Canine species in the wild fast often.  Even when food is readily available wild canines will abstain from eating if they are ill.  Our first reaction might be "shouldn't they eat to keep their strength up?"  No, quite the opposite actually.  The process of digesting food uses up a lot of energy from the body.  When illness or injury strikes, fasting is a way to allow the body to concentrate on the healing process rather than on digestion.

Fasting can be employed to improve health in the following ways:

• Breaks down and gets rid of wastes that have accumulated in the organs and fatty tissues

• Clears infections
• Decreases inflammatory molecules in many different cell types (inflammation underlies many degenerative diseases).
  
• Repairs overworked cells, glands and organs

Your dog will not withhold their love for you if you withhold their food occasionally! It is not a cruel punishment, but a very health promoting practice.  In most cases dogs can safely be fasted one day a week.  Be sure to have plenty of fresh clean water available to help with the clearing of waste from the body.

Puppies should not be fasted, and if your dog is ill please consult with a professional before fasting them.  Cats should never be fasted.

No inappropriate grains, more meat, and still convenient.  Sound good?

Let’s take a closer look.  Grain free kibble came about once consumers realized that the high amounts of corn, wheat and soy in pet foods weren’t really appropriate for their pets and were being used as cheap fillers.  Pet owners began purchasing kibble or other foods that contained fewer grains.  Trying to keep hold of their market share, many pet food companies came out with grain free products.  This type of kibble is often marketed as a biologically appropriate and a comparable alternative to a raw diet.  But is that the truth or just marketing hype?

Instead of corn, wheat, barley, oats and rice now we have the option of “grain free” kibble with potato, peas, and tapioca but these are all still carbohydrates, they just aren’t derived from grains.  When processing kibble, carbohydrates are needed in order to get the ingredients to stick together into a pellet.  Carbohydrates in one form or another is here to stay in kibble foods.

Early in September of 2012 the American Veterinary Medical Association announced a policy about raw/undercooked animal source protien diets for companion animals (aka a raw diet).  In this policy the AVMA discourages feeding raw animal products because of "the risk of illness to cats and dogs as well as humans".

The policy names several pathogenic organisms that can be found on raw animal-source protien: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium, E. coli, etc.  However, the policy fails to mention some other key information.  Both cats and dogs have an enzyme present in their saliva called lysozyme which neutralizes bacteria and pathogens that is found on raw meat.  The digestive tract is also highly acidic taking care of any pathogens that manage to make it that far.

What about the recent outbreak of Salmonella due to contaminated dry pet food?  49 people across North America were reported as becoming ill from exposure to their pet's packaged dry kibble.  I don't recall every hearing about any humans being affected by salmonella due to feeding their pet raw food.  Common sense would indicate using safe cleaning procedures when preparing raw food for pets, similar to handling raw meat in preparation for our own meals.

The AVMA mission as stated on its website "is to improve animal and human health and advance the veterinary medical profession". How does this policy support their mission statement when they do not include the risks associated with dry pet foods?  Recall after recall continues to be issued for kibble.  Does the AVMA truly have the best interests of animals in mind or is it a case of wanting to maintain the funding that comes to them by way of the corporate pet food companies?

All in all this policy will have little impact on pet owners who are feeding their pets raw food.

It does appear that the AVMA is compromising the integrity and value of their organization for the continued support of their coprorate sponsorships.  Not a move that is going to gain them any credibility with consumers.