Why does my Vet not talk about DIET?

Why does my vet not talk about diet?​
 

This is a very good question to ask. The short answer is that most vets haven't been trained to help you in the proper area, which is the subject of nutrition and what you should feed your dog. 

 

This is a sensitive issue that is guaranteed to offend some people, particularly those in the profession and for those that place all of their trust in their vet's hands. Nevertheless, for the sake of your dog’s health, the subject must be addressed. Should people fully trust the nutritional advice dispensed by their vets?

 

Most veterinarians are highly qualified individuals and are good caring people that want to help your pet; however, their qualifications and training are for surgery, conventional disease diagnosis and treatment, and conventional drug prescription, NOT for nutrition (although holistic Vets are more aware of the importance of fresh raw foods in keeping animals healthy).  

 

When your dog is suffering from a condition that is caused by poor nutrition, how helpful is your vet going to be?

 

Veterinarians receive very little nutritional training in school. The training they do receive is often advocated by or even administered by the pet food companies. Vets nutritional training comes from the incorrect view that dogs can safely be maintained on a grain-based diet that is overly processed, all cooked and filled with cheap ingredients and synthetic chemicals masquerading as nutrients.  How well do you think YOUR body would do on this type of diet?  

 

These commercial dog foods are recommended even when scientific research has proven that dogs do not thrive long term on these types of diets.  Perhaps that is why pets today are soft, doughy, and suffering from a variety of ailments linked to grain-rich, processed food (cancer, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, seizures, liver problems, bladder problems etc.)  – virtually every degenerative disease.

 

Veterinarians are invariably linked to the commercial pet food industry. They advocate and even market commercial foods, receiving substantial revenue and kickbacks. The pet food companies make sure of this by promoting programs in the universities and by giving FREE FOOD to the up-and-coming vets to sell in their practices. For example, Colgate-Palmolive, the company that manufactures Hill's Science Diet, spends

 

"...hundreds of thousands of dollars a year funding university research and nutrition courses at every one of the 27 US veterinary colleges. Once in practice, Vets who sell Science Diet and other premium foods directly pocket profits of as much as 40%" (Parker-Pope, T. 1997. For You, My Pet. The Wall Street Journal. 3 November 1997. In Lonsdale, T. 2001. Raw Meaty Bones. p266).

 

The Veterinary profession is tied closely with commercial pet food companies at every turn. A tour of veterinary teaching hospitals or vet clinics shows equipment, products, and posters sponsored by and endorsing commercial foods and pharmaceutical companies. Due to this influence, vets are hardly in a position to offer sound nutritional advice.

 

But the biggest blame is due in large part to the great lack in the education the universities have administered to them! Nothing but commercial pet food dogma is being repeated in university after university after university; these are institutions of higher learning where people are supposed to be thinking critically and evaluating things analytically, yet in reality are being told to shut off their common sense and ignore the overwhelming amount of evidence against commercial pet foods.

 

" Michigan State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine recently presented the 2004 Partnership Award to Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc.

 

"The award recognizes the working relationship between the MSU Vet School and Hill's."

 

"Hill's provides financial and educational support to nearly every veterinary college in North America, as well as to veterinary students attending those institutions. This commitment to the profession includes Hill's sponsored teaching programs, residencies and faculty programs in veterinary schools and teaching hospitals all over the world."

 

Hills's Pet Nutrition Inc. is the parent company of Science Diet brand dog foods.

 

Let me stress once again - your vet is a good person. But simply put, most vets are not educated on proper nutrition, just like your doctor is likely not.  What do you do when your dog has a condition that is directly tied to a lack of proper nutrition like a liver shunt, poor liver health, bladder stones, bladder infections, pancreatitis, kidney problems, diabetes, Cushing's or Addison's Disease etc – the list is almost endless? 

 

Is the taking of medications going to allow your dog’s body to heal these conditions on the cellular level and create a lifetime of health OR are the medications just taking their symptoms away?​​​​​

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There may be a different way to better health - please request a FREE CONSULTATION.