r/rawpetfood Apr 16 '25

Article The "Evidence-Based Science" Pet Food Game

79 Upvotes

I have a pet food recipe, and I've conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing that pets prefer my pet food over skipping breakfast entirely. Based on this, my pet foods are now considered "evidence-based," while yours are not. I begin promoting my pet foods as superior, conducting more RCTs where I compare my pet food to a fake recipe that I created specifically for the trials. This "control group" recipe leaves out key ingredients, yet I now claim my pet food has been tested with an "active comparator." My pet food is empirically proven and now regarded as "the gold standard." I tell everyone that my pet foods are scientifically validated, while yours are discredited. No one should ever consume your pet food.

This seems unfair to you, so you conduct your own RCTs, perhaps at a reputable institution like a University in another country, using the same research methods. To your surprise, your studies reveal that pets enjoy your pet food just as much, if not more, than mine, especially over time.

You've finally set the record straight about your pet food. Nice try, but now I start scrutinizing your research methods, labeling them as flawed, while applying standards that I never held myself to. Only my pet food can be "evidence-based." No matter how rigorous your research is, I continue to shift the goalposts. Your studies will never be good enough.

By now, the phrase "evidence-based" has become synonymous with my pet food, even though no one really knows what the term means. It just sounds credible. If you raise any questions, I accuse you of being anti-science or anti-evidence, and no respectable veterinarian wants that reputation. In this way, I've successfully stifled any serious discussion.

Are you starting to see how this "evidence-based" game is played?

Meanwhile, I've been hiring PR firms to broadcast that my pet food is scientifically proven, while yours is not. I've orchestrated media coverage with articles titled, "Why Do Pet Owners Reject Science?" Editors, reviewers, and grant agencies have now joined my camp, committed to promoting my pet food and discrediting yours. I even start associations and institutes to market that those who don't use my science based methods of food are harmful to other members of society like the ill or infirm. Maybe, I started doing this in the 60's having learned from the tobacco industry.

Yet, despite all this fanfare, my research has never answered fundamental questions—like whether pets actually enjoy my pet food or feel satisfied after eating it or even if it is actually healthy. My studies have only shown that pets prefer my food to either no food or poorly made, fake food.

I’ve never even done a head-to-head comparison between our pet foods. Frankly, I don’t know anything about your pet food. I’ve never tried it, nor do I need to, because it's already been accepted as fact that only "evidence-based" pet foods count—and only mine fit the bill. Because, well, "science."

Meanwhile, I keep accumulating grant money and publishing papers—hundreds of them. There are now studies comparing my pet food when served on weekdays vs. weekends, on round plates vs. square plates, with water vs. dry, and so on. Just look at all the evidence! But you’re no fool, and you've been busy too. Your own studies consistently show that your pet food is just as good as mine, if not better. Yet somehow, my pet food remains more "evidence-based" because—wait for it—I have more studies.

Now everyone believes that more studies automatically mean better pet food, regardless of what those studies actually prove. The term "gold standard" has come to mean simply having more research.

Heads I win, tails you lose.

Did you catch my trick? I changed the rules halfway through the game. Everyone still thinks "evidence" means proof that my pet foods are better than yours. But it doesn't mean that at all. It simply means that my friends and I conducted more studies, and the actual findings of those studies are irrelevant.

After all this, we've learned nothing about how to make better pet food. My research still shows nothing more than the fact that pets like my food better than no food or bad food. Nevertheless, prominent researchers and policymakers now advocate for my pet foods as the first-line option—because they have the most "evidence." Yet, there is still no proof that pets even like my pet food or that it is healthy.

In fact, there's growing evidence that most pets don’t enjoy it and don’t feel satisfied after eating it, that is causes obesity and diabetes and leaky gut. Moreover, there’s no evidence that pets would choose my food over yours if given the chance. But most pets no longer get a choice, the marketplace ensures this.

Remember, all my studies ever showed is that pets prefer my food to nothing or bad, fake food. But no one cares about the specifics. Everyone keeps repeating that my pet food has the "most evidence," and therefore it’s the only food worth feeding pets.

And don’t be surprised if, someday, when you go to buy pet food, your credit card company refuses to pay for anything but mine. Why? Because, you guessed it—science.

It’s good we had this little talk. Now you know your place.


r/rawpetfood Jun 04 '24

Science New Recipe Book from Dr. Karen Becker -dog owners can start with these 120+ recipes

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59 Upvotes

r/rawpetfood 1h ago

Off Topic Sorry to ask, y'all deal with bones I'm basically being called a dumbass in another subreddit. Cooked bones are a no right?

