animal supplements

[Guest guest]

This is from Dr.Susan Wynn...one of the premier veterinarians out there....

 

Dear Friend:

 

A huge new initiative to remove animal supplements for sale is coming. Any

supplement labeled specifically for animals containing ingredients targeted

by FDA/AAFCO - whether it is on pet or health food stores, will have to be

pulled. This affects everything from herbs and nutraceuticals to some

health and prescription diets. While you will still be able to buy

supplements designed for humans, they will be designed without attention to

the unique needs (size, biochemistry) of animals.

 

A final decision will be made by AAFCO in April and after that, the

supplements will start disappearing. AAFCO appears to be leaning towards

targeting glucosamine first. Do you know how many animal supplements that

will effect? See for yourself on the AAFCO website (www.aafco.org) - go to

the bottom of the home page and click the link entitled " DRAFT AAFCO

Recommended Enforcement Strategy " .

 

It is time to start a letter writing campaign, the likes of which we have

never had before. We believe that preventing this will take an act of

congress, just like DSHEA did in 1994 (The FDA received more letters

regarding freedom to buy supplements than on any other subject since the

Vietnam war, and the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) was

passed as a result). We will need tens of thousands of letters for our

animals, this time.

 

I'm supplying a template letter below, for your own use, and for

distributing to your friends. This can also be used as a petition for you

to place in your favorite pet store, feed store, groomer and veterinarian's

office. This will be a political fight, and we need legislators on our

side. Please write, and have your friends write to, all of the people

below.

 

Dr. Sharon Benz, Leader Nutrition & Labeling Team FDA - CVM Center for

Veterinary Medicine

7500 Standish Place, HFV-228 Rockville, Maryland 20855 The president of

AAFCO:

 

Dr. John Breitsman, Feed Program Specialist Pennsylvania Department of

Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry

2301 N. Cameron Street Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408 Your AAFCO state

representatives (you can search by state on their website):

http://www.aafco.org Your federal legislators (you can search by state and

area code on this website):

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress We need to be able to treat our patients

with supplements designed for animals - in appropriate doses, with

appropriately chosen ingredients, from ethical companies. Support from

EVERYONE will be necessary soon!

 

Sincerely, Susan Wynn Secretary/Treasurer, American Academy of Veterinary

Nutrition Executive Director, Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association

***********************************************************

 

Dear [insert name of senator, representative, AAFCO representative, AAFCO

head, and FDA head here]:

 

I am a pet owner and I am extremely concerned about removal from sale of

supplements designed for animals. I am not aware of such a number of side

effects that this drastic action should be necessary.

 

I want supplements that are designed by veterinarians knowledgable in animal

medicine, and that are appropriate in dose and chemistry for my [dog, cat,

horse, etc].

 

I believe that if these supplements are made illegal, research on

supplements for companion animals will be stifled, and we want research done

on these helpful but non-patentable substances. People will be left with no

choice but to reach for human supplements which are not formulated for

animals and left to completely guess at what course of action may be best

for the pet they dearly love.

 

Removal of animal supplements from sale will not solve the problem; indeed,

it will significantly worsen the situation. Please, let's avoid a New

" Prohibition " of substances that we have used safely and successfully for

many years.

 

Thank you for your time and attention.

 

Sincerely, CC: your federal legislators Your state AAFCO official AAFCO

president FDA-CVM

 

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