Should Your Dog Have A Raw Food Diet?
A lot of people have begun to consider if a raw food diet for their dogs is a healthy option. Even more people have stuck with the big dog food manufacturers; blindly feeding their dog substances that have the chance to be poisonous. However, spurred by the recent dog food recalls many people have taken feeding their dogs in to their own hands and are searching or the best possible diet to give to their pet.
A raw food diet would typically include and consist of
- Muscle meat often along with the bone
- Bones, either whole or ground
- Livers and kidneys
- Raw eggs
- Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and celery
- Apples or suitable fruit for dogs
- We have an entire article on Fruit safe for dog
- Yogurt
There are many benefits reported from switching your dog from a processed food diet to a raw food diet. Some owners have reported that their dogs have a rejuvenated look about them. That their coats become shinier and that the animal’s mood has improved. Think about it, if processed food is not good for you then how it could be good for your dog. Think about how you feel after you eat nothing but junk food for a week or so. Now imagine being in your dogs shoes where that’s all it has eaten in months on end.
Naturally, as there are benefits, they are concerns & Risks.
We compiled a simple list of benefits & risk for you to check out
Potential Benefits
- Shinier coats
- Healthier skin
- Cleaner teeth
- Higher energy levels
- Smaller stools
Potential Risks
- Bacteria in raw meat which can threaten both the dog & owner
- Insufficient of nutrition to provide a healthy balance diet.
- Check out our post on must nutrients in a dog’s diet
- Potential for choking from Bones or splinters.
- This can lead to teeth issues or cause an internal puncture
Summary
If you decide to go with a raw food diet plan for your dog it is crucial for you to remember that you don’t just switch over to raw dog food. There is some debate about this. One side says that you must raise the dog eating raw food the other says that you can gradually switch the dog over to raw dog food. It is reasonable to assume that the gradual camp is correct. You need to switch over slowly, however. In fact, it is best to consult your vet about the nature of the transition from cooked food to raw food.
Once you get the vets ok these are some of the foods that you can start gradually feeding to the dog Raw carrots are a good starter for a dog. Just chop them up and feed them to the dog in small chunks. Raw turnips are other good alternatives. Simply peel them and cut them up and they are ready to go. Dogs will actually eat apples and pears if you let them. You can leave the skin on if you like. You can get raw beef, lamb and uncooked bones to let your dogs gnaw on them. It is easy to get cheap cuts of meat from a butcher. Raw dog food can help your dog live longer, isn’t that worth the effort?