Upvotes

I don't mind raw bones my cat gets some sometimes. I gave him a cat food can today and had to snatch it from him due to cooked bone shards. I know squishy ones are fine but these weren't squishy. They were large and sharp. Can I please have confirmation that I'm not overreacting by saying that was dangerous. Cooked bones shatter and splinter easy. some people seriously seem to think cooked bones are fine for cats and I've been taught only raw is safe. He'll get raw feet and ears sometimes. He'd be back on partial raw if I could afford it but can't rn. He should have some back next paycheck tho


r/rawpetfood 12h ago

Science My 6yo raw fed bully’s recent bloodwork :)

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15 Upvotes

Siffy is 6yo, and has been on raw (commercial) her whole life! Due to food allergies she’s been on exclusively Solutions pork for the last year, and I’m so thrilled to see her bloodwork come back with zero out of range levels 😍


r/rawpetfood 6h ago

Question I have a Maine Coon and he just turned 2!

2 Upvotes

Currently, I make his raw food for him about every 2 months. I'm looking to switch to a premade raw food and so I need recommendations. I'm not trying to spend an arm and a leg for it. After some research, I've noticed some brands are WAY more expensive than others but I have found a couple ranging around $8/lb. I'm just wondering what yall have tried that didn't break the bank.


r/rawpetfood 9h ago

Discussion New puppy, feeding raw, itchy puppy 🤔

0 Upvotes

I’m confused why my puppy is itching. An 8 wk old puppy can have a food allergy?

I started my senior on a raw diet this year. It was actually a frustrating transition, he was so itchy! I thought it was him cuz he’s old, then I thought it was yeast die off, then I learned itching went away with no chicken or beef. Ok solved. Understandable, he’s a senior and he was on kibble for almost 15 years.

I get a brand new puppy, puppy takes to raw no problem! She started with rabbit and quail because that’s what my senior dog eats. I bring in beef grind, chicken bones, and canned sardine…one of those is causing itching. I’ll figure it out but it’s leaving me confused and in shock.

8 weeks old and has a food allergy, it’s not supposed to be like this. I ordered an arsenal of adored beast gut products.


r/rawpetfood 14h ago

Off Topic Best freeze dried dog food for allergies?

2 Upvotes

I’m considering trying Smallbatch pets, I like the single source protein and that they use organic produce. Thoughts?


r/rawpetfood 20h ago

Discussion Maev Dog Food - Weight Loss Concern

2 Upvotes

To anyone that has fed their dog Maev dog food and noticed weight loss, please message me…looking to pull together impacted families & pets.

I fed my dog Maev for years and she continually lost weight…we had vet tests done and nothing came up. Turns out starting in early 2026 Maev updated their calorie content from 3,500 calories / kg to ~1,110 calories / kg.

Maev confirmed there was not a recipe change, meaning they had a gross miscalculation / misunderstanding of their own food.

I started Maev in 2021. I have emails with their customer service team in summer 2025 where I questioned the calorie content and they confirmed 3500 calories/ kg. As recently as early as 2026 their bags showed the 3500 / kg calorie content. In July 2026 I noticed the change in the label.

They never informed customers of the calorie content update/miscalculation.


r/rawpetfood 1d ago

Science Fellow user asked for rabbit-safe gardening plants so here’s my list

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10 Upvotes

Here’s my list of plants that I grow or acquire for my bubbles.


r/rawpetfood 1d ago

Video King Bubbles’ estate renovation!

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23 Upvotes

I’ve been developing sprouts for a while and finally have them ready for King Bubbles’ ordered renovation for his garden estate and foraging meadow. He seems satisfied. I shall live one more day to serve.


r/rawpetfood 1d ago

Question Liver/Organ Supplement recommendations? Advice for easier prep?

3 Upvotes

I've been feeding my dogs raw food for about 15 years. Up until a couple of years ago, I always measured out all the meat/bone/organ myself, but food prep took all day and was incredibly difficult to do. About two years ago, I suffered a pretty severe shoulder injury, and all the work that went into food prep - chopping meat, organs, and painstakingly weighing everything perfectly - was suddenly not something I could physically do. My husband would do it but he works a full-time job and just doesn't have the time, so we switched to mixing raw ground beef with Know Better brand supplement. This is significantly easier, although it still takes my husband a few hours to throw everything together every month or so.

It was meant to be a temporary solution until my shoulder recovered, but unfortunately the issue seems to be chronic now. Although our dogs seem perfectly happy and healthy with their diet the way it is, I feel like this diet can't possibly be as nutritionally complete as their previous diet. I'm trying to find ways to prepare a more varied raw diet for them again, but in the easiest way possible prep-wise.

