The number two question I have noted in response to my plea for questions from the head of Iams relates to corn. Why is corn in pet foods? Is it just a filler?

To answer this question I will rely in part on my own original research. I tested the corn-as-a-filler hypothesis personally.

When I was a freshman in college, dinner was served family style each night in the dormitory’s cafeteria. At that time I had not yet ascertained that I was destined to be a clinician rather than a researcher. Therefore I decided to undertake an experiment.

One night my table was served a portion of canned corn. A large volume was left over at the end of the meal. In the name of science I consumed the leftover canned corn. It amounted to at least two cups. In order to ensure the validity of my experiment, I took care not to chew the corn.

The next morning a scientific breakthrough occurred. I discovered, decisively, that unchewed corn is not digestible.

The key word, however, is unchewed. The outer husk of a corn kernel is not digestible by cats, dogs, or humans. Ground up corn is a different story.

I remember learning in nutrition class in vet school (and to answer, in advance, the skeptics who will bring up links between pet food companies and veterinary nutrition departments, I have this to say: give me some credit. You don’t think I’d see through that?) that corn is actually a good source of protein for pets.

When I was in Ohio (remember folks, it was Ohio. Not Hawaii, and certainly not Rio) on Iams’ dime, various Iams representatives pointed out that the price of corn has skyrocketed in the last year as demand for corn-based ethanol and other biofuels has taken off. They state that if corn were just a filler they would be wise to seek out a more economical filler.

I also asked about the future of grain-free diets. Dan Rajczak (head of Iams and and Eukanuba) states that the company is investigating these diets at their Louisville, Ohio research center. If their research shows these diets to be more optimal for pet health (and perhaps more profitable?), Iams may begin to move away from grains.

But enough about corn and grains. I also found out where the names Iams and Eukanuba come from. Iams is the last name of the company’s founder. Eukanuba apparently is something that young men in Dayton, Ohio would say when they saw an attractive woman about a century ago. In other words, Eukanuba means hot chick.

And that wraps up the Iams thread. Tomorrow the Vet Blog will be back to feline Q and A. Dog lovers, fear not. I’ll start adding in some dog topics again soon.

Photo: A scientific experiment waiting to happen! By Vassia Atanassova.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• If You Could Ask the President of Iams any Question, What Would it be?
• Which Ingredients are Most Likely to Cause Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats?
• Sick Poodle Leads to Revelation of Pet Food Recall That Should Have Been–But Wasn’t
• Does Pet Food Cause Health Problems?
• How Much and How Often Should I Feed my Dog?

Coming soon: tons of cat Q&A!

But first:

Tomorrow I will be part of a small group that will meet with the President and CEO of Iams and Eukanuaba, Dan Rajczak. He will give us a brief presentation. A question and answer session will follow.

I realize that it is late notice, but I am wondering whether my readers have any questions they would like me to present to the leader of such a major pet food company.

Please post them in the comments section. Post them quickly — the meeting is in 14 hours. And be polite. I’ll check in tomorrow before the meeting, and I’ll post later to let you know how it goes.

Full disclosure: Iams/Eukanuba has paid for me to fly to Dayton, Ohio for this meeting.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• Is Corn Just a Filler in Pet Foods?
• Does Pet Food Cause Health Problems?
• How Much and How Often Should I Feed my Dog?
• Which Ingredients are Most Likely to Cause Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats?
• Is Raw Food Better Than Commercial? Or is it Worse?

A few days ago I treated a five-year-old Toy Poodle who had been vomiting and hadn’t eaten for nearly a week. Blood and urine tests were normal. X-rays did not show any irregularities.

The poor dog clearly felt terrible. I wanted him to undergo an ultrasound examination immediately. The facility where I was working did not have an ultrasound machine or an intensive care unit, so I referred him to a specialist.

Fortunately, the ultrasound examination was normal, and the dog made a complete recovery after two days of nursing care. But the specialist’s assessment of the case was disturbing. Here is a quote from a letter that she wrote to me.

In a phone discussion with the owners . . . they reported that their other small breed dogs at home were showing similar clinical signs . . . [at the time the Poodle was discharged from the hospital, the] owners brought with them the chicken jerky treats that they had been feeding prior to onset of [the Poodle's] illness. The treats are manufactured in China and are supposed to be made up of 100% chicken breast. Last year, I saw a number of small breed dogs that ate similar treats (though a different brand), that presented with the same clinical signs of vomiting and prolonged [refusal to eat] after the vomiting resolved . . . A number of veterinarians at other hospitals had seen similar cases as well, presumed to have resulted from ingestion of a variety of brands of chicken jerky treats manufactured in China. Investigation of the products was not successful in identifying the offending substance and, unfortunately, removal of theses products from the market was not made mandatory.

If you have any canine chicken jerky treats at home, I’d recommend throwing them away.

About the photo: Dolly, fortunately, has no reported health problems.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• If You Could Ask the President of Iams any Question, What Would it be?
• How Much and How Often Should I Feed my Dog?
• Which Ingredients are Most Likely to Cause Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats?
• Is Corn Just a Filler in Pet Foods?
• Do Puppies Need to Eat Puppy Food?