. The last statement that pets lack the necessary enzymes to break down grains is also incorrect. In truth they do not lack these enzymes. They do have different numbers of some of the enzymes to break down some foods, but they readily produce them when their bodies need them. For example, they produce enough amylase in their pancreas to break down grains.

4.       Flax is a good source of omega-3 Fatty acid. Omega-3’s are divided into short chain (ALA) and long chain (DHA and EPA). Short chains come from terrestrial plants, and long chains come from marine plants and fish. Most pets cannot convert a short chain into a long chain efficiently. Therefore saying that flax seed is equivalent to long chains is not accurate. I will profess that I supplement my dogs with Welactin (a Nutramax product) every day. I have found my dogs coats markedly improved and I think it has benefitted Savannah (my 16 yr old Beagle mix with liver issues) immensely. I do think that most of the diets that say they are supplemented with O3FA’s are not providing enough of the long chains to provide much benefit. On the flip side there is some concern about over supplementing. So use a reputable product as directed.

5.       Natural diets are better; to label as natural a food requires that they not use any synthetic compounds of any kind included. The author states, “The current definition of “natural” gives little information about ingredient or product quality as rotten meat or leather (to make an extreme point) would be defined as natural whereas synthetic taurine would make the diet “unnatural.” Many cats suffered from taurine deficiency until we figured out how to put a synthetic form into their food. Some commercially available diets are trying to appeal to our emotional side by using the terminology of “whole foods” to provide all of the required nutrients in their foods. Unfortunately this also presents several problems. First it is often very difficult to use a single source for their food. This can lead to large fluctuations on the vitamin and mineral contents of their ingredients. In an effort to use these whole foods the manufacturers have to add multiple foods and often cause an excess of nutrient while trying to meet the minimum requirements of another. These additional ingredients also increase the cost of the food and make the already difficult task of trying to identify a food allergy more complicated. “The use of synthetic vitamins and minerals, despite their chemical sounding names, should not be a cause of concern,” writes the author. “In fact,  inclusion of these supplements increases the likelihood that the diet will provide all of the essential nutrients required for a particular life stage.”

She also added a few tidbits of great nutritional information;

Chicken jerky comes from China bc they don’t prefer chicken breast meat. They, like our feline friends, like the organ meats, and other parts.

Supplements; we vets should always ask what the owners are feeding. Ask specifically how many?, what type?, any human supplements?, ie herbs. There are concerns with some being in excess or even being harmful to our pets.

No adult foods for puppies and kittens.

Free feeding is difficult for pets to maintain a good weight

Home cooked diets; The author has cooked hundreds and hundreds over the years, very few of them met the nutritional requirements needed for pets.  Petdiets.com is a paid for veterinary nutritional service for assisting clients with making a diet specifically for their pet. It will cost you about $250 dollars and provide you with a wealth of information designed specifically

Switch to adult food when the dog has reached its adult size. This for a small breed dog is at 6 months, for a large breed dog it is about 9-11 months, and for a giant breed it is about 14-16 months. So the advice is to stay on a breed specific puppy diet until they are done growing, so longer for larger breeds, and shorter for smaller breeds.

Many “all stages” diets are too high in calcium for puppy foods.

No home cooking until the puppy is 12 months old! Because nutrients are missing! All need a calcium source, all need a human multivitamin addition, and the products that say “great for home cooked diets” are not!

It is very hard to make a vegan diet for dogs, pretty much impossible for cats.

The author has seen severe bone loss secondary to home cooked diets.

Raw diets no benefit, commercial raw diets, no benefit, poorer balanced diets. Substantial risks. There is professional liability if we recommend a raw diet and we should be advising against raw diets we should be providing legal documentation stating the owner assumes risk and has been advised not to do so.

For a puppy or kitten one day of not eating is critical. Get help now. For an adult pet you have 2-4 weeks of a new diet, then it is time to get back to a commercially available food.

For more help on diets please see;

See a boarded veterinary nutritionist for difficult cases, or owners with a lot of questions can go to www.Balanceit.com