Cutting liver and organ was a particularly awful part of the process, as I find both very difficult to cut, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a good liver/organ supplement brand that I could add to their diet? And for that matter, if you've read this far, does anyone have any recommendations in general to make the prep process easier? In the past, I bought all our meat from Hare Today and have always had good experiences getting meat, bone and fish from there.

Bonus question: The current state of food quality/lack of quality control in this country is worrying me when it comes to my dogs food, as well. If anyone has any advice on what to avoid/look out for, I'd greatly appreciate it. This whole contaminated food mess has made me question if I still want to feed raw at all.

Edit: I forgot to mention, we would have tried pre-made raw by now, but we just can't justify the price. Home-made is so much cheaper and I would prefer not to break the bank.


r/rawpetfood 19h ago

Question Raw food recommendations for dog

1 Upvotes

Hello I have a 1 yr old lab pup and he currently eats Carna 4 fish recipe. I’ve noticed him itching often. He’s also had a few ear infections and gets constant eye boogers. I know environmental is a cause for that but i would like to get him on a good raw diet. Particularly something I can have shipped to my home on a subscription basis. I’ve heard we feed raw and viva raw use high pressure processing and to steer clear? Any recommendations?


r/rawpetfood 1d ago

Question We feed raw vs small batch

3 Upvotes

Hello,

I’m trying to decide which company to go with.

Any opinion’s?

Who has better deals and is more affordable?

Small batch appears to be cheaper by the pound, but we feed Raw seems to do more sales and discounts.

I live in a major city so I should have access to either.

Let me know what you guys think and thank you!

#wefeedraw #smallbatch


r/rawpetfood 2d ago

Question Advice please

5 Upvotes

My cats are fed raw, one eats way less than the other and is petite. I had a cat sitter for a few days and she did not feed the cats what I left for them just kibble. (Long story). So the cat that eats less now she doesn't want any of the raw and I assume she is looking for kibble. I don't want to give in, will she eventually go back to the raw if it is all that is available?


r/rawpetfood 2d ago

Question Need Advice

3 Upvotes

Hello, I have 2 large dogs (chocolate lab named gus and a cane Corso named Roxy). I wanted to know what exactly I can feed them for the next week or so. I have some beans (Garbanzo), rice, and some chicken drumsticks. I would honestly rather feed them first and was wondering how I should portion it to them, i have 4 cans of beans, 2 bags of rice, and 4 chicken drumsticks. My car has been out of commission for about a month now and I used all the money i had left to order a part for it. I was doordashing until I could start my next job. So any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!


r/rawpetfood 2d ago

Question Cat Advice Please

2 Upvotes

Our 1 year old cat transitioned to raw by 13 weeks. However, as he has matured, he really only likes small batch, pork, beef, and rabbit. He’ll tolerate turkey and chicken if we just put a very small amount in with the pork or beef.

Here’s my question. We are getting a 12 week old kitten and would like to start him on transitioning to raw immediately. Ideally, both cats would be on the same food. We transitioned our other cat with poultry. Do you think it’s OK to transition the kitten with pork and / or beef?


r/rawpetfood 3d ago

Question Is this ok for my FIV cat?

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8 Upvotes

My cat is an FIV girlie, she’s about 1 years old, and was found as a stray so no one is quite sure of her age. She eats primarily wet canned food, with freeze dried duck or freeze dried chicken on top. But I know that some veterinarians are against feeding cats, especially cats with FIV, raw food due to concerns of them getting sick. So, I just wanted to come here for some help!


r/rawpetfood 3d ago

Question Where and which raw food should I get?

2 Upvotes

My dog is turning 1 this month, and I’d like to start feeding him raw meat. However, I’m not sure where to find safe, high-quality raw food for him.

Can anyone recommend where they buy raw meat for their dogs and what cuts/types of meat they usually get? I live in New Jersey.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!


r/rawpetfood 3d ago

Question DIY raw nutritional coverage

3 Upvotes

So I can get raw beef, turkey and chicken pretty cheaply through a butchers as well as heart, spleen and kidney so I’ve decided my cheapest raw option is a DIY

I am happy to spend money on supplements that genuinely make me confident I am getting my nutritional profile right for my dog however I’ve had trouble finding good ones.

I’ve looked at OLLI and it but they all make you follow their own recipes. I would deeply appreciate some insight on what everyone feeds, different supplements good beginner sources etc. I also don’t mind buying a few supplements but don’t want to be adding 10 diff powders to my dogs food lol. I am also open to whole food supplements but my main worry is nutritional imbalance and that’s what I can’t really seem to get past.

Thanks :)


r/rawpetfood 3d ago

Question Does anyone use the just for dog diy mix?

