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Further research is required to better define the relationship between particular diet types and oral health in dogs and cats. Those investigating small animal health problems should also take diet and diet consistency into account when researching systemic diseases—possible confounding effects of diet and poor oral health must be considered in such studies. selected "facts".* Augmenting the propaganda push, there's a campaign to denigrate home-prepared and raw food through articles strategically placed in so-called professional journals.“ I, myself, have been targeted in a series of bogus disciplinary actions before the Veterinary Surgeons Board of NSsW—a government regulatory body made up of AVA members. Threatened with deregistration, a year in prison or a fine of $2,000, legal defence strategies became top priority. Documents on file weigh a combined 12 kilograms (26 pounds) and represent years of hard work and countless hours spent in lawyers' offices. Fortunately, the lawyers and I managed to withstand the harassment and I'm still registered as a vet. weap eg segs re meen ns ween pen wo oenen swep poswecey sm wo mecew eee Prophetic last words, indeed. Hands-on research in my practice on file weigh a combined 12 kilograms (26 pounds) and represent has confirmed that diet and diet consistency are the prime years of hard work and countless hours spent in lawyers' offices. determining factors in most diseases treated at suburban veterinary Fortunately, the lawyers and I managed to withstand the clinics. A range of previously hard-to-treat conditions disappeared harassment and I'm still registered as a vet. as if by magic when dental care coupled with diet change became our top priority. Investigation of pets suffering an acquired The price we pay immune deficiency revealed a startling restoration of immune The following points provide a summary of the price we pay: function and return to health when the animals' foul mouths were 1. Junk food-induced cruelty, ill health and suffering affects treated and their diet changed to raw meaty bones. The the majority of the world's pets. Plentiful scientific evidence, implications are immense, and not just for AIDS sufferers.” It's experience and common sense confirm this fact. relevant for all of us with an immune system and, as I postulated in 2. Misuse of existing scientific paradigms and bogus a paper published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, is likely administrative techniques produces a body of counterfeit science in significant to our understanding of the ecology of health and the service of the junk pet food industry. The current mass- disease on planet Earth.”! poisoning of pets starts with the first lie: that processed pet food is The pet food industry/veterinary profession alliance, with a as good as or better than the natural alternative. So-calle multibillion-dollar fighting fund, was in no mood to listen, except _—_ researchers swallow the lie and then misuse existing scientific insofar as its members wished to consolidate their position. With methods and compliant professional journals to perpetuate an so many problems associated with the feeding of junk food, they olster the lie. are adept at turning adversity to advantage. Their tentacles wrap 3. Broadly, three methodologies combine to form the scientific around a problem; they pour money into research and present aradigm that underpins the junk pet food enterprise: i) an themselves as public benefactors. So it was with periodontal emphasis on treatment, not prevention, of ill health and disease; disease, which became the new hot topic in pet food company ii) dependence on the germ theory of disease as a fundamenta research labs and universities the world over. Their solution: a axiom when in fact Pasteur, one of the originators of the germ plethora of artificial dental products carrying inflated health theory, acknowledged that germs are secondary to other claims—often endorsed by the Veterinary Oral Health Council.” redisposing factors; and iii) dependence on reductionist research Getting the products to the end user depends on a willing sales methods when in fact an holistic approach, taking account of all force free from independent thought. Veterinarians enjoy status interactive forces, provides much more satisfactory evidence. and respect; once indoctrinated, they are the ideal sales and Consider that a natural, raw meaty bones—based diet acts as food marketing force. Accordingly, veterinarians are tutored in the and medicine for carnivores. If we apply the lessons to be learned mail, in advertisements and in visits from pet food company from a study of the health and disease of carnivores resident at the representatives. With minds filled with pet food company "facts", extreme end of the nutritional spectrum, we can derive information vets are then encouraged to support Dental Health Month, Pet of immense medical, scientific, economic and environmental value Smile Month or similar. It's the month when pet owners are to us all. New attitudes and new paradigms are needed, but are bombarded with advertisements and publicity stunts, urging them locked by the combined might of vested interests. to visit their vet for a "free" dental check for their pets and receive 4. Economic consequences measure in the billions of dollars. a goody-bag full of samples and copies of those same company- Back in the 1860s, Jack Spratt, assisted by Charles Cruft, opened Endnotes 18 June 2007 http://www.rawmeatybones.com/No_3128.html 1. Spurlock, M. (2004), Super Size Me, 9. Lonsdale, T. (1995), "Periodontal disease and 14, AVA News, November 1994, p. 19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me leucopenia", Journal of Small Animal Practice 15. Muir, op. cit. 2. Harvey, C.E. and Emily, P. (1993), 36:542-46, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/ 16. Wingate, J. (1991), "Far Fetched Claims", "Periodontal disease", in Small Animal Dentistry, _ pdf/periodontal-leuco.pdf AVA News, December 1991, p. 28, Mosby, St Louis, 1993, p. 92 10. Engel, C. (2002), "Food, Medicine, and Self- _http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/images/A VANews.pdf 3. Garcia, RI. et al. (2001), "Relationship medication", chapter 3 of Wild Health: How 17. AVA News, March 1993, p. 23 between periodontal disease and systemic animals keep themselves well and what we can 18. "Pet food produces lively AGM", AVA health", Periodontology 2000 25:21-36 learn from them, Phoenix, London, 2003, p. 26 News, June 1993, pp. 1,9 4. Sugimura, T. (2000), "Nutrition and dietary 11. De Bairacli-Levy, J. (1955), The Complete 19. "Diet and disease link — final report", AVA carcinogens", Carcinogenesis 21(3):387-95 Herbal Book for the Dog, Faber & Faber, News, February 1994, pp. | and 6 5. Roudebush, P. (1993), "Pet food additives",J. London 20. Lonsdale (1995), op. cit. American Veterinary Medical Association 12. Muir, B. (1991), "Canned pet food not the 21. Lonsdale, T. (1994), "Cybernetic Hypothesis 203(12):1667-70 healthiest", AVA News, December 1991, p. 28, of Periodontal Disease in Mammalian 6. Uncle Ben's of Australia (1996), "Nutrition in —_http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/images/AVANews.pdf — Carnivores", Journal of Veterinary Dentistry Practice" (pamphlet), Albury-Wodonga, 3rded. 13. Lonsdale, T. (1991), "Oral disease in cats 11(1):5-8, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/pdf/ 7. Garcia, op. cit. and dogs", Control and Therapy, no. 3128, periodontal-cyber.pdf 8. Cresswell, K.M. et al. (2007), "Adverse Drug _ Postgraduate Committee in Veterinary Science, 22. Veterinary Oral Health Council, Events in the Elderly", British Medical Bulletin, University of Sydney, http://www.vohc.org/ 34 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2007