# PO'ed at Reader's Digest.



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

I don't know if anyone else has seen it but RD's latest issue's main headline is "50 secrets your vet won't tell you" now I should have known better but I was REALLY hoping it would be an in depth look into vets....nope....it's write ins from "18 vets and vet techs."

Here are the 2 that annoyed me the most!

"#38: Home cooking for your pet is harder then you think. I once saw a dog who was fed a home-cooked diet of chicken breast and vegetables for a year, and his bones became do weak that his jaw broke. If you would like to cook for your pet, find a veterinary nutritionist who can help guide you, or check out balanceit.com.". 

What a load of crap. Really, after a year his mouth just broke?!?
That website it is a jok, if I changed anything from the original formula, including making it "low carb" then I had to have vet's approval before ordering! I couldn't ever even get to where is said how much it was!!

Oh ya, and you can get cheese as a protein source!!! :wacko:

And then this one REALLY pisses me off!!!!
"#25: Some people are really into a raw-food diet for pets, but it's a huge health hazard. Think about it: you have raw meat, your touching it, your dog touches it, and then your dog goes and licks the baby. I've had two patients die and two patients get really sick from it." Amber Andersen, DMV, a vet at point vicente animal hospital in Ranching Palos Verdes, Ca. 

What a bunch of bull crap!
I'm writing in about that one.....it makes me so mad! I need to get a GOOD letter together, and send it in!!!

Anyways had to share!!!


----------



## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

What's sad, is a lot of people probably read that article believing every word of it just because a vet wrote it.


----------



## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

I FULLY agree with you the second one. FULLY. What a load of crap. I have a crap immune system. I get sick a lot. I haven't died yet. And I am no suzie homemaker. My house is not the cleanest. 


But the first one I can kind of see. An improperly made homecooked meal would not provide enough calcium/phosphorus needed for bone health. If a homecooked meal is not balanced, I think it is worse than kibble. And it is harder to balance a home cooked one I imagine.


----------



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Kat said:


> What's sad, is a lot of people probably read that article believing every word of it just because a vet wrote it.


Yup, exactly!!

That's why I'm going to write in!!! Gawd....this is making me more and more PO'ed thinking of all the people who are reading it right now and might never consider raw because of it!!!!


----------



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> I FULLY agree with you the second one. FULLY. What a load of crap. I have a crap immune system. I get sick a lot. I haven't died yet. And I am no suzie homemaker. My house is not the cleanest.
> 
> 
> But the first one I can kind of see. An improperly made homecooked meal would not provide enough calcium/phosphorus needed for bone health. If a homecooked meal is not balanced, I think it is worse than kibble. And it is harder to balance a home cooked one I imagine.


Well, the first one gets to me because this is one of those horror stories kept just to scare people back onto processed foods. My Mum makes Bonnie(sister's 16 year old Lhasa) a home cooked diet, very easily...took about 2 days on research on my part and some tweaking to find stuff she would eat....but she is healthier then she has EVER been in 16 years, and believe me, no weak/broken bones!Lol


----------



## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Oh I am not against home cooking. But not everyone takes the time to do the research, and that IS scary. Some people think they can just give chicken breast and vegetables. They forget about calcium (like the example the digest gave.) I imagine a whole year without any calcium could cause osteoporosis.

Even raw is dangerous if people do not do their research first. 


What RD should have done was provide websites to promote home cooking and raw awareness with information on doing it properly as opposed to these fear tactics to get people to stay on kibble.


----------



## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

When you get your letter right Scarlett O', post it on here so we can all read it  

*Sigh* the things vets do to make sure people keep buying their prescription diet. The kibble industry knows raw is starting to threaten sales which is why theyre trying so darn hard to scare the bejesus out of everyone.


----------



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Wow. I think every raw feeder in the world should write in. This is bull crap!

I've come as far as to not trust vets. I was just talking to the neighbor lady who has two 1yr old Boston terriers. They have terrible dry skin, are skinny and just very aggressive. Her vet told her that Pedigree is BY FAR the best thing she can feed her dogs. So they have been eating that for 9 months. She said she goes through so much food and they are always sickly. She commented on how Annie and Tucker are solid muscle and no dandruff and soft lush coats and look so great. I told her I feed a raw diet and have been researching dog nutrition on my own for about 5 years. She asked me what would be best for them, I told her IMO PMR is the way to go. But she wants to get a freezer and stock up first 

Good thing is, she threw away the pedigree and went to get a bag of orjin six fish. I gave her a 10lb tub of chicken backs and told her to strip the skin, fat and organs and feed them small amounts (1/2 a back each maybe) 2 or so times a week, but to work up to it and not rush it for their teeth and added benefits. She is very interested in raw and may switch in a couple months after gathering more information. I also informed her that the un needed carbs in dog food can cause added aggression. I'm also helping her work with her dogs. She is so nice and she is skeptical about her vet and what they say. I told her its always safer to research what the vet tells you. Because if your not having issues, your not in their office and they aren't making money.