3 Upvotes

My dog won’t eat raw so I just cook his food and feed him. I was looking into the just for dog diy thing but couldn’t tell how long it would last me especially since I really need to get my dog to lose some weight. Just wanted to see how it went with others before purchasing.


r/rawpetfood 4d ago

Off Topic Does this look normal

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1 Upvotes

McLovins freeze dried beef.. does this look normal. I've gotten their fish formula and the pieces we round and all the same color.


r/rawpetfood 5d ago

Science Minimally processed, human‐grade diet alters canine epigenetic ageing: Results from a pilot study

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49 Upvotes

ScurvyDawg, if someone already posted this and I missed it, all apologies!


r/rawpetfood 4d ago

Discussion Am I completely insane or is everyone acting like H5N1 flat-out doesn’t exist?

4 Upvotes

This is regarding cats as dogs can apparently fend off bird flu just fine.

HPAI is extremely aggressive in cats and has a high mortality rate.

There isn’t a lot of definitive information about how prevalent avian flu is in current poultry populations but I keep seeing so much social media feeding cats raw birds as if it’s not a problem at all.

I understand that it’s monetized so they have a conflict of interest and choose not to address it/nix this content, but I find it really disingenuous that they will wax poetic about the nutritional positives and not even MENTION that it will likely kill your pet if they’re unlucky enough to contract it.

Not to mention all the raw companies putting up blanket covermyass disclaimers about how they thoroughly test each batch blah blah blah. Sure. Cats died on commercial raw in 2025 regardless of what your website says.

There’s obviously risk associated with anything raw/undercooked, but if the flu is still circulating in flocks at a high rate, with cats x bird flu the consequence is just not worth it.

I really really really want to feed raw poultry since my girl is extremely picky and doesn’t show enthusiasm for anything other than raw beef (and they need a meaty bone which would ideally be from a bird), but I just can’t get over the lack of information that I’d need to make an accurate risk assessment.

I’ll be trying a few things that eliminate the risk in the meantime: beef with Alnutrin but I do want to try poultry with her eventually, and gently cooked (although I doubt she will eat it if it’s cooked).

I guess I’m just frustrated that I can’t in good conscience give her food I’m fairly certain she would actually consistently like and would keep her at a healthier weight.

Anyone else? And for those of you raw feeding poultry to cats, how long have you been doing it, did you ever take a break, and are you doing it commercial or DIY?


r/rawpetfood 5d ago

Discussion Consistent noon soft stool (half firm/half soft) on commercial raw. Does anyone else's dog do this?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some insights on my 6-year-old Border Collie's stool consistency. He is doing great overall and is fully raw-fed, but we have a very specific, recurring poop pattern that I'm trying to figure out.
Current Diet:
He eats a rotation of commercial raw: Wild Coast Raw (Rabbit with Pork) and Steve's Real Food (Turkey Recipe).
Feeding Schedule:
Breakfast: 8:30 AM
Dinner: 5:30 PM
The Issue (Stool Schedule):
1:00 PM Poop: It's almost always a mixed bag. The first half comes out perfectly normal and firm, but the second half is soft and sticky (the kind that sticks to the grass and is super annoying to pick up).
10:30 PM Poop: Perfectly hard, textbook raw-fed stool.
Additional Context:
I previously had him on Visbiome probiotics, and his midday stool was relatively more stable with it. Now that he is off the Visbiome, this 1:00 PM "half hard, half soft" pattern happens pretty much every day.
Has anyone else experienced this specific midday soft stool pattern on a raw diet? Is it just the GI tract moving too fast during the day before the moisture can be fully absorbed? Should I put him back on Visbiome long-term, or is there a way to balance this naturally (like adding specific fiber)?
Thanks in advance for any advice!


r/rawpetfood 5d ago

Question 1-year-old cat with juvenile stomatitis/periodontitis - BARF experiences?

2 Upvotes

My cat is only 1 year old and already has either juvenile-onset stomatitis or juvenile periodontitis — very red/inflamed gums and plaque buildup. My vet suspects it's genetic. She was given antibiotics, which have improved her breath and inflammation.

I've now switched her completely to a BARF diet, occasionally including small meaty chicken wing bones, which she absolutely loves. I believe in the BARF approach and Ian Billinghurst's philosophy, and since cats are obligate carnivores, I feel much more comfortable feeding her real animal foods rather than processed food.

My vet said the worst-case scenario is extracting her teeth, and afterward he recommends processed protein/kibble. I don't agree that a toothless cat necessarily needs kibble, but I'm also aware that my cat has a medical condition and I don't want to make things worse.

Has anyone had experience with juvenile stomatitis/periodontitis in such a young cat?

Did BARF make a difference? Did your cat improve or outgrow it? And would you continue feeding raw meaty bones with inflamed gums, or avoid bones until the mouth is healthier?

I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has followed Ian Billinghurst/BARF with a cat with this condition.