[nagdu] {Disarmed} Fw: [leader-dogs-l] Article about Dog Food, please read.

[William Vandervest]

There are none so blind as those who will not see

William and LD Lynard
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Donna Miller & Leader Dog Carman 
To: leader-dogs-l at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 7:34 AM
Subject: [leader-dogs-l] Article about Dog Food, please read.


  

EAST LANSING, Mich. - A team of researchers at Michigan State University has
discovered a group of illnesses reported in dogs across the country is
linked to a specific brand of dog food from the Blue Buffalo Co.

Veterinarians from across the country recently began sending samples from
dogs with elevated levels of calcium in their blood to MSU's Diagnostic
Center for Population and Animal Health, director Carole Bolin said. The
sick dogs had increased thirst and urination, and some of them also suffered
weight loss, loss of appetite and signs of kidney damage.

Endocrinologists with the Diagnostic Center, a service unit of the College
of Veterinary Medicine, soon noticed the pattern and found a common factor:
All 16 dogs whose samples were tested had very high levels of vitamin D in
their blood and were fed a diet of Blue Buffalo's Wilderness Chicken Recipe.

The diagnostic center is cooperating with the Michigan Department of
Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration on an investigation into
the brand, Bolin said. Blue Buffalo has since issued a voluntary recall;
more information can be found at
http://bluebuffalo.com/news/vitamin-d-voluntary-recall.shtml.

"The only reason we were able to identify the pattern is because of the vast
national resource our center has become," said Bolin, who added her lab
performs more than 1.3 million tests a year. "Because of our nationwide
reach and expertise, we were able to discover this and notify the proper
authorities."

It is routine for veterinarians across the country to contact the center for
specialized testing to explore the causes of clinical conditions. In this
specific case, all the dogs were found to have very high levels of vitamin D
in their serum, a quite unusual finding. Endocrinologist Kent Refsal picked
up on the pattern of cases and began to investigate.

The affected dogs ranged in age from 8 months to 8 years. There were three
mixed-breed dogs and 13 purebred dogs. The samples originated from eight
states: Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, North
Dakota and Utah. In addition to the testing, there was either a brief
written history and/or communication with the referring veterinarian to
discuss the possible sources of excess vitamin D.

Dogs seem to recover when the diet is changed, Bolin said, and there have
not been any reported deaths related to the diet. For more scientific
information on the investigation, visit http://animalhealth.msu.edu/.

--Donna Miller and Leader dog Carman
If the Dream is big enough, the facts don't count.
bishop Mark chironna


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