Carna4 is an excellent product, my dogs have been eating it for the past 7 years. Every year at the Vet they both get a great grade on health!!!

@AnimalDocRea

3 ай бұрын

Just make sure to keep up the yearly bloodwork to make sure they can keep up with the excess minerals and protein as they age (especially for dogs over 7yrs) That bloodwork yearly is key because by the time they are clinically ill enough for your vet to detect on physical exam, 75% of the kidneys are lost. But as long as it’s working and you are being proactive, no reason to change yet.

@metal1mark73

3 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea what other brands do you recommend for dog food?

@AnimalDocRea

3 ай бұрын

@metal1mark73 I don’t make any recommendations I just review the numbers because many factors go into what is right for the individual. Here is a playlist of ones that fall closest into the optimal standards and the list grows every week so check back often or subscribe! Adult Dog foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipJpPpEuGV8xoGQfKlLBXXQh

@Doc Rea I absolutely look forward to Thursdays is my favorite day of the week you’re my favorite KZreadr. As a dog trainer, behavior specialist working at the shelter. You really give me a inside knowledge that I don’t have.

I have been feeding my dogs for 6 months now and I a lot of improvement; shinny coat, their breath doesn't stink anymore and their overall health is much better. I used to feed them Merricks, Hills, Instinct, among others and they smelled bad, their breath was horrible so I think this food is very good.

@grantmcalpine6364

5 ай бұрын

We've been feeding this to our Havanese since the start. No issues and she's doing well.

@juanangelogianopulos

5 ай бұрын

@@grantmcalpine6364 It is a great food; better than feeding them synthetic vitamins and doubtful protein. With the current Purina issue I think big brands need to rethink the way the make their products.

@russella90

27 күн бұрын

We noticed the shiny coat and energy change right away. And we're not even doing full Carna4. We're doing part Natural Balance kibble, part Carna4. But Carn4 is still pretty new for us so I'm proceeding with caution and attention.

@AnimalDocRea

27 күн бұрын

@russella90 I can’t stress routine labs enough especially if skirting to the extremes with nutrient profiles. I think it’s fine to do it as long as you do the proper monitoring and make the change when necessary

@russella90

26 күн бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Noted, and absolutely will do!

Thanks for the review!

Thank you for a great video. Much appreciated. I have studied pet nutrition for 20 years and but took time away from educating myself in this filed, getting back to my passion

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it!

My 3 yr 9.5 lb mini poodle just had a bout of pancreatitis so I’m looking to change her kibble, what would you recommend?

@AnimalDocRea

22 күн бұрын

I only make suggestions on how to read and understand pet food labels for general purposes. I recommend you consult your personal vet for diet recommendations for your pets specific medical needs. In general for pancreatitis, you want lower fat and to avoid variation and no people food or treats

Thanks for the video doc. Ive been on the fence about trying rhis food. Actually i did get a sample and i mixed with the regular food, but i like to know as much as i can about what im giving my dogs. Keep up the great work

I had my dog on Purina Pro-Plan based on a Doc Rea review. A frw weeks ago he began having terrible diahrea, and then vomitting blood. He was in deep distress, and we had an emergency vet visit and follow ups with our vet. Long story short, he improved on a bland diet, when I mixed back in the pro plan, he immediately took a turn for the worse again. I took him off that food, and he bounced back again. I will never feed Purina to an animal that I own, ever again. I can't verifiably say that this food was the cause but experientially I am convinced. There seems to be a lot of issues with prominent commercial brands. I'm not writing this to blame anyone, but I would like to see a deep dive on on issues with prominent kibble brands.

@edschulhof6303

2 ай бұрын

Sorry about your dog, glad he is better. This shows that every pet is different and there is no one size fits all when it comes to food. One of my cats gets sick on many commercial pet foods. I feed mostly homemade and one wet food that seems to be OK. There are pets that can't eat raw/homemade, that do well on commercial food. It's a process. Happy Mewsday

@AnimalDocRea

2 ай бұрын

Totally agree with Ed, glad your pup is better

@edschulhof6303

2 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Thank you. If we were in Oz, you would be Glinda! ❤

@StephanieStoudt-uv8nv

Ай бұрын

Not every dog does well on a formula. But with the legacy brands like hills, Purina, Royal canin, there are hundreds of formulas. Plus when switching, you have to compare calories. Over feeding can cause diarrhea

Im so confused about the point system. It doesnt matter where the protein comes from as long as its within the AAFCO standards? It doesn’t matter weather the vitamins are synthetic and added or come from the main ingredients? It doesn’t matter what vitamin balances are in it as long as its not grain free? It doesn’t matter if it has harmful chemicals or dyes? The average watcher of this video looking for advice on weather a dog food is good or bad is gonna think that Samsclub dog food is the same as your highest quality dog kibble because its not grain free, not raw, and falls within AAFCO guidelines on protein/fiber/fat/moisture balances. Never mind that one gets its meat from roadkill/diseased farm animals and another uses proper human grade meats. Does any of this not matter?

