About Monica

Over the last 22 years I have worked both proactively with adult dogs and growing puppies, and with complex cases like IBD, PLE, cancers, heart diseases, pancreatitis, Cushing's, Addison's, skeletal diseases, bladder stones, liver diseases, behavioral issues, epilepsy and more. I'm grateful for all the referrals from both holistic and traditional veterinarians, behaviorists and dog trainers.

My canine nutrition journey began in 1997 when our nine-month old Cavalier puppy, Zoey, was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Her case was so severe that euthanasia was suggested.  We searched for answers and tried many approaches – traditional and holistic – but Zoey wasn’t responding.  It became clear that popular books and belief systems weren’t enough.

The feeling of desperation that all pet parents experience when a diagnosis is received, prompted me to take courses that included animal nutrition, physiology, diseases and parasites and I became certified in Animal Health Care by the University of Guelph. Zoey’s response to the dietary changes was wonderful - in fact, she amazed some specialists! What she taught me became the foundation of this work. NRC (National Research Council) is a very powerful tool when applied specifically and deliberately for one dog. It was at about that time in my journey with Zoey that I became fortunate to develop a rapport with Ana Grum DVM, PhD who became a mentor and guide for many years. 

Seeing Zoey's results prompted a few veterinarians to refer clients and it was through those people and the lessons their dogs taught that I realized there was a need for facts about canine nutrition being easily available. Nobody should have to dig for that kind of information, so I wrote the book I wished had been available to me - K9Kitchen.

I'm available for telephone consults to support dog owners in need of general guidance; offer diet formulations for growing puppies and am available to previous clients for the dogs I've worked with in the past. What I feel has been missing is the ability to meet people where they are in their own dog's nutritional journey. Some want to learn more in general and receive independent feedback while others need support in a variety of ways that traditional consultations don't offer. Private coaching can do this beautifully and I'm so happy to be able to offer it. 

My approach is multifaceted - science based yet flexible to respect the individual dog's requirements, and combines precision and targeted nutrition while utilizing functional additions of antioxidant rich foods. 

 Monica Segal