Do vets recommend JustFoodForDogs

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Which Diet did your Vet Prescribe?

Your veterinarian knows your dogs detailed health requirements. Consult with your veterinarian to find out which of these support diets are recommended for your dog.

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Vet-Prescribed Dog Food

Our vet support diets are the #1 veterinary recommended fresh food, as determined by an independent national survey of 16,000 veterinarians. This is because a whole-food diet is never more important than when you need to maintain your pets health. Our comprehensive line of whole-food prescription dog food is designed to help pets live their healthiest lives possible.

Our veterinary team, including board-certified specialists in nutrition, toxicology, and dermatology, has developed eight veterinary support diets for dogs. These prescription dog food recipes are explicitly formulated to meet the critical nutritional requirements of dogs and are prescribed by veterinarians based on their patients needs. All our vet support diet dog foods have been formulated for the long-term nutritional management of your pets health under the direction of your veterinarian. In addition, we can work with your veterinarian to create acustomized diet for pets who have specific health requirements or special complex needs.

Prepared in small batches in our open-to-the-public Kitchens, our prescription dog food is made from only the finest meats and the highest-quality produce; all the same wholesome food we choose for ourselves. Also, the proprietary Nutrient Blends used in our vet dog food meet or exceed the strictest certifications and requirements set forth for human nutraceuticals. We also regularly test our food through independent human food laboratories.

In addition to our vet-diet dog food, our exclusive line of veterinarian-developed dietary supplements for dogs addresses the most common ailments faced by our four-legged friends. We also offer fresh cat food for your favorite feline. Ask your veterinarian how one of our veterinary support diets can support your pets health today.

Is Human-Grade Dog Food Worth It? Vets Weigh in on Their 3 Favorite Brands

Several of our vet sources recommended The Farmers Dog. One reason is this brand went above and beyond the AAFCO standards of nutrition by conducting live feeding trials on actual dogs of all shapes and sizes over a six-year period, according to Dr. Lindsay. Plus, The Farmers Dog can tailor meal plans to a dogs age, weight, breed, health issues, activity level and more.

Working with board-certified veterinary nutritionists, The Farmers Dog formulated recipes using whole ingredients that taste delish to dogs (and humans, apparently). Their site states, Our meals are prepared in USDA kitchens, where each recipe is gently cooked at low temperatures according to USDA-facility standards. They also never use feed-grade ingredients.

Another strong option in the human-grade food department is Ollie, Dr. Lindsay said. This brand offers meals depending on your dogs life stage, plus full ingredient lists are displayed and meals are slow cooked. Ollie offers both grain and grain-free options, too, as some dogs benefit from incorporating more grains into their diets. Plus, the Ollie website says their recipes dont contain by-products, fillers, artificial flavoring, or preservatives, and they used a board-certified veterinary nutritionist who helped us formulate our balanced and complete, human-grade recipes, abiding by the AAFCO standards.

A Veterinarians Take on Grain Free Dog Food

Grain-free dog food has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many pet parents believing it to be a healthier option for their dogs. However, there is some debate among veterinarians about whether or not grain-free food is actually necessary or beneficial for most dogs.

Do Vets Recommend Grain Free Dog Food?

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Laura Wilson, DACVD, who is board certified in small animal dermatology, breaks it down in the video below.

Why might a vet recommend grain-free dog food?

There are a few reasons why a vet might recommend grain-free pet food for a particular dog, but it really depends on any health issues. First, if a dog has a food allergies, such as a grain allergy, then a grain-free diet may be necessary to manage their condition. Second, if a dog has stomach sensitivities or digestive issues, then a grain-free diet may be helpful in reducing their symptoms. For the latter, a vet might first recommend an elimination diet or limited ingredient diet before writing off grain-containing foods.

Grain-free dog food and heart disease

In recent years, there has been some concern about a potential link between grain-free dog food and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart condition that can lead to heart failure. According to board-certified cardiologists at the Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates (CVCA), DCM is a type of heart disease that causes loss of heart muscle strength, enlargement of the heart, and a decreased ability to pump blood through the body. It can be most commonly seen in certain dog breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, and Great Danes.

However, in recent years, there have been an increasing number of cases of DCM reported in dogs that do not typically develop this condition. This has led some researchers to investigate the possibility that canine heart disease is diet-related: grain-free dry dog foods high in legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and green peas may be a contributing factor.

It is unknown what the exact link is between grain-free diets and DCM, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still investigating. The FDA investigation continues to assess the available information and fill data gaps to determine what factors may contribute to the development of non-hereditary DCM.

Do cats get diet-associated DCM?

According to Tufts University, its not as common. Only 20 cats with suspected DCM were reported to the FDA as of 2020. Heart disease used to be very common in cats before the late 1980s, when it was discovered that feline DCM was a result of taurine deficiency.