@AnimalDocRea

9 ай бұрын

It does matter, but the nutritional values have to be there first. And the parameters aren’t aafco, they are optimal nutrition numbers from the specified text. There is no point in entertaining a food that doesn’t meet optimal nutrition even if it’s made from gold. That’s the point. I review what I’m asked, if someone asked for me to review a nutritionally adequate food made of “perfect” ingredients I will.

@ArrowupholsterySnAntonio

7 ай бұрын

I completely agree with you!

@NeoNeo707

2 ай бұрын

I think ingredients really matter.

Hello. Thank you for taking your time to review the foods. If you had a Goldendoodle puppy who is not very active, what kibble dog food would you give?

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

What age and what is the anticipated adult weight

Thanks so much for your video. My girls have been on the farmers dog and Carna4 for a few months. I do a small handful of carna4 on top of their farmers dog. The reason I did this was to try give the girls similar to what they used to get. Unfortunately unbeknownst to me, their old dog food (Fromm) is not very good for them! They’d been on it just over a year, we moved to the US from Hong Kong so it was hard for me to try understand the pet food standards here. Hong Kong dog food is a mix of mostly UK, Canada and Chinese dog food. They were on UK dog food when we lived in HK which has slightly better standards than Fromm. Anyway their whole life they’ve been given canned wet food with a small handful of kibble. So that’s why I’m doing the farmers dog with a small handful Carna4.

Can you review Open Farm Ancient Grains formula? Possibly and/or their new ancient grains Raw mix formula? I’m trying to find another food for my dog who is on Carna4 now & I’ve been seeing open farm ads a lot recently - would definitely love to get a more informed insight on that brand :)

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

Set to post next week 😉

8 year old American Pitt Bull Terrier not very active, itchy from pork and possibly beef. Does well with chicken. Suggestions for kibble to mix 50/50 with Ollie? ty

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

A truly diagnosed food allergic dog would need to be on a prescription hydrolyzed diet to control puritis. No OTC diet would be restrictive enough to control symptoms. Get with your vet to see about a work up for food allergy vs atopic dermatitis, rule out infection, rule out endocrinopathy, and then potentially do a 8 week food trial with one of the hydrolized diets. If diagnosed and responding to food trial after 8-12 weeks, you can then start to systematically reintroduce single source proteins. You would not be able to mix any food outside of the prescription diet during the 8-12 week food trial or your pet will relapse and results may be erroneous.

Exilent video @AnimalDocRea thank you for posting it. I’ve had my almost 3yo Laponian Herder (adopted him at 8mo) on Carna4 for the last year and a half or so but have been considering switching him off of it due to slightly looser then I’d like bowl movements. The insight into his feed overshooting his needs is very enlightening. That said he has been not just been doing well but in fact thriving on it. He’s holding at a pretty stable 57lbs (+/-2lbs) on 3 cups of feed a day split into two feedings. I’m curious what toy might suggest trying him on as he moves into his adult years? We do have a relatively active lifestyle. At a minimum he’s getting 5-7km a day of on leashed walking time in addition to an hour or more at an off leash park with other dogs daily.

@user-it8xv8gn6g

10 ай бұрын

My pups are thriving on it too

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

You have a ways to go before having to change over to a senior ( unless labs along the way dictate otherwise). It sounds like things are going well so I wouldn’t be in any rush to rock the boat too soon.

Dr. Rea, can you do a review on NutriSource Element series?

I am no vet, but from what I have read and heard I thought aafco was established on minimum guidelines for nutrients. Can you help explain?

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

Yes , AFFCO is most concerned with making sure a diet is t deficient, they do not put much emphasis on overdosing

Thanks I will check it out. Do you have an opinion on what is possible causing these issues?

@AnimalDocRea

Ай бұрын

As a practicing clinician there are many causes for these diseases and it boils down to a correct diagnosis to determine the insisting cause., I have never diagnose a pet with a disease because of diet (outside obviously food allergy or raw pathogens) but there are many times that poor nutrition has contributed to the exacerbation of disease if not done properly.

