Great article, kind of put the common sense rule to the test. DUH!

I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. Vets know NOTHING about nutrition as is evidenced by the fact that they peddle the bags and bags of processed, pelleted, completely inappropriate food to their clients that have pet CARNIVORES. Further, if you dare to tell your vet that you feed your CARNIVORE a species-appropriate diet of raw meat, bones and organs, they are horrified and tell you you are killing your pet due to possible bone impaction, salmonella, etc. They completely buy into the myth that you are incapable and not smart enough to feed your pet appropriately without purchasing one of the ready-made diets taht are "complete and balanced".

They are CLUELESS and BOUGHT AND PAID FOR by HILLS, the pet food company who PROVIDES THEIR "NUTRITION" classes in vet school and continues to provide incentives for them to sell this complete crap that passes for "food" throughout the rest of their practice (there's a forumlation for every "ill" you know). It is the pet food companies who started the MYTH that dogs and cats are omnivores simply to justify the crap that is in their food. The really sad thing is that vets BELIEVE this - I have had vets tell me with a straight face that my dogs are omnivores. That is the reality of vets and how little they know about nutrition, at least every single one that I have come across.

Well said DR.
But ... I do believe big animal vets know and practice more from a nutritional point of view. This is probably true because it would cost a lot of $$ to feed a herd from a bag. Although, in cold climates and for mass feeding, beef cattle are fed 'anything' to fatten them up as quickly as possible. Long term health is not a consideration.
In the case of prized animals like million $ race horses or studs, nutrition is a crucial element.
Bottom line ... nature knows what it's doing!

It's a good article but the title is inappropriate. One writer was correct that telling a vet that you REFUSE to give grain food to dogs, he would think you're out of touch. This one vet said that evolution now allows dogs to eat grains! I never went back for he is just a parrot of the 'industry'. No dog should ever eat grain dog food. It is just a money maker for the industry and a cancer causer for dogs.

I have had major disagreements with doctors. I have been told that I am mentally ill and given antidepressents because I was always tired and sore. When I tried these with no success I was then told I have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. I thought I finally had answers until I was told that there was no cure! Hmmmm. I then went to a naturopath who was able to diagnose me with allergies to wheat, gluten and dairy and sever deficencies in iodine and magnesium. Within 2 weeks I was full of energy again. After 10 years of suffering I am glad to finally have a solution. Just think how more healthy my future children will be :)

I think that it depends soley on the vet certainly some are a lot more inclined to prescribe nutrients as oppose to conventional medicine. The vet I take my pets too managed to save my cat from rat posioning using a homeopathic remedy he was one of the pets who ate the food that had to be recalled a couple years back. This same vet also recommended we put our dog on a raw food diet. S

Being a large and small animal vet and an organic farmer myself, I agree with most of what was said. I certainly hardly sell any commercial diets and am a big advocate of 'natural' food for dogs and cats. I also truly believe that Australian soils are some of the most depleted in the world, shallow, dead, low in Magnesium, Calcium ,Phosphorus, Sulfur, Molybdenum, Selenium, Boron, Zink etc etc. Only hydrogen and iron are high most of the times! And that is a bad thing! So the soils where our vegetables are grown and the grass grows that feeds the cows or sheep is producing depleted food. Our cows had a Selenium -level 40 to 80 times too low! Organic and biologicalor biodynamic farming methods are terrific in trying to balance the soil and improve above mentioned dilemmas.

To answer the question, I hope Doctors don't want to learn. For one, Doctors could NOT get away with it.

Try this and see how long before you get your licenses pulled, and sued for everything from malpractice, to consumer fraud:

Get into bed with commercial junk food companies; Have them give generously to all the Medical Colleges -- and Hospitals.
The Doctors wold make a fortune, not just selling overpriced junk foods, but will be laughing all the way to the bank when the people come back with chronic ailments resulting from the "food" you "prescribed" them.

The DRUG profits will also go through the roof, for you will, of course, blame everything BUT the diet therefore turning the families' kitchens into mini-pharmacies!!

The drug companies, as well, will award you points; wonderful new equipment; and other incentives.

Shame you MDs are so heavily regulated, though, isn't it? Y'all would get arrested and your pants sued off should you attempt what those chain vets get away with every day -- such as selling bags filled with corn, soy and cheap fillers labeled "prescription" and selling it for carnivores to eat!

Doctors, how long do you think YOU'D get away with selling Twinkies or Crisps in your lobbies -- with "prescription" on their labels -- in a Medical facility?

How about over-vaccinating humans for things every year?

Doctors should be calling somebody out for the double standard.

@Scammed, in many ways this is what IS happening. Drug companies fund research, universities, medical journals etc etc. Doctors DO prescribe junk foods, called weight-loss shakes and bars etc etc. We get told all the time by doctors and nutritionists to shun natural foods and eat "low-fat" and "low-sugar" versions that are packed with all kinds of artificial chemicals that our bodies are not adapted to deal with.

My vet was very much supportive of a raw food diet for my cat, with supplements etc. No peddling of dry food, or pellets or anything like that, so I guess it depends on the vet. I also imagine that there are doctors out there who tell their patients to
go on a healthy diet etc, and are ignored, because it really comes down to the individual at the end of the day, and most people just couldn't be bothered saving their own lives.

I told my Doctor after my bout with cancer which they had given me 2-4 months that I was changing my whole diet going all organic eating healthy foods veggies & fruits, bought a sprouter, a juicer, started a garden with no pesticides. It's been almost
5 yrs now...still here, oh yea my Doctor laughed and told me back then my diet had nothing to do with my cancer...never went back to him again.

informative -- thanks

Great article. Very informative!