A Word About Dr. Lonsdale
Dr. Tom Lonsdale - Author of Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health
So I have just finished reading Dr. Lonsdale’s book “Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health”; overall it was a thoroughly interesting read, and I particularly enjoyed chapters 2 – 8 (chapter 9 and on was totally superfluous). Someone on Amazon described this book as “the martyrdom of dr. lonsdale” (or close to that), and the preface certainly is, but you can just as easily skip that part. As with all books on raw feeding that I have read I do have some points of contention with the diet outlined, but I think that’s as much a testament to the diversity of the diet, as it is a criticism of the one laid out by anyone who writes a book about it. In the overall picture those points of contention are mostly insignificant.
So having read the book I decided to take a closer look at Dr. Lonsdale’s website, and his newsletter archive. To say I was dumbstruck by some of his claims would be an understatement. In the book that I read (copyright 2001) Dr. Lonsdale was nothing but complimentary towards Dr. Billinghurst; I came away with the impression that though they may differ slightly on the details they both adhered to the principle of raw meaty bones being the bedrock of a healthy diet. I got a very different impression on reading Dr. Lonsdale’s newsletters, which prompted considerable thought on the subject. Why would Dr. Lonsdale go from being complimentary to spewing vitriol in a few short years? I finally came to the conclusion that it had something to do with Dr. Billinghurst’s success and renoun due to the promotion of a B.A.R.F. diet. I do not think I was far off the mark in this regard; Dr. Lonsdale’s website includes a copy (at least in part) of a letter from Dr. Billinghurst to Dr. Lonsdale removing himself from the “raw meaty bones lobby”. It states:
Worldwide my credibility is rising … I am here to educate whoever will listen. Pet owners, vets and even pet food companies — if they are interested. It is not necessary; in fact it is counterproductive for me to participate in the politics of this debate.
If I am to be of use I need to be seen as outside the political arena. Someone who has the respect of the profession, whilst retaining strong views and unequivocal beliefs — supported of course by good evidence. My aim is to make a positive difference in this debate, and continue to make a living.
If you have ever read anything that Dr. Lonsdale has written this is not surprising, and given his treatment of Dr. Billinghurst in light of this I think it’s totally understandable. While Dr. Lonsdale’s book keeps sensationalism and, shall we say stretching the truth to the breaking point, to a minimum his website (and newsletters) do not. Granted these are examples purely from his comments on Dr. Billinghurst, but you can find similar sensationalism in regards to anyone and anything that does not fall strictly into his method of feeding.
Unfortunately for many pets and their owners in the USA and UK, Dr Billinghurst used his ‘credibility’ to falsely persuade them that dogs are omnivores! He ‘continued to make a living’ telling pet owners that dogs, besides needing raw meaty bones, should be fed copious amounts of vegetables, fruit, milk products, high priced bottled supplements and grain. Dr Billinghurst’s followers developed a near religious devotion and began referring to themselves as Born Again Raw Feeders. When contracted that becomes ‘BARF’, a colloquial term for vomit and now widely used as a name for minced diet concoctions.
There are many inaccuracies contained here. For one thing Dr. Billinghurst does not say dogs are omnivores, he says they are “omnivores with a carnivorous backgrounds”. That may seem like an insignificant distinction, but it is not. Dogs (wild or domesticated) do eat things other than other animals at least on a simi-regular basis. This is what I have come to describe as “opportunistic omnivorism”; i.e. dogs will eat what they can their paws on. They may eat over-ripe fruit that has fallen from trees, table scraps (or trash can scraps), etc. This is exactly what Dr. Billinghurst and Dr. Lonsdale say in their respective books. Dr. Lonsdale goes on to say that Dr. Billinghurst encourage feeding of “copious” amounts vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and supplements. This is soley based on what you would consder “copious”, and indeed Dr. Lonsdale does not give us a solid numerical figure, just “copious”. Even so Dr. Billinghurst suggest that dogs get 15% crushed vegetables and 5% ripe to over-ripe fruit, though the fruit is optional (the entire vegetable/fruit content is “optional” for cats who Billinghurst describes as “obligate carnivores”). This is fed to mimic the intestinal content that wild canids consume when eating whole prey. To my mind those numbers do not seem “copious”. This gets even more muddied when we move onto dairy products and supplements; Dr. Billinghurst suggests that dairy products (i.e. cottage cheese, yogurt/kefir) be fed occasionally to also mimic stomach/intestinal contents of prey. The same can be said of the addition of kelp and/or alfalfa powder to the diet to mimic the trace minerals gained by A.) eating stomach/intestinal contents, and B.) eating food off dirt/grass in the wild. Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist over the whole “wolves don’t eat stomach contents” thing I would like to point out that while wolves may not eat the stomach contents of large prey, they do when they eat smaller “whole prey” such as rabbits (again, something both Billinghurst and Lonsdale are in agreement about). It should also be noted that Dr. Lonsdale promotes feeding 30% of a dogs diet in “healthy tablescraps”, but does not preclude feeding vegetables and fruits as a part of that.
