About
Dr. Ian Billinghurst
As a veterinary surgeon with over forty years experience dealing daily with health problems in companion animals, my clinical experience using RAW whole food nutrition, means I have much to offer individuals, companies and organizations who would like to use my expertise.
My training in Veterinary science, Agricultural science (agronomy and nutrition), in Chinese Medicine, in Education and the philosophy of science, has lead me on a unique journey of discovery in the fields of health and nutrition. One problem we all face is that most of the “science”, conducted by the major pet food companies and the pharmaceutical industry, is designed only to ‘discover’ a predetermined point of view. When we follow the advice based on such “science”, the damage to health is generally devastating at the deepest level.
Conversely, all genuine science, is drawn from a position of legitimate truth-seeking and observable fact. And the facts are that the thriving animals (with little need for vets), eating their RAW and Evolutionary program of nutrition are observably healthier than their sick counterparts (‘always’ at the vets) eating a carbohydrate based, inflammatory and dehydrated industrial food. Nutrition… it’s absurdly simple!
With 50 Years Of Experience And 2000 Clients Served Worldwide!
Honesty, integrity seeking truth and….and nutrition…its absurdly simple…
Nutritionist, Agricultural Scientist, Veterinary Surgeon, Author, Lecturer, Nutritional Consultant and Acupuncturist and producer of Raw Pet foods…
Ian Billinghurst graduated B.Sc.Agr. in 1966 from Sydney University as an Agronomist and Nutritionist; his studies being divided equally between Agronomy and Nutrition… in cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. Ian spent 1966 as a research Scientist at the Orange Agricultural Research Station in the Central West of NSW. The next four years were spent teaching secondary level Science and Agriculture. During this period Ian obtained his Diploma in Education from The University of New England Armidale. These studies included an in depth investigation of the philosophy of Science.
In 1971, Ian commenced his Veterinary Science degree, graduating with honors (B.V.Sc.Hons) from Sydney University in 1976 and has remained in Companion animal practice since that time.
Between 1984 and 1987, Ian studied for and passed his examinations in Traditional Chinese Medicine (for humans).
By the end of the 1980’s, the combination of his formal and private studies, together with his research into the relationship between what his dog and cat patient’s ate and their state of health, had convinced Ian that Evolutionary Nutrition was the only nutritional program able to promote and sustain genuine health. He realized that this principle applied equally to all animal species – including humans. His first book, Give Your Dog a Bone” —published in late 1993 — sets out the basic principles of canine nutrition, using raw, whole and commonly available foods, including raw bones, meat, offal, vegetables, eggs yogurt etc. This book proved an instant hit and remains his most sought after and influential publication. Since that time… “Give Your Dog a Bone” has sold in excess of 100 000 copies world-wide and is perhaps the most influential book on canine nutrition ever written. Its basic principles now impact or influence much of the nutritional decision making of today’s pet food companies.
Since Ian’s discoveries concerning the relationship between diet and health made during clinical trials at his practice in the mid ‘80’s, Ian has been a popular speaker at kennel clubs, breed societies, and training groups and veterinary meetings throughout Australia. These invitations escalated following the publication of his first book… “Give Your Dog a Bone” in late 1993/early ’94.
In 1997 Ian was invited to England where he lectured in Birmingham, Bristol, London and Manchester, kick-starting the raw-feeding industry and widespread adoption of this way of feeding throughout the UK and beyond.
In 1998… during a 9 week tour of the United States, Ian presented 13 seminars, of one and two days duration, from the west to the east coast and back again, including Seattle in Washington State, Dallas in Texas, Orlando in Florida, Hartford in Connecticut, Richmond in Virginia, Valley Forge in Pennsylvania (APDT), Chicago in Illinois, Toledo in Ohio, Bellingham in Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and finally Honolulu Hawaii.
These seminars were held in October, November and December of 1998 and proved to be the turning point for pet health throughout the western world. They spawned the enormous raw food movement that now flourishes across North America. In both the USA and Canada, raw feeding has become widely accepted, and that includes a growing number of veterinarians. There are now numerous Internet lists and web sites extolling the virtues of raw feeding, together with many hundreds of pet food companies producing raw pet foods right across North America.
During his 1998 US tour, Ian released his second book, “Grow Your Pups With Bones”. This book was written as the breeder’s supplement to “Give Your Dog a Bone,” and includes a section dealing with the prevention and treatment of skeletal disease in growing pups. GYPWB formalized the concept of BARF, an acronym standing for both ‘Bones And Raw Food’ and from a more scientific or formal perspective, ‘Biologically Appropriate Raw (or Real) Food.’
