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by Alan Frayer As few outside the veterinary community truly understand the natures of canine influenza (aka dog flu) and avian (bird) flu, myself included, it isn’t unusual for rumors spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) to circulate. It is unconscionable, however, for such FUD to be circulated by those thought to be recognized authorities. Solid Gold Health Products for Pets ran a full-page ad in the January, 2006 issue of Pet Age with the headline “No Chicken and No Duck Used in Solid Gold Dog Foods.” The first paragraph reads: “The chicken/duck bird flu has been found in dogs, according to the Center for Disease Control. The first incidents were found at many greyhound racetracks in the U.S. In Revere, Mass., the disease killed 17 dogs in May 05. The track has suspended racing indefinitely. Other racetracks have reported dead and sick dogs in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, Iowa, Colorado and Rhode Island.” The ad continues on to site Dr. Cynda Crawford of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine on the symptoms of what we now recognize as canine influenza, and strongly suggests these dogs were infected by contact with chickens and ducks. But what is the truth behind the FUD? The Center for Disease Control does mention that birds are hosts to all known subtypes of Influenza A, and that Influenza A can cross over from one species to another, but, “Most recently, H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs.” Not ducks, not chickens... horses. Dog flu and bird flu are both subtypes of Influenza A, but they are not the same subtype (bird flu is H5N1), so we are not looking at the bird flu being transmitted to dogs, and the risk of a dog getting dog flu from eating chicken is minor. So why is Solid Gold spreading this FUD? Well, you could ask them, but I’ll speculate it is because they don’t use chicken or chicken by-products in their dry dog food, while many of their competitors do. Solid Gold is treating the pet food industry as if this were an election campaign, only no one is likely to win. Solid Gold finishes their ad with “Knowledge speaks, but Wisdom listens.” This being the case, it is even more shameful when the voice of that knowledge speaks falsehoods. Such behavior brings a bad reputation not just to them, but to small holistic pet food makers, everywhere. The preceding is the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other contributors to the web site. Comments are welcome in our Discussion Forums. Related Articles: |
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