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The ON-LINE edition of our monthly newsletter
ANTI-PARASITE PROMOTIONS IN EFFECT It’s flea season! Although we should all be protecting our pets from fleas, ticks and heartworm all year round, now is the time of year that the manufacturers of many flea, tick
and heartworm products provide special offers to use their products. Buy now for the whole year, and protect your pets while saving some money:
ADVANTAGE Buy 8 applications (two boxes) and get the 9th application FREE (in effect indefinitely)
FRONTLINE Buy 6 applications (two boxes) and get the 7th application FREE (in effect indefinitely)
PROGRAM TABLETS Buy 12 doses (two boxes) and receive a $4.00 rebate from the manufacterer, or receive a $2.00 rebate for buying 6 doses (one box). Rebate coupons good per pet, and are valid until January 31, 2001. For coupon, call (888) 327-9745 or print coupon for yourself from the Novartis website SENTINEL TABLETS
Buy 12 doses (two boxes) and receive an $8.00 rebate from the manufacterer, or receive a $4.00 rebate for buying 6 doses (one box). Rebate coupons good per pet, and are valid until January 31, 2001. For coupon, call (888) 327-9745 or print a coupon for yourself from the Novartis website
INTERCEPTOR TABLETS
HEARTGARD PLUS Buy 12 doses (one year’s supply) and receive a $5.00 rebate from the manufacturer (ask the receptionist for a coupon - in effect indefinitely)
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WELCOME TO ALLISON 
As the summer months bring us our busy season, we find ourselves needing extra assistance to care for our patients. Allison Massenzio, a 3rd year veterinary student at The University of Liverpool, England, will be joining us this summer as a member of our Animal Technical Assistant staff. While Allison does have family in the U.K. (in Ireland), she is originally from New Jersey, where she graduated from Rutgers University - Cook College. Allison has been working as an Animal Technician for 8 years, and back at school, she is captain of the University Horseback Riding Team. Who knows? Perhaps in a few years, after she graduates from vet school, you may see her here again in a different capacity: as Doctor Allison! Click here to to see our other staff members. [Back to Index at Top of Page]
Last month we handled the deconstruction of that confusing “proximate analysis” chart on the Pet Food Label. (Click here to review). This month we review some other parts of the Label. This Month’s Installment:
The Statement of Adequacy How do you know if the food you are buying is really any good? And can it be fed appropriately to your pet? To address these issues, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was founded in 1909. This is the group that defines ingredients and official nutritional terms, and determines the protocols by which pet foods are tested.
This statement (copied verbatim from a can of Friskies Fancy Feast) means that this food was tested on cats and kittens, and that it was found to provide optimal nutrirional results. Feeding tests such as these are expensive and smaller companies can’t always afford them. The AAFCO allows for an alternative certfication: a biochemical analysis. In this way the biochemical composition of the diet is compared to known optimal quantities. This enables a diet to become certified as complete without actually being tested on living animals. Since nutrients in the food aren’t always digestable, a chemical analysis may not really tell the nutritional story of the food. In general, it is better to feed a diet that has been objectively studied and proven itself in real animals. If words such as “feeding trials” or “feeding tests” aren’t used, it wasn’t tested on real animals. Words to the effect of “meets the standards of the AAFCO” mean only that it achieves the biochemical analysis certification, and not that it was actually tested by feeding it to live animals. Product Identity: Where’s the Beef? Product identity is more than the brand name; it is also a statement about the flavor and content. Keep in mind that the AAFCO is very strict about every term that can be used on a pet label. Is there a technical difference between a dog or cat food labeled with “Chicken Flavor” or “with real Fish Flavor” and one labeled as “Chicken Dinner” or “Fish Dinner?” Yes! The wording of the label the manufacterer is allowed to use on the food depends on HOW MUCH chicken or fish (or other ingredient) is actually inside the can or bag of food! Knowing what the wording of the labels mean can help you make sure you are feeding your pet what you think you are feeding them. To illustrate what the wording on pet food labels mean, let’s look at some hypothetical dog food. There are four “cans” of Joe’s Dog Food below, all with different amounts of beef inside. The wording of the labels can tell you how much beef must be in the can to legally be allowed to use the wording on the label. Guess how much beef is required to be able to use each label (to see the answer, just move your cursor over the can of dog food below). (If the answers don’t appear immediately as you move your cursor over any of the four cans on the left, just try again moving the cursor a little slower. Those of you that don’t have the Shockwave plugin should see a still graphic with the answers).
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DID YOU KNOW...
For some pictures of a few toxic plants that may unknowingly be in your yard, and a link to the University of Cornell Toxic Plant Website, visit the September 1998 What’s New (in our What’s New Archives). [Back to Index at Top of Page]
Every so often, we run across a web site or two that might be particularly interesting to pet owners. Here’s a couple that you might want to check out: Wouldn’t it be great if our dogs could use a litter box just like our cats do! Purina has developed a litter and training system for indoor dogs 35 pounds and under. The litter is a recycled newspaper product that connot track or stain. We have not tried this out yet or heard reports from anyone who has, but you can learn more details, and even get a rebate coupon, on Purina’s website for this potentially great new product.
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Thank-You for our New Referrals Here are the names of our clients who have referred their family or friends to our hospital in June 2000.
Thank you again for your confidence in us. [Back to Index at Top of Page]
WHAT’S NEW ON OUR WEB SITE (since last month) HEARTWORM PREVENTIVE COMPARISON DIETHYLSTILBESTROL (DES) [Back to Index at Top of Page]
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Buy 12 doses (two boxes) and receive an $4.00 rebate from the
manufacterer, or receive a $2.00 rebate for buying 6 doses (one box). Rebate coupons good per pet, and are valid until January 31, 2001. For coupon, call (888) 327-9745 or print a coupon for yourself from the 
The Humane Society of the U.S. has put together guidelines for people renting with pets and for
landlords renting to people with pets. Some great ideas for both sides of apartment living. Included are 13 tips for finding Pet-Friendly Rental Housing.