Carna4 is absolutely 100% an excellent dry kibble food. My dog had the runs for weeks and we couldn’t figure out what was going on. Took her to the vet and was on antibiotics and unfortunately did not help. We stopped feeding the current food that she was eating and we switched to Carna4. Holy moly! what a difference. huge turnaround. She is back to normal, and her stools are perfect. I highly recommend Carna4. I completely disagree with the score of this food based on your analysis. It should definitely be a few points higher. especially of all the kibble food that is out there. I also don’t really agree with your "for all life stages" knockdown or point deduction. I don’t think that is fair in my opinion. It all depends on the ingredients that are in the food and what works best for your dog. You just have to figure out a portion that is right to give to your doggy. To each their own. 🤷🏽‍♂️ The only knock down of this food for me is the price. It’s way too much! Although Carna4 is draining my pockets 🤑 I am not going have my dog suffer. She loves it and I’ll continue to go with it if it’s not making her sick. I like that it does not have added synthetics or vitamins. I myself want control over that. I don’t really trust these big brand companies, adding all of these synthetics and Vitamins. I don’t know how accurate the amounts they are putting into these foods. I also don’t know how accurate these machines are, or who is putting the amounts in these foods. Some dogs may not need all of them. Some dogs may even be allergic to them. Who knows. I'm just guessing and assuming here. I’m no doctor. That’s just my opinion. I'm probably just a worry wart and overthinking all of this. I’m just going to stick to a food that has very simple limited ingredients that I know and that I can read and pronounce. I don't think I want all of that mumbo-jumbo stuff after the word "SALT" on the majority of all dry dog food kibble. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the ingredients list of your dogs food after "SALT". Anyway, overall I love watching your videos and love your input and how thorough you are. I really appreciate it. it has really helped me with my research. Keep it up! 🫶🏽

Sorry to comment again - but can you do a review on Zesty Paws 8 in 1 multivitamins ? I give my girls 1 a day. They are dachshunds so I want them to have a supplement with some good stuff for their joints and skin. We moved to Florida not long ago and their skin is a little more itchy down here then when we lived in the Carolinas, not sure why but maybe the grass or humidity.

I am interested in hearing more about older dogs and cats having organ or kidney problems. I would love to see you do a video on the subject. I am wondering what evidence we have that this is caused by excess nutrition in the animals diet. Could these common issues be caused by other factors? Like over vaccination or poor diet with low bio availability, vitamins, and proteins. What’s the evidence that excess nutrition is causing these organ issues in older animals?

@AnimalDocRea

Ай бұрын

The excess doesn’t cause it, it exacerbates it. Please refer to the sited text link in the description box.

Informative video. Love the sound and video effects. And during the hurricane. You are amazing. Carna is another case of "too much of a good thing" Except ice cream. There is no such thing as too much ice cream! LOL

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

I think they are very close, if they just put a little more effort they would be there

@edschulhof6303

10 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Maybe they are emulating the large corporate brands. LOL. Crazy question: If I were to mix a wet food high in nutrients with a brand low in nutrients, would that mitigate the high levels somewhat?

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

@edschulhof6303 its by percentage so theoretically yes

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

@@edschulhof6303 I’m just not sure how you would calculate the nutrients, you would have to do like a dilution calculation

@edschulhof6303

10 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Thank you. That opens more possibilities. It's a simple mixture problem in Algebra. Mix two, or more, foods to get under the maximum amounts.

What would be a good food to look into for my 10yr old dog? Thank you for all your help!

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

Puppy foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipIV_f-gpYKQPVDszowFCbLU

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

Adult Dog foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipJpPpEuGV8xoGQfKlLBXXQh

@1974chevroletnova

8 ай бұрын

Much appreciated!

doc. what kibble do you recommend

@AnimalDocRea

9 ай бұрын

I don’t make recommendations because every pet and owner is unique. I’m just teaching you how to logically make the best choice for you

Thank you for all your information. I've watched many of your videos trying to find the best food for my dog. I've yet to see a video (unsure if you have one) that says what your favorite food is. I'd love to hear what you feed your pets.

@AnimalDocRea

3 ай бұрын

Email me, I don’t discuss my pets on this channel not to appear biased

I'd love a review of the meat and brown rice line of Natural Balance: Limited Ingredients; I saw that you reviewed their veggie option, so I'm interested in your take on the others. Also any insight into their manufacturing and sourcing!

@AnimalDocRea

27 күн бұрын

Unfortunately I have no insight to their manufacturing although I am always willing to do a plant tour if I was to be invited. I have had the opportunity to visit 1 major manufacture and I was beyond impressed and would love to get invited to tour more and share with you all.

@russella90

26 күн бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea oooh! What manufacturer?

I was hoping you would touch base a little about non-synthetic vitamins and sprouted grains. Does the source of the vitamins and minerals make a difference? I have learned sooooo much from your videos which is a blessing and a curse lol

@AnimalDocRea

5 ай бұрын

Those topics are beyond the beginner level of this video but I do have a link to full text clinical nutrition textbook in the comments for those that want to explore these topics in depth. It’s free.

Thank you so much for al the videos . I’ve learned a lot. Can you please make a video with the healthiest kibbles recommendations ? I have a 5 month old mini golden doodle ,14 lb expected to reach 15-20lb. I’m feeding honest kitchen brand , puppy formula based on your review ,and add some meat ,vegetable and fruit to the bowl . I soon need to change to adult formula and I’m so confused .Thank you in advance !

