Dr. Fox’s advice to pet owners is to buy only food with USDA Organic certification. He also advises consumers to avoid all prepared foods, including cooking oils that contain corn and soy products, since these are the products most likely to originate from GM crops.

Dr. Karen Becker recommends omitting grains entirely from your carnivorous pet’s diet. She says corn and soy ingredients are not biologically appropriate ingredients in dog and cat food, even if they are conventionally grown. Both these ingredients are linked to a wide variety of health problems in companion animals, including allergies, skin disorders, oral disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and cystitis.

Currently more than 90% of corn and soy products in the U.S. are genetically modified.

— IRT

IRT continues to  compile recommendations by veterinarians as to what type of foods are best for pets. IRT does not endorse any  particular tyep of diet, e.g. kibble, raw, canned, etc., as we are not experts in pet nutrition. Even among the experts there is disagreement.  We welcome recommendations by bets based on research data and clinical experience.

What Are the Best Store-Bought Pet Foods?

According to Dr. Becker, if you don’t want to deal with balancing diets at home, choosing to feed pre-balanced, commercially available raw food, is a great choice. There are many small, amazing pet food companies now offering human-grade, organic, and free-range frozen foods that can be fed raw or gently cooked. A freeze-dried/dehydrated diet is also good (although less so than fresh).

Human-grade canned food is a mid-range choice, but hard to find, followed by premium canned food. Dry foods, even higher-quality human-grade varieties, are less recommended because they are not biologically appropriate for dogs or cats.

In the video below you can see my updated list of the best and worst foods to feed your pet. If you’re at all unclear about what’s healthy and what’s not for your pet, this is the video to watch. The basic goal is to choose foods that will most closely mimic your dog or cat’s carnivorous ancestral diet.

Start by making even slight changes to your pet’s diet, for instance feeding him whole foods for treats. Berries and fresh cubed meats are an excellent choice. You can also offer small amounts — no more than one-eighth-inch square for a cat or small dog and a one-quarter-inch square for bigger dogs — of other fruits (melons and apples, for example), as well as raw cheese.

Many cats enjoy bits of zucchini or cantaloupe. You can also try offering some sardines packed in water, free-range quail or rabbit meat to your cat. Other treat options for dogs include cubed liver or heart, fresh or frozen peas and raw almonds, cashews, and Brazil nuts (but NEVER macadamia nuts).

By feeding your pet healthier treats and moving your way up to a healthier overall diet as well, you can significantly improve his health and, likely, his lifespan. The good news is that many pet owners are moving this way already, and hopefully more pet-food manufacturers will follow suit by offering more high-quality, human-grade, and non-GMO real-food options for pets.