Sherry’s Corner

Nutrition and Pet Food News, and How to Challenge a Too-Bright Spaniel

Rachel Ray uses the word “NUTRISH” often on her TV program. How does Nutrish translate into dog food? Samples of ANutrish,” her new food for dogs, are available currently at Giant for 69 cents in a one-serving medium-size-dog-size. I chose the chicken and vegetables for my test panel of Springer Spaniels. Let us say, it was not a Apaws up and lick the bowl for more@ but neither was it a Anose down and turn the back@. The ingredients look good in print–especially Areal chicken and dried peas, carrots and tomatoes@. I think we will add a few packages to our evacuation supplies, especially since it is good until 6/09 and part of the price is contributed to Rachel=s Rescue. Now if we can just persuade her to put the samples in bowl-shaped containers.

A veterinarian recently recommended that pet owners consult with their pet=s veterinarian before feeding a weight-reducing diet. He noted that dogs with conditions such as hypothyroidism , chronic arthritis, liver failure, etc. , may appear to be overweight and suffer unnecessarily when owners put them on an over-the-counter weight management diet. He also noted that many cats considered overweight could be suffering from diabetes. Health claims by these foods could encourage pet owners to make their own diagnosis. And, he further noted that all pet food labels should urge pet owners to consult with a veterinarian before feeding. I would go one step further and state ethat from personal experience I have found many of the labels as well as even the names of pet food to be misleading and even false. And, I would discount most TV pet food commercials. A recent issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association further explores this theme by investigating prescription diets, exercise and drugs for the management of obese and overweight pets. It is important to remember that none of these solutions for slenderizing a fat Fido or Fluffy has been scientifically proven. But, obesity remains the most popular disease on the advertising radar for pets and people. Interestingly enough, the commentary concluded that weight loss exercise in conjunction with diet was most often to be effective if dog and owner exercise together.

Heppy is easily bored and always in search of a challenge. Thus I found that a trick my former Sunday School teacher used with her son is now one of my answers to this perpetual need. Mrs Randall used to make up great stories about her son=s toy elves. Then when her son was asleep she would hide the toy elves around the house. Each morning he would search for them as part of an ongoing tale–probably a pre-TV reality children=s drama. At the moment Heppy=s favorite toy is an AKC sheep that has lost his baah. (No. Not a Biblical parable!) When she isn=t looking I hide the sheep. She has such fun searching for the wayward toy and is so proud when she finds it and parades it by me. Such is the craziness in my home each day. Oh yes, Mrs Randall=s son grew up to be a famous California artist. I have no such aspirations for Heppy. (My pet sitter [a man] told me that if Heppy were a girl he would hate to date her! I haven=t spoken to Heppy about this either–that would be taking humanism too far.)