FDA seeks to minimize Salmonella illness in pets

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into ways to minimize the incidence of foodborne illness associated with pet food and treats.

“Ultimately, we’re hoping to learn ways FDA can help minimize the incidence of foodborne illness associated with pet foods and treats,” says Renate Reimschuessel, veterinarian, research biologist and head of the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network.

Over the past two years, 11 labs with which the FDA partners have focused on Salmonellainfections in dogs and cats. Each lab collected stool samples from dogs and cats with signs of salmonellosis and compared the samples with a control group. The study also asked pet owners questions about their pets.

Of 3,000 pets tested, less than 100 tested positive for Salmonella.

“Pet owners should know, though, that almost half of the dogs that tested positive for Salmonellashowed no symptoms,” Reimschuessel said.

FDA is offering ways pet owners can minimize the spread of illness in the event that pet food and treats may be contaminated:

• Avoid buying pet food in dented cans or with damaged packaging.
• Feed your pets in a location that can be easily cleaned and sanitized.
• Wash countertops, tables, or any surfaces compromised when pet foods have come into contact with them.
• Earmark some utensils for use only with pet foods.
• Wash hands carefully after handling pet foods.
• Keep dry pet foods in a cool, dry place and sealed in a container to prevent spoilage.
• No matter how you store your pet food, keep the original packaging which contains data such as the manufacturer’s contact information, lot code, and UPC number. These facts can be useful if a pet food is a suspected source of illness and an investigation is under way.

Humans, pets united under ‘one health’ concept

A large and growing majority of U.S. pet owners consider their pets to be part of the family, and this human-animal bond is one of the most important factors behind pet owners' willingness to spend generously on pet products and services, according to Packaged Facts, a market research publisher with a diverse catalog of reports on pet products and services.
Part of the reason pet owners are spending more on their companions is because not only do they increasingly view their pets as family, but research indicates that an investment in their pets is also in many ways an investment in themselves. It's a concept that some experts in the medical industry refer to as "one health," or the idea that human health is connected to animal health and the environment.
According to Packaged Facts' Pet Owner Survey data from January 2015, three out of four dogs owners report being healthier and happier because of their canine companions: 38% strongly agree and 36% somewhat agree that their dogs have a positive impact on their physical health, and 44% strongly agree and 36% somewhat agree that their dogs have a positive impact on their mental health. The ratings for cat ownership are nearly as high: 34% of cat owners strongly agree and 31% somewhat agree that their cats have a positive impact on their physical health, and 41% strongly agree and 33% somewhat agree that their cats have a positive impact on their mental health.
There are several examples over the past several years that point to the blurring lines between products designed for humans and those designed for pets. The shift extends not only to retail products such as human grade pet food, but also to the veterinary segment.
For example, highly regarded Johns Hopkins University recently opened the Center for Image-Guided Animal Therapy. The new center allows Johns Hopkins to provide pets with many of the same advanced equipment and procedures that benefit humans, including imaging tools to diagnose pets and services involving image-guided biopsies and minimally invasive procedures. John Hopkins, renowned for its contributions to human medicine and unaffiliated with any veterinary schools, can now assist various veterinarians from outside practices who need to bring dogs, cats, and more exotic pet patients to the university for advanced diagnostic scans and therapies. The cost for these imaging procedures is no small sum for pet owners, yet it's no surprise that so many pet owners are willing to foot the bill, especially considering that spending on veterinary services overall has been on the uptick.
In the soon-to-be-released report, “U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2015-2016,” Packaged Facts estimates that the veterinary services segment (including pet products sold through the channel) is the pet industry's second largest, with US$23 billion in revenue in 2014, up 5%. Solid growth is expected for the future, and the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the veterinary services segment from 2014-19 is projected to be 5%.

Purina develops petfood focusing on cognitive health

To help pets sustain healthy brain function into their later years, Nestlé Purina has developed a nutritional blend of key ingredients that specifically target risk factors linked to brain aging, according to the company. The new blend, developed by Purina scientists, consists of key ingredients such as fish oil, B vitamins, antioxidants and the essential amino acid arginine. The nutritional breakthrough can help maintain cognitive functions, such as memory, social interaction and learning abilities, says Purina.
In a recent survey conducted by Purina, 54% of dog owners aren't aware that physical changes in dogs can be related to cognitive issues. But 45% of dog owners have noticed their dogs slowing down mentally as they get older. More than four in 10 dogs in the US are older than seven years, and nutrition can help maintain healthy brain function, says the company.

