Vets don't study nutrition. They also make 40% of their profits selling kibble and 'specialty' foods from the like of Hills and Science Diet. I rest my case.

I would also like to agree with Michele below. I have done my research and continue read up on this topic and every time I talk with a vet I get much of the same response. Surprisingly, they all fall back on "these kibble companies have decades of science behind them." Sure, but kibble was founded on the waste products of the meat industry, another way to make money. You know what else has decades of science behind it? Tobacco companies. I could go on.

My two are raw fed and no amount of kibble manufacturer sponsored "scientific" studies are going to dissuade me from continuing with raw. Their poops are small, firm and virtually odorless, their teeth are pearly white and they don't have doggie breath or doggie odor. A small nitpick: the article doesn't mention homemade raw which is significantly cheaper than commercial. The cost is about the same as a premium grain free kibble but with the added benefit of lower vet bills as your pet's health improves.

Our two shelter dogs were skinny, undernourish, and almost bald. Today, after 1 1/2 years on raw, they could be show dogs. Our Coton De Tulear is a healthy weight, long flowing white fur and no more scratching from his allergies. The Phinnypoo, is now a healthy weight, thick coat, and a puppy demeanor (at approx. 5 years old).

I have two dogs, one who is fed raw and one which we cook for. My raw fed dog thrives on raw and has been on raw since 10 months of age when he had every allergic symptom known. FYI, the type of raw that is written about here is "convenient raw", meaning someone has concocted a recipe of raw meat, veg, etc and thrown it in a grinder and voila. Convenient raw costs substantially more than buying the ingredients separately e.g. turkey necks.

I have been feeding raw since 1995. My first golden was close to 3 when I started him on raw after years of stomach issues and expensive gastro prescription diet a friend convinced me to try raw. I was resistant. I don't know if a raw diet extends life (my previous golden died of a brain tumour which more than likely was genetic). My present golden was fed raw from the day I brought him home. During the first year I fed a commercial raw diet just to be on the safe side during the growth period but due to the expense I started to make it myself. I buy incredibly fresh meat from St. Lawrence Market, add calcium lactate because my dog swallows bones hole so he's not the right dog for the "BARF" diet and tweaked with the vegetables/grain according to his tolerance. He is 7 and rarely goes to the vet except for heartworm tests and 3 year rabies. In June my vet said my dog looked amazing for his age. Never farts which is unheard of in a dog and has the glossiest coat and the energy of a pup. It costs me maybe $60 a month not including dog biscuits. I would NEVER feed kibble unless I was desperate. I'm starting to supplement a bit with a probiotic, fish oil and glucosamine now that he is middle-aged. I think Dr. Joffe is parrotting the dog food industry's test that in my opinion obviously are geared to show that dog food is the only way to feed your bet. Human's eat a varied diet and live long healthy lives so how can anyone say that a bowl of pellets is the best way to feed a dog.

I teach small animal nutrition at the Western College of Veterianary Medicine.I believe all dogs and cats will be healthier on a whole
food diet, not necessarily raw.

Raw might be better, but it is worthwhile to acknowledge that not all kibble brands are created equal. I choose quality kibble ($50+ for a 13 lb bag) that is NOT from the grocery store or the vet. I vary the diet by rotating through different brands and recipes every 1-2 months, leaning towards the very low grain content.

Our personal experience with Raw Dog Food spans more than 20 years, however our family history goes back almost a century. There are many misconceptions about raw fed diets and dogs. Think about the biological makeup of the animal – from where your beloved pet originated. It was the wolf. All domesticated dogs can trace their roots back to wild ancestors. In nature, a canine will eat what they can kill, forage or steel. The alphas of the pack take the prime choices – which is the philosophy we feed our pets and provide to our clients. The ideal situation provides a canine 90% protein, 5% vegetation, 2% bone and 3% minerals. In nature, this is provided to the animal through eating their prey – the deer eats foliage, which is in the stomach and digestive track when it is brought down by the wolf. This in itself provides all the nutrition required. Domesticating the canine does not change their biological and chemical makeup. They still require this basic feeding structure. If you decide to feed raw to your pet – then make the change for 8 weeks. Your dog will go through a detox process where they may being excessive shedding, their eyes may water or be runny – this is completely normal. You are changing their diet to a healthy alternative – give them a change to adjust. A word of caution – once you being offering raw food, do not offer kibble, cooked or baked products to your dog. The digestion rate of raw food is extremely quick, however processed foods can take up to 12 hours to move through the dogs system. Mixing the two can cause serious health problems such as bacterial infections, or even death due to bloat. Prior to beginning, fast your dog for 24 hours to ensure that all the processed food has been digested and then you are good to offer their first meal. When deciding on what cuts of meat to offer – think “would I eat this?” – if the answer is yes, then it is good for your dog. Would you eat a chicken neck or turkey carcass or bones meant for soup stock as a nutritional meal? Neither would your dog. If you would place it on your plate – it is good for your dog.
How much to feed your dog depends on their weight and activity level– we offer a quick glance chart at rawpetfoodcompany.com
We are happy to answer any questions you may have and point you in the right direction to a better lifestyle for your dog. Bone Appétit! www.RawPetFoodCompany.com

Not enough choice in the survey. I feed my dog dry kibble. I'm not convinced that raw food is either better or worth the money. I do vigoursly scrutanize the food I do give my dog. I ensure they are high in meat meals (with variety of poultry, ungulate and fish), that is high in particular minerals and vitamins, and that it is low in certain fillers like wheat, barley, cellouise (basically sawdust) corn and to a lesser extent rice and potatoes.) The only starches I consider acceptable is MAYBE potatoes and yes to sweet potatoes. Hills, Purina, Iams and the brands are absolute garbage. You might as well feed them cow feed, it's mostly wheat and barley anyway.

