Barking Mad Podcast

This Veterans' Day, join us for a moving episode about America’s four-legged warriors—military working dogs, or MWDs. These unsung heroes serve on the frontlines of combat zones around the world, but the challenges they face extend beyond the battlefield and into retirement. In this episode, Bob Bryant, co-founder and vice president of Mission K9, and US Navy Veteran Elijah Holyfield speak with co-hosts Jordan Tyler and Dr. Stephanie Clark about the duties, sacrifices, and unmet needs of today’s MWDs.

Helpful Links

Learn more about Mission K9: https://missionk9rescue.org/, and follow the organization on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionK9/

Learn more about The Ddamien Project, a partner organization of Mission K9 that specializes in caring for retired MWDs who aren't suited to be adopted out to the public due to behavioral or medical challenges: https://www.ddamienproject.org/

Read more about the unique roles working dogs play in our lives: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/celebrating-humans-best-friendship/

Learn more about military working dogs from the Department of Defense and the Association of the United States Army.

Find the full text of the proposed Honoring Our K9 Heroes Act: https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/_cache/files/e/4/e462d2d5-5f20-43f7-8973-b192ebdd09d7/7AF5380674B8629CDEA00BAFAE044AB4.honoring-our-k9-heroes-act.pdf

Show Notes

00:00 – Behind the Episode

02:34 – Introducing Bob Bryant and Mission K9

05:27 – What is a Working Dog?

08:32 – “Fur Missiles” with Elijah Holyfield, a US Navy Veteran

09:46 – The DoD Military Working Dog (MWD) Breeding Program

12:11 – Do Dogs Get PTSD?

15:04 – The Five R’s of Mission K9: Rescue, Reunite, Rehome, Rehabilitate, and Repair

20:05 – The Plight of Contract Working Dogs

23:21 – Carefully Pairing MWDs with Their Forever Homes

27:08 – The Ddamien Project

28:28 – Happy Endings for More Than 1,300 Dogs

29:19 – Life After Deployment

30:15 – Celebrating Happy Endings

31:49 – “Navy, Seek!”

34:17 – Supporting Canine Veterans After Service

38:18 – Stress Testing and Hot-Loading

40:13 – Long-Term for Mission K9

42:49 – How to Support Mission K9 Now and In the Future

44:10 – Conclusion and Farewell

Do you have trust issues? We do, too. There is a lot of research out there, both good and bad, and the difference between reliable and not-so-reliable research typically comes down to one thing—study design. Using recent real-world examples, like the first-ever retraction in JAVMA’s 180-year history, join us as we expose the critical differences between well-designed studies and those that fall short.  

Related Episodes

Incidence episode: https://bsmpartners.net/barking-mad-podcast/a-mountain-or-a-molehill-what-science-really-says-about-the-incidence-of-dcm 

Lit Review episode: https://bsmpartners.net/barking-mad-podcast/pawing-through-the-research-uncovering-the-fatal-flaws-of-DCM  

Examples of Poorly Designed Research

More on the JAVMA retraction: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/18426-unraveling-the-copper-controversy  

The Effects of Feeding Pulse-Based, Grain-Free, Diets on Digestibility, Glycemic Response, and Cardiovascular Health In Domestic Dogs: https://harvest.usask.ca/items/a96ed26b-7cb5-4179-8308-20f67e7a9ffa  

Development of plasma and whole blood taurine reference ranges and identification of dietary features associated with taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in golden retrievers: A prospective, observational study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32413894/ (Check out the Expression of Concern for this one: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7480844/)  

Taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in golden retrievers fed commercial diets: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0209112  

Responses in randomised groups of healthy, adult Labrador retrievers fed grain-free diets with high legume inclusion for 30 days display commonalities with dogs with suspected dilated cardiomyopathy: https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-022-03264-x  

DCM Research by BSM Partners

Blood parameters research: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpn.13946  

Incidence paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.846227/full  

Board-Invited Literature Review: https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/6/skaa155/5857674?login=false 

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome to the Episode 

03:22 – Breaking Down the Research Pyramid 

09:10 – Considering All the Factors (And Controlling for Them in Research) 

10:00 – What is a Literature Review, and Why is it Important? 

