Communicating with Pet Owners about Petfoods and Unconventional Diets

1. Communicating with Pet Owners about Petfoods and Unconventional Diets October 28, 2009

2. Kathryn E. Michel, DVM, MS, DACVN, is an associate professor of nutrition in the Department of Clinical Studies in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She also is a diplomat and current chair of the executive board of the American College of Veterinary Nutritionists. Dr. Michel has published numerous articles and studies on companion animal nutrition and dietary habits. She earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College, a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tufts University and master's degree in comparative medical science from the University of Pennsylvania.

3. Communicating with Pet Owners About Petfoods and Unconventional DietsKathryn E. Michel DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVNUniversity of Pennsylvania

4. Public Concerns About Pet NutritionAftermath of the Pet Food Recall • Over a several month period in 2007 100+ brands of pet foods (representing about 1% of pet foods manufactured in the US) were recalled because they contained an adulterated ingredient which could cause acute renal failure in cats and dogs. • This led to confusion and suspicion regarding the pet food industry

5. Public Concerns About Pet Nutrition • Growing awareness of the role of nutrition in maintaining health and preventing disease • Growing acceptance in US of complementary and alternative forms of medicine • Increased access to information (especially via the world wide web) http://www.time.com/time/covers/

6. CLINICAL NUTRITION CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE CAM

7. Where Pet Owners GetInformation About Pet Nutrition? • Veterinarians and their staff are the most frequently cited sources of information about pet nutrition • Family and friends are the next frequently cited source followed by the media and the internet • Dog owners were more likely to obtain information from groomers, trainers, etc. than cat owners Laflamme DP, et al. JAVMA 2008

8. Veterinary Health Professionals increasingly have to address questions concerning: • the safety and nutritional adequacy of commercial pet foods • alternative and unconventional diets • dietary supplements

9. Understanding why pet owners choose certain feeding practices will facilitate: • the discussion of options and alternatives to current feeding practices • Influencing pet owners to modify their feeding practices

10. Attitudes Toward Food Consumption Nutritional Science Perspective The focus is on eating practices that: • promote health and therefore should be encouraged • or impair health and therefore should be discouraged.

11. Attitudes Toward Food Consumption Nutritional Science Perspective • Views food habits and preferences 2° to the biological activities of food. • Views social and cultural factors surrounding food consumption as barriers to achieving a healthy diet.

12. What is - and is not – food is defined culturally and socially.

13. What is acceptable as food in one culture may be viewed with disgust by another.

14. http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoonabar/

15. http://www.retas.de/thomas/travel/cambodia2006/index.html Thomas Schoch

16. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Kici

17. Common Concerns AboutPet Food Ingredients • Types and sources of ingredients found in pet foods • By-products • Rendered Meals • Grains • Additives • Ingredients lacking in pet foods

18. By-products • The animal feed industry (including pet foods) uses the by-products of the human food industry • The public perception is often that by-products by definition are unwholesome and non-nutritious.

19. By-products • By-products vary in their quality and suitability as pet food ingredients. • Even feed ingredients not specifically designated as by-products (e.g., beef) are often what many people would consider offal.

20. Concerns About Pet Food Ingredients Quality Assurance practices used by individual manufacturers • Established vendors • Specifications for vendors • Testing ingredients for nutrient content, microbiologic concerns, and toxins

21. Concerns About Pet Food Ingredients • Feeding trials should be used as the standard for nutritional adequacy

22. Addressing Concerns About Pet Food Ingredients • Identify concerns • Correct misconceptions • Emphasize importance of QA in manufacturing

23. Concerns About Pet Food Ingredients There should be some consideration of the implications of diverting food that could have otherwise been consumed by humans into petfoods manufacturing.

24. Food is symbolic of many things “Food not only nourishes but also signifies.” Claude Fischler, 1988 Food, Self and Identity

25. Symbolism of Food Food is something everyone understands • Food is a fundamental necessity for life • Food is part of our daily experience. • The rationale for dietary therapy is usually within the grasp of most pet owners.

26. Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1821 Food choices imbue identity • Biologically • Psychologically • Socially and Culturally

27. Symbolism of Food Food and meals can be used to symbolize and order social interactions • Food and diet are often involved in religious ritual. • Dietary practices can be used to maintain and reinforce social order and group identity.

28. Social Constructionist Viewpoint Food is a domain in which individuals define who they are in contrast to others • Pet owners may transfer their attitudes about food to how they think their pets should be fed. • Pet owners may focus on how the pet’s identity is defined by diet.

29. Home-prepared Diets • Empirical formulas • Books, articles • Internet • Breeders, friends • Credentialed nutritionists

30. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Christian Mehlführer

31. Rationale for Raw Food Diets • Dogs and cats are carnivores. • Dogs and cats evolved eating raw food. (There are no ovens in the wild)

32. Symbolism of Food The receiving and giving of food can be used as a reward or a show of affection. • Cultural roots • Human-animal bond

33. The substitution of one type of food for another might violate a person’s sense of propriety

34. Weight Reduction Programs • Reducing portion size • Curtailing treating behavior • Substituting new foods or treats for the current diet.

35. Symbolism of Food Ideology • Vegetarian/Vegan Diets • Natural Diets • Organic Diets Lisa Freeman, DVM, DACVN

36. Vegetarian Diets Ethical concerns followed by health considerations were the most common reasons for feeding cats a vegetarian diet (Wakefield et al. JAVMA 229(1):70, 2006) Kathryn Michel DVM, DACVN

37. Symbolism of Food Control Dietary habits and food selection represent empowerment and control of one’s life.

38. Appeal of Nutritional Therapy • Empowering • Natural (and therefore viewed as safe) • Holistic • Food has psychological effects • Permits the pet owner to participate in the care and recovery of their pet

39. Recommendations Owner’s reasons for feeding Ask about the diet Educate Offer alternatives Good quality pet food plus whole foods Credentialed nutritionist Regular review of diet Clinical monitoring Unconventional Diets

40. Compliance The extent to which the patient’s behavior (in terms of taking medications, following diets, or executing other lifestyle changes) coincides with medical or health advice. Haynes RB, 1979, Compliance in Health Care

41. Compliance • The non-compliant patient is seen as hindering the normal process and practice of health care. • The patient is seen as the passive recipient of treatment.

42. Negotiating a Mutual Plan of Action for Changing Feeding Practices* Obtain the pet owner’s: • beliefs and understanding about how their pet should be fed • view point regarding the need to change feeding practices (perceived benefits, barriers, motivation to changing practices) *Adapted from the Calgary-Cambridge Guides

43. Negotiating a Mutual Plan of Action for Changing Feeding Practices* • Take into consideration the pet owner’s beliefs, cultural background, lifestyle, and abilities when formulating your plan for dietary modification • Elicit the pet owner’s reactions and concerns about the proposed dietary modifications *Adapted from the Calgary-Cambridge Guides

44. Recommendations Obtain a thorough dietary history Recognize from the diet history • Knowledge and attitudes regarding: • commercial pet foods • feed ingredients • nutrition and nutritional therapy • Role of food and feeding in interactions with the pet

45. Recommendations Establish an open dialog with the pet owner • Understand the rationale for the feeding practices. • Understand any concerns regarding a diet change. • Explain why you feel the changes you are proposing are in the pet’s best interest. • Look for compromise when your recommendations and the pet owner’s preferences are in conflict.

46. Recommendations For patients being fed an unconventional diet, monitor • diet use • patient health

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