But as with so many diet fads the vulnerable followers had been duped. Dr Billinghurst is on the record as saying:
Fruit and vegetables are an essential part of a dog’s diet. An essential part, not an optional part. Meat is optional, fruit and vegetables are not. (Canine Nutrition—A Point of View 1988)
Dr Billinghurst recommended that fruit and vegetables
should comprise 30 to 60% of a dog’s diet. His diet sheet recommended:Midday: A Carbohydrate Meal
Rolled oats soaked in hot water until like porridge. Alternatively Weet
Bix or muesli or vegetables. Add to this such things as dates, sultanas,
prunes, raisins, grated apple or carrot. Add honey.
As you will notice this information is from 1988; over 20 years ago. I do not think it is too far out of the realm of possibility that Dr. Billinghurst’s diet went through several versions in that time before it became what we know as B.A.R.F. This appears to be the case as Dr. Lonsdale states:
After reading Raw Meaty Bones information, Billinghurst saw the elegant
simplicity of nature’s teachings and applied to join the RMB Lobby. We
freely supplied him with our research findings and he availed himself of
those findings. So much so that he used RMB information as foundation for
his first book.
So why use what you know to be out-dated information to create a case for labeling B.A.R.F. as “natural junk food”? Dr. Lonsdale goes further and states:
In the mid-nineties barf (vomit) mania swept across North
America and much of Europe too. Pet owners were conned into believing
that dogs are omnivores, not carnivores, and need lashings of vegetables
and bottled supplements. Here in Australia barfmania has not taken hold
to the same extent. But where ever it spreads it does harm. If we want to
take decisive action against the junk cooked pet-food alliance I believe
we first need to tackle the barfmaniacs and their junk raw pet-food scam.
Though this does not provide any more information than before (i.e. B.A.R.F. is bad because…) it is a good example of the sensationalism that I beleive is the cause for Dr. Billinghurst wanting to “stay out of the politics”. Yes, he was getting more fame, and clearly his diet philosophy is in no small debt to Dr. Lonsdale, but he was right to say that “If I am to be of use I need to be seen as outside the political arena. Someone who has the respect of the profession, whilst retaining strong views and unequivocal beliefs — supported of course by good evidence.” While sensationalism may be useful to get attention in the short term, if you ever want anyone to take your cause, beleifs, etc. seriously you must dispense with it and stick to reasoned arguements and hard facts, something that Dr. Lonsdale finds impossible. His sensationalism, and distortions of the truth do not start and end with the Dr. billinghurst, or even the sections I’ve copied here, and as someone who beleives in a raw food diet (both with and without vegetales, fruits, dairy products, supplements, etc.) I am embaressed by it because it allows people to dismiss raw feeding as a “fad” diet, and disparage and condescend to those who feed and promote it.
So while I may agree with almost everything, save a few minor points, in his book “Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health”, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in a feeding a raw diet, I simply cannot take anything he says on his website seriously. I have to wonder if he had a very good editor for his books, or just feels that he can get away with distortions, sensationalism, and half truths more easily on the web.
For further reading please take a look at Raw vs. BARF at the Newcastle Boxer’s website.
Raw Feeding Survey Results!
A while ago I posted a link to a survey for raw feeders from Raw Fit Pet; today we’ve found out the results! Just click the following link to see them!
Dog Food Contaminated With Levels of Fluoride Above EPA’s Legal Limit for Humans
I am never surprised by stuff like this anymore.
Fri Jun 26 08:18:05 2009 Pacific Time
Dog Food Contaminated With Levels of Fluoride Above EPA’s Legal Limit for Humans; Fluoride Linked to Hormone Disruption, Thyroid Problems, Bone Cancer
WASHINGTON, June 26 (AScribe Newswire) — Eight of 10 dog food brands tested by an independent laboratory commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) contain fluoride in amounts up to 2.5 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national drinking water standard.
Study: http://www.ewg.org/pethealth/report/fluoride-in-dog-food
The eight dog foods, all of them major national brands, were found to contain significantly more fluoride than levels implicated by a 2006 Harvard study in bone cancer in young boys.