12:47 – The Peer-Review Process and Fatal Flaws 

17:07 – The FDA’s Announcement: Biased Questions Led to Biased Answers 

20:46 – FDA Saves Face in Subsequent Updates 

23:18 – What Goes into a Well-Designed Study? 

28:20 – Nothing is Impossible, Some Things Are Just Really Hard! 

32:16 – Examples of Where Research Fell Flat 

35:24 – Blood Parameters don’t Tell All 

38:36 – Don’t Demonize Ingredients, Instead Study Nutrients 

41:19 – Full Transparency: Potential Limitations in BSM Partners’ Research 

44:17 – Conclusion and Farewell 

The BSM Partners Research Team has dug deep into existing research on canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), so you don’t have to. Join us as we uncover the rigorous processes behind peer-reviewed research, discuss the importance of identifying “fatal flaws,” and highlight how we can use literature reviews to pave the way for future research—and to debunk understudied or unsubstantiated preconceptions about pet health and nutrition.

Helpful Links

Board-Certified DCM Literature Review (Full Text): https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/6/skaa155/5857674?login=true

DCM Incidence Study (Full Text): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.846227/full

DCM Incidence Episode — A Mountain, or a Molehill? What Science Really Says About the Incidence of DCM 

Study Design — Think Twice: Even Bad Science Can Get Published!

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome

03:12 – Introducing Dr. Anna Kate Shoveller and The Importance of Literature Reviews

06:30 – “Fatal Flaws” in Peer-Review

09:39 – What Inspired BSM Partners to Study DCM?

12:49 – What Exactly Is DCM in Dogs?

16:18 – Genetics as a Key Cause of DCM

19:11 – How Is DCM Diagnosed?

22:27 – Potential Treatment Options for Dogs Diagnosed with DCM

26:06 – Getting to the Root Cause

26:54 – Nutritional Interventions to Combat DCM

28:54 – How Nutritional Deficiencies Could Harm the Heart

30:38 – Writing a Board-Invited Literature Review on Canine DCM

33:25 – Identifying Gaps in the Research

36:44 – Limitations that Informed the FDA’s Announcements

42:15 – Darned If You Do, Darned If You Don’t

46:52 – Conclusion and Farewell

When the FDA sounded the alarm in 2018, claiming a potential link between certain dog diets and a rise in canine cases of dilated cardiomyopathy, panic spread among pet owners and the industry alike. But was this warning based on solid evidence, or was the issue blown out of proportion? Join us as we examine the data that challenges the FDA's early conclusions and hear from leading experts, including veterinary cardiologist, Dr. Justin Thomason, who has worked tirelessly to uncover the truth. This episode offers a critical look at how the facts don’t always align with the headlines, and why collaboration and data are key to understanding complex health issues like DCM.

Helpful Links

DCM Incidence Study (Full Text): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.846227/full

Board-Invited Literature Review Episode — Pawing Through the Research: Uncovering the Fatal Flaws of DCM

Study Design — Think Twice: Even Bad Science Can Get Published!

The Impact of DCM on Pulse Farmers — Fellowship of Iron and Earth: From Farm to Bowl with Tim McGreevy

Show Notes

00:00 – Introduction

03:20 – Conducting Research During a Pandemic

07:47 – Bringing on Board-Certified Veterinary Cardiologists

09:01 – Introducing Dr. Justin Thomason

12:26 – Understanding the FDA’s Initial DCM Announcement

14:22 – BSM Partners Steps in to Lead DCM Research

15:47 – Calling All Veterinary Cardiologists: We Want Your Data!

17:32 – The Problem with Most Veterinary Medical Record-Keeping

20:12 – Vets Jumping to Conclusions?

25:13 – Are Pets Protected Under HIPAA?

27:14 – The Critical Importance of Diet History

29:30 – Piecing the Puzzle Together

30:52 – Key Takeaways from BSM Partners Incidence Study

32:43 – The Availability Heuristic

33:57 – Digger Deeper into Breed and Age

36:23 – Best Practices for Diagnosing Canine DCM

42:13 – What Made Grain-Free Diets So Popular?

44:39 – The Widespread Impact, From Pulse Farmers to Pet Food Companies

46:28 – The Power of Collaboration

49:16 – What’s Up with Mixed-Breed Dogs?