In 2001 Ian Released his third book, “The BARF Diet.” Since his initial US tour, Ian has made frequent visits to the US and Canada, speaking to veterinarians, breeders, dog trainers, and dog owners (including twice speaking at APDT), promoting the concept of Evolutionary Nutrition at every lecture. In 2002, Ian gave two half days of lectures on Evolutionary Nutrition to the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
In 2003 and again in 2007, Ian spoke at the Pet Food Forum, the official annual conference of the North American Pet Food Industry. In the 2003 lecture, Ian challenged his audience with a provocative presentation titled … “Raw Whole Foods: Is this the future of pet Foods?” Again, in 2007, Ian challenged the pet food industry with a talk titled … “Neoplasia and Pet Food: Do Modern Processed Pet Foods Drive Neoplasia? Are RAW Diets the Answer?”
Ian has also spoken in New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and Australia, to breeders, dog training groups, technical colleges and post graduate veterinary groups.
Ian has made numerous lecture tours of Japan, with speaking venues in Tokyo (Shibuya), Kobe, Hukuoka (Hakata) and Aichi (Nagoya). The first of these tours was in 2001, the second in 2003, the third in 2006, with another series of tours in 2007 and 2008, where Ian began the first of his formal BARF courses for Japanese Students.
It was during his 2006 tour that Ian released the Japanese translation of “The BARF Diet.” In May 2006, Ian spoke at the Australian Veterinary Association’s annual conference in Tasmania, delivering a lecture on the role of nutrition in treating cancer. From this came Ian’s fourth book… “Pointing the Bone at Cancer”…which was published in November 2016. This book — which deals with cancer in dogs… cats and humans — details the role of Evolutionary Nutrition… the ketogenic diet and calorie restriction in preventing and treating Cancer. It was written to present a vital message… the fundamental importance of understanding cancer as a mitochondrial and metabolic disease. This understanding brings with it the opportunity to treat and defeat cancer without harming the patient and is already having a positive impact in the lives of cancer patients and their carers. Since its publication, Ian has delivered lectures in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Darwin on the role of nutrition in treating and preventing cancer in dogs, cats and humans. Following those lectures, Ian has spoken in Spain, Canada, the UK and in China on RAW feeding generally and Cancer as a metabolic disease.
Although retired from day to day veterinary practice, Ian continues his on-line consulting practice. Ian continues his research… writing and lecturing on the role of nutrition in health and disease and is a much sought- after speaker on these vital topics.
Between 2003 and 2015, Ian and his wife Roslyn produced RAW Foods for cats and dogs under the brand “Dr B’s Genuine Aussie R.A.W.” These frozen raw pet foods are based on Evolutionary principles of nutrition; they are formulated to be suitable for all stages of life. These foods continue to be available throughout Australia, Singapore & Hong Kong. Ian is currently developing a range of raw food diets (based on evolutionary principles), designed specifically to deal with a wide range of degenerative diseases, including allergies, skin problems, arthritis, all the common pancreatic problems, the various IBD’s, epilepsy, renal problems, hepatic disease, cardiac problems, etc.—and of course—cancer. It is these dietary regimes that Ian presents in his lectures and makes available to pet parents when consulting on evolutionary nutrition.
Ian is currently working on a range of E books to be published on Kindle, dealing with the many topics on RAW nutrition, for which people are now seeking more detailed and authoritative information, including a book on feline nutrition and a second book on cancer.
Ian also serves as Senior Advisor to the microbiome company for dogs, GussysGut.com. In this video, he explains why he joined the mission of the company.
🟢 Get Your Free Sample from Gussy’s Gut!
A note from Ian, about the reason for the short kindle publications.
“I have long felt the need to begin publishing these short books because of the direction that much of RAW feeding is taking on the Internet. I note that too many of today’s RAW ‘experts’ are less about teaching and more about maintaining their authority, with claims that RAW is difficult and complicated and their followers must always defer to them These gurus do not look to evolution as their final authority, but rather to the convoluted rules of AAFCO, a scientific paradigm based on the limited range of nutrients that AAFCO currently deems as essential. This is not good science and it is not good nutrition. Nutrition is not complicated and it must be based on actual food. Real food is much greater than the sum of the limited nutrients that modern nutritional science (and/or AAFCO) thinks it should contain. When we feed the food an animal evolved eating, there is no need to know about nutrients, and we no longer have any need for experts. Everyone becomes his or her own expert, but more importantly, they will now start feeding the food the animal in question evolved to require. Suddenly they are feeding a genuinely healthy nutritional program. This has been my teaching and my aim from the start. It has always been my aim to put myself out of business by returning the power to the pet parent. Where it must remain. ALWAYS!
Finally, I would like to acknowledge that all of the work that I do, would not be possible without the love, support and encouragement of my family, most particularly my wife Roslyn.
NUTRITION… IT’S ABSURDLY SIMPLE.