In all eight cases, the likely sources of excess fluoride were bone meal and animal byproducts.
“Due to a failed regulatory system and suspect practices by some in the pet food industry, countless dogs may be ingesting excessive fluoride that could put them at risk,” Olga Naidenko, Ph.D, lead researcher of the EWG-sponsored study, said.
Moreover, Naidenko said, the fact so many popular national pet food brands contain previously undetected health hazards is one more symptom of the federal food safety system’s overall laxity.
“Our findings point to the need for basic health protections that require companies to prove their products are safe before they are sold,” Naidenko said. “Bringing public health laws in line with the newest scientific research is a critical step in protecting the health of all members of American households, whether they walk on two legs or four.”
The eight high-fluoride brands disclosed contents including chicken by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, chicken meal, beef and bone meal. Any ingredient described as “animal meal” is basically ground bones, cooked with steam, dried, and mashed to make a cheap dog food filler. A small fraction of fluoride in dog food comes from fluoridated tap water added to solid ingredients at pet food plants.
Fluoride occurs naturally in some water supplies. But two-thirds of Americans — and their pets and livestock– drink water that has been artificially fluoridated on grounds it improves dental health.
Fluoride is also found in certain foods, those from plants grown in high-fluoride soils or those to which the chemical is introduced during processing. Once ingested with food or water, fluoride accumulates in the bones.
An average dog who drinks an adequate amount water daily would be exposed to 0.05 to 0.1 milligrams of fluoride per kilogram of body weight, depending on the dog’s weight and water consumption. But those dogs who eat food high in fluoride, day in and day out, may be exposed to unsafe levels of fluoride.
For example, a 10-pound puppy that eats about a cup of dog food a day would consume 0.25 milligrams of fluoride per kilogram of body weight per day, an amount five times higher than the “safe” level set by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Pet food should be held to the same health and safety standards as human food and should be free of contaminants that may endanger pets’ health. Yet, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has little authority and few resources to ensure that products produced for pets are safe.
The bottom line: When it comes to dubious food additives, chemical pollutants or untested ingredients in pet food, pets and their owners are mostly on their own.
NOTE: If your dog’s food contains bone meal and other meat by-products, EWG recommends switching to brands free of these ingredients in order to minimize your dog’s exposure to harmful pollutants, including fluoride.
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CONTACT: EWG Public Affairs, 202-667-6982
ABOUT EWG: EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. http://www.ewg.org
SoCal BARF Order 06/09
So on saturday we picked up this months SCB order. Unfortunately on friday I was bit by a dog (idiot that I was I stuck my arm in the middle of a dog fight, and surprise! I got bit), so my boyfriend had to load it and divide up most of it for me. We had quite a bit of food, so it was a long process that we didn’t finish until Sunday. However, I am pleased with all the new products that we got this time.
Beef Cheek Meat: This came packaged as a solid 30Lb block. I set it outside to defrost once we got home, and a little over 12 hours later it was ready to take apart and package up. I have used beef cheek before, but I’ve always gotten it from the grocery store. This was a very primal cut (the ones I got from the grocery were almost like steaks); basically large flaps of meat w/ quite a bit of gristle. Once fully thawed it was quite hard to cut through w/ knifes as well as kitchen shears. The partially defrosted bits were much easier to cut through, so next time I won’t let them thaw all the way. The dogs really seem to like it, and I like the price ($1.42/Lb), so I will continue to purchase it. There is a bit of fat on these (maybe 15-20%), so it’s not overly fatty, which is good because I’ll be feeding it w/ whole duck.
Whole Duck: I have purchased whole ducks in the past from the grocery store, and I hated them. They seemed to have very hard bones, which weren’t easy to cut through. However, these were extremely easy to butcher, and though the packaging (they were individually packaged) said they had “parts missing” they were whole, though some had necks, liver, gizzards, etc. stuffed inside and some didn’t. These are “peking” ducks so they have quite a bit of fat in the skin, but I don’t see that as much of a problem. These happened to be on sale this month for half price, so unless I can get them at that price again I doubt I will repurchase them; obviously it has nothing to do w/ me disliking them, they’re just expensive for poultry at their normal price.
Instincts Pork Heart: Since I personally prefer to buy organs in a small quantities so that they’re (relatively) fresh I was thrilled to see that the Instincts line now offers them. These are ground, but it’s a rough grind. I like the 5Lb chubs since they’re easy to defrost and portion out. The dogs love pork heart, and since it’s hard for me to find them at the grocery store I will continue to purchase this product as it’s available.