@AnimalDocRea

7 ай бұрын

I have a playlist with some good options. Also it’s ok to addd fruit and veggies to the food, but avoid meats as this will unbalance the diet and add excessive calories

@AnimalDocRea

7 ай бұрын

Adult Dog foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipJpPpEuGV8xoGQfKlLBXXQh

That is a question I am amazingly qualified to answer. I was actually on the first to know list for apoquel 2 years before it was released to market so I have extensive knowledge on how the product works, the pros the cons and the science behind it and cytopoint. I’m also know the myths surrounding it…I’ve literally had access as a clinician to this product years before everyone else… derm is actually kinda of my thing…

@WaquoitBaySummers

10 ай бұрын

That would make a great video

@sherrylong7774

9 ай бұрын

I just had my pit mix to sleep after months of fighting an autoimmune disease he developed after receiving a cytopoint shot. He was treated foe pemphigus by UT In Knoxville and it was definitely the shot. They turned it in as such. I realize this was a rare occurrence but when it’s your dog it’s not rare.

@AnimalDocRea

9 ай бұрын

@sherrylong7774 sorry to hear that, reactions are so rare and I’m sorry it happened to you

Can you review Halo Hollistic dog food?

I am always surprised when the expensive ones are average… can you review Authority everyday health adult?

I like your videos, and I appreciate your (and everyone's in all divergent corners of the pet food discussion) passion and care. My critique of your videos is lack of meaningfully addressing of the underlying reason that 'health store' dog food has become in demand in the first place... People do NOT trust processed food companies. And why should we? Every year we discover a new gross way huge food conglomerates are undermining our health, whether through their products, their hiding adverse consequences, or through their lack of enviornmental concern. And, if we can't trust them with our people food why would we trust them with animal food, which has far less regulation and is even less transparent? And like, yes the big manufacturers pay for research and trials... but what actually are the metrics of the trials? And surely we all should be skeptical of research that's overwhelmingly paid for by manufacturers. Purdue Pharma paid for Oxycodone trials... that's didn't stop them from lying, manipulating the market, and killing half a million people and destroying lives of countless more. In fact those trials likely helped them understand the addictive qualities that was the cornerstone to their strategy. Re: AFCO... I'd love to trust them, except there's no public list of who its members are, and from I gather from the dog food community, its members are made up of people from the major manufacturers plus politicians. Why would I ever trust advice from this group?? So it's like... I believe you. The nutritional balance is super important. And yes, many people go off the deep end curating their animals' diets without the (much needed) guidance of a board-certified nutritionist. BUT, I think saying 'Ingredients doesn't matter' is unhelpful, and there's just NO WAY that's true. Eating a heavily processed industrial food is far less healthy than getting those same nutrients (yes, as long as you're getting all of them), from minimally processed or fresh foods. We know overwhelmingly that this is the case for humans, how could it possibly be different for other animals? For what it's worth, we have been feeding our dog Natural Balance: Limited Ingredient Lamb and Rice, which she loves, and we just began mixing in a handful of carna4 so the ratio is probably like 3/5 to 2/5. We're watching her closely, but her energy is up and her coat looks way healthier and sheds way less. I'm soon going to consult a pet nutritionist via BalanceIt.com, both to get feedback on this strategy, but also because I'd like to occasionally feed her a fresh (not raw) meal when we do a special big family event like once a month. She also loves healthy snacks like apples, pears, broccoli and baby carrots (the latter two lightly steamed). So THAT is what I wish more people like you would give advice on --- there's just no way the best path forward is just to feed corporate kibble only. Like truly, there's just no way. So, how do we ensure our pups have the nutrients they need but also get the benefits from fresher options and occasional home cooked meals?

@AnimalDocRea

27 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching. I appreciate your passion for nutrition and animal health. Everything you speak is important, but is beyond the scope of this channel. This channel is meant to be an introduction to the topics so people feel comfortable opening a two way dialogue with their vet. These are things I discuss with the my patients in a clinical setting and I encourage you to do the same with your personal veterinarian.

@russella90

26 күн бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea yeah that's fair. You don't need the burden of discussing everything haha. Thanks for the time and reply!

Hello, Great video, thank you for taking the time to do this. I have been using Orijen for my Pomeranian and I was thinking to transition to Carna4 easy chew fish dog food. I understand looking at the nutritional value is important. However, equally important is the quality of the ingredients where those nutrients are coming from. I was hoping to see a head to head comparison of top 3 kibble food on the market. Also, it would be beneficial to see your expert non-biased review on the actual process used by those companies that goes into making the kibble and seeing if it makes a difference at all. As far as the calcium and phosphorus, in a dog with normal kidney function, wouldn’t those nutrients in excess get filtered out by the kidney? Lastly, thank you for your time, looking forward to more videos and your response.

