Won’t my dog (or my family) get sick if I feed a raw diet?
August 6, 2021
Michelle Yaglowski
We, as humans, have always been told to cook our meat to eliminate pathogens like Salmonella, E. Coli, or Campylobacter. The truth is, there are very little documented cases linking raw feeding to enteric pathogens. In a study by DogRisk1, stool samples were tested in dogs who were fed raw diets and some who were fed kibble-based diets. It was discovered that “Zoonotic meat-borne bacteria—such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, and enteropathogenic Yersinia—were only sporadically detected in RMBD (raw meat-based diets) by PCR.”1 This means that there is no consistency with raw diets and enteric pathogens. As long as basic, safe handling...
Signs Your Dog has Heartworm and What to Do About It
April 5, 2021
Michelle Yaglowski
By now we’ve all been made aware of the risks related to heartworm. Recently, we realized that some information on heartworm was biased or incomplete. So, we decided to take a deeper dive into exactly what heartworm is, after one of our own dogs was diagnosed and we were left with some unanswered questions ourselves. Luckily, we have a close network of incredible veterinarians here and throughout the U.S. that helped to create an individualized plan. We wanted to share some of what we learned through our experience as well as touch on why we see an increasing prevalence of...
FDA Finds No Evidence that Grain-Free Diets Are Causing Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
December 16, 2020
Dr. Ryan Yamka
Evidence shows that risk factors for DCM is multi-faceted and is not related to a grain-free diet. INTRODUCTION: Since 2018, Canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been a hot topic in the pet food industry, the veterinary community, the press and among pet owners. Although some veterinarians hypothesized there may be a potential association, there has never been a proven direct link (i.e., cause and effect) to grain-free foods (both over the counter or therapeutic) causing DCM in dogs including the FDA investigation. Unfortunately, the FDA’s original request was for cases involving grain-free pet food only, and that is what...
Grain-Free Pet Food Diets | What to Know Before Switching
October 7, 2020
Nicole R. Cammack
The benefit and necessity of grain-free pet food have come under scrutiny in recent years due to an FDA investigation due to a potential association with a canine heart disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). As a result of this potential association, many have been told there is no scientific evidence to support the use of grain-free foods in canines and felines, or that these foods do not provide any benefit over grain-inclusive foods. For the most part, grain-free refers to kibble, although some have also categorized various canned, freeze-dried, and raw diets under the ‘grain-free’ umbrella. But are these...
Could Bacteria be the Secret to a Great Dog?
April 29, 2019
Nicole R. Cammack
Author’s note: As I began to write this article, I realized that the best way to approach this topic would be to include a discussion on the health impact of probiotics and microbiota. Several peer-reviewed articles indicated how critical the microbiota and micro-biome are to canine behavior, health and performance, each warranting its own discussion. The following article discusses why canines should regularly receive probiotic supplementation to support their unique needs, and prevent common ailments and diseases. The key to a healthy pet You may have heard of probiotics and prebiotics, and maybe even used them for yourself or your...
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