While most dog owners focus intently on what to feed their dogs, the timing of meals often gets overlooked. It turns out that when you feed your dog might be just as important as what you’re feeding them. Dr. Kendra Pope, board-certified veterinary oncologist, explains that giving your dog’s digestive system regular breaks activates important cellular cleanup and repair mechanisms that may help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases.
When it comes to feeding your dog for cancer prevention, Dr. Pope recommends focusing on these three key areas:
- Limiting nutritional toxins, especially from ultra-processed foods.
- Considering when you feed your dog, not just what you feed them.
- Providing a “heritage diet” that more closely resembles what their wild ancestors would eat by limiting carbohydrates and emphasizing quality proteins and healthy fats.
Research findings on feeding frequency:
Most dog owners typically feed their dogs when it’s convenient for them—usually 2-3 times daily to match their own eating patterns. However, research shows that feeding frequency and timing can significantly impact your dog’s health and potentially play a role in cancer prevention.
EATING LESS, LIVING LONGER
- Two studies with Labrador Retrievers showed that reducing food intake by 25% (while maintaining proper nutrition) extended lifespan, delayed chronic disease, and reduced oxidative stress, which can cause injury to tissues.
- This simple change added approximately 2 years to their lifespan – increasing from 11 to 13 years on average.
BENEFITS OF FASTING PERIODS
- Research found that feeding dogs once every 48 hours on a ketogenic diet (high-fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrates) improved blood sugar regulation and enhanced immune function.
- A comprehensive study of over 10,000 dogs found that once-daily feeding correlated with lower rates of all chronic diseases compared to multiple feeding times per day.
How Digestive Breaks Help:
When your dog’s body isn’t constantly processing food:
- It triggers autophagy, essentially cellular “housekeeping” that removes damaged components.
- Inflammation and oxidative damage decrease.
- Cellular repair mechanisms activate.
- Metabolic regulation improves.
Without these rest periods, your dog’s digestive system remains in constant “go mode” and can’t perform critical cleanup and repair processes that Dr. Pope describes as the body’s “self-cleaning cycle.”
Any change to your dog’s feeding schedule, especially implementing fasting periods, should be discussed with your veterinarian first. These approaches aren’t suitable for all dogs, particularly puppies, seniors, or those with certain medical conditions.
Dr. Kendra Pope is one of only four board-certified integrative veterinary oncologists in the U.S. She is extensively trained in herbal medicine, intravenous nutrient therapy, mistletoe therapy, and more. She is active in clinical research through her nonprofit organization, Prism Veterinary Research Institute, whose mission is to validate and legitimize integrative modalities in the treatment of cancer and chronic disease.
For more information, check out Dr. Kendra Pope’s Pet Cancer Prevention Course.
For More Information:
- 2025 Prism Pets Academy. Pet Cancer Prevention Course.
- Lawler, Dennis F et al. “Diet restriction and ageing in the dog: major observations over two decades.” The British journal of nutrition vol. 99,4 (2008): 793-805. doi:10.1017/S0007114507871686
- Kealy, Richard D et al. “Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association vol. 220,9 (2002): 1315-20. doi:10.2460/javma.2002.220.1315
- Leung, Y. Becca, et al. “Metabolic and Immunological Effects of Intermittent Fasting on a Ketogenic Diet Containing Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Healthy Dogs.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, vol. 6, 8 Jan. 2020, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00480.
- Bray, Emily E et al. “Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs: results from the Dog Aging Project.” GeroScience vol. 44,3 (2022): 1779-1790. doi:10.1007/s11357-022-00575-7
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