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Why would it be secrets your vet won't tell you, but written by a vet?

Sounds like such an oxymoron.


----------



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Sprocket said:


> Why would it be secrets your vet won't tell you, but written by a vet?
> 
> Sounds like such an oxymoron.


I agree with the moron part


----------



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Oh I am not against home cooking. But not everyone takes the time to do the research, and that IS scary. Some people think they can just give chicken breast and vegetables. They forget about calcium (like the example the digest gave.) I imagine a whole year without any calcium could cause osteoporosis.
> 
> Even raw is dangerous if people do not do their research first.
> 
> ...


Ya, totally agree with your first 2 points....problem is if someone isn't going to put forth the effort to research a home-cooked diet.....well I would be willing to bet you they didn't research krapple either!:wacko: (I know we are both saying the same things....I'm just stating my own takes on it!Lol)

And your last part....I FULLY AGREE WITH!! I hope that if enough raw feeders write in we can make them do a proper article!!:thumb:



Kat said:


> When you get your letter right Scarlett O', post it on here so we can all read it
> 
> *Sigh* the things vets do to make sure people keep buying their prescription diet. The kibble industry knows raw is starting to threaten sales which is why theyre trying so darn hard to scare the bejesus out of everyone.


Will do!!:thumb:
And exactly.....I think it would be laughable(in a super sad way) to see what those 2 vets do suggest for food!:wacko:



Makovach said:


> Wow. I think every raw feeder in the world should write in. This is bull crap!
> 
> I've come as far as to not trust vets. I was just talking to the neighbor lady who has two 1yr old Boston terriers. They have terrible dry skin, are skinny and just very aggressive. Her vet told her that Pedigree is BY FAR the best thing she can feed her dogs. So they have been eating that for 9 months. She said she goes through so much food and they are always sickly. She commented on how Annie and Tucker are solid muscle and no dandruff and soft lush coats and look so great. I told her I feed a raw diet and have been researching dog nutrition on my own for about 5 years. She asked me what would be best for them, I told her IMO PMR is the way to go. But she wants to get a freezer and stock up first
> 
> Good thing is, she threw away the pedigree and went to get a bag of orjin six fish. I gave her a 10lb tub of chicken backs and told her to strip the skin, fat and organs and feed them small amounts (1/2 a back each maybe) 2 or so times a week, but to work up to it and not rush it for their teeth and added benefits. She is very interested in raw and may switch in a couple months after gathering more information. I also informed her that the un needed carbs in dog food can cause added aggression. I'm also helping her work with her dogs. She is so nice and she is skeptical about her vet and what they say. I told her its always safer to research what the vet tells you. Because if your not having issues, your not in their office and they aren't making money.


TOTALLY agree!! I think it would be AWESOME if a ton of us wrote in!!:biggrin:
And wow, yes I totally don't trust vets for anything other then MEDICAL issues, and even then I question EVERYTHING....and that kind of story is EXACTLY why!! UGH! 



Sprocket said:


> Why would it be secrets your vet won't tell you, but written by a vet?
> 
> Sounds like such an oxymoron.


That is EXACTLY what I thought!! I was really hoping it would be more of an in depth look at how vets are scamming people!!


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Is the article online?


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Thanks for that info Abi. I Just emailed my letter. Hope someone reads it.


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Oh GOOD GOD! Some vet knows two people who DIED and 2 who got seriously sick from feeding raw food??? Spare me. I've never read such crap in my life. I can't understand how the RD could even publish unsubstantiated crap like that. And, like you said, the sad thing is that is what people believe, they read a so called reputable magazine and believe it. Not so many years ago, I would have.
And, I know of a dog that has been fed a cooked chicken breast every single day for the 9 years of his life. Nothing else, he won't eat it. Sure, he's not the prime specimen of his species (pug) from all accounts, but he's still alive and hasn't had broken jaws or legs or back. 
Oh well, thanks for posting, it's got me all worked up now and I'm about to go to bed! It just makes me mad that they can publish such tripe without getting the full story.


----------



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Is the article online?


I don't know, I'm sorry. I'm just on my phone....so I haven't even looked. I would think its probably on their site. 

Liz I would LOVE to know what you said!!:biggrin:


----------



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Liz I would LOVE to know what you said!!:biggrin:


As would I!


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Here you go - It was written fast so I am sure I could get a little more on my soap box but I think I covered most things o.k.


