A raw diet usually includes viscera, muscle meat, whole or ground. Raw food enthusiasts claim that the diet has given their pets more energy and healthier skin and coat. The bones in a raw food diet can be good for your dog's dental health. And the meat is denser in nutrients, which makes the stool smaller.
While the term “raw” may bring to mind a piece of raw meat in your dog's bowl, feeding truly raw is not that simple. In fact, feeding your dog exclusively with pieces of raw meat from the butcher shop or grocery store would lead to nutritional deficiencies. A truly raw diet contains muscle and organ meat, and additional vitamins and minerals can come from bones and plant material. All raw diets share the lack of thermal processing.
On the contrary, raw food appears as an all-natural, protein-rich nutrient source that aligns with your puppy's biology. A raw diet generally includes viscera, muscle meat, whole or ground bones, raw eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables suitable for dogs, and a dairy product such as yogurt. Enzymes that aid in the digestion of raw foods are destroyed with the processing of kibbles and cannot be replaced, as well as natural proteins that are denatured. As more people entered the middle class and began to bring dogs into their homes as pets, the demand for an efficient type of dog food grew.
If you are thinking of switching your dog to a raw food diet, it is important that you consult a veterinary nutritionist first. Other bacteria in raw meat, such as salmonella, are often tolerable to your dog, but can be incredibly harmful if spread to humans. As raw dog food becomes more common, many pet parents begin to notice that their dogs prefer raw kibble also from a taste standpoint. As long as your dog receives the nutrition he needs, depending on his individual requirements, it is not harmful to combine raw dog food and kibble.
Some veterinarians warn that raw diets are not appropriate for dogs that share their home with young children or people with compromised immune systems. The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes the unregulated feeding of raw foods and advises against “feeding cats and dogs any protein of animal origin that has not been first subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens, due to the risk of disease for cats and dogs, as well as humans. In reality, with a higher pH, not only are raw meat and bones not properly digested, but there is also a danger of bacterial contamination, since an acidic pH plays a crucial role in destroying germs present in raw food. Guts, muscle meats, whole or ground bones, raw eggs, fresh dog-friendly fruits and vegetables, and a dairy product such as yogurt are common ingredients in a raw diet.
From how you train your dog to how you feed it, almost every facet of dog ownership has a debate around it. Many kibble and other commercial dog foods contain 4D meat from animals that are dead, dying, sick or depressed.
