He screamed "Science Diet is the best cat food"

[AdoptAnAngel]

Originally Posted by scottd

To whomever said that because the food is allowed to be sold it must be okay, you should note that almost all of the food made in the US can't be sold in the European Union. It doesn't meet the requirements.

Not only that, but for a lot of foods, it's easy to differentiate by taste alone. Milk is one example. I never drink animal milk in America, but in the UK it tastes much better, as do cheeses. I guess in my experience, it has applied most noticeably to dairy.

I don't know why EU residents seem to organize and demand healthier standards much more effectively than we do in the US. At least this was the theory offered to me over there, but I think it's a bit more complicated than that, seeing how codependent businesses/industries and politicians are here.

[hoofmaiden]

Originally Posted by Nell

I really think that that accusations about vets recommending SD because it lines their pockets with more $$$ or that it is one big conspiracy to make your pet sick so you have to bring them to the vet all the time is unjustified and unfair.

Not sure if this was directed at me or not. To be clear, what I said is that vets are trained in large part BY THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY (which funds vet schools, scholarships, endowed chairs, etc., as well as writing the very textbooks on nutrition vets study!). So they do what they do b/c they have been trained to do that. I do NOT think that vets are just out for a buck or out to hurt animals--of course neither is true! What IS true is that they have been trained that X, Y, and Z is how to make money when you run a practice. Running a practice is VERY expensive and stressful (being a small business person) and the current model focuses primarily on (1) preventative care, including vaccinations and annual "wellness checks," (2) food sales, and (3) dealing w/ kidney disease, other urinary tract problems, diabetes, and cancer, all of which provide big bucks. Do most vets out there realize that FOOD is linked to those diseases? NOPE--b/c the pet food industry gives them TONS of literature, in addition to free swag, kickbacks, and other freebies and hence, they believe the pet food industry.

It is HARD to buck the system. I think those of us who have done it realize that's true. But the fact that it's hard to do doesn't excuse the vets who refuse to look past the gravy train or the pet owners who buy into it.

[hoofmaiden]

Originally Posted by Kobster

And to the one who asked, No, not everyone on here skips vaccines. That would be silly and illegal in most states. They manufacture vaccines now to be much safer than they used to be. The risk of dying from a preventable disease far outweighs the risk of developing a injection site sarcoma.

It's not "illegal" LOL. There are no laws anywhere about any animal vaccines other than rabies, and the rabies law is unenforceable unless your animal bites someone and the bite is reported. In that case, your animal, if unvaccinated against rabies, will be quarantined, often in the owner's home.

Many of us choose not to vaccinate or vaccinate very lightly.

[Zilla]

Um I wouldn't be so sure of that. In some cities around here where I'm from every cat and dog has to be registered with the city and vaccinated. Do they go around and enforce it?? No not really but it is a law in some cities. And I know in most apartment complexs you can't get a dog or a cat without showing proof of vaccinations....


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[scottd]

Originally Posted by AdoptAnAngel

Not only that, but for a lot of foods, it's easy to differentiate by taste alone. Milk is one example. I never drink animal milk in America, but in the UK it tastes much better, as do cheeses. I guess in my experience, it has applied most noticeably to dairy.

I don't know why EU residents seem to organize and demand healthier standards much more effectively than we do in the US. At least this was the theory offered to me over there, but I think it's a bit more complicated than that, seeing how codependent businesses/industries and politicians are here.

I shop at a German store a lot and they sell these frozen pizzas that are imported from Italy. They are so freaking good and the ingredients are actually pronounceable. It's like what you would use if you made a homemade pizza and not various chemicals.

There is a big difference in human and pet food in the EU when compared to the US.

[doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Zilla

Um I wouldn't be so sure of that. In some cities around here where I'm from every cat and dog has to be registered with the city and vaccinated. Do they go around and enforce it?? No not really but it is a law in some cities. And I know in most apartment complexs you can't get a dog or a cat without showing proof of vaccinations....

I was at the local dog park the other day and animal control came around and started checking tags. She didn't hand out any citations but she informed anyone who didn't have a rabies tag that if their dog bit someone and they couldn't show proof of vaccination on the spot (tag or certificate) that the dog would be taken into custody until proof was provided.

Now dogs are different than cats, but some towns take it more seriously than others. It's advisable for everyone to know how strict their town/city is about enforcement and what their process would be for with a pet without rabies vaccination before a decision not to vaccinate is made.

[catm3]

Originally Posted by scottd

My vet sells Science Diet but they have not ever recommended it to me. Am I the only one?

Yep. My cat used to chow down every kibble on the plate. A few weeks later he had UTI. Guess what the vet prescribed? a life time supply of science diet!

Never going back.

[Zilla]

I havent heard of that happening around here doodlebug. But then again I dont have a dog to take to a park and its not like they have cat parks for someone to give me a citation at. Im sure it happens though! I think Ive heard of the MP's doing it at the Fort Riley base dog park though... just depends where you are at I guess.

[librarychick]

Originally Posted by hoofmaiden

It's not "illegal" LOL. There are no laws anywhere about any animal vaccines other than rabies, and the rabies law is unenforceable unless your animal bites someone and the bite is reported. In that case, your animal, if unvaccinated against rabies, will be quarantined, often in the owner's home.

Many of us choose not to vaccinate or vaccinate very lightly.

That's not all they can do. It's well within their rights to take your cat, hold them for a certain period, then euthanize them to test their brain matter anyways. I don't agree with it, but it is within the law of most places as far as I'm aware.

[Kobster]

In some parts of my state, (Texas) They will euthanize and test if you don't have proof of vaccine if your pet bites a human. I live in a high rabies county, its usually case by case, but I have seen family pets put to sleep by the county after a bite so their heads can be sent to Austin for testing. It is also fairly common for an older pet whose owners didn't they needed vaccines anymore because they were old, to bite someone during the euthanasia process and then we have to do the "unthinkable" and remove the pets head to submit for testing. Required by law in Texas. So in my mind, its better to vaccinate than risk those consequences. That and, the risk of contracting rabies still exists. We had a cat test positive after submission just two weeks ago. A family pet that "never left the back yard" but was also never vaccinated. Know your local laws before you decide not to vaccinate your cat.