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EdSkor |
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saintly |
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thoroughly investigatedl possible answers to my quesstion. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness. |
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Confidential |
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[07-30-2000] EdSkor : I have heard about a natural dog food called Life's Abundance. I saw it on Animal Planet and it is supposed to be different from any other dog food on the market. I would like some advice from a vet who might have an opinion on its quality.
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[08-03-2000] saintly :
EdSkor,
Do you have any more information about this product? I haven't been able to find a manufacturer or product information anywhere. I checked with the Nutrition department here at the veterinary hospital I work for, and they were unfamiliar with the brand name as well. I'll keep looking, but please reply back if you know anything more about the brand or the product.
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[08-03-2000] saintly : For a general comparison of most brands of dog food, and tips on reading labels and dissecting
product claims, visit:
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wolfepack/next.html
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[08-04-2000] saintly : Yikes. No sooner did I send that to you than I found the manufacturer and promo materials. I've passed the product on for review. The product claims to be good for all breeds and sizes, but in the event that they ask, please tell me what breed and size dogs you want to use it for. If you're interested in ordering from or visiting the manufacturer, they are:
http://www.healthypetnet.com/pets/default.asp?realname=10015815
HealthyPetNet
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wolfepack/foodcht3j-l.html
Comparison chart between Life's Abundance and other Independant/Special Order pet foods.
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[08-04-2000] EdSkor : Thanks very much for the information.
Ed
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[08-04-2000] saintly : Okay, and now the answer you were originally looking for. According to our head nutritionist, while this diet is probably not *bad* for your animal, whether it is very much better than other brands is questionable. It has been tested by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO, though this is misspelled on the web page as AFFCO), so the product is not harmful to animals, and meets basic nutritional standards.
Life's Abundance makes several claims to the effect that grape seed extract provides an important nutritional benefit to dogs. They don't cite any studies however, and our nutrionist has not seen or heard of any research that might support that idea. Consider their claims of the benefits of using probiotics and antioxidants as being somewhat unproven and of questionable necessity. Compared to other independant brands, it is somewhat near the high end as far as protein & moisture content go.
One particular area of concern that I noticed: these products are not being sold by people with veterinary or nutrition experience. The entire product line, web site and promotional materials are sold to anyone who would like to become a distributor. They specifically mention that no experience or education is required to get your own pre-packaged web site to sell the product. Whomever you buy the food from is unlikely to be able to answer your questions about it.
In general, the product looks good and safe, but their added ingredients are not likely to be essential. Whether they are worth the extra cost is likewise debatable. If you would like to switch your animal to this or any other brand of food, be sure to do it gradually over a week or so; phasing in more and more of the new food and less of the old.
Hope that Helps
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