Instincts Turkey Hearts: Unlike the pork hearts these are not ground, but simply portioned into 5Lb chubs. I have been eyeing the turkey hearts for a long time, but they’ve previously only been available in a 40Lb box. I really like them because they offer all the benefits of other types of hearts, but are lowest in selenium. I only ordered 1 – 5Lb chub this order, but next time I think I’ll get two. The price on these is exceptionally good at $0.64/Lb.
Instincts Turkey Thigh Meat: I didn’t actually get this product with my June order, but I forgot to mention it before (I got it w/ last months order). This is turkey thigh meat that has a medium grind; it’s quite good for mixing supplements into. My only complaint with this is the price. I can get ground turkey at Smart & Final for $5.99/5Lbs, whereas this is $7.15/5Lb, and though that may not seem like a lot it does add up over time (also I’m taxed on the Instincts since it’s classified as “dog food” and the S&F stuff isn’t). Nothing against the product it’s just more than I’ll pay for poultry.
Other than those items it was all stuff I’ve gotten before: lamb breast, ground chicken, chicken liver, indian mackerel, and lean pork trim.
Pupdate on Greentripe.com Xkaliber & Ark Naturals Sea Mobility
First of all my pups ADORE the greentripe.com Xkaliber; even the cat took a little nibble. Of course every time I divide up a 5Lb chub of it I have gaurds. You know, just in case crazy axe weilding food theives break into the house. The dogs are just making sure I’m…well the food is safe. I only feed it once a week, but I really like it because it’s A.) easy on my pocket book, and B.) includes both cow heart and tongue, which I would otherwise have to provide seperately. There is a small downside though; like the “GTT” product it does have a bit of a smell. The plain green tripe and tripe/organ meat blend don’t bother me at all, but the smell off the GTT makes me really nauseas. The Xkaliber isn’t that bad, but I can definitely smell a hint of the same GTT aroma. Overall though I’m perfectly happy with it, and because of the above mentioned benefits I’m more than willing to keep it in the diet.
Secondly I am also pleased with the Ark Naturals Sea Mobility jerky treats. I’ve been feeding them about 6 weeks now, and have not noticed any adverse affects. The dogs really enjoy them, and it’s their special “before bedtime” treat. I normally feed it about 11p, and the dogs now come in the house around 10:30p and wait for them. After that they both curl up and go to sleep for the night. I have found that iHerb.com has the best price on them.
Lastly I will be recieving a SCB order this weekend with a number of new products including: beef cheek meat, pork hearts, turkey hearts, and whole ducks. I am not thrilled with including the whole ducks since they’re not easy to butcher, but Abby doesn’t chew turkey necks thoroughly enough and quite often will throw up pieces of bone the next day, so I had to find a substitute for them. Pepper will be thrilled since she loves duck 
I will update about the new products when I get a chance, but with almost 200Lbs of food to divide up it may be a few days. We will also be getting lamb breasts, whole mackerel, lean pork trim, and chicken liver and gizzards, all of which we’ve gotten before.
How Green Is Your Tripe?
I was googling around earlier today and stumbled across a very interesting article from Whole Dog Journal about Green Tripe. It was news to me that feeding green tripe is something that’s almost universal (by the sound of the article) in Europe and has been for many, many years. They also mention GreenTripe.com It’s a bit of a read, but fascinating!
p.s.- I just got some greentripe.com Xkaliber this weekend! Haven’t given it to the dogs yet, but I’ll update when I do.
Ark Naturals “Sea Mobility” Venison Jerky
When I ran out of the joint supplement I was giving the dogs, and couldn’t find it at any of my local CostCo’s I started looking around for something new. I wanted something that was of course high quality, and easy to feed, but also a bit more natural than a chewable pill. Though these are more expensive ($10/22ct, as opposed to $30/300ct) there were many factors that I think make them worth the money for example:
- Our ingredients and manufacturing processes are natural, human quality and are GMP (good manufacturing practices) compliant. Sea “Mobility” is manufactured in the USA in AFIS/USDA inspected facilities. Proud members of the NPA, APPMA and NASC.
- Each strip is 56% Venison. All ingredients are premium human grade.
- Wheat free, corn free; no hormones, antibiotics, or by-products
I’ve only been giving these treats since this past saturday, so it’s too soon to tell whether they’re better or worse than our previous joint supplement, but I will update in a month or so. As per the recommended dose I’m giving each dog 1 strip per day, and they really like it.
