Natural pet food company Natures Menu have achieved another UK first – the staging of an independent seminar-led debate on raw feeding cats and dogs for veterinary students.

The students of Liverpool University Veterinary Society turned out in droves to find out more about today’s most talked about, media highlighted method of feeding our most common household pets.

Many students had read with interest the recent articles in the national press on pet food and the majority had also seen the Channel 5 TV show on the subject too.

All were keen to hear what speakers Brendan Clarke of Tower Wood Vet Practice, Leeds, and Nick Thompson of Holistic Vet Ltd, Bath, would teach them about raw feeding and the judgements surrounding the method.

Nick Thompson took the floor first, highlighting many points regarding the biological aspects of dogs' and cats' natural choices of diet, the disease he feels are related to diet and the ingredients kibble can often be created from.

Brendan’s talk focused on the demand for evidence and studies on the raw diet and the realities of providing that and how evidence related to current vet practices.

He also described how he makes up his raw diet at home for his dog Pippa, explaining how easy it actually is to create a balanced raw diet for dogs and cats, in a domestic kitchen.

All but two of the questions raised by the students themselves were questions pet owners also ask on a very regular basis – mostly concerning safety or practical aspects of the diet. Due to Natures Menu’s impeccable safety record and forward thinking approach to commercial raw feeding options both vets were able to confidently explain and answer all questions presented to them.

To sum up the talk Rupert Dyhouse, president at LUVS, thanked the speakers and highlighted the imperative point that all vets should ideally have at least an understanding of raw diets in order to assist clients with queries on it and to promote and strengthen clients' relationships. Clients rely on their vets for information and dismissive comments are now commonly being viewed as unhelpful.

Natures Menu’s communications manager Caroline Griffith is already in discussions with further UK Vet Schools and looks forward to publishing details of further student seminar-led debates on raw feeding in 2015.

Further information on the company can be found at www.naturesmenu.co.uk