Dr. Pol Information
Dr. Pol is a famous veterinarian who is best known for featuring on the TV show Nat Geo Wild. This show follows the veterinarian and his family at their practice in Weidman, Michigan.
However, he a controversial figure, with many in the industry and online being unhappy with his practices and beliefs.
Dr. Pol only recently launched his pet food brand, and it is yet to be established. This launch is likely due to the success of various other famous veterinarians who have also launched pet food brands. A good example of this would be Dr. Marty; which you can read our review of Dr. Marty Pets here.
Dr. Pol’s pet food recipes are produced in the United States. However, we were not able to determine which facility is used and where it is located.
Dr. Pol products are available for purchase directly from their site as well as large online pet food retailers such as Amazon and Chewy.
Dr. Pol Product Range
Dog Food
Dr. Pol has a very small range of dog food products that consists of three dry food recipes.
You can see the full range of Dr. Pol recipes on Chewy here.
This dog food range, however, does include both grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes to ensure it appeals to both sides of the spectrum.
Dr. Pol does not produce any wet/canned products at this time but does have a recipe aimed at puppies.
Cat Food
Dr. Pol’s cat food range is even smaller than its dog food range and consists of a single dry food recipe.
Despite its popularity, Dr. Pol does not produce any wet/canned cat food at this time.
Dr. Pol Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition offered by Dr. Pol’s dog food recipes is above-average when compared to similar brands available in the United States.
This nutritional profile consists of above-average proportions of protein and fat and a modest proportion of carbohydrates.
This diet would be well suited to most dogs, including those that are more active. In particular, the High Energy Active Dog & Growing Puppy recipe offers excellent nutrition for an active dog.
Below is the nutrition provided by Dr. Pol’s High Energy Active Dog & Growing Puppy dry dog food recipe.
Cat Food
The nutrition offered by Dr. Pol’s cat food recipe is similar to the dog food recipes. It could be described as above-average when compared to similar cat food recipes.
The recipe includes significantly above-average proportions of protein and fat and a small proportion of carbohydrates.
It is critical that cats consume a diet that is high in animal or fish-based protein and fat. This is as they are obligate carnivores and do not excel on a diet high in plant matter. You can learn more about cat nutrition in our Cat Food Guide.
Dr. Pol Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Salmon
Given Dr. Pol’s very small product range, it will come as no surprise that they only use a limited number of meat and fish ingredients.
However, the ingredients they have chosen are reliable choices.
Chicken and Salmon are excellent sources of protein and fat, which should be at the core of every dog and cat’s diet.
In particular, Salmon can be an excellent addition thanks to the Omega 3 Fatty Acids it can provide.
Other Notable Ingredients
Legumes like Peas and Lentils are some of the most popular plant-based ingredients found in dog food. They are so popular as they are easy to source, very affordable, and can provide favorable nutrition.
However, there are growing links between the extensive use of legumes in dog food and Canine Heart Disease.
You can learn more about this in our article Best Dog Foods Without Peas.
Dr. Pol uses all three of the common starch ingredients to be found in dog food. These are Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, and Tapioca.
All of these ingredients are dense sources of carbohydrates, which means their portion size needs to be tightly controlled. Thankfully the portion size used in Dr. Pol’s recipes is modest.
Tapioca is not well known in the western world but is very popular in other regions, such as South America.
It can provide very similar nutrition to the other starches mentioned, like Potatoes.
Learn more about Tapioca in our article Tapioca In Dog Food.
Brown Rice and Pearled Barley are two grain ingredients found in Dr. Pol’s recipes. Grains can act as a dense source of carbohydrates as well as offer some other nutrition.
However, the use of grains in dog food is controversial, and many dog owners disagree with their use. Some outright refuse to feed their pets food that contains grains.
However, there are other pet owners who are strong supporters of grain ingredients and exclusively feed grain-inclusive recipes.
You can learn more about Barley in our article Barley In Dog Food.
Pumpkin features in select dog food recipes, often as a source of dietary fiber.
However, when compared to other high-fiber ingredients like Tomato Pomace and Dried Beet Pulp, Pumpkin could be seen as advantageous thanks to the additional nutrition it can provide.
This comes in the form of Carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Learn more about the use of Pumpkin in dog food in our article Best Dog Food With Pumpkin.
Chicken Fat is used in pet food recipes to enhance flavor and boost the overall level of animal-based fat.
Chicken Fat is chosen over alternatives as it is affordable and easy to source.
Read more about Chicken Fat in our article, Chicken Fat In Dog Food.
Flaxseed is a regular addition to many pet food recipes, often in small quantities. Flaxseed is best known for being an excellent source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, especially for a plant-based ingredient.