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

They do get filtered, but like any filter, the more you use it, the shorter the lifespan.

@emelsibaja4369

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your response. Out of the foods you have reviewed, what are the top 3 best kibble foods on the market based on veterinarian guidelines? The amount of information out there regarding pet nutrition is quite bit. Marketing doesn’t make it any easier.

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

Adult Dog foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipJpPpEuGV8xoGQfKlLBXXQh

@emelsibaja4369

6 ай бұрын

I watched the videos in the link, thank you. Essentially, what I took away is to compare the dry basis matter of the dog food you wish to buy to the daily recommended amount found on the links you provided. Look at the Aafco statement. Pay close to attention to the protein, Ca and P concentrations. My remaining questions are: 1. What dog food do you give your dogs, how long have you been feeding them that particular food? 2. Assuming the nutrients are within the recommended daily amount, how does the quality of the ingredients make a difference, and how do you know if the ingredients come from a quality source? 3. Do you have a video link to all kibble food that are not formulated ? The only one I saw in the videos and at the actual pet store was Purina one +plus?

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

1. I'd rather not say what I feed because every time I do, people feel like they need to attack me and I'd rather not promote negativity on this channel. Besides, its not about me, its about you picking what is right for you. If you are really interested you can email me. 2. I'm not sure how you would know the quality of ingredients as a company can say whatever they want and post pictures of whatever they want, but unless they let you visit the plant it would be hard. I have heard that if the ca and phos are in a good range that is a good indicator of quality because it takes good processing and quality ingredients to keep excess minerals low so I go by that 3. I do to have a link to a list of non-formulated foods, sorry.

I’d love videos on PawTree and Spot and Tango as those two are highly pressed upon scrolling my feed these days lol 😂

@AnimalDocRea

4 ай бұрын

I've emailed spot and tango for a complete nutrient profile for their diets as their website is quite deficient in any real nutritional information. Hopefully they get back to me with some information of substance

As usual, excellent info! They have a website that you just want to love the food! but nutrients ruin that!

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

I want so bad for these foods to at least get the GA right, they have such a generous range to work in. If they could just put that little extra effort It would make for so much happier videos.

@PetFoodPuzzleGuy

10 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea than what would this grump old Hills rep complain about if they actually made healthy food? I’d have to start making politics and religion videos!

Thanks for this review. I have been feeding my dog Carna 4 in all of their varieties for about 6 months. I didn't like that it was grain free and always added some of Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend and Wholesome Grains (chicken, quail, and duck recipe) I guess, I bought into the hype of the marketing for Carna 4. It is very hard to know what is the best food for my dog. Have you ever reviewed Stella and Chewy's dog food? My dog (chocolate lab and greyhound) always did well on it. I only tried Carna 4 because it was free of synthetic vitamin packs. Thank You for all of your hard work! The information is excellent and much needed for all of us pet lovers!

Awesome video can you review NutriSource element and annamaet dog food

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

I’ll add it to my list

@leo2o915

8 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea awesome thank you

Is there any benefit to wet vs dry food?

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

Yes wet has higher moisture content so it is usually preferred in general for pets that have kidney issues, need weight loss, or cats in general. With that added benefit however it is more expensive to feed and requires more stringent handling

@WaquoitBaySummers

10 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea thank you!

Can you do Open Farm RawMix Front Range Recipe Dog food and Open Farm Rawmix Open Prairie Recipe Cat Food?

@AnimalDocRea

2 ай бұрын

Great suggestion!

"Exceeding", doesn't mean "Overdosing". Their portion/serving size can be less as indicated on the bag compensate for the rich nutrient content.

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

It’s a proportionate ratio, the numbers are on a percentage basis so by feeding less, the percentage is the same. it’s not nutrient dense as the kcal/me is 4000 or less which is what this review is based on ( please refer to the sited text in the description box if you are not familiar with nutrient density calculations ) My reviews place all diets in an even playing field by ensuring all diets are convert to a DM basis. So yes, it is overdosing, or oversupplementing if you prefer

I do not have a degree and I am not a veterinarian but as someone who’s been studying nutrition in humans for years, I have a different opinion. Nutrition in my opinion is all about bioavailability. We have strong evidence that in humans, synthetic vitamins, do not absorb nearly as well as vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids from animal products because animal meats are much more bioavailable. This is why I always recommend a diet high in animal meat, with beef and or lamb organs. I prefer ruminant animal meat (grass fed cows and lamb) because these animals spend most of their time outside in the sun grazing on pastures. Unlike chickens, turkeys, venison, etc. These animals often times don’t go outside at all and are fed a diet of only GMO grain, soy, and corn. If you compare the nutrient profile of grass fed beef or lamb to chicken, The beef has 7x less omega 6 and way more omega-3. Also the beef 2x the zinc and selenium compared to chicken and is a great source of B6, B12, and phosphorus. Beef and lamb organs are particularly rich in almost all B-vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and folate. They are also rich in minerals, including iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc, and important fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E and K. Again, all these are very bioavailable unlike the synthetic versions that humans and animals don’t absorb well. Legumes in my opinion are an inferior protein source. The plant protein in them is up to 20% less bioavailable than animal meats and legumes are very low in some amino acids, particularly methionine and cysteine, which are known as limiting amino acids. This means that legumes are considered incomplete proteins, compared to animal meat, which is a complete protein. I believe that veterinarian nutrition is probably out of date and not considering some of these factors.

