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I was planning to talk about nuts and seeds today… but then I had a conversation with a small raw food company that recently got tangled up with the FDA. And honestly? It reminded me of something important. After more than a decade of creating content about dogs and dog food, I sometimes forget that not everyone has gone down the same rabbit holes I have. A lot of dog lovers don’t realize how often we’re being manipulated - and flat out bamboozled - by the pet industry.
As dog lovers, we’re constantly looking for ways to give our dogs healthier lives - whether that’s upgrading their diet, seeking holistic options, or questioning the mainstream advice we’ve been handed for decades. But here’s the hard truth: not all advice is created equal. Whether it’s coming from veterinarians, influencers, or the pet food industry, misinformation is everywhere. That’s why discernment - the ability to question, analyze, and dig deeper - is one of the most powerful tools we have as pet parents.
When Science Gets Twisted: The DCM Scandal
Remember the panic around grain-free diets causing DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy)? Pet parents were terrified, brands scrambled to rebrand, and veterinarians told people to ditch their grain-free foods overnight. Except…the whole thing has since been debunked.
A class-action lawsuit by KetoPet Naturals revealed that the studies pushing the “grain-free causes DCM” narrative were removing data that didn’t support their desired conclusion. That’s not science - that’s manipulation. Yet the damage to small companies and consumer trust was already done.
The FDA and the War on Small Raw Food Brands
Here’s something the pet food industry doesn’t want you to know:
The FDA pressures small raw food companies into issuing recalls without providing full details, including no customer name, no proof of where the food originated, no chain of custody, and no health records of the affected pet.
In some cases, these recalls happen even when no pet or human actually got sick. And once that recall hits the headlines, pet influencers often jump in to fan the flames, insinuating that a brand is unsafe - without a shred of evidence.
Meanwhile, big kibble brands are allowed to keep food on shelves until hundreds (or thousands) of pets are harmed. We saw this in 2012–2013 with the chicken jerky recall and again in 2019 with the Vitamin D toxicity recall. The double standard is glaring.
From The Truth About Pet Food:
Veterinarians, Raw Food, and Fearmongering
Many veterinarians still tell pet parents that raw food is dangerous - that it will kill your dog or make your family sick. They claim “hundreds or thousands” of dogs die each year from raw diets…yet no one can point to the evidence.
Scientific studies do not back up these claims. In fact, raw diets have been shown to be easier to digest, more bioavailable, reduce inflammation, and promote gut and immune health. When appropriately chosen, raw meaty bones support dental health and a dog’s natural need to chew. But fear sells, and misinformation spreads faster than facts.
Toxic Food Lists: Half Truths and Whole Lies
How many times have you seen a “Toxic Foods for Dogs” list floating around social media? They usually include things like tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, avocado, raw meat, and raw bones. Here’s the problem: these lists are oversimplified and misleading.
Tomatoes: Only unripe (green) tomatoes are unsafe. Ripe tomatoes are fine in moderation.
Garlic: Avoid for puppies, pregnant dogs, or dogs with anemia - but it can be therapeutic in the right doses for healthy adults.
Mushrooms: Store-bought functional mushrooms (like reishi, shiitake, or turkey tail) are beneficial; just don’t let your dog snack on wild mushrooms in your yard.
Avocado: Leaves, skin, and pit are toxic, but the flesh is perfectly safe in moderation.
Raw Meat & Bones: Properly sourced raw diets are highly digestible and support overall health; never feed cooked bones, but raw bones are nature’s toothbrush.
Sharing blanket “NO” lists without context is easier than educating people - but it does more harm than good.
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How to Read (and Question) Scientific Studies
When you see a study making big claims about pet food, here’s what to check first:
Who funded it? If a giant kibble brand funds a study bashing raw diets, that’s a red flag.
How many dogs? How long? A plant-based diet study might look impressive - until you learn it only lasted 12 months, far too short to reveal nutrient deficiencies that develop over years.
Look for errors. I read a DCM study that listed several raw brands, including one that supposedly made a pork blend. They don’t. The mistake was noted in the footnotes - but the study was published anyway. That’s sloppy at best, deceptive at worst.
Science is only as trustworthy as the people behind it. Always ask questions.
Fearmongering, Opinions, and Red Flags
One of the biggest red flags? When a veterinarian, influencer, or brand tears others down without providing evidence.
If someone says:
“Holistic medicine isn’t science-based.”
“Raw goat’s milk is dangerous.”
“You’ll kill your dog with raw food.”
…but they can’t back it up with actual peer-reviewed studies? That’s not education - it’s fearmongering.
Remember: “It’s just my opinion” is not evidence.
Why Discernment Matters
At the end of the day, our dogs depend on us to make the best decisions for their health. That means tuning out the noise, asking tough questions, and refusing to accept scare tactics at face value.
Discernment doesn’t mean rejecting every study, every vet, or every influencer. It means looking deeper, weighing the evidence, and making informed choices for your individual dog. This article was inspired by raw pet food, but it can extend to dog training, grooming, and more.
When we’re prudent, we stop being consumers of fear and become better advocates for our dogs’ health.
Header image: DepositPhoto