These fatty acids are believed to provide several health benefits to dogs and humans alike.
You can learn more about Flaxseed in our article Flaxseed In Dog Food.
Dr. Pol Animal Testing
At this time, we have no information on what type of animal testing, if any, that Dr. Pol participates in.
Many pet food brands, especially smaller brands, avoid disclosing too much information on their animal testing or feed trials as they fear customer backlash.
We strongly believe that laboratory and invasive testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice and one which should be eliminated.
Dr. Pol Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Dr. Pol’s pet food products have never undergone a recall which makes Dr. Pol a recall-free brand.
Given that Dr. Pol has only recently started producing and selling pet food, this is not surprising. We hope that Dr. Pol can maintain high levels of safety and quality in its production process.
We always suggest that pet owners remain vigilant of any future recalls of Dr. Pol or any other pet food brand to ensure that their pets remain healthy and safe.
Best of Dr. Pol
High Energy Active Dog & Growing Puppy Review
As we mentioned earlier, High Energy Active Dog & Growing Puppy recipe from Dr. Pol offers the best nutrition by far. 30% protein and 20% contribute to an impressive nutritional profile that far exceeds most other dog food recipes.
This nutrition is thanks to a large portion of Chicken, which is the formula’s core ingredient. Chicken is a high-quality source of protein and fat and a staple of the industry.
The recipe then includes a mix of plant-based ingredients, including Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Pumpkin, Carrots, and Spinach.
This mix of grains and vegetables provides a modest proportion of carbohydrates and a sufficient portion of dietary fiber.
High Protein Grain Free Cat & Kitten Review
Given that Dr. Pol only currently produces a single cat food recipe, it is the only one we can recommend.
This High Protein recipe offers above-average nutrition compared to many other cat food brands. Similar to the above dog food recipe, this is thanks to a large portion of Chicken.
However, unlike the dog food recipe, this formula also includes a smaller portion of Salmon, which is an excellent addition.
The cat food recipe does not use grain ingredients and instead utilizes a mix of Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca, and Potatoes as its core plant-based ingredients. These provide a base of carbohydrates, fiber, and some beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Dr. Pol Featured Articles
At this time, Dr. Pol has not been featured in any of our articles.
Full Dr. Pol Product Range
Dog Food
High Energy Active Dog & Growing Puppy
Healthy Balance Adult Dog Food
Healthy Balance Grain Free Adult Dog Food
Cat Food
High Protein Grain Free Cat & Kitten
Poultry Food
16% Poultry Pearls Healthy Balance Layer Feed
18% Poultry Pearls Healthy Start Layer Chicken Feed
28% Poultry Pearls High Protein Gamebird Feed
Rabbit Food
Healthy Balance Alfalfa Recipe Rabbit Feed
Horse Food
Healthy Balance Farmland Recipe Horse Feed
Healthy Evolution Farmland Recipe Horse Feed
Goat Food
Healthy Goat Alfalfa Recipe Goat Feed
Does Dr Pol food come for dogs with joint mobility problems?
if i buy one of these dog foods and my dog does not like it can i return the the rest of the food
My dog had crystals in her urine. We tried so many over the counter foods, nothing worked we had to start feeding her Hills prescription C/D urinary care dog food. No more crystals but It is very expensive. Would Dr. Pol’s Healthy balance Chicken recipe dog food be comparable to Hill’s C/D urinary care? Could my dog eat it without having crystal problems again? Love Dr. Pol’s show!
Vita Boost Powder. We are big Dr. Pol fans and I ordered the Vita Boost Powder for my 11 year old English Setter. He did not like it sprinkled on his dog food. I frequently use lean ground turkey, cooked and crumbled with some brown rice for a topper to his regular food. Would it be acceptable to add some of the vita-boost to the cooked ground turkey and rice? If so, how much powder per pound of turkey? I put a couple of tablespoons (heaping) on his food.
Answering Questions above….
JoAnn, Dr. Pol’s dog foods all contain glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.
Marge, Dr. Pol offers a money back guarantee, but they also offer 4lb. bags for customers with small dogs or want to try it before buying a bigger bag.
Debbie, Best to consult your vet.
Judy, Vita Boost Powder can be mixed in with the turkey without issue.
My 5 1/2 year old Chihuahua also developed urine crystals and will now be on Hills prescription food. We were using Dr. Marty Nature Blend for about 8 months and wondering if this caused the crystals, plus had surgery for stomach blockage, never before now. Previously, he was on Hill’s Science for small adult dogs and never had an issue. Hard to say what is the right food for our fur baby.
Why does Dr. Pol put dried beet pulp in dog and cat food. It is just a filler?