@AnimalDocRea

Ай бұрын

I’m not a boarded veterinary nutritionist and this channel is to give owners a baseline understand of how to read and pick out marketing traps used by popular pet food manufacturers. Veterinary nutrition is very advanced and has been used to facilitate highly efficient food animal production and had enhanced prevention and provided treatment in companion animal diseases in ways human medicine has not. With that said, the scope and purpose Of this channel is not to do in depth analysis of foods like you suggest. That would be a discussion to have with a boarded nutritionist, not a clinician as myself. When a client presents me with the desire to discuss such matters, I have to deffer them to my colleagues at the ACVN. They would be able to better determine if what you suggest from your human studies extrapolates to the individual animal species. In many cases there are similarities but not direct correlation. Then there is the reality that economics and realistic expectations play in the veterinary community that human counterparts do not have to factor in. I appreciate the comment though, very insightful and thought provoking.

What brand do you feed your dog or dogs?

@AnimalDocRea

5 ай бұрын

I don’t discuss what I feed my dogs as I do not want to appear biased or promoting any particular food. It also changes based on my pets needs

The reason the ingredients are very important to me, as a nutritionist, is animal products have more bioavailable nutrients than plant products so even though you can get to certain numbers with plant products if you get those same nutrients from animal products they will be more bio available and healthier for your animals and humans. This is why the ingredients are more important than you’re making out in your videos in my opinion

@AnimalDocRea

Ай бұрын

Thanks for your input. Nice to have someone with extra insight to chime in. Are you speaking directly as a veterinary nutritionist or animal science? Also a question regarding bioavailability, if the product is excessive in a nutrient (such a the diets in the video) wouldn't more bioavailability make it even more in excess. If so, I feel like focusing on the nutrients first, and then the ingredients as a secondary distinguishing factor, would make more sense. For example if two products score a 8/10 then use the ingredients (such as you suggest)as the "tie breaker". that is my reasoning for not immediately focusing on ingredients as it pertains to reading pet food labels

which dog food has a 10? I have been studying many hours and it seems there is no kibble that has it all!

@AnimalDocRea

9 ай бұрын

I’ve not found one yet on this Chanel but that’s not because it doesn’t exist, it’s because I only review what people ask and no one has ask the right question yet.

@jonathonborges8023

8 ай бұрын

What dog food(s) are between 8-9

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

Adult Dog foods scoring 7-10 kzread.info/head/PLpfecaMYsipJpPpEuGV8xoGQfKlLBXXQh

@jonathonborges2914

8 ай бұрын

Oh it’s just 1 company

This is disappointing. My 14-month Cockapoo has been on Carna4 since 8 weeks of age. My Vet told me it was all marketing bull. I figured because he sold a specific brand in his office, which was why he was balking at Carna 4. About two weeks ago, my dog started eating old poop at the dog park. I asked his trainer what she thought. She, too, was like too much protein for a pet dog, the label recommendation for portion is too low, and on and on. I wanted to do the best for my dog, but now I feel duped by marketing. She told me to increase his intake, hopefully this will work.

@AnimalDocRea

2 ай бұрын

I’m sorry about that. With this channel I hope to educate owners and dispel the myths that tricked you and many others. Please know your vet only wants what’s best for your pet and they may sell food, but they only sell it because they believe in it and it is easy for them to have something they believe in on hand vs all the hundreds of options out there. I’m glad though you found the channel and know how to differentiate marketing from actual nutrition

It's not fair to say that Rea is completely wrong; she might be coming to her conclusions due to the influence of U.S. standards. We all know that organizations like the U.S. FDA are heavily lobbied, including the influence of vets within schools and colleges who receive free formulas, and that can skew data. Rea does make some valid points, but what we often overlook is that both humans and dogs tend to thrive on minimally processed foods instead of extruded and lower-quality options. In this context, Carna 4 seems like a better choice than 95% of the market, especially for those who can't afford fresh cooked or raw foods.

