nutrition.

You may recall that at the end of 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned dog owners that they should be aware of a "potential association between development of illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as chicken tenders, strips or treats." At the time the warning was issued, reports had come in citing that at least 95 dogs had become ill, possibly due to consumption of chicken jerky. However, after multiple tests the FDA was unable to identify any cause for the illnesses, so it is not surprising that (1) people kept feeding their dog's chicken jerky and (2) more dogs got sick. Then, in November of 2011, the FDA issued yet another warning ...

Estimates of obesity in cats are as high as 50 percent of all cats. An often cited reason for this health problem is the increasing caloric density of food. Cat foods, especially the dry types, have become more and more calorie dense, often exceeding 375-400 calories per cup. The average cat only needs about 200-250 calories per day! As most cats are fed "free-choice," it is no wonder there are so many fat cats. Recent studies in cats have shown that increasing the water content of food, wet and dry, has shown to be effective in weight loss and weight maintenance post dieting. Weight Loss In a 2011 University of California, Davis study, researchers alternately fed cats a canned diet ...

As pet owners reeled from the melamine contamination of some commercial brands of pet foods in 2007, many switched to a raw diet for their dogs or cats. But did those pet owners jump out of the frying pan and into the fire? Raw diets include the whole animal, including organs and ground bone. They can be served in carcass form or ground up and formed into patties. "Modern dogs are not only capable of eating the food of their wild ancestors, but actually require it for maximum health," says Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a veterinarian and founder of BARF World, one of the first manufacturers of "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food." Dr. Billinghurst asserts, "Processed foods are not what the dog was ...

Though most vegetarians feed their pets meat or fish without flinching, some vegetarians abhor the idea of their animals eating other animals. "A vegetarian diet for your companion animal is ethically consistent with animal rights philosophy," says People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Though forcing pets to live by their owners′ philosophy is unprecedented in the 15,000 years humans have been caring for pets, some vegetarians want even their pets′ nutritional supplements to be plant-based. "If vegetarians can feed their animal a healthy diet that is vegetarian, they feel more comfortable," says Kathy Guillermo, vice president of laboratory investigations at ...

There is a lot of buzz online, in the dog world, and even in the veterinary profession about the effectiveness of the "green bean diet." The logic of the diet actually has some sound science behind it. Unfortunately, when used with regular dog food it may result in nutritional inadequacies. The Diet In its simplest form, owners supplement 10 percent of the volume of their pets' regular canned or dry meal with canned green beans. The green bean content of the meal is increased in 10 percent increments every 2-3 days until all meals consist of 50 percent regular food and 50 percent green beans. This final mixture is fed until the pet's target weight is reached. The pet is then slowly ...