There is not a one-size-fits-all
Picture this: It’s the night before the Feed Real Summit kicks off. All the speakers are gathered at a bar. I spot this guy—Irish accent, super genuine energy—and we immediately start talking about what we’re working on.
It’s Dr. Conor Brady, and within minutes, he’s offering to shout me out on his social media to help connect his community with a good holistic vet in LA.
And here’s what stopped me: We’d literally just met.
My first thought? “How do you know you can trust my medicine? You don’t even know me yet.”
But that’s the thing about the holistic world—sometimes people just… get it. They’re authentic. They want to collaborate and lift each other up without ulterior motives. And honestly? That’s pretty rare these days.
So I got curious. 🦄
I looked up Conor’s website, and the first thing I saw was: “Keeping pets out of the vet since 2011.”
Now, as a vet, that could’ve been super off-putting. Like, what do you mean keeping pets OUT of the vet?! 😅
But instead of getting defensive, I got curious. And that curiosity led to one of the most fascinating podcast conversations I’ve had in a long time.
What We Talked About (And Why You Need to Hear It)
Conor challenges a LOT of conventional wisdom. And I mean a lot.
👉 Animal fiber (wait, animals have fiber?!)
👉 Bloat in deep-chested dogs (and why it might be way more preventable than we thought)
👉 Kidney disease protocols (the low-protein thing we’ve been taught… might not be backed by studies)
👉 The fiber advice for constipation (spoiler: it might be making things worse)
Now here’s the thing: I don’t agree with everything Conor says. And that’s totally okay. That’s actually what makes this conversation so valuable.
Because the goal here isn’t to tell you what to think. It’s to make you think.
To question. To look at the studies yourself. To ask: “Wait, where did that recommendation actually come from?”
Here’s What Really Got Me:
Conor challenged the idea that we’ve been taught as vets—that low protein diets are essential for kidney disease.
He pointed out that there’s not a single study showing that protein from meat harms kidneys in dogs or cats.
Wait, what?
The phosphorus thing? Turns out it might be the synthetic phosphates in kibble causing the problem, not the natural phosphorus in fresh food.
And bloat? He’s seen it virtually disappear in raw-fed deep-chested dogs. Why? Because plant fiber causes fermentation and gas in a carnivore’s gut—and that gas is what triggers bloat.
I’m not saying throw out your kidney diet tomorrow. I’m not saying you have to go 100% raw.
But I am saying: this deserves more investigation. 🔍
The Beauty of Not Having All the Answers
Here’s what I love about holistic medicine: we get to ask hard questions.
We get to look outside the box. We get to say, “Hey, maybe there’s another way to approach this.”
And when you have a pet with complicated issues that aren’t getting better with the most common approaches? Keeping an open mind might be exactly what they need.
Conor and I don’t see eye-to-eye on everything. And honestly? I think that’s the point.
Because there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to nutrition. What works for one dog might not work for another. And the more we stay curious and open to different perspectives, the better we can serve our individual patients.
What This Means for You and Your Pet
If you’ve got a deep-chested dog (Great Dane, German Shepherd, etc.) and you’re terrified of bloat—this episode is a must-listen.
If you’ve been adding pumpkin or sweet potato to help with digestion and it’s not working (or maybe even making things worse)—you need to hear this.
If your pet has been diagnosed with kidney disease and you’re struggling with the standard low-protein recommendations—this conversation will give you new questions to ask your vet.
And if you’re just someone who’s tired of being told “because that’s how we’ve always done it” as the reason for anything… yeah, you’re gonna love this. 💚
My Takeaway? Stay Curious.
I walked away from this conversation with more questions than answers. And honestly? That’s exactly what I wanted.
Because that’s how we learn. That’s how we grow. And that’s how we figure out what’s actually true versus what we’ve just been repeating because that’s what we were taught.
So here’s my challenge for you this week:
Don’t just take Conor’s word for it. Don’t just take my word for it.
Listen to the episode. Get curious. Ask questions. And then talk to your veterinary care team about options that you feel the most comfortable with.
Because at the end of the day? You know your pet better than anyone.
You’re with them every single day. You see how they respond to food, how they feel, what makes them thrive.
Trust that. Trust yourself. 🦄💜
Ready to Have Your Mind Blown?
This week’s “My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog” podcast features Dr. Conor Brady, and I promise you—it’s a conversation you won’t forget.
We talk about:
- Animal fiber vs plant fiber (and why it matters for carnivores)
- Why bloat might be way more preventable than we thought
- The kidney disease protocol that might not be backed by science
- Why “complete and balanced” on a pet food label might not mean what you think
- And SO much more
You can find Dr. Conor Brady at:
- Dogs First (free articles and resources)
- DrConorBrady.com (video lectures—his animal fiber and yeast talks are incredible!)
As always, if you found this valuable, share it with a friend who has a dog or cat. Let’s get more people asking better questions. 💚
And if you’re dealing with a pet who has chronic digestive issues, kidney disease, or bloat risk—please work with a vet who’s open to exploring root causes with you. You don’t have to do it alone.
Here’s to staying curious, challenging what we think we know, and always, always putting our pets first. 🦄✨
With so much gratitude,
Dr. Lily
