However, raw meat diets come with disadvantages as well
as advantages. To better understand all of the issues before feeding your dog a
raw food diet. It helps to know what it is and what it promises to do for them.
What is a Raw Food Diet for Dogs?
Basically, it is feeding your dogs raw, uncooked and
unprocessed foods over the typical hard and soft dog food that they consume
today. The idea of the raw food diet comes from the original meals that dogs
consumed long before they became domesticated. This type of diet consists of
raw meat, bones and vegetables with fruits sometimes thrown into the mix.
Certain dog breeds actually live on raw food diets today
such as greyhounds that race in competition and sled dogs which pull heavy
loads across the snow. However, the advocacy of raw food for all dog breeds was
more recently proposed by Ian Billinghurst, a veterinarian in Australia back in
1993. His view was that adult dogs would actually benefit from eating this type
of diet overall as it is better suited to their overall health.
The Benefits of Feeding Your Dog a Raw Food Diet
There are certain benefits that are touted by the
advocates of this particular diet program which include the following;
- Cleaner Teeth
- More Energy
- Shinier Coats & Healthier Skin
- Smaller Size of Stools
Each of these benefits point to the dog’s digestive
system which those who promote raw food contend is better suited to digest and
process this particular type of diet. However, not everyone is on board when it
comes to this type of food for your dogs.
The Potential Downsides of a Raw Food Diet
Of the people who contend that this type of diet is not
good for dogs, they bring up three major concerns;
- Higher Risk of Meat Contamination through Bacteria
- Potential for Dogs to Choke on Bones
- Unbalanced Diet may Harm the Overall Health of the Dogs
It must be pointed out however, that the overall risk of
bacterial contamination is quite low when using proper raw foods and the highly
acidic fluids in the stomach of a dog destroys most, if not all of the bacteria
on contact.
Since the raw food diet includes vegetables and can be
boosted with vitamins, it can retain its overall balance to protect the dog’s
health. Finally, the bones can be removed to help protect the teeth and
internal organs of the dog.
Overall, the raw food diet for dogs is one that you can
check out to see if it is right for your pooch. Especially for older dogs with
digestive issues, the advantages of feeding your dog this type of diet may
bring many healthy benefits.
Resources:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/the-raw-food-diet-for-pets/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/raw-dog-food/
Resources:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/the-raw-food-diet-for-pets/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/raw-dog-food/