Mars Petcare, WikiVet partner to improve online veterinary encyclopedia

WikiVet and Mars Petcare have announced a collaboration that aims to improve the quality and reach of reference materials freely available online to veterinary students, practicing veterinarians and vet nurses through WikiVet’s veterinary encyclopedia. The collaboration will develop high-quality training and reference materials on certain areas of preventative healthcare to increase awareness and complement the growing vet school curriculum in this area, according to the partners.
“Preventive healthcare for pets is a shared passion for both Mars Petcare and WikiVet," said Dr. Stephen Harris, research manager, oral care, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare. "It can greatly improve the quality and length of a pet’s life by reducing the risk of developing serious, costly and sometimes fatal diseases. We are excited to combine our deep expertise in the health and well-being of pets with WikiVet’s dynamic site to drive greater awareness of this important subject.”
The first WikiVet online materials focus on cat and dog dentistry. The module features resources developed in partnership with the specialist veterinary dentist Lisa Milella (BVSc DipEVDC MRCVS), and endorsed by Waltham.
“There is a gap in understanding about the importance of dental care and oral hygiene as a form of preventative healthcare,” said Nick Short, head of the eMedia Unit, Royal Veterinary College. “By collaborating with Mars Petcare and Lisa Milella to develop these comprehensive resources, we aim to raise awareness amongst veterinary students, nurses and the wider profession of best evidence-based practice in dental care. We hope that this will have a positive impact on the support that the profession can offer owners to improve their pets’ health and well-being.”
The WikiVet Cat and Dog Dentistry chapter is freely available online to all users of WikiVet.

Hill's Science Diet offers social community for pet healthy living

Hill's Pet Nutrition and its brand Science Diet offer 10 Week Turnaround, a social community for pet owners who want to "bond with their pet through a healthy, active lifestyle," according to organizers. By joining and participating, pet owners will receive access to Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight, and the chance to win part of over US$15,000 in prizes, plus free food for a year to one dog and one cat.

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Other benefits of the program include bi-weekly gift card giveaways for participating advocates, exclusive access to Hill's content including launches, infographics and more, and recognition for top advocate content across Hill's social channels.

Waltham nutrition symposium addresses health concerns shared by humans, pets

Attendees of the Waltham International Nutritional Sciences Symposium, held October 1-4 in Portland, Ore., learned about about the "link" between issues relating to what humans eat and concerns over what pets eat from Dr. Karyl Hurley, director of Global Scientific Affairs for Mars Petcare, which helped organize the event. The symposium drew food scientists from academia on both the human and animal side, veterinary nutritionists, representatives from petfood companies and leaders in veterinary medicine from 24 countries.
According to Theresa Nicklas, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA, one example of a dietary issue that affects both people and pets is obesity, which is called an "epidemic in many nations around the world, especially among children." Nicklas described various parental styles, some now thought to be significant factors in explaining the rise in overweight and obese children.
Dr. Alex German, of the University of Liverpool in England, suggested that while lifestyle, such as a lack of exercise, has been examined as an explanation for weight gain in pets, "parental" style may also play a important roll. As in people, indulgent or authoritative pet "parents" may unintentionally encourage weight gain in their animals. "If veterinarians can predict (pet owner) parental style, perhaps they can more effectively prevent obesity," German said.
Another topic discussed at symposium relating to people and pets is the diminishing of traditional protein sources, such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey. "In short, the issue is sustainability," said Dr. Kelly Swanson, an associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois.
Increasingly, less land is available for raising animals for food production, while simultaneously human populations are rising around the world, she said. Many speakers suggested that the future for people and pets may include alternative protein sources. 
One solution may be insects, according to Dr. Guido Bosch, a researcher at Wageningen University in The Netherlands. Comparing various bugs, he said mealworms are the highest in fat (among insects tested) and protein.