Some Interesting Articles From Bark Magazine
Trust The Hand That Feeds You
It wasn’t all that long ago that dogs were either fed table scraps or their meals were made for them. I know that my childhood dog ate what we did, or in my case, what I didn’t eat—she was always ready to catch the bits of meat I rejected. She lived to be almost 20 years old without ever tasting kibble or canned pet food. However, it can’t be denied that great strides in the field of animal nutrition have been made since that time, and that some of this advancement is thanks to the research performed by pet-food companies, and animal nutritionists and veterinarians.
March 16, 2007, may have marked the tipping point for the pet food industry, the day the general public began to question how pet food is manufactured and the reliability of the claims made regarding its wholesomeness and safety. One of the most important tenets of our social contract with our dogs is to provide them with food that’s good for them. Many dog guardians believed they were doing just that by feeding their dogs some of the products removed from the shelves by the Menu recall. Even people who have long been concerned about the pet food industry and who don’t feed their pets commercial food were surprised by the enormity of this recall. How could this have happened?
There are many reasons, starting with lax FDA oversight and the self-regulated, non-governmental nature of the Association of American Feed Control Officials, which sets nutritional standards, label requirements and feed-trial protocols for pet foods. Many of its members come from state agriculture departments as well as from within the industry itself. The pet food market is controlled by huge multinational conglomerates, and five companies dominate: Nestlé (Purina, Alpo, Friskies, Mighty Dog), Del Monte (Gravy Train, Nature’s Recipe, Milk Bone), MasterFoods (Mars’ Royal Canin, Pedigree, Sensible Choice), Proctor and Gamble (Iams, Eukanuba) and Colgate-Palmolive (Hill’s Science Diet, Nature’s Best).
10 (more) Easy Pieces To Liven Up Your Dogs Meal
In part one of this article, we asked the rhetorical question: “If you’re going to feed your dogs ‘people’ food, shouldn’t you feed them something that’s actually good for them?” and answered it with a list of 10 healthy, easily obtainable options straight from the shelves of your local market. As promised, here are 10 more “easy pieces” for your consideration. (Part One can be found here.)
Meatloaf
We are big fans of a good meatloaf, and our dogs Jordan and Gertrude were too. We adapted a basic meatloaf recipe using lean meats and adding different grains and vegetables for variety. Our dogs loved garlic, so we always added it, finely chopped; if you have concerns about feeding it to your dog, it can easily be left out.
PetKind Tripe Treats
About PetKind Tripe Treats: PetKind Tripe Treats contain all of the essential fatty acids and juices from a cow’s stomach, making it an incredibly healthy treat for dogs. These crunchy, chewy treats are an amazing cleaner for teeth and are great for over-all skin & coat condition. There are approximately 10 treats per package, each averaging about 5″ each. From the makers of Tripett canned green tripe.
While at my favourite pet shop today I noticed they just started carrying these treats. I don’t know if they’re going to be big sellers (unless you’ve heard of green tripe before would you be willing to feed your dog uncleaned, dehydrated cow stomach?), but of course I had to buy a bag for the girls. I gave them one each for dessert tonight and they really seemed to enjoy them. They sort of look like small bully sticks, and though it did take Pepper and Abby a few minutes to fully finish them, they didn’t offer as much of a chew as a bully would. As I said the girls thoroughly enjoyed them, but boy did they smell rank! Green tripe (which has been described by some as smelling like thrown up feces) doesn’t really phase me anymore, but something about the dehydrating process must intensify the smell. Of course that won’t put me off buying them again, but I will make sure to give the treats outside next time.
If you can’t find PetKind Tripe Treats I believe Ziwi Peak and GreenTripe.com make similar treats, or you can order them online from a number of places.
Poor Itchy Puppies
So, it has been very windy in SoCal for the last few days. I know that my allergies are acting up, and both Abby and Pepper, as well as Chance (the horse) have been itching like crazy. For me, it’s easy; just take an oatmeal bath. For the pups it’s not so easy, but I have found a system that helps.
- Put dog in the bathtub and thoroughly wet w/ warm water. Before applying shampoo pour 2 quarts warm water with 2tbls white or apple cider vinegar over dog.
- Apply a shampoo with oatmeal, or essential oils of herbs such as: rosemary, tea tree, thyme, peppermint, or eucalyptus. Work shampoo thoroughly into coat, and allow to soak for several minutes (or as directed on the bottle).
- Rinse shampoo completely, and then pour an herbal infusion of rosemary and thyme over the dog (to 2 quarts boiling water add 2tbls dry rosemary and 1tbls dry thyme; allow to soak until water is luke-warm/cool); you can also add 2tbls 100% aloe vera (I like Aubrey Organics & it must be 100% aloe!), but it’s optional. Do not rinse. Towel dry.
