From: cgregory@gw-tech.com (Carey Gregory)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.nutrition
Subject: Re: Raw egg shells
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 16:17:30 GMT

Scott <mziehr@poultry.tamu.edu> wrote:

>You know a lot about this?  What are your credentials?  In the US, labeling
>laws are strictly enforced to ensure that the pet food actually meets the
>stated values.  If the label says that it the food is formulated to meet the
>requirements of the dog, then it DOES meet the requirements as determined by
>the National Research Council.

It doesn't matter what Beverly's credentials are -- she's right, at
least with regard to the vast majority of dog foods.  There are
premium dog foods that are, indeed, well balanced, but the vast
majority are very poorly formulated using the cheapest possible
ingredients, very low-quality protein, and useless fillers.

That "guaranteed analysis" on bags of dog food is virtually
meaningless.  It can be easily achieved using non-food products such
as motor oil and saw dust, and it bears almost no relationship to the
nutritional requirements of a dog.  As for statements that it meets
their nutritional requirements, that is also pretty much a
non-statement.  It means very, very little.  A very poor diet could
(and does) carry that statement legitimately.

Now, having said all that, I think don't think dog food debates are
really appropriate in the sci.med heirarchy.

--
Carey Gregory

"The average dog is a nicer person than
the average person."  -- A. Rooney