I've got 2 dogs, both of which are now on raw. When we had them on kibble, it was all allergies and bloating for them. Constant yeast infections in the ears, bad breath, tartar build up on the teeth and mucous-like eye infections. These two are not old... only 1 and 2 years old. I was told by many vets (I went through about 4 of them in a year) to put them on a prescription Hills food, but I found it very inconvenient to always have to go to the vet to pick up their food. I started looking at higher quality kibble (Call of the Wild, Canidae) and with one large bag costing almost $100-$120, it was not terribly cheap. Grocery store brands are not something I would ever consider for my dogs even if I were on kibble, the quality is not there and the food is mostly filler (corn, soy, wheat). Once I switched to raw, my dogs completely changed. My ex-vets would give them their check-up and tell me that they were in perfect condition (not over weight, no skin problems, great ears, fantastic teeth). When I told them that it seems the raw food was working, they would suddenly tell me that I'm doing something wrong, completely contradictory to their previous comment that my dogs were perfect. At the end of the day, science has proven in the past to change it's mind depending on who is doing the study, and more importantly, who is FUNDING the study. All I can say is, I can't ignore the tangible differences I see and witness with my dogs on a raw diet. To me, it's only logical that any living creature would be more healthy when eating the way that nature intended. To those who think feeding raw it very expensive, it's not. If you only feed the pre-made raw patties, then yes, it is expensive, but I feed patties in the morning and raw meaty bones in the evening from the butcher. Make friends with a butcher and they'll give you all of their off-cuts for very cheap or even free. I've got my cost down to about $1.50 per day, per dog.

I eat kibble from my vet as I have tender stomach. What I do get 2 of every morning are what in this house are called bonecicles. A empty steri bone that has a small piece of cheese in the bottom, put into a yoghourt cup, add some kibble then water and freeze. They keep the teeth clean and each gives about 1/2 hour of very active chew. One goes just after breakfast and the other after the 6am walk. There are 7 to 12 in the freezer at any one time. With the hot weather sometimes an empty frozen bone is offered after the afternoon walk as a cool treat.

*Continued from previous* -- I spend about $100 a month on chicken, and maybe another $40 a month on the various canned products, total cost is under $5 / day, but the results are well worth it. His coat looks great, he's got plenty of energy, and he's constantly getting compliments from vets. Finding a vet who wouldn't criticize his diet was an issue, we finally settled on one who took the position that he couldn't officially condone it, since the Canadian Vet Association is against a raw diet, but won't harass us to change his diet as long as he's healthy.

Taste of the Wild is the brand I use for my dogs, it's expensive ($70 for a 30lb bag) but it's fixed all the alergy problems my small dog has had, and my 12 year old Lab/Setter mix is running healthy laps of the yard and has a silky smooth coat.

Vets frequently have their school fees paid by dog food companies, if they agree to peddle the company's products after they graduate. Thus, most of them are against raw food. My wife and I have been feeding raw food for years and the results are perfect. No tooth problems, no skin problems, and costs are reasonable. I scour the local supermarket for discounts and feed two Alaskan Malamutes on about $5 a day. I save money by doing the food prep myself.

Sorry, another point that bothers me re: vets comments. The raw diet is not a fad. My 92 year old mother fed her dogs the same way as I do back in the 1920's. Kibble became a fad and has caught on because it's convenient. The same issue is happening with human's and fast food. MacDonald

A $5-million gift from Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. for a primary health and education centre at OVC;
A $3-million donation from Royal Canin Canada to help support an endowed chair in canine and feline clinical nutrition.

I feed my 2 large dogs raw food, a variety of 2 lbs of either chicken, pork, fish, beef, goat each day, once a day. they also get a chunk of offal to help with digestion. they are healthy with shiny coats. yes a little more expensive but worth it. the only shots they get are rabies, no other and no sentinel as they should be able to fight due to stronger immune systems. it's not a fad, kibble is a human convenience.

I purchase my raw food from a local grocery store that has amazing prices. for 2 large dogs, $180 for a variety of meats that lasts up to 5-6 weeks.

After feeding raw for 15 years i could never go back to kibble that's full of additives and fillers.

I have been using raw food for two years now and my dog just had his yearly checkup. Healthy as a horse as the vet put it. He does not agree with the raw food diet but has not cut us off from our dog getting regular checkups. We also cut off all vacinations with the exception of rabies shots. Heart worm has not been a issue for years with dogs. I realize everyone does not feel the same but our dog is more energetic has great teeth,silky hair. and has a better disposition with people.

I love this discussion. I have a 6 month chocolate lab X that started out life on kibble and for the past three months has been on the raw food diet consisting of 60% raw meaty bones, 30% offal, 10% veggies, meat, etc.