Research Notes

Research Notes

Hill’s report details small dogs’ distinct nutritional needs

Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s “World of the Small Dog Report 2026” finds dogs under 25 pounds have metabolic, anatomical and clinical needs that differ from those of larger breeds.

Research Notes

AI machine learning tests personalized dog food formulation

Researchers combined machine learning and mathematical optimization to generate potential wet dog food recipes, but data gaps limited personalization and nutritional completeness.

Dog and Cat Food Nutrition

Beyond age, food amount may explain some puppy, adult dog gut differences

Some digestive differences between puppies and adults may reflect the greater amount of food puppies consume to support growth, rather than age alone.

Pet Food Ingredients

Chicory root powder may have functional dog food ingredient potential

Research with Labrador puppies suggests whole chicory root powder may support digestive, metabolic and immune benefits beyond its established role as a source of prebiotic fiber.

Research Notes

Study: eBeam reduces pathogens in raw pet food

Texas A&M University research on Carnivore Meat Co.’s Vital Essentials products found electron beam technology significantly reduced pathogens while maintaining the products’ nutritional profile.

Pet Food Ingredients

Novel, but endangered, Japanese eel in cat food improved coat quality, antioxidants

Cats eating diets containing Japanese eel improved several measures of coat condition and antioxidant capacity. However, scientists classify the species as Endangered.

Dog and Cat Food Nutrition

Shiitake mushrooms may lower cholesterol in dogs

Researchers examined whether blood lipid responses differed between younger and older dogs.

Pet Food Ingredients

Aloe vera, wormwood, turmeric blend may alter dog gut bacteria

Researchers found differences in specific bacterial populations associated with intestinal health after 30 days of botanical supplementation.

Pet Food Palatability

Japanese study reveals why cats don’t finish their food

Researchers at Iwate University found that cats grow habituated to the smell of the same food, which curbs their appetite until a new scent revives it.

Pet Obesity

Survey: Vegan cat diets tied to lower overweight odds

An online survey of 1,305 cats found those fed vegan diets had lower odds of being assessed as overweight than cats fed meat-based diets, though the difference was not statistically significant.

Pet Obesity

Purina study ties lean feeding to canine longevity

The Purina Institute marked the 25th anniversary of its 14-year Labrador retriever study, which found lean-fed dogs lived a median of 1.8 years longer than their littermates.

Safety & Quality

Heavy metals found in cat foods; PFI disputes study

A Clean Label Project study of 100 cat foods from 62 brands detected lead in 99% of products tested, while the Pet Food Institute said the findings lack the scientific and regulatory context needed to interpret them.

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