Italian pet owners feed most table scraps, treats to pets, survey finds

In a recent survey of nearly 1,300 Italians that asked whether they thought their pets were overweight, 29 percent agreed that their pet was overweight, according to a report commissioned by Hill's petfood company and the survey conducted by UK-based market research company YouGov.  
The survey further found that 26 percent of Italian pet owners said they feed their pet leftovers and snacks. This is compared to previous surveys conducted in the Netherlands and Great Britain, where just 8 percent and 13 percent of pet owners, respectively, fed their pet snacks and leftovers. Overall, it is estimated that overweight and obese pets in Italy could account for up to 95 percent of cats and 63 percent of dogs. 

Petfood brand owner Dr. Tim Hunt brings vet care to rural Alaska, USA

Dr. Tim Hunt of Dr. Tim's petfood brand is heading to Alaska, USA, in June to bring medical care to pets of impoverished residents of rural villages. 
Hunt will offer pet spays, neuters and vaccinations at "an affordable rate" during the 11-day trip.
"We were able to get a USDA grant plus a little help from the Native Rural Cooperative to start a volunteer vet program," Hunt said. "Many of these communities have no vet care. Rarely does anyone service these interior villages. There's a definite need for vet care in these poor communities. People rely on someone coming through to help. One person used to do this, but no one does any more."
Hunt is hoping to spay and neuter 20 to 30 animals daily. He says many of the families who will bring their pets in have not been able to have the cats and dogs seen by a veterinarian before.
"I think this is going to be an eye-opening experience," Hunt said. "It's a big deal to get into these situations and realize how good we have it here."

Former P&G executive to launch super premium pet food company

A former Procter & Gamble executive is getting ready to launch his own super premium pet food company, Petbrosia.
Keith Johnson, who recently retired from pet food maker Procter & Gamble after 18 years, will begin taking orders for pet food shipments on March 1 via Petbrosia.com, which will offer a pet food formula customized for individual pets and delivered directly to consumers. The company uses proprietary algorithms to determine nutritional needs of individual pets based on factors such as breed, age, weight and medical conditions provided by their owners.
“We’re taking a lot of guesswork out of the equation for the consumer,” Johnson said. “People have a higher understanding of health, they’re doing more for their pets, and they understand that one-size-fits-all does not work.”
Johnson started by making product through contract manufacturers and has not yet decided on a location for the company when it begins adding its own pet food production operations. Johnson projects Petbrosia's first-year revenue to be US$3 million. He is currently in the process of beginning marketing efforts, as well as seeking another US$400,000 in seed funding from investors. 

Supreme Petfoods to air webinar for pet owners on January 9, 2013

Supreme Petfoods will air the next webinar in a series for pet owners on January 9, 2013, focusing on sugar in a pet's diet and pet obesity problems.
The webinar will be hosted by specialist exotics veterinarian, Molly Varga, who will also explore dangers caused by hidden sugars in unlikely places.
The webinar is free for pet owners who sign up for the Happy Hoppers Club.

Animal health professionals attend PET-VET Asia Expo 2012

Veterinary practitioners in Asia-Pacific region recently attended PET-VET Asia Expo 2012, which coincided with conferences of Asia Pacific Veterinary Conference, Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science, and Asian Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. The three conferences and one exhibition under the name, "Asia Pacific Animal Health Summit & Expo," were held together, October 10-12.
More than 1,500 attendees were able to hear a variety of speakers on research, including anethesia cardiopulmonary medicine, dermatology, gastroenterology, infectious disease and more. Attendance was comprised of a wide range of animal health professionals, veterinarians, animal science professionals and commercial businesses.
The Asia Pacific Animal Health Summit & Expo will be held again in 2014 at BITEC in Bangkok, Thailand.

Dogs' cognitive performance may improve after breakfast, research finds

New research from the University of Kentucky has found that that dogs' cognitive performance may improve when they eat breakfast compared to when they do not eat a morning meal.
Researchers Dr. Holly Miller and Charlotte Bender tested the search performance of trained dogs after they consumed breakfast and when they fasted in the morning.
In their trials, Dr. Miller and Bender began by depleting the energy levels of all the dogs before the search began by requiring the dogs to "sit and stay" for 10 minutes. This exercise is in line with the results of a previous study by Dr. Miller that demonstrated that a dog's exertion of self-control lowers energy levels and the ability to perform certain tasks.
The dogs were shown a treat that was then hidden in one of six containers. The results, recently published in the Behavioural Processes journal, showed that the dogs that consumed breakfast searched more accurately 30 minutes after the meal than those who searched on an empty stomach.
"The key finding here is rather simple: breakfast can aid performance by dogs," Dr. Miller said.

