Interview with Dr. Eric Altom, Ph.D Eukanuba Senior Nutritionist and Jenifer Borke, RVT

One of the benefits of London’s winning the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is access to the top people at Eukanuba, a division of Proctor and Gamble and one of the world’s leading pet food manufacturers. We are all concerned about proper nutrition. And nutrition for our four legged friends is just as important as it is to those of us on two legs.

The Danburg Team (DMC) was honored to have the opportunity to interview Dr. Eric Altom, (Dr. A) a, Ph.D Senior Nutritionist at Eukanuba, and Eukanuba Community Manager Jenifer Borke, RVT. Bios of Jenifer and Eric can be found at the bottom of this post:

DMC: Most of us are a lot more familiar with Human nutrition than dog nutrition. What are the differences?

Dr. A: A lot has to do with the specific amino acids and the quality of the protein. Dogs have 2-3 times the aerobic capacity of humans and need the protein to burn oxygen. They shouldn’t be carb-loading and 70-90%  percent of their energy comes from dietary fat.

DMC: One of our tenants’ biggest concern is grains, whether wheat corn or rice. What dangers to grains pose and how has Eukanuba responded to those dangers. We also hear a lot about food allergies among pets. What steps can you take with your pet’s diet to address those allergies?

Dr. A: Dogs do need a certain amount of metabolic carbs like corn, rice barley and oats. Some dogs may be allergic to the gluten, which is the protein component in grains. It is more likely that your dog’s allergies are caused by inhalation of pollens or dust. A lot of vets will try to put a dog on a diet to try to determine what food is causing the allergy, but that is really a shot in the dark. It is preferable to have the dog allergen tested. If I were to recommend a food for an allergic dog, I’d recommend our Iams  (also a Proctor and Gamble Product) Veterinary Formula Kangaroo and Oats product. Also, any product with Omega 3 will help to control allergies.

Jenifer: Omega 3 Fatty Acids help in managing allergies because they promote LESS of a inflammatory reaction than Omega 6 fatty acids.  We were the first to discover the Optimal Ratio of Omega 6:3 fatty acids to promote skin and coat health. You can read more about the ingredients Eukanuba uses on our Ingredient Analyzer: http://bit.ly/egt0Kv
DMC: Occasionally our dogs are going to eat something that drops on the floor or we can’t resist giving table scraps. What are the absolute no-no’s when it comes to feeding dogs.

Dr. A: We recommend against any table food for your dog. Dogs tend to just want you to give them something from the table, but we’d prefer it if you even gave them a dog biscuit from the table rather than table food.  Feeding table scraps  tends to create finicky dogs because they decide to hold out for something better. The absolute no-no’s include chocolate, raisins, and xylitol, found in sugar-free gum, candy and non-sugar sweeteners.

Jenifer: A great resource is the ASPCA website: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets http://bit.ly/zDsan6

DMC: Obesity is a problem among dogs and humans as well.  What can we all to do keep our dogs fit?

Dr. A: The most important tool is the measuring cup. If the directions say to give the dog a cup of food, get yourself an 8 ounce measuring cup. You certainly don’t want to use a stadium big gulp. Also, the dog needs a good walk and some play time. If you find your dog is overweight, Eukanuba has a variety of products geared to weight control and weight loss. We also have a variety of formulas based on the age of your dog.

Jenifer: For more information see Feeding Overweight Dogs | Eukanuba Adult Dog Guide http://bit.ly/lCNcgS

DMC:  Thanks Jenifer, with you around, who needs Google ! (Link to Jenifer’s Blog Below)

DMC: Some of our tenants have expressed a preference for small boutique food manufacturers rather than a large company. How do you respond to those concerns?

Dr. A: We spend a lot of time and money on research and development. We are responsible for a lot of firsts in the industry and have a lot of patents. We have the resources and technical support necessary to respond to any problems. Smaller companies generally do not have the doctors and scientists that we have and you can’t guarantee consistency in the product over time.

Our product is consistent no matter where you buy it. We had a sled dog team come from Norway and the Eukanuba they got here was the same product they got at home. We also have a money back guarantee.

DMC: Some of our tenants have gone to organic diets for their pets.  Tell us about Eukanuba’s Natural Options.

Dr A: Iams Natura and Eukanuba foods are all natural with no artificial preservatives and added vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Organic is more of a lifestyle choice, but Natura’s  Karma product line meets the 95% organic standard.

DMC: Our vet recommends and sells only a competitor’s product. If we wanted to switch to Eukanuba how do you recommend we go about it.

Dr. A: Some dogs are on prescription diets, but you can ask your vet to find a Eukanuba product that works for your dog. You can also have your vet contact our sales department.

If you do want to change your dog’s food, I recommend you do it over a week or two. It is best to go ¾ old and ¼ new for about 3 days then go to half and half for a few days then to ¾ new and ¼ old and finally to the new food. This reduces the shock to the dog’s digestive system. It is also good to reduce the food intake over the transition. If you notice the dog is having digestive problems you can extend the process.

