Search Results for: raw diets

Raw, Cooked, and Dry Cat Diets–A New Study Examined

The debate about raw diets for pets is an ongoing “hot button” topic in veterinary circles. There is also a less heated but still vigorous debate about cat nutrition in particular and what form and composition constitutes the optimal diet … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 18 Comments

Raw Pet Diets Often Contaminated with Dangerous Bacteria: Campylobacter

I have written previously about the issue of raw pet food diets, pointing out the lack of any significant evidence to support claims that these diets are beneficial for pets the many risks such diets can pose, such as nutritional … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 7 Comments

Veterinary News Network (VNN) Video Discussing Raw Pet Diets

Here is a brief video discussing the topic of raw diets for pets. It is nicely produced      

Posted in Nutrition | 7 Comments

Salmonella and Other Risks of Raw Pet Diets

Primal Pet Foods, a popular marketer of commercial raw diets for dogs and cats, recently announced a recall of one of its raw cat foods because testing has suggested the diet may be contaminated with the bacteria Salmonella. Such recalls … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 11 Comments

Are Vegan Diets Healthier for Dogs & Cats?

IntroductionGiven the media frenzy the article has kicked off, it is unlikely very many people are unaware of a recent study reported in the journal PLOS One that claims to show vegan diets are healthier for dogs and cats than … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 18 Comments

Does eating a Raw Diet as a Puppy Reduce later Allergy Risk?

I have written many times about the controversial subject of raw diets for dogs. The bottom line, based on existing evidence, is there are no proven health benefits to these diets and several well-documented risks, including infectious disease and nutritional … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 4 Comments

Fresh Diets for Pets: Are they Healthier than Kibble or Canned?

Nutrition is one of the most frequent subjects my clients want to discuss, and often one of the most controversial. Raw diets,1 vegetarian or vegan pet foods,2 ketogenic diets for pets,3 the significance of “artificial” versus “natural” pet food ingredients,4 and the fundamental question … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 21 Comments

Grain-free Diets and Heart Disease in Dogs: Two New Studies

I have to admit, I didn’t think I would again be addressing the topic of diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) so soon after my recent podcast and post summarizing the debate. But the science around this topic is racing ahead, and there are two new … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 4 Comments

Plant-based vs Meat-based Diets for Cats: Which is Healthier?

It hasn’t been very long since I last wrote about vegetarian diets for pets, but a new study is out that touches on the issue, so I thought it was time for an update.  Dodd, S. A. S. et al. (2021) ‘A … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 13 Comments

Raw Pet Foods & The Death of Expertise

One of the more enlightening, and terrifying, books to come out in the last 5 years is Tom Nichols’ The Death of Expertise. In clear prose, with cogent argument and substantiating evidence, the author makes the case that the proliferation of misconceptions, … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 19 Comments