New at-home saliva pet food allergy test for dogs released

A new type of test has recently hit the market allowing pet owners to test for their dogs' pet food allergies with just a saliva sample, according to a report.
Although testing for other potential non-food-related allergens must still be done by a veterinarian, Nutriscan has developed a saliva test that can identify 20 of the most common food allergies in dogs.
Dog allergy testing has usually been conducted by a veterinarian taking skin samples of the dog and prescribing a pet food diet free of those ingredients that could be potentially causing the allergies. But with Nutriscan's test, pet owners collect the saliva sample from their dog and return it back to the company to receive results about two weeks later. The test means pet owners no longer have to put their pet on a special prescription diet as a trial and can test for all potential food allergies at one time. 

Preventative pet care encouraged during National Pet Wellness Month

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and The Humane Society of the United States are reminding pet owners that preventative care can help pets live longer and healthier lives as they celebrate October as National Pet Wellness Month.
National Pet Wellness Month is a nationwide educational campaign sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association and Fort Dodge Animal Health.
“Yearly visits to your veterinarian are an essential part of keeping your pet healthy,” says Dr. Barry Kellogg, VMD, senior veterinary advisor for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. “Preventative care allows for early detection of problems and often saves money on overall veterinary costs by treating problems before they become serious.”
Dr. Kellogg offers pet owners the following tips to properly care for their pets throughout the year:


• A Balanced Diet: Commercial dog and cat foods make it easy to provide a nutritionally balanced and complete diet. Dog and cat foods contain all of the different nutrients your animal needs in the appropriate quantities, whereas it can be very difficult to create a balanced and complete diet from “people” foods.
• Weight Management: According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of cats were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarians. Prevention is much easier to accomplish than treatment, so consult your veterinarian about the right diet and exercise regimen for your pet.
• Annual Exams: Pets should visit their veterinarian at least once a year to check their overall health and well-being, which also allows pet owners to make any necessary changes in their pet’s daily routine and care. A review of the vaccination status and program most appropriate for your pet should also be completed at this time.
• Spay/Neuter: Not only do the spay/neuter procedures prevent individual medical problems, but spaying or neutering also helps curb pet overpopulation and reduces the number of unwanted pets who are euthanized every day. Spay and neuter surgeries can be safely performed as early as 8-12 weeks of age.
• Dental Care: Teeth and oral health should be evaluated annually.
• Senior Pets: As animals age, their dietary requirements and their ability to digest certain foods changes. When pets grow older, they lose some ability to concentrate urine so they need to produce more, and therefore need more water intake. You can help by feeding your pets better quality proteins and avoiding red meats like beef and beef by-products. 

My Perfect Pet exhibits new pet food blends at SuperZoo 2012

My Perfect Pet, a frozen and fresh pet food company, participated in SuperZoo 2012, which took place September 11-13 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. My Perfect Pet showcased two new specialty pet food blends and provided informational packets for distributors and retailers.
The company showed its new Ultra-Low Glycemic Chicken and Ultra-Low Glycemic Beef blends, formulated for dogs with special dietary needs. The new blends will be available through all current and new retailer and distributor channels in late September.
“Having a presence at SuperZoo 2012 is a great opportunity for us to engage with distributors and retailers nationwide and introduce My Perfect Pets’ latest products to the industry’s leading professionals,” said Karen Scoggins, founder and president of My Perfect Pet. “We also hope to establish new relationships with distributors in other regions so we can provide My Perfect Pet products to new consumers asking for it across the country.” 

Veterinarian opens pet obesity clinic at Tufts University

Dr. Deborah Linder of Tufts University recently opened an obesity clinic at the school’s North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, campus to help people help their pets lose weight.
The pet obesity clinic is one of just a few to be associated with a veterinary school and staffed by specialists trained in pet obesity and other health problems. In addition to treating dog and cat patients, Linder also conducts research on pet obesity at the clinic.
The biggest challenge in addressing pet obesity, Linder says, is that most owners do not accurately assess their pet's weight. Nearly 40 percent of owners of overweight pets do not think their pet has a problem, according to research.
For most dogs, Linder says the best way to identify a weight problem is to touch around the rib cage, which should feel about as padded as the back of the owner’s hand. For cats, “if there’s a fat pad in the abdomen between the back legs, that cat is overweight,” said Dr. Kathryn E. Michel, medical director and nutrition professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
“What really gets me is that obesity and even [having] overweight animals is completely preventable,” Linder said. “We do the best we can to help them, but it would be better to prevent.” 