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comments, totally agree with FDA and heavily lobbied so no you can’t totally trust them on anything not just food. And although I do agree vet schools likely get funding to further research in many subjects not just food, this does not exclude other companies outside the “big three” from funding the same universities to investigate their claims. If money and free recipes was the key to getting vets on board, and I’m not saying that’s what’s happening , why aren’t these other companies that are just as big and have just as much money doing the same thing. Research takes money so you have to invest. It seems they much rather spend their money finding out how manipulate the consumer via marketing than investing in the numbers. I can’t help it, I’m a numbers girl and I think most other vets are too.

@AnimalDocRea

8 ай бұрын

Oh and yes, I follow US standards. I’m not really trained in other countries standard so I stick to what I know. I started the channel to show a general approach to picking pet food, demystify lables, ect. To give people an easy place to start when they are standing in the pet food isle. It isn’t and never was meant to be micro-analyzing ingredients or formulas, getting highly philosophical or anything like that. It’s just a first line approach to make commercial pet food simpler for those that want a simpler logical, stepwise approach to commercial diets.

I highly doubt the "over nutrient" problem is a factor given how little they exceed this. Also, given the fact that some nutrients are also lost even in the slow cook (baked) process this is a non-factor.

@AnimalDocRea

4 ай бұрын

The nutrients listed on the package are the final product so the number listed is what it is regardless of the method of production. Overtime over supplementation can be an issue when done daily and do remember that these numbers are by percentage so a small Percentage change can equal a great overall quantity. Lastly, small incremental changes in things like minerals is significant from a medical Standpoint . For example, calcium on lab work at 9 is no big deal, but at 11 may mean your dog has cancer. So yeah, it is a factor even with how little they exceed.

Can I eat it as a human?

@AnimalDocRea

7 ай бұрын

Not sure, you would have to call the company

For when you mention that ingredients should be secondary, are you stating that no matter the source, it shouldn’t really matter? Protein density in a road kill chicken is identical to one that is alive, are you saying this shouldn’t matter?

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

Obviously its within reason, hence secondary, not completely irrelevant

@xanderbaldwyn3980

10 ай бұрын

Just curious, how many road kill chicken have you ever crossed...zero?

@jansuratos667

10 ай бұрын

It was a hypothetical scenario to create comparison between a road kill, and none roadkill chicken. Hypothetically, protein density in both are identical; therefore, hypothetically, assumed from what Rea is saying, is that it isn't something to consider whether a chicken is road kill, diseased, etc. Ofcourse, presumed from her statement. Not irrelevant, as she mentioned, but secondary. Personally, that's a red flag for me, and it might not be for you, but we are both entitled to our own beliefs. @@xanderbaldwyn3980

@jansuratos667

10 ай бұрын

No hate on this vet, but it was weird seeing a vet using a generative AI software to get an idea about what she is reviewing. Not only was a single source pulled out, but it was also entirely inaccurate. Furthermore, that generated content shouldn't have been used since that single nutritional breakdown represents a product that she was reviewing. It was a general "chicken nutrition breakdown for Carna4" however, there are about 3 or so different chicken products from them. I'm all for analytical research, I majored in microbiology initially then now switched to major in Computer Science. Whether her flaw is found in the backing that she is using or not, one thing for sure is she shouldn't be using that generative software if she want her source to really back her up. @@xanderbaldwyn3980

@jansuratos667

9 ай бұрын

@@ZaryaTheLaika you seem to have misread my comment

Calcium stored in blood, best joke I heard in awhile.

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

I was shocked to read that. A very “inventive” way to convince people all life stages is good. I guess I take some solace in knowing that enough people are paying attention to that now that they feel the need to get inventive!

Since you are a vet and not a canine nutritionist, I will cut you some slack. No one should really be expecting you to advise on dog food. I feel that vets are spread so thin when it comes to expertise. If I ever need a consult for nutrition, I will seek out someone who has the education. to your second point, you are incorrect. Each batch of Carna4 is 3rd-party tested to ensure each nutrient, probiotic, and enzyme. I agree with you that some nutrient levels should not be exceeded, such as calcium and copper. But, keep in mind that AAFCO guidelines are not optimal. They are the minimum requirements, so exceeding minimums can sometimes be closer to optimal.

@AnimalDocRea

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for bringing up some important distinctions. My reference is small animal clinical nutrition text so I’m referring to optimal ranges expressed in that text not AAFCO for the very reason you mention. I do also agree a boarded veterinary nutritionist would have superior knowledge to myself, but that should not be confused with the term “certified dog nutritionist” for Wich there is no standard for education and no licensing board. I get asked and am expected to use nutrition throughout my practice so I utilize what training I received in my animal science degree and doctoral degree to answer those questions and feel it is my responsibility to continue my education with yearly seminars and professional conferences. Vets use nutrition and the chemistry of how both micro and macro nutrients affect the body every day so I feel comfortable working with nutrition.