50:09 – Don’t Go Looking for Zebras

52:13 – Good Record-Keeping for the Future

52:45 – Dr. Quest’s Key Takeaway from the Episode

53:54 – Conclusion and Farewell

You may have heard some grain-based pet food ingredients like peas, lentils, and legumes carry anti-nutrient factors (ANFs) that interfere with a pet’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. But did you know there are tried-and-true methods of mitigating ANFs during processing? Tune in to hear from Kansas State University Professor, Dr. Julia Pezzali and the BSM Partners Research Team as they break down the science behind ANFs, pet food formulation, and how common pet food manufacturing processes can help industry professionals address this issue.

BSM Partners' digestibility research: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/six-month-study-found-both-grain-inclusive-and-grain-free-canine-diets-had-no-negative-effect-on-digestibility-301914014.html

Want to learn more about prebiotic fiber in pet food? We have you covered: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/prebiotics-in-pet-food/

Recent vitamin D recalls in pet foods: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/vitamin-d-toxicity-dogs#:~:text=Food%20Complaint.-,Dog%20Food%20Products%20Recalled%20for%20Excessive%20Vitamin%20D,-In%20February%202023

00:00 – Introduction

03:15 – Demystifying the Kibble-Making Process

05:28 – What a Pet Food Ingredient List Can (And Can’t) Tell You

07:52 – What in the World is an Anti-Nutrient Factor (ANF)?

11:25 – Why Not Just Avoid Ingredients with ANFs?

12:15 – How BSM Partners Designed Diets for This Study

12:58 – The Sampling Process: Good Things Come in Three’s

15:40 – The Cost of Research Can Be a Challenge

18:31 – Which ANFs Did BSM Partners Test For?

19:02 – Mycotoxins and Biogenic Amines

20:36 – The Scoop of Fiber: A Blessing or a Curse?

25:22 – But What About Digestibility?

27:36 – The Value of Testing Raw Pet Food Ingredients

30:22 – Advice from Board-Certified PhD Animal Nutritionists

32:06 – Advice from a Veterinary Expert

33:51 – Putting the Pet Food Puzzle Together

35:21 – Certified True: The Stamp of Excellence

37:05 – Dr. Clark Breaks Down Key Takeaways from The Episode

38:53 – Conclusion and Farewell

Join us as we explore a significant regulatory shift brought on by the termination of a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AAFCO and the FDA. The pet nutrition industry is facing an uncertain regulatory landscape. What does this mean for industry professionals, and how could its impacts trickle down to consumers? Tune in to find out.

AAFCO, FDA Fail to Renew MOU for New Animal Food Ingredient Definitions — https://bsmpartners.net/insights/aafco-fda-fail-to-renew-mou-for-new-animal-food-ingredient-definitions/

Time for change: Addressing regulatory reform in pet food — https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/18246-time-for-change-addressing-regulatory-reform-in-pet-food

AAFCO Considering Proposal for New Regulatory Pathway — https://www.aafco.org/news/aafco-considering-proposal-for-new-regulatory-pathway/

Show Notes

00:00 – Behind the Episode

04:30 – Understanding the Regulatory Relationship of AAFCO and the FDA

08:11 – Ensuring Safety and Availability of Pet Food Products

09:46 – Factoring in the PURR Act

12:48 – What is the Best Path Forward for Brands?

14:44 – A Pie in the Sky

15:31 – What Does This Mean for State Regulators?

18:01 – Narrowing the Highway

19:43 – The FDA’s Proposal: Animal Feed Ingredient Consultation (AFIC)

21:02 – Helping Brands Identify the Right Path for New Ingredient Approval

22:39 – Funding the Research Behind New Ingredients

24:97 – Common Pitfalls Along the Way

27:09 – Our Key Concern

27:45 – The Problem with GRAS

29:26 – Depriving Our Pets of Beneficial Innovation

31:45 – Challenges (and Advice) for Brands

34:01 – What Would Self-Regulation of the Pet Food Industry Look Like?

