"Pasta" and Meatballs, Pup Spring Rolls, Edith Before & After + Another Lawsuit Against Hill's Science Diet
I hope you had a great Valentine’s day with your pups. Cedric and Edith both ate really well this week. I think Cedric’s new favorite food is stewed chicken feet. I made a version for myself that was so good I can’t wait to make it again. One of the best parts of cooking all these dishes for the dogs is that I make things for myself that I normally wouldn’t. I never used to eat beets or drink bone broth… but now I do all the time, and they are amazing. I made a salad with avocado and roasted beets last week that I’m still thinking about.
You can see the most recent recipes here.
Some of you may have heard the lawsuit brought against Hill's Science Diet that was filed last week. Though nothing has been proven, the allegations are very serious. The suit alleges that veterinarians and researchers at the company engaged in scientific fraud along with researchers at Tufts University in order to link grain-free foods with DCM, a rare heart condition. Those link between these foods and DCM have largely been debunked, but the investigations continue. The core of the lawsuit is the use of this fabricated data in marketing and promotional materials.
“At its heart, the case alleges violations of the Lanham Act (our U.S. trademark statutes), and in particular its provisions that are directed to false or misleading advertising,” Michael Annis, partner with law firm Husch Blackwell, told Petfood Industry. “The alleged false statements are perpetuating and republishing the allegedly bad studies in Hill's marketing and promotional materials, including posting on its website.”
According the the lawsuit, The FDA was rushed to action by a coordinated effort of veterinarians linked to the brand. These veterinarians are alleged to have flooded the agency with hundreds of cases intentionally chosen to overrepresent grain-free foods as a cause of DCM. The FDAs investigation caused a panic amongst consumers as media coverage amplified the risks. Hill’s Science Diet has denied any wrong doing.
This is not the first class action lawsuit brought agains Hill’s Science Diet. Another lawsuit claiming unfair marketing practices is still ongoing. “Prescription Diets” were marketed to consumers and required prescriptions for foods despite no medicines or controlled substances being contained in them. This led many consumers to believe there was actually medication in these prescription diets leading them to pay higher prices because they were directed by their veterinarians.
Keep in mind vets have to take care of many different types of animals, from horses to cow (which are vegetarians) to cats and dogs (which are mostly carnivores). It’s for this reason, I don’t turn to them for advice in nutrition. For us, they are a source of medical assistance when needed. But I’ll stick to feeding the dogs home cooked meals. It so much fun and good for them too!
Edith Before and After
Below are two photos of Edith. The first is when she just came home from the shelter (stressed, eating kibble). The second is her now, after several months of love and good food. There’s no color grading, she really was that dull colored when she first came home. So for any people who might think these foods are harming the dogs, to me it looks like the complete opposite.
That’s it for this week.
All the best,
Joelle, Cedric & Edith