Raw Food Diet For Dogs Benefits And Disadvantages
<p>A lot of pet owners these days have started to experiment on raw food diet for dogs. You can’t really blame them because there has been a lot of buzz going around this new fad. It was initially promoted by an Australian veterinarian named Ian Billinghurst who proposed that the same diet done by wild dogs can be applied to domesticated dogs too.
Around 80% of the raw dog food diet consists of meat and bones. However, it is important to note that the bones given to dogs must be uncooked as this is much tougher yet safer for dogs to chew on. There’s also a limited type of meat as well as bone that should be given. Meats should only be beef, lamb, chicken, or fish whereas bones should only be lamb or chicken.
But aside from these, other important nutrients are also being included in the meals. Among them are vegetables and fruits as well as small portions of organs like liver, kidney, and even a portion of the heart. The organs should also come from the same animals listed as the acceptable raw meats to feed to dogs.
There are a lot of known positive effects attributed with feeding raw food. Much of it can also be observed on the physical aspects of your pets. Dogs are observed to have a shinier coat after they start eating raw. Their skin is also much healthier and no longer susceptible to allergies. They also have cleaner teeth and stronger too because of the natural things they eat.
But as much as there are so many positive effects supposedly attributed with the raw dog food diet, there’s still much debate going on about its real effects. Even the FDA continues to maintain that there are also some negative implications that feeding raw meals to domesticated pets could bring.
Among the biggest threats considered are bacteria. It is perceived that salmonella, among others, can be transferred between humans and animals who eat raw food. Because of feeding raw, humans would have to handle raw meat which is known to be susceptible to bacteria. Likewise, dogs would need to adapt with the new diet first before you can fully feed them whole raw meals.
There’s also concern about feeding dogs with raw bones. Some experts say that the diet runs the risk of having splinters get caught inside the dog’s throat. They also worry that these bones can in the long run cause teeth to break and even have some internal punctures as they pass through the digestive system.
Considering all these pros and cons presented about the raw food diet for dogs, it really becomes important to consult a vet first. Before you try it out for your dog, make sure you can get clearance from the vet first.
Jamie is a family pet health specialist who specializes in raw pet food.
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