35:27 – Beware of Regulatory Capture

36:27 – Highlighting Resource Constraints at the FDA

37:40 – FEDIAF: A Shining Example of Self-Regulating Success

39:23 – We’ve Seen This Movie Before…

42:10 – Giving the Industry a Voice in Regulation

42:43 – How Self-Regulating Organizations (SROs) Empower Pet Owners and Industry Alike

44:35 – Leaning on Industry Experts (and Avoiding a Boeing-Like Disaster)

46:07 – Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode of Barking Mad, Jordan Tyler sits down with Jessica Smidt, Co-Owner and Trainer with Think Positive Pets Training and Behavior Services, alongside two members of the BSM Partners Research Team—Dr. Bradley Quest and Dr. Stephanie Clark. 

We explore how BSM Partners partnered with Jess and other KPA-certified dog training experts to ensure the 65 dogs used in its DCM research were successfully adopted to loving homes once the study concluded.

The conversation covers:

·      The taboo of animal research

·      How socialization and training can make all the difference for dog adoption

·      Opportunities to improve adopter education for all animals

Jessica Smidt, co-owner and trainer at Think Positive Pets Training and Behavior Services, where she shares her love for dogs in the form of dog training, socialization, obedience and behavior consulting. Jess also serves as the Animal Assisted Therapy Program Coordinator for Mayo Clinic, where she has trained, assessed and placed therapy dogs so they can share the healing powers of companionship with patients who need it most.

Tune in to learn more about this partnership, and stay tuned for updates and heartfelt stories from some of the people who adopted these research dogs into their homes, coming soon on www.bsmpartners.net/resources.

Links:

Connect with Jessica Smidt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-smidt-0778652a/

Forever Fido Puppy Rescue near Rochester, Minnesota: https://foreverfido.org/

The Family Fido Fear Free Training, Boarding, and Daycare: https://www.thefamilyfido.com/

Jessica Smidt’s published research: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Jessica-M-Smidt-2150739261

Show Notes:

00:00 – Behind the Episode

02:08 – Introducing Jessica Smidt, Deb Jones, Dr. Bradley Quest, and Dr. Stephanie Clark

03:03 – Getting to know Jess

03:45 – Researching with Animals: Keeping Welfare Top-of-Mind

05:56 – Breaking Down BSM Partners’ DCM Study (And the Importance of Conducting Dog Research on Dogs)

07:43 – Prepping Research Pups with Their Forever Homes

08:50 – An Expert’s Perspective on Socializing and Training Research Dogs

09:55 – An Exercise in Matchmaking

11:49 – Adopter Education is Crucial

12:44 – A Perfect Placement Rate!

13:17 – A Dog Trainer’s View on Shelter Adoption Challenges

17:09 – The COVID-Era Bell Curve of Dog Adoptions

17:51 – How Researchers Interacted With and Cared for These Research Dogs

19:33 – The High Cost of Dog Ownership (And of Research)

21:55 – No Dog Left Behind

24:28 – Cider, Grandpa, The Kardashian Sisters… Oh My!

26:00 – More on Jess’s Background and Her Own Rescue—Forever Fido Puppy Rescue

28:35 – Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode of the Barking Mad, Dr. Stephanie Clark and Jordan Tyler interview Dr. Mahsa Vazin, founder of Pawco Foods, a company pioneering plant-based dog food. Mahsa discusses her unique journey from a Persian upbringing that emphasized meat and fear of animals to becoming a vegetarian and a pet food innovator with the mission to create sustainable, nutritious, and cruelty-free food for dogs.

The conversation covers:

• Challenges of developing “Green Meat”
• Leveraging AI for product optimization
• Importance of sustainability in pet welfare

Tune in to learn more about the burgeoning plant-based pet food market and Mahsa's passion for positively impacting the environment and pet health.

