Is Raw Feeding Save For My Dog?
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Nov 30th, 2009 |
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Im wanting to Switch to a raw diet but read this site http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/bones.html and know i don’t know
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I don’t know why people say raw feeding is a “new” thing. Raw feeding was around long before commerical foods which have only been in widespread use for about 60 years.
Kibble isn’t sterile either, how many recalls have there been with dog foods contaminated with salmonella?
Raw feeding done correctly is safe, and healthy.
Safe meat handling practices are important, it really isn’t anymore than you’d do when preparing meat for yourself, you just leave out the cooking part.
Dogs digestive systems are designed to handle higher bacteria loads than we are. How many dogs do you know eat poo and garbage with no ill effects?
Fish are a great addition to a raw diet. I try to feed fish at least once a week.
Some dogs go through a detox period, where there body gets rid of the nasties they had been eating and they adjust to their new diet. Some people go OMG at this point and quit. If they stick with it and introduce the diet properly the dog will really benefit.
About a week into starting Bindi on raw she developed nasty horrid diarrhea. I was determined this was going to work for her, and after some research found out the cause. I had been feeding enhanced meats. These contain sodium solutions, broth etc. Many dogs can’t handle these, and Bindi is one of them. I cut those out of the diet, problem solved. Bindi looks absolutely wonderful now, her coat has improved, her teeth look great, and she put on 10.5 very needed pounds.
Do your research though. Not researching the diet, or finding support in feeding can lead to nutritional deficiencies for your dog.
A couple good books on the subject are Works Wonders and Raw Meaty Bones by Tom Lonsdale. http://www.rawfed.com
As far as the picture of the beagle in your link, the bone shown appears to be a bone that wouldn’t be recommend for feeding. Weight bearing bones of large mammals and bones that have been cut aren’t recommended for feeding.
The jury is still out on the safety of feeding raw. Some people are avid supporters and have no problems, but some people end up with LOTS of issues, myself being one of them.
The thing about raw diet, is that it is still a relatively new phenomenon. The science behind it is still in contest over what to feed and how much and how often. There is always a risk of not feeding enough of certain kinds of food and the dog will end up with a vitamin deficiency, or worse end up with liver damage from excess of one kind of vitamin.
It seems that dogs can and do get salmonella poisoning as well, my vet told me about a dog who died of bacterial poisoning who was fed contaminated meat from an Asian grocery store.
It’s not something I’d mess with anymore, but those who feed it are HUGE advocates. Basically, if it works for your dog, stick with it. It didn’t work for mine so I went back to dry food.
I have started incorporating raw food into my dog’s diet because, like you, I firmly believe that commercially prepared foods are 10 times worse. I have done a lot of research and I supplement where necessary. However, I have not fed them raw chicken because I still worry about the (small but present) risk of salmonella. So far, I have stuck mostly with raw hamburger balls (with a few other minor ingredients added in) by me. It’s a tough decision though because, with the commercially prepared foods (even the “prescription” foods) you have a plethora of artificial colorings and flavorings, too many undigestible veggies, and a whole host of preservatives. If you really want to go with raw, aside from hamburger balls, try green tripe. You may have to order it from the internet. It’s horrible smelling and looks like baby poop, but most dogs love it—even my ultra picky eater. Green tripe is raw but comes in a convenient can. You can Google other canned raw preparations but be sure to check on whether or not they contain preservatives. BilJac is a raw food that has been ground up, extruded into small pellets, and is kept frozen but my dogs arent crazy about it. I havent done much research on it since they really werent eating it anyway, but you may want to look it up.
As far as raw fish…I really dont know. I would think there would be too much of a risk with all the tiny and sharp bones involved but, again, I really dont know. Me, personally, I wouldnt do it. If you’re talking about boneless raw fish (fish fillets) I cant think of anything that could be harmful about that. But AGAIN—I really dont know. Canines did not really evolve the ability to catch fish so I’d be inclined to think that fish is not a normal part of their diet, and they have evolved accordingly…..meaning it isnt something they really need.
Bones, in general, contrary to popular belief, are not all that good for a dog. The bone itself is primarily made up of calcium and phosphorous….two ingredients your dog gets plenty of in properly prepared foods. The marrow is made up of blood products (which are simply digested) and primarily fat. To me, they raise more of a risk than a benefit.
I do not feed raw for several reasons.
If you do choose raw, it is essential that you realize that you are dealing with, well, RAW meat. You will have to be very vigilant in terms of food preparation – both for your dog and yourself. As since you won’t be boiling the food, you run the risk of food-borne pathogens. Nasty, potentially lethal stuff.
Raw feeding is absolutely safe if done right. Just make sure you do a /lot/ of research before trying it!
Some good websites:http://www.rawfed.com/ (Excellent raw feeding information)http://www.rawlearning.com/ (More excellent raw feeding information)http://rawfeddogs.net/ (Even more!)http://rawfed.com/myths/preymodel.html (Raw Prey Model Diet Vs. BARF Diet)http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html (Myths about raw feeding)
And a good book:http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Meaty-Bones-Pr… (Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health)
Darksong~
It is if you do it right. Like everyone else said, you have to be careful with how you prepare it.
I don’t know about dogs, but with cats you can feed fish, just not often.
I have fed my dogs a raw diet and they did great on it except that two were gulping their raw meaty bones, so I had to grind those. I had a good mentor whose site does not currently seem to be available. That was “raw dog ranch”, but here’s another site with some great info if you tool around at the site and read up on the different topics:http://www.bones2go.com/
For supplements, I prefer to give Omega 3 oil for humans, made from small fish that are screened against having mercury in the vitamin product.
That, or I’d give them quality Norwegian Cod Liver Oil and I’d keep it refrigerated in it’s dark bottle to preserve the oil. It should be clear and shouldn’t stink, and should be kept out of sunlight.
I also added a bit of active culture yogurt, like Activia, to their food.
I ground their raw meaty bones because two were gulpers and would throw their raw meaty bone foods up if I didn’t grind it.
I think if you read the info at the site I listed above, you will feel relieved. In actuality, there are many dogs that get sick from rawhides and basted, hard bones that are sold in pet stores.
GL with researching your dogs diet options.
If for some reason a raw diet does not seem to be what fits for your dog, then research home cooked diets for dogs. That’s another healthy alternative diet.
I’d be careful about catching fish and feeding that to your dog, especially raw fish. Some waters are not safe to feed the fish from them to humans or to dogs. Just like you want whomever prepares your sushi to have good, clean product and not diseased fish.