@user-rm7zf4bw2b

5 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Thank you for your response. Can anyone access the optimal range information? I feel that nutrition and ingredients have equal value. There are at least a couple of boarded vet nutritionists out there that agree with me. For example, Dr. Laura Gaylord, and Dr. Donna Raditic. They are both active in CANWI.

@AnimalDocRea

5 ай бұрын

It’s available to you for free. I have a full text link to small animal clinical nutrition in the description box. There are probably several chapters that may interest you.

@user-rm7zf4bw2b

5 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Thank you!

@ngarci8040

2 ай бұрын

Meow…!!! lOl

I’m going to disagree re points on protein, calcium and phosphorus. Only in excess by 1% protein, .5% calcium, and .1 phosphorus. That seems very minor. Also, prior to carna4 I went through so many diets. My pups had so many skin issues. They have environmental allergies. Vet recommended apoquel/cytopoint and prescribed food. I said no. Began feeding this food 3 months ago. Went back for a follow-up and received a clean bill of health. Vet no longer recommended apoquel/cytopoint or prescribed food.

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

It’s certainly just a starting point but there rules are the rules. Also small increments in the ca/phos are very significant even 0.1 %. It’s one of those parameters where the minor details are important. If it’s working I’d just check labs every 6-12 months to be sure. It’s not cookie cutter for everyone, just have to be aware of the risks/reward and treat it appropriately. I’ve lots of clients that I disagree with their food choice, we just agree to stay up to date on regular physicals and bloodwork. Also keep in mind apoquel and cytopoint are only for atopic dermatitis (aka seasonal allergies) and would not work for a food allergy dog theoretically, and seasonal allergies tend to wax and wane so you may not be out of the woods yet. I’m glad though right now you are in a happy place.

@PetFoodPuzzleGuy

10 ай бұрын

percentages are very misleading. I called the company and asked for the actual protein, calcium and phosphorus in grams per 100 kcals, the most precise way to compare foods. Their chicken diet for dogs has a guaranteed analysis of 52% protein! Sorry but that is nutritional insanity! as the good doc said, once you go beyond optimal, you are overtaxing your pets body systems, especially kidneys. And with that high a protein level from meat, no matter how high quality, the calcium and phosphorus is going to be extremely excessive. i want to like this food with all the wonderful sounding sourcing and ingredients but if they deliver unbalanced excessive nutrients. you're paying extra to put your dog at a higher risk of disease as he ages. That's simply clinical nutrition. as far as allergies, in my 34 years of working with vets and allergies, it is extremely difficult to identify specific allergens and causes and very often hard to know which diet will relieve the signs, especially between skin and GI issues. really happy your dog is doing well but for your vet to then stop using those meds and proven veterinary diets that have decades of research and clinical proof of efficacy, based on your one dog......is a bit of an overreaction. fresh, raw, freeze dried, kibble......is not a factor in managing allergies and food sensitivities. But we wont argue with success for your pup! ill try and post the nutrient numbers when I get them. I think youll be surprised.

@user-it8xv8gn6g

10 ай бұрын

@@PetFoodPuzzleGuy I’m confused. In this video the percentage dry matter basis for protein was 31% for the chicken diet. Not 52%

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

@PetFoodPuzzleGuy thanks for researching those numbers

@user-it8xv8gn6g

10 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea their allergies are environmental, not necessarily food related. I live in southern CA so here seasonal allergies are every season. We’ve been dealing with it for the past 1.5 and Carna4 seems to help. Though they still have the occasional itch it’s not as drastic and no more constant hot spots.

Yikes! I got suckered into buying this food once, but I returned it because I was genuinely worried my animals were going to break their teeth on it. It was hard as rocks!! I tried soaking it but it doesn’t seem to really absorb water. Even test bit down on one myself and I couldn’t break it without worrying about my own teeth. Really wondering why they think kibble hard enough to chip teeth is acceptable.

@AnimalDocRea

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your kibble experience, without actually buying the food some people may not know that.bi don’t buy them for reviews because I don’t want to be wasteful.

Why did you remove my comments from this post? Not very transparent of you. Very disappointing. I don't trust people who do that.

@AnimalDocRea

7 ай бұрын

Not sure what you mean, but KZread does monitor comments and occasionally some do get removed by their algorithm if they violate the community guidelines for comments

@allison2001022

7 ай бұрын

@@AnimalDocRea Thank you for your response. That is weird, for it to be removed because it did not have any violate the community guidelines, as far as I know. It just requested you to do a score a dog food. Oh, it may have had a link in the comment. Not sure if that would make a difference or not. Oh well. I am glad to hear you did not remove it. All the best.

@AnimalDocRea

7 ай бұрын

@allison2001022 yes, links will get removed. Feel free to email me the link

you should hide your face when you showing the feeding guide and other.

@edschulhof6303

3 ай бұрын

No way hide your face! LOL "And the way you look tonight!" - Jerome Kern / Dorothy Fields