I just read your article "50 This Your vet won't Tell you" I am 
astounded. Most of your items were harmless and anecdotal. I take exception to two of 
your points. One is #25 - Raw feeding is dangerous with 2 death and 2 severe illnesses. 
Were the claims substantiated? How did you verify this claim. I notice no one posted 
the number of deaths and surgeries due to ingested clothing, toys, sticks and other 
foreign matter. No one talked about how many dogs choke on kibble. How many dogs have 
died from salmonella and other toxicity in their balanced kibble diet? How many recalls 
of kibble in the last ten years - heck the last five years? 

#38 stated that a dog ate a home cooked diet for a year and his jaw broke. That is very 
irresponsible reporting. It is highly doubtful that a healthy, well bred dog without 
congenital defects would suffer bone degeneration from even a poor diet in just a year 
and yes, the diet you used as an example is a poor diet. Home cooking can be a life 
saver for many dogs and with a bit of research is not difficult to balance. 

I am very disappointed to read such nonsense and know that you have now frightened people 
from some very safe, healthy and viable options in feeding their beloved pets. It was 
clearly a very one sided article with little or no substantiation. Well congratulations 
on joining ranks with the rest of popular journalism - print whatever tripe you like, 
don't bother to verify the facts. I for one will not be renewing my subscription.

Most Dissapointed

Liz Tilton


----------



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Found it!
50 Things Your Vet Won't Tell You | Reader's Digest


----------



## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Why would it be secrets your vet won't tell you, but written by a vet?
> 
> Sounds like such an oxymoron.


These articles have been popping up a lot. I recently saw one on Yahoo that said "Secrets your nurse won't tell you" but it was all just things that nurses wrote in...like "be nice to us" "we gossip about you while we are in the halls" etc etc It's really stupid, and IMO tends to be disrespectful to their field of work. If you want to vent about your job...write in a freakin journal, or start a blog (oh but wait...that's hardly legal anymore lol)


----------



## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Oh and I commented on the page lol


----------



## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

What about all the dogs who eat poop or kibble that is contaminated with salmonella (which happens often), and then they go and lick the baby? I would think that should be considered "hazardous" as well.


----------



## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Scarlett_O' said:


> That is EXACTLY what I thought!! I was really hoping it would be more of an in depth look at how vets are scamming people!!


I don't think people are reading Reader's Digest for their though provoking 'in depth' articles !  (I couldn't find 'sarcasm to the max' smiley icon!)

My mother actually keeps sending me a subscription to it every year for Christmas. I've got the last three issues sitting on my table, still unopened. I read them while I eat breakfast, just for something to do, now that I've canceled my newspaper. They have become a total 'fluff' magazine, sometime I equate with yahoo news or webmd. Unfortunately, that is what people seem to read and believe is true now. 

When you write your letter, make sure to mention that 'Your dog chews on kibble and then LICKS THE BABY!!' :shocked:


----------



## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Those articles are in there a lot. I remember the "50 Things Your Waiter Won't Tell You" one a few years ago. 

The only memorable article I have ever read in there was the one about Winter the dolphin. She is the dolphin with the fake tail that was made for her after she was caught in a crap trap. They recently made a movie about and starring her.

Other than that... Well, I don't enjoy RD. I did comment on the page though. And Abi, I think I may write a letter while I am at your house this weekend... I want your input while I write.


----------



## Maritan (Nov 11, 2011)

Liz said:


> Letter by Liz


Shhh... Quiet, people. Did you hear that sound? That was Reader's Digest being bitch slapped by Liz. :boxing:

:clap2: Nice work, Liz. I stopped reading RD a LONG time back when I thought I perceived a drop in quality of writing/ articles/ funnies. Now-a-days, the only time I pick up RD is if I'm at a dentist's office waiting to have my mouth pummeled.


----------



## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

I didn't know anyone read that thing anymore...


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

what's worse is that you're actually taking an article from reader's digest seriously. 

of course, people are going to believe these things, especially the ones who read this publication.

sad, but true.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

KittyKat said:


> I didn't know anyone read that thing anymore...


abi does.


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I actually lied and don't have a subscription. But I did read it recently in some restaraunt that had deathly slow service. I think I also get stuck with it at the Dentist. It just sounds better to cancel or not renew "my subscription". I wouldn't waste kindle space on RD.  Also, my resolution this year is to stand up for raw feeding and even home cooked for dogs whenever possible as I am tired of being cowed by such simpletons as the ones who wrote this article. Anyway - it was kind of fun and released a lot of aggression. LOL


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

HEHEHEHEHE

I wrote a comment.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i have read this article in its entirety.

as a retired doctor, i take umbrage at the 'do as i say, not as i do' attitude you're posting. 

basically, you've just printed an article with anecdotes that will give permission for people to feed their dogs chocolate, that it's okay to not get their dogs licensed,

that the vets who get their licenses from the caribbean, so they are not a vet..is just wrong and not truthful.....