American Animal Hospital Association discourages raw diets

The American Animal Hospital Association has joined the American Veterinary Medical Association in discouraging the feeding of raw pet food diets to dogs and cats.
According to a statement on its website, the American Animal Hospital Association “does not advocate or endorse feeding pets any raw or dehydrated nonsterilized foods, including treats that are of animal origin.” The association's decision was based on “overwhelming scientific evidence” and cited 50 sources.
“Homemade raw food diets are unsafe because retail meats for human consumption can be contaminated with pathogens," the association said. “Studies that have been done on both commercially available and homemade raw protein diets have found a high percentage (30-50 percent) of them contaminated with pathogenic organisms, and up to 30 percent of the dogs fed such diets may shed pathogenic organisms in their stool.”

AVMA approves policy discouraging raw petfood diets

Following an earlier recommendation to pet owners, the American Veterinary Medical Association has approved a policy that discourages feeding raw animal-source protein diets to cats or dogs, unless the petfood has undergone a process that eliminates pathogens.
The new policy on raw petfood states that cooking and pasteurization are the “traditional” methods for eliminating pathogens in dog and cat food, but recognizes that safety methods such as irradiation are “being developed and implemented.” The new policy had two revisions, including a change from, “Never feed inadequately treated animal-source protein to cats and dogs” to, “Avoid feeding inadequately treated animal-source protein to cats and dogs.”
Nearly 91 percent of the association's delegates voted for the new policy during the organization’s convention in early August. Also at the meeting, the association provided a look at findings from its 2012 US Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, which will be made available in the fall. This survey of nearly 50,000 US households found that US pet ownership decreased by 2.4 percent from 2006-11, while pet spending increased. The average expenditure per dog was US$227 in 2011, up from US$200 in 2006. Expenditures per cat increased from US$81 to US$90.

RECALL: Petco recalls pet food bowls for potential contamination

Pet product retailer Petco is recalling certain stainless steel petfood bowls sold at its store due to the potential that the bowls may contain Cobalt-60, a radioactive material commonly used in industrial gauging equipment and other uses.
Petco says it doesn't know how the radioactive material got into the pet food bowls, but believes that it may have come from scrap metal used by foreign suppliers that had Cobalt-60 accidentally mixed in, and which was found to emit low levels of radiation. The issue was detected by Customs and Border Protection agents during a routine import screening of one of two containers of the product that entered the US in late May and early June.
Recalled stainless steel bowls with the following SKU and product description include:
•SKU 1047493 - PETC-3.75C DEEP TWO TONE NOTIP 9.25-inch diameter; 3.75-cup capacity
•SKU 1386956 - PETC-3.5C NO-TIP SS HAMMRD BWL 9-inch diameter; 3.5-cup capacity
•SKU 1047477 - PETC-7C TWO TONE NONTIP BOWL 9-inch diameter; 7-cup capacity
Consumers who purchased one of the recalled petfood bowls between May 31 and June 20 should return it to Petco for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Petco customer service at +1.877.738.6742.

GREENIES Brand to host Pet Oral Health Event August 4-5

The GREENIES Brand, makers of pet dental chews and treats, will host its third annual GREENIES Pet Oral Health Event at Petco stores on Saturday, August 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday, August 5, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Through this oral health how-to event, pet parents will learn how to help keep their pets' mouths healthy from GREENIES representatives and will receive coupons for GREENIES Brand dental chews and treats. The event will focus on at-home preventative dental care for pets, such as daily tooth brushing.
"Pet parents must realize that pets are not that different from humans in that they require daily oral care," said veterinary dental expert, Dr. Jan Bellows, incoming president of the American Veterinary Dental College. "The GREENIES Pet Oral Health Event is a great opportunity for pet parents to become more informed on how to care for their pets' mouths at home, and when and why they should seek the advice of their veterinarian."