ANIMAL NUTRITION TRENDS OVERVIEW SEEMS ALL ABOUT HALO
September 2nd, 2009 by David Yaskulka
Back in 1986, Halo’s philosophy of using all-natural ingredients you can recognize and understand, well, it just seemed fringe in the pet world. Now, in Nutrition Business Journal’s Animal Nutrition Industry Overview, the coverage of Halo and our philosophy is pretty extensive!
The publication talks about Halo part owner Ellen DeGeneres on QVC, where “the comedian even convinced QVC host Caroline Gracie to eat some of the Halo food, which is made with human-grade meat and other ingredients.” Further, it notes that “DeGeneres, who has said publicly that she invested in Halo in 2008 because she believes it is the best-quality pet food on the market, also talks the brand up on her popular show…”
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Smart Treating is a major trend. ’Just as with humans, we can’t forget that the snacks between meals count, and that if we’re eating empty calories we’re not serving our overall health.
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The journal covers “Smart treating” as a major trend with pets, quoting yours truly, “’Just as with humans, we can’t forget that the snacks between meals count, and that if we’re eating empty calories we’re not serving our overall health,’ Yaskulka added. ‘We’re definitely seeing customers start to understand the same concept with pets and how smart treating can fit into overall nutrition programs.’ In May 2009, Halo unveiled its new Liv-A-Little’s Healthsome line of functional dog and cat treats. Halo’s new Antioxidant Liv-A-Little product is made with cranberries, yogurt, pumpkin and green tea, while the Skin and Coat version features Halo’s Dream Coat natural food supplement, which contains essential fatty acids.”
Our own Dr. Spector also addresses pet obesity in the issue, saying, “’Obesity is tied to many conditions, especially in cats and some dogs,’ said Donna Spector, DVM, a veterinary advisor for Halo Purely for Pets. Commercial pet food is one culprit for the added weight, Spector added. ‘Many foods use corn and rice as fillers. It is less expensive, but it has a high glycemic index and turns rapidly into sugar. It is very similar for humans.’ To help address this issue, pet nutrition companies are offering foods made with no corn or rice.”
Click here for complete coverage of Halo in Nutrition Business Journal.


The Bideawee-Halo Feline Weight Loss Challenge has come to an end! The weight loss competition transformed seven flabby felines into sleeker shinier kitties. For these cats, weight loss means they are at less risk for the development of diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and other obesity-related problems.
The Feline Weight Loss Challenge program began February 2 with Domino and Missy in Westhampton; Jack, Dixie, Violet and Suki in Wantagh; and Emily and Minky in Manhattan. (Emily dropped out shortly thereafter because of a medical condition.)
· On average the cats lost 6.1% body weight during the four week competition. The range of weight loss was from 3% up to 9.4% during the four week period.
For healthy weight loss, it would take an average of 14-28 weeks to get these cats to their goal weights. Just like people, it is best that pets lose weight slowly but surely. We have encouraged the new adoptive owners to continue with calorie restriction and increased exercise in order to maximize the health of their new family members.
Dr. Spector Answers Readers’ Letters: 



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