Food

Most dogs can eat coconut oil and anecdotal reports suggest several healthful benefits. But studies suggest that its most impressive gift to dogs is reducing seizures in dogs with epilepsy.

Feeding your dog fresh

I used Manuka honey on my 14- year-old Lab/Shar Pei-mix. She had ripped open one of her pads and was having a very difficult time getting it to heal. I used a veterinary-prescribed ointment with fresh bandages as required, while using a boot to provide protection. Two weeks later, with the wound getting worse, I did some research and read reviews of Manuka honey and its healing power. I spoke with my vet and decided to give it a try.

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the pet-food industry, with owners prioritizing the health of their pets by focusing on...

There are nearly as many types of dog treats on the market as treats for humans: sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, meaty, fruity, fatty, savory,...

The following is an excerpt adapted from a new book that can help you make smart decisions about what to feed your dog.

On March 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) advised veterinarians about a recall of a human drug, phenobarbital, which is used extra-label for pets. On February 5, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals recalled certain lots of product that was labeled as phenobarbital – but was actually hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin).

Last month's issue contained our annual review of dry dog foods, but with an exception from our usual format: This year, we decided to break out grain-free dry dog foods from the increasingly populated and competitive pack of terrific kibbled products on the market. We did not review them in the February issue, but will discuss grain-free foods at length here. In 2005, Natura Pet Products was the first pet food company to manufacture and market a grain-free kibble, which was initially called Innova Evo (and is now called simply Evo). The success of the product, in the market and with many of the dogs fed the diet, sparked a proliferation of grain-free foods. We were able to find more than a dozen companies that currently offer one or more grain-free foods that meet our selection criteria.

Oat milk can be good for dogs. It’s a lactose-free dairy alternative for humans that dogs also can enjoy, but in moderation.

If you want to share popcorn with your dog, choose a few pieces of plain—no flavors or salts—popcorn that is air-popped. Most brands of popcorn include a lot of salt and fat and your dog does not need salt or fat in his diet.

We have long maintained that an intelligently formulated diet, made in a dog owner's home out of fresh, wholesome ingredients, is the ideal diet for optimum canine health. The tens of thousands of dog owners who make their dogs' food at home agree. Their dogs enjoy their food; look, smell, and feel terrific; and enjoy vibrant good health. However, some people who would really like to feed their dogs this way don't feel capable of routinely shopping for and preparing their dogs' food. Others worry that their dogs might suffer from a nutritional deficiency or imbalance if they don't formulate the diet just so. These folks are the target market for the products featured in this article: diets made of fresh ingredients (mostly meat) and frozen for convenience.

We'd love for you to take our dry dog food selection criteria into account as a starting place – only that, though, because there are a lot of other factors that people take into consideration when buying food for their dogs, and everyone will weigh these factors differently, depending on their individual needs and beliefs. If we made up a pie chart illustrating the weight of these factors, each dog owner's important food buying factors" chart would be different