..which means you've just disrespected the schools in the caribbean where many medical doctors get THEIR education.

once a doctor and a vet pass their boards, guess what they are called? Doctor. And it matters not where they went to school. that is an elitist statement and totally untrue.

number 6. i know plenty of obese people and their dogs are not obese. if they are obese, it is more due to what they are fed. i agree there are too many people who do not exercise their dogs. i also agree there are too many dogs who are fed inappropriate food.

since vets and doctors take a nutrition course that is paid for either by a pharmaceutical company or a pet food company, advising people to NOT give their dogs species appropriate supplements is not only in accurate, it's dangerous. (#24). What vets do not know about nutrition or kibble can be put into the Library of Congress. They should never be permitted to speak about nutrition. and you have done your readers a disservice by printing this garbage, which people will follow blindly.

Number 25 is so wrong, i hardly know where to start. there is a growing number of people in this country and in europe and asia who feed a species appropriate diet. this is not a public health hazard. there are more cases of salmonella each year from open bags of kibble which children handle than there are cases of any salmonella found in humans, related to raw feeding. children handle all kinds of objects, not the least of which is a dog's anus or a dog's poo. the leading cause of salmonella from pets are from kibble, not raw food.
please have dr. amber andersen post how she came by this absolute lie.

number 31. since vaccinations are over given, i think that places who only give half doses are actually doing their clients a favour. if the vet in california, who won't give his/her name had the courage to research this, then he/she would find out that vaccinosis is a huge problem because of over vaccinating.

38. yes, home cooking is something that needs to be researched. but a year of just chicken and vegetables made a jaw break? i find that very hard to believe. Perhaps if Monica Revel looked further than the diet, she'd have seen something that perhaps was more than just diet.

number 39. this vet is saying that i should judge the competency and up to date knowledge of my vet by how he euthanises? seriously? 

number 41. certainly this is true. lmost vets should know that what they sell is very high priced, such as royal canin and science diet and has the worst ingredients and is not at all species appropriate. i have yet to meet a vet who agrees with that. so perhaps this vet in california should look at the junk food he or she is selling before bashing other foods.

48. if dr. dennis leon studied raw nutrition, no one would have to brush their dogs' teeth.

this is a terrible article and very inaccurate.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

and now i want the last fifteen minutes of my life back LOL


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Oh, you know that felt good. Very nice letter by the way. Covered lots of bases. Don't you just feel all sweet with all that aggression out of your system?


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I think they deleted my comment.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Liz said:


> Oh, you know that felt good. Very nice letter by the way. Covered lots of bases. Don't you just feel all sweet with all that aggression out of your system?


yes, it felt good and i'm no longer feeling agressive...i bet they delete it. LOL

i do take umbrage at these kinds of articles. it's irresponsible to publish things that will allow people to say....well, my vet does it so it must be okay.


----------



## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

And then the message boards that actually seemed to like the article
50 secrets your vet won't tell you - Animals, health, care, dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, fish, frogs... - City-Data Forum


----------



## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

GAWD i got sucked into comments also. lol not goingg back. Seems more people are upset over the out of state vet schools. Oh and the vet who said dogs are onivoires... ugh. I think that is the first question anyone should ask their vet. lol


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> I think they deleted my comment.


they deleted mine, too.

i guess people want to stay ignorant. it is said ignorance is bliss and i suppose the readers of reader's digest intend to stay that way.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Well, practically EVERY vet will tell you not to feed home cooked or raw. That's no frigging secret.

The secret they DON'T tell you is they make money off of their RX sales. And that's nowhere in that article.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

> “We’re a vet hospital, not a dog hotel. People will get upset because their dog got a sheet instead of two fluffy blankets or because their dog didn’t get hand-fed. We’re just trying to get your dog better so he can come home and you can spoil him.”—Jessica Stout-Harris, a vet tech who runs confessionsfromtheanimalshelter.com.


At the prices I pay, my dog damn well better have a fluffy blanket and be hand fed if he needs it. Which is why I never leave a dog at the vet unless there is no other option. And why I made sure I was able to hand feed Snorkels when she was overnight last time. And that she had a fluffy blanket.


----------



## Maritan (Nov 11, 2011)

Nope, no comments deleted, you guys. You just have to keep on clicking the "Load More Comments" button and after eternity, you'll see your comments. It's all there.


----------



## Noodlesmadison (Sep 18, 2011)

It's so sad, because the dog was probably injured or abused to cause a broken jaw  I hope people out there are not believing that (I know I'm hoping for too much)


----------