What should you do if youre considering feeding your dog grain-free food?

If youre considering feeding your dog grain-free food, its important to talk to your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist first. They can help you assess your dogs individual needs and determine whether or not a grain-free diet is right for them.

If you do decide to feed your dog grain-free food, be sure to choose a high-quality diet from a reputable pet food company that backs its recipes with scientific research to ensure the food is complete and balanced. JustFoodForDogs offers three grain-free gluten-free recipes balanced with healthy protein sources, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids: Venison & Squash, Beef & Russet Potato, and Fish & Sweet Potato.

Only the Beef & Russet recipe contains green peas in a small volume, and the rate of inclusion is low. Since our founding over a decade ago, none of our diets, including JFFD Beef & Russet Potato, have ever been implicated in diet-associated DCM. If concern ever arose that one of our products could cause harm to a pet, we would not hesitate to pull that product from the market.

Tips for choosing a high-quality dog food

Look for a food at the pet store that is complete and balanced for your dogs life stage and activity level.
Dog owners should look for food that meets (or exceeds) AAFCO standards.
Avoid food manufacturers that use artificial ingredients, fillers, and preservatives.
Pet owners should read the food label carefully and make sure that you understand everything on the ingredient list.

If you have any questions or concerns about your dogs diet, be sure to talk to your veterinarian. They are the best resource for helping you choose the right food for your pets health and wellness.

Video transcript

It seems that there are trends with food products that are out there for dogs and cats, and specifically with dog formulations. A big catch phrase that I hear in the appointments is grain free, and owners think theyre doing their dog a bonus by feeding grain free.

My personal opinion is that unless you have a confirmed allergy or intolerance to a grain grains are not evil. So I dont think that necessarily avoiding grains is going to cure the dog itching problems of the world.

Grains are important. If you cant tolerate them, dont eat them, just like a milk intolerant person shouldnt have a milkshake. If your dog is fine with grains, theyre not the big evil monster that theyre sometimes made out to be.

On a similar kind of avenue, grains get a big negative that theyre not nutritional, or theyre just a filler for the food. Remembering back to the food triangle, I think grains for people are a big item that were supposed to eat and its part of a balanced diet.

So if its a whole grain, it hasnt been processed down to where you dont recognize any part of the grain they are incredibly nutritious, and as long as your dog doesnt have an allergy to it, grains are fine to eat.

more life.more years.more love.

Our mission is to improve the length and quality of life for as many dogs as possible. Thats why our fresh whole food meals are packed with life-changing nutrition, proven healthy, and are up to 30% more affordable than other fresh brands.

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fresh food that delivers life-changing nutrition

Give Us Two Weeks.Well Change Your Dogs Life Forever.

Our Pet Parents Have Observed:

2 weeks

Improvedgastrointestinal health, including less poop Increased energy/level

1 MONTH

Healthier skin and shinier coat Reduced allergy symptoms

3 months

More vitality Improved weight management

6 MONTHS

Fewer visitsto the vet

Mission-based pricing

We keep our prices lower than other fresh brands so that more pet parents can afford the best nutrition possible.

ON AVERAGE

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than Farmers Dog

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Leaders in evidence-based nutrition

ONLY fresh brand to be proven healthy through peer-reviewed studies

ONLY fresh brand to conduct AAFCO feeding trials using companion dogs

ONLY fresh brand with a large, dedicated veterinarian team

ONLY fresh brand with a team of veterinary-trained Nutrition Consultants

(Left to right: Dr. Jessica Wilson, Dr. Dan Su, Dr. Oscar Chavez and Dr. Kendra Scheibe)

Leaders in the Fresh food movement

ONLY fresh brand with mission-based pricing

ONLY fresh brand to cook in open-to-the-public kitchens

ONLY fresh brand that publishes its own recipes

ONLY fresh brand to offer therapeutic and custom diets

Their motto is give us two weeks and well change your dogs life and I remember thinking okay, sure Ill believe it when I see it. Im not kidding when I say thats all it took. Two weeks later, Maverick wasnt itching as much or rubbing his nose on the carpet. He had more energy and a month later, the fur covering his belly, armpits, and nose had fully regrown.

I had Bear on a diet kibble, he lost a little weight but he was constantly starving. Within the first 7 months of starting the JFFD Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni Recipe, Bear lost 30 lbs! He is more active and playful and he is more satisfied. Bear is much happier, which makes me happy.

Dorito was diagnosed with Cutaneous Lymphoma. Her disease made her miserable and very uncomfortable. After starting JustFoodForDogs Fish & Sweet Potato, her skin cleared up. I know nothing will cure her disease, but JustFoodForDogs has allowed her to be comfortable and happier during the time she has left. I can't thank you guys enough for providing us pet parents with this choice and the opportunity to do better for our pets.

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