It's not surprising that there is a symbiotic relationship between veterinarians and the pet industry, particularly when it comes to the pet medical community's perspective on pet food and general animal nutrition.

This relationship is also often the basis for controversy and dissension as veterinarians, the commercial pet food industry, pet retailers, pet welfare advocates and pet parents often disagree about what's best for pets.

One prime example was when the American Veterinarian Medical Association passed a resolution in summer 2012 to discourage the feeding of raw foods to pets, which you can read more about here, in the mid-year edition of my news magazine The Paw Sweet Journal©.

Meanwhile, pet retailers – particularly those that deal in pet food – are often faced with the daunting task of attempting to suggest pet foods and diet options that run counter to what their customers' vets advise.

Conversely, there are also conscientious, highly knowledgeable, courageous veterinarians who strongly oppose what's going on in the pet food industry, and have no compunction about speaking their minds.

Regardless, I believe it's important for pet retailers to frequently take the pulse (if you'll pardon the analogy) of the veterinarian community, to know where they stand on certain issues, and how you can both counter when appropriate and conversely complement each other's philosophies.

Below is a list of articles that will help you to better comprehend the veterinary profession as it relates to the pet industry, with a focus on pet food.

Just click on the bold blue links in the article titles below to access these.

A Veterinarian on China Dog Jerky Treats

This article, which contains an in-depth interview with and analyses from Dr. Cathy Alinovi, a holistic vet, pet cookbook co-author and certified veterinary food therapist from Indiana, focuses on the possible causes of the pet illnesses and deaths associated with dog jerky treats made in or with ingredients sourced from China.

The article - published in January 2013 - proved to be my most popular in the shortest amount of time in the two years since I launched this site, going viral in a matter of days of its publication.

Not only were those in the pet industry highly intrigued by Dr. Cathy's theories, which make a lot of sense, many pet parents whose dogs were sickened or died after consuming the China jerky treats were very grateful for this report.

This is a must-read for anyone in the pet industry that deals in pet food and treats.

A Veterinarian Weighs in On Holistic Pet Food

This is an interesting piece containing an interview with Dr. Sergio Canello, an Italian veterinarian and internationally recognized pet food researcher who has long studied the correlation between pet ill health and pharmaceutical residues found in many commercial pet foods.

Dr. Sergio spoke at length about this, as well as gave recommendations about the kinds of pet foods he believes retailers should carry. This article is very educational and can provide retailers with a great deal of knowledge about and insight into their furry customers' nutritional needs.

The Veterinarians and Pet Foods Debate

Here is an article that is a real eye-opener in regard to the often-differing pet food philosophies and opinions maintained by veterinarians and educated pet food retailers.

I heard from a few retailers who said they found this article most empowering, and that it provided them with the tools and knowledge to better educate their customers whose vets may not be all that knowledgeable about pet nutrition.

The story also illustrates and emphasizes why it's crucial for pet retailers who deal in pet foods to become as educated as possible about specific brands, ingredients, manufacturing processes and pet nutrition overall.

I hope that those in the pet food industry especially will benefit from these articles, and keep abreast of what's going on in the veterinary community on an ongoing basis as this pertains to the industry. Our pets' health and very lives depend not just on the expertise and compassion of vets, this also depends on those in the pet industry.

For more information about the complex relationship between veterinarians and the pet industry, please see my article Pet Meds Take a Bite Out of Veterinarians' Bottom Lines.