Links:

PawCo Website: https://www.mypawco.com/

Show Notes:

00:00 - Introduction to Vegan Dog Diets and Dr. Mahsa Vazin

01:33 - Mahsa's Journey to Plant-Based Diets

02:57 - The Birth of PawCo and Its Mission

03:44 - Understanding Vegan vs. Healthy Pet Food

05:41 - PawCo's Target Audience and Market Demand

07:15 - Pioneering Plant-Based Meat for Dogs

08:30 - Core Values and the Future of Sustainable Food

09:22 - Winning Over the Rally In-Prize Pitch Competition Judges

10:51 - Big Funding = Big Plans for Expansion

11:31 - Leveraging AI for Innovation

12:45 - Perfecting the Palatability of Plant-Based Meat for Dogs

15:06 - The Secret to Mahsa and PawCo's Success

15:54 - Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles

17:08 - Mahsa's Dream of a Cruelty-Free World

17:46 - Unwinding from PawCo (The Job) with Paco (The Dog)

18:51 - Mahsa's Greatest Achievement So Far

19:17 - Conclusion and Farewell

Fellowship of Iron and Earth

A poem by Tim McGreevy

We do not seek fortune or fame. We work the land until we need a cane. We understand the face of pain. We feel the sting of judgment and shame. And we do our best to hide the strain of too much water or too little rain.

We are the people who plant and seed. We feed the world and those in need. The unsung heroes of death and birth. We are the fellowship of iron and earth.

We are the medics of our soil's health, the stewards of our planet's wealth on the front lines of drought and flood, battling the elements with flesh and blood. We are the first to feel the rising temperature range because we are the first responders to climate change.

We are the people who plant and seed. We feed the world and those in need. The unsung heroes of death and birth. We are the fellowship of iron and earth.

Our job is to put food on the table. And when people eat, the world is stable. We feed everyone who comes ashore. Black, white, brown, and more. So, we take an oath to feed the poor. For if we don't, there will be war.

We are the people who plant and seed. We feed the world and those in need. The unsung heroes of death and birth. We are the fellowship of iron and earth. 

Tim McGreevy’s Pulse Breakfast

• Cook lentils 30-45 mins (no need to pre-soak)
• Add a little bit of butter and salt and pepper to taste
• Serve in a bowl with an egg on the side

Research mentioned in the episode: Prospective evaluation of echocardiographic parameters and cardiac biomarkers in healthy dogs eating four custom-formulated diets

Show Notes:

00:00 - Introducing Tim McGreevy and the Power of Pulses

01:57 - How Tim Went from Farmer to Farmer's Advocate

06:20 - Research from the Pea and Lentil Council

08:26 - New Study Debunks Misunderstandings Around Pulse-Inclusive Diets

10:38 - The History of Pulse Ingredients in Pet Food

13:11 - Pulse Industry Impacts from DCM

16:47 - How Did the FDA Announcement Affect Farmers?

19:40 - Damage to US Crop Ecosystems

21:10 - Selecting the Right Pea Varieties for Pet Food (And Why This Is Critical For Research, Too)

27:03 - Demands Fueling Pulse & Plant-Based Innovation in the Pet Food Industry

29:10 - Pulses Proliferating at Natural Products Expo West, And Your Local Grocery Store

30:45 - The Age of Pea Proteins

32:21 - The Health (And Planetary) Benefits of Pulses for Pets

34:38 - A Poem by Tim McGreevy

37:04 - Tim's Pulse-Powered Breakfast Recipe

39:00 - Conclusion and Farewell

BSM Partners is proud to announce a comprehensive rebrand of its podcast, formerly known as The Pet Industry Podcast, to Barking Mad! Curiosity will bite back in the following episodes, in which we’ll be stripping back the fluff and getting to the meat of hot topics and trends craved by pet owners, industry professionals and veterinarians alike.

Tune in to this trailer to hear from Co-Hosts Jordan Tyler and Dr. Stephanie Clark about the “why” behind Barking Mad, and what we have in store.

Show Notes

00:00 – Introducing Barking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners

01:09 – Getting to know Dr. Stephanie Clark, PhD, CVT, PAS, CFS, Dpl. ACAS, VTS (Nutrition), her tales from the rear-end, and her three-legged rescue

05:08 – Dr. Steph and the Miss Frizzle approach

06:12 – Getting to know Jordan Tyler, her most awkward interview, and one of her pets’ special dietary needs

13:23 – Teasing Barking Mad’s “dog on the street”

13:52 – What to expect from Barking Mad?

15:58 – Controversy in pet nutrition

16:46 – What does Barking Mad mean anyway?

17:47 – How to let us know what you’re Barking Mad about

18:08 – Stay tuned for the first official episode of Barking Mad!