DMC: Dogs, like people have different nutritional needs at different stages of life. How does your product line address this?

Dr. A: Eukanuba was the first manufacturer to produce a large breed puppy formula, we also have products for mature dogs, large dogs, older dogs and overweight dogs. We have a team of veterinarians and scientists that research dog nutrition needs and are constantly developing new products.

Jenifer: You can read more about this Nutritional First here: http://bit.ly/x2VX7r

DMC: What food do you personally use?

Dr. A. I have some sporting dogs and an older dog and all of my dogs have been eating only Eukanuba  for 20 years. I’ve been with the company since 1999, and was a customer from seven years prior to my joining the company.  I’ve always believed in the product.

Jenifer: I feed my Australian Shepherd Eukanuba Sensitive Skin, and my Shih tzu Eukanuba Small Breed Senior.  My new German Shepherd puppy is eating Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy!

DMC: There are all kinds of dog treats out there. What do you recommend?

Dr. A: My dogs love the Eukanuba Healthy Extras and the Iams Biscuits. If you go with the smaller ones you can give more. The young pups love the liver snacks.

DMC: How can our readers get answers to questions?

Jenifer: The Eukanuba.com site has a lot of product specific Frequently Asked Questions. Use the Eukanuba Advisor Button on our Home Page to search our FAQ’s or you have the option to e-mail and expert. You can also call 1.800.423.6036. Most of our support personnel have been with us for 10 years or more, so you get very professional service.  One of the best places for answers is our Facebook page where we will also respond to all questions.

DMC: What is new and exciting in the Dog Food Business?

Dr. A: One of the things I’m most excited about our prebiotic products. The Prebiotic, FOS (fructooligosaccharides), is a naturally occurring fiber that supports your dog’s defenses by nurturing the  good bacteria in the digestive tract. This results in the good bacteria crowding out the bad, leading to a healthier digestive tract.  We were the first dog food brand to include FOS and it is now in a majority of our products.

DMC: We’d like to thank Jenifer and Eric for putting together this interview for us.  We hope our readers have learned something about pet nutrition and you can get even more information at Eukanuba.com

We invite all our readers to tune in to ABC on Saturday February 4th from 2-4 PM for the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Dog Show. Watch us win the biggest prize in the Dog Show World.  We guarantee a win for “London” the standard poodle owned by Jamie Danburg and Michele Molnar. (They were there when the show was taped in December)

Also be sure to tune in on February 13th and 14th in prime time as London tries to bring another major title home to Boca in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show from Madison Square Garden in New York. Westminster, in its 136th Year, is the second longest running sporting event in U.S. behind only the Kentucky Derby, which started a year earlier.

Eric K. Altom, Ph.D. | Senior Nutritionist, P&G Professional Pet Care
Dr. Eric Altom was reared in the Carolinas and Middle Tennessee.  He is a scientist and sportsman whose research and passion have a common focus: canine athletes.

Dr. Altom received his BS degree in animal science from Tennessee Technological University in 1991, followed by an MS in nutrition from Clemson University in 1994. He completed his doctoral training at Auburn University’s Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences in 1999, working with the College of Veterinary Medicine Sports Medicine Program.  His studies focused on canine diets and physical conditioning.

In 1999, Dr. Altom accepted a position with The Iams Company / P&G Pet Care in the research and development division where he explored novel diet formulations, ingredient qualifications, and the interactions of critical nutrients and metabolic stress.  He is presently a senior nutritionist with the Professional Pet Care team where he leads clinical research and educates industry leaders.  He believes his programs will greatly contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the nutritional needs and well-being of companion animals.   His program has resulted in numerous published articles and abstracts. Dr. Altom and his family breed and train Labrador retrievers and English setters, and he regularly judges and competes in licensed field trials in his spare time.

Jenifer Borke, Registered Veterinary Technician | Eukanuba Community Manager

I started working for P&G Pet Care in 2007 in Consumer Relations.  As a Veterinarian Technician, I have worked on the Pet Health & Safety team handling escalated pet health concerns from our consumers.  I have also worked as a Team Leader for Operations in our in-house call center that handles all of the contacts for North America (Yes, you actually talk to real people when you call us, in the US!).

For the past two years I have supported P&G Pet Care online as well; I am the Eukanuba Community Manager and am the person behind the posts on Eukanuba Facebook, Eukanuba Twitter, and assist on the AKC Eukanuba National Championship Facebook page. I also manage the Eukanuba Unleashed Blog, travel to Eukanuba events: The AKC Eukanuba National Championship, Surf Dog SurfaThon in San Diego and traveled to England last year to bring back Griffin, a PBGV and our future VP of Canine Communications.  I love my job.

My Life Outside of Work:
Living on a farm means having a lot to do outside of work.  Currently the animals calling my farm their home is:  one rescued horse, a cantankerous donkey, 1 pygmy goat, flock of laying hens, Sedona the Australian Shepherd, Wally a cranky Shih-tzu and my brand new puppy, Lotus, and female German Shepherd.