Are All Diets, High Fat Diets?
I want to start this post off and say that I love free thinkers and people who question things. I don't even care if I agree with 100% of what the person is talking about. Rebels make the world more exciting. I have spent the past hour over on Free the Animal and have been [...]
January 28th, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Please explain to me why the Raw diet surpasses high quality diets?
As a vet tech I want to know why people feel so strongly about feeding this diet.
I recently answered a question about why a vet would not recommend the diet for an older dog and listed the reasons why.
I got the big ol’ thumbs down.
I believe the Raw diet has benefits it just has to be executed properly.
Share your knowledge raw diet feeders!
January 29th, 2010 at 4:30 am
As a fellow vet tech, I must tell you I am sorry you are buying into this crap.
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:32 am
Well, it is the closest you can get to feeding a dog the diet it ate as a wolf. Last time I checked, an old wolf doesn’t eat a food that has been chemically suppressed, and enhanced. I do not feed the raw diet alone, as my dad doesn’t like it. He doesn’t want to deal with the meal plans, and adding to the already full freezer. We feed them Canidae; for convenience. He does allow it as a treat, though.
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:34 am
1). I want to know what, exactly, is being fed to my dog.
2). I don’t want my dog being fed over-processed stuff laced with carcinogenic preservatives.
3). The benefits for dental health of a raw diet are a HUGE plus.
4). I feel that many kibbles, even high quality ones, contain totally unnecessary ingredients.
5). I’ve seen the energy and health differences a raw diet has made to my dogs–I’ll never go back to kibble.
6). As a plus: since there is little preservative and unnatural crap in raw meat, the dog’s poop dissolves in the yard in under a week. Poof! Gone!
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Vet tech, raw feeder.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:36 am
We feed a high quality commercial food but have experience with those who feed RAW. Many raw feeders believe it is better because it has no chemicals, the food is all human grade, there is no corn or by-products. However, I struggle with it because commercial food companies have better knowledge of the correct amount of different nutrients that our pets need. I know my dogs food had 24% protient. If I feed RAW, I would really have to do some major calculating to know how my my dog is getting. Overall, I think commercial foods are a more well rounded diet but RAW foods are great if your pet has severe allergies. There is also a HUGE difference between dog foods and that needs to be taken into account. Only high quality foods should be fed. So many dog foods are corn corn and more corn followed by by-product meal. Very unhealthy!
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:38 am
Because high quality diets are still cooked at extremely high temperatures to get them into those convenient little nuggets. Cooked food isn’t good for any animal but us, human beings. Not to mention cooking it at those kinds of temperatures pretty much incinerates most of the nutrition. Raw is the best because it’s what is natural to their bodies. Vets advise to feed specific brands because they get incentives to do so and most just plain don’t know better. Being a Vet doesn’t make you Dog God. Heck more than one of my clients for having a problem dog has been a vet…
The first puppy I raised completely on raw is 8 years old and can clear a 7 foot A frame, he has no grey hair, and when my old vet retired my new vet thought he was a 2 year old puppy by his energy/the way he looks. Results speak for themselves.
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I’m a professional GSD breeder/trainer and have been feeding BARF for 8 years.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:40 am
I have a 2 year old Aussie that is on the RAW diet. Her coat and skin are both way more healthy then on any other diet I have tried. Its the best diet for anyone that wants to keep away from any allergies their dog may have.
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:42 am
I feed my dog a raw diet. It’s my belief that feeding raw preserves properties of meats that are lost by turning it to dry kibble (heat, etc). Also, a kibble food isn’t considered ‘fresh’ ingredients. Regardless, a kibble food is a processed food.
To me it’s like saying that I could eat a balanced cereal or liquid meal replacer vs. eating balanced actual meals.
A raw diet also does not really have any negative points, if a person knows how to do it right. But this caveat is something that can be applied to almost everything. People argue about dogs getting parasites, worms, food poisoning, etc. It’s my belief if you feed your dogs quality ,fresh meat, meat that a HUMAN would/could eat raw, it’s fine. People also argue that dogs need dry food to clean their teeth. I approach this facet by giving my dogs meaty bones on which to learn actual eating skills, gnawing, biting, ripping, etc.. Far too many dogs fed on kibble gobble their food down because they’ve never learned how to properly eat.
A person who says that bones and raw meat are bad for dogs needs to do their research. Cows and chickens and the like don’t naturally carry diseases like E.coli unless improperly slaughtered and handled, or otherwise contaminated.
Even if it did, a dog’s digestive track is built short and high in acidity. My dogs have never gotten food poisoning.
Nowadays there are even commercial raw food diets for dogs. If a person wants to believe in a corporation backing up the validity or safety of a food, to me, this is adequate proof.
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:44 am
Well before they were domesticated, dogs were wild wolves and they are raw meat. But back then their prey got all the nutrients the wolves would need by eating the grass, leaves etc. Now days they donʻt get the same nutrients in their food grain, corn etc so most vets donʻt like it. Most vets also get sponsorships/training from major dog food companies that use corn as their main ingredient. Dog CAN NOT digest corn. They just poop it out.
That being said raw is much better for your animal and if you feel the need to add kibble or arenʻt sure what veggies/fruits to mix in I suggest a raw/kibble mix. Make sure you DO NOT get your raw from the supermarket. Human grade food is NOT for your dog. It is full of hormones and chemicals that we can digest and they canʻt. Find a free range or organic type meat. And a GOOD kibble. Something with low to no grain, ABSOLUTELY no corn and meat ( actual meat not meat by products ) as a first ingredient.
My "pack" , I have 5 dogs, are much happier and healthier. They donʻt eat as much and they poop less and it doesnʻt smell as bad. And no they arenʻt starved, they are just on better food that they completely digest and therefore need less food
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January 29th, 2010 at 4:46 am
There are many great answers here … here’s a great way to look at it.
Is it healthier to go out and eat fast foods, or stay home and cook (from scratch) your meals?
When you buy the commercial dog foods, you honestly don’t know what you’re feeding. But if you feed a raw diet, you know exactly what you are feeding your pets.
And you are very correct - people need to research the raw diet before feeding it to their animals. Part of it is trial and error as you really won’t know what your pet prefers or can handle, but the other part is knowledge.
I have one dog that can’t handle bones - so we buy whole ground raw chicken (it contains the bones and all, but it’s ground and so is easier to digest). I have one that absolutely loves raw turkey necks - and has the ability to digest the bones with no problems.
You need to know how much to feed your dog - a 60lb dog might require 1.5-2lbs of raw per day if that’s all you are feeding. But there are other essential nutrients to consider and that’s where supplements come in.
If you add a kibble mix, be sure it’s a grain free or a whole grain as those are better quality kibble. When adding the kibble mix, stagger your feedings. Feed the raw for one meal (or one day) and the kibble for the next meal (or the next day).
Honestly - as for feeding seniors (or any age really), it truly depends on the animal. If they are still eating and having no problems, then leave things as they are. If there are feeding problems, then you make changes.
Hope this helped.
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