By My Pet Carnivore
We were so excited to be invited to sponsor the Feed Real Summit 2025 in beautiful San Diego this year! Not only did we sponsor this incredible event — we also got to attend. A huge shoutout to everyone we got to meet in person at the Summit! It was such a wonderful time of learning, connection, and inspiration surrounded by like-minded pet parents, professionals, and educators who are passionate about real food for pets.
🌿 Dr. Trina Hazzah — Natural Relief for Pets Through Cannabis Therapy
The Summit kicked off with an eye-opening presentation from Dr. Trina Hazzah, a holistic veterinarian known for her work in oncology and cannabis medicine. Her talk explored the complexities of cannabis therapy for pets, emphasizing that terpenes — the compounds that give cannabis its distinctive scent — also influence how it affects the body.
She reminded us that cannabis products can complement traditional cancer care, but dosing, cannabinoid type, and quality are key. Since cannabinoids are fat-soluble, they’re best given with food. And that spike in ALP you might see on bloodwork when using CBD? It’s actually due to healthy bone metabolism, not liver stress!
Dr. Hazzah also highlighted the importance of consistency: if cannabis is helping your pet, don’t let the supply lapse, as restarting can reduce effectiveness. To learn more, visit greennile.org or integrativepet.com.
🐄 Hanna Mandelbaum — Ethical Sourcing: Beyond the Label
Next, we heard from Hanna Mandelbaum of Evermore Pet Food, who shed light on what common food labels really mean — and don’t mean.
She explained how terms like natural, organic, grass-fed, and pasture-raised often create confusion:
- Natural refers to minimal processing, not how the animals were raised.
- Organic means the animals ate organic feed — but it doesn’t guarantee they were grass-fed.
- Grass-fed doesn’t always mean pasture-raised, and pasture-raised doesn’t automatically mean organic.
Her biggest takeaway? Better animal welfare leads to better nutrition — every time. It was a powerful reminder that transparency and ethics in sourcing truly matter.
🧬 Kay Stewart — Longevity, Biohacking & Real Food
Then came Kay Stewart with a fascinating deep dive into longevity and the science of nutrition. She shared findings showing that:
- Cartilage can naturally help prevent cancer.
- The right nutrition can turn genes on and off through epigenetics.
- Every real, fresh meal is an act of prevention.
Kay also discussed hormesis — how small, positive stressors like fasting, movement, or even brisk walks on a chilly day help our pets (and us!) build resilience. Her presentation was a perfect blend of science and inspiration, reminding us that nutrients are information, not just calories. You can checkout these articles out on Feed Real.
🧫 Chelsea Kent — What Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Can Reveal
Chelsea Kent took the stage next to discuss Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) — a fascinating diagnostic tool that gives insight into your pet’s mineral balance, long-term health trends, and root causes.
While bloodwork shows what’s happening now, HTMA shows what’s been happening over the past 3–6 months. It’s a great way to spot patterns and root causes, especially when paired with traditional blood tests.
Some highlights from her research:
- Lithium tends to be higher in young or altered animals.
- Nutrient deficiencies increase by 34% when using synthetic, isolated nutrients (like in kibble).
- Copper levels are often lower in neutered animals.
Chelsea even shared an incredible story about a paralyzed dog who regained mobility after simply adding raw goat milk to its diet — a powerful testament to the nourishment of whole, natural foods.
You can explore her work at ParsleyPet.com, Solutions Pet Products, & Hero’s Pets.
🌀 Workshop Time: Exploring Fascia & Energy Flow with Dr. Laurie McCauley
For the afternoon breakout session, attendees had to choose between three workshops: raw feeding with Kay Stewart, holistic emergency preparedness with Dr. Linda Loudon, or fascia and energy therapy with Dr. Laurie McCauley.
I chose Dr. Laurie’s workshop — and wow, was it fascinating! She explained the science of fascia, the connective tissue that influences movement, circulation, and even pain. When fascia becomes tight, it can restrict blood flow and energy.
Dr. Laurie demonstrated ways to gently stretch and support your pet’s fascia, and even introduced us to tuning fork therapy — using specific sound frequencies to help release tension and restore balance. It may sound “woowoo,” but participants (and dogs!) left feeling noticeably looser and more relaxed!
If you’d like to learn more, check out her courses at OptimumPetVitality.com.
🐶 Puppy Cuddles & Closing Thoughts
To wrap up day one, attendees were treated to playtime with a group of adoptable puppies — the perfect reminder of why we do what we do.
The day was filled with incredible insights, heartfelt conversations, and tangible ways to help our pets thrive. We’re so grateful to our amazing customers — you made it possible for My Pet Carnivore to sponsor this important event and help spread the word about nutrition-first pet health.
Stay tuned for Day Two of the Feed Real Summit — we’ll share more wisdom from some of our favorite vets and voices in the real-food and holistic pet-care community! 🐾💚
