Why I Don't Like Raw

[LabradorRetriever2009]

I know a lot of people like raw feeding, but I thought I'd share some reasons why I do not like feeding raw and would never feed it to my dog. Raw feeding is a big lifestyle change for a dog. Also, it requires a wide variety of vitamins and supplements to keep the dog healthy and getting everything he needs in his diet. Next, it is very hard to feed raw food when traveling or boarding a dog. Once more, puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, and any dog who is anemic should not be fed a raw diet. I do not like raw diets at all and have some very strong opinions and terrible experiences when it comes to feeding a raw diet to dogs.

[LabradorRetriever2009]

Believe it or not, how a whole-food diet should be fed is a contentious issue in the dog world. The issue is whether food should be raw or cooked. While raw-food proponents make a good arguemtn, I think the decision to feed a dog a raw-food diet should be approached very cautiously. Advocates of the BARF diet and other raw-food diets fundamentally believe that because dogs orginally ate raw food, they should still get their nutrients from fresh, raw foods. The theory is that the enzymes and nutrients a dog needs to remain healthy can be lost in the cooking process. Raw-food advocates report many health benefits from their diets, such as better breath and coat, longer life span and even cures for some diseases. Although the ingredients vary with the diet, raw-food diets usually consist of raw, meaty bones; raw muscle meat;raw organ meat - or any locally available meat, including beef, pork, poultry, rabbit or sheep. Raw fish, eggs, vegetables and ripe fruit; yogurt; cottage cheese; various yeasts; kep; and other natural supplements are also recomended. Depending on the diet, the quantity of grain included can range from very little to non at all.

[LabradorRetriever2009]

One the other side of the raw-food debate are those who argue that the potential risks associated with feeding a dog a diet of raw meat and bones far outweigh the possible beneifts. For starters, there is a very high potential for raw meat to be contaminated with salmonell and E. coli bacteria. These can pose a serious health threat not only to dogs but also to their significant humans, partically young children, elderly family members and people with compromised immune systems. All it may take to get infected is a lick on the face from a dog or contact with the contaminated food bowl. Some raw-food advocates argue that organically raised meat is less likely to be contaminated by bacteria and therefore safter to feed to a dog. This view, however, is not entirely correct. While the potential health risks associated with chemicals are eliminated, organically raised meat may be more at risks for these bacterial and parasitic contamination precisely because it lacks these additives. There are many reasons why organic meat may be preferable, but it must be thoroughly cooked in order to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Many testimonials allege that dogs fed raw-food diets have experienced dramatic improvements in their health.

[rockymtsweetie82]

I've been on this site for a little while and I've learned quite a bit from both the kibble side of feeding and the raw side of feeding. But I must say, Well put LR. I have never heard this much information in one sitting and am delighted to hear what kind of debate this raises. Thank you for that info. I will definitely be rethinking how to continue feeding my pups (they are on kibble fed right now). Thanks!

[LabradorRetriever2009]

Another concern is that some raw foods contain compenents that mayb interfere with the body's absility to use certain nutrients. When these foods are cooked, the harmful components are deactivated or detroyed, making them safer to confume. For instance, raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which binds up with biotin so that the body is unable to use it. Therefore, including too many raw eggs in a diet can cause a biotin deficiency. Cooking the eggs deactivates the avidin. Some types of fish contain a compound called thiaminase, which can interfere with the utilization of thiamin, one of the B vitamins. Cooking inactivates this compound, too. Raw salmond from the West Coast of North America presents an even more serious problem, as it may harbor a parasite that causes a canine condition known as salmon poisoning disease. This disease has symptoms that are similar to those of distemper or parvovirus and can be fatal is left untreated. Cooking the salmon kills this parasite.

[rockymtsweetie82]

So there is actually more of a benefit to feeding cooked food on some occasions. What about chicken, beef, pork? Aside from the salmonella and e-coli standard, since I already know where some of the raw feeders on here stand with that. (You could probably find it in the "Why Not" thread)

[LabradorRetriever2009]

Advocates of raw-food diets also recommend feeding bones to dogs to supply calcium. While a raw bone is les likely than a cooked bone to splinter and lodge in a dog's digestive tract, the risk is still present. Some raw-food proponents suggest that grinding the bones into a powder before feeding them to a dog eliminates this danger. However, it is still possible for dangerous splinters to be present if the bones have been less-than-thoroughly ground.

[RawFedDogs]

Raw feeding is a big lifestyle change for a dog.

Lifestyle change is not necessarily bad. The lifestyle change from eating exclusively a highly processed grain or potato based cereal every day of your life to eating raw meat, bones and organs is a very very positive lifestyle change that will increase health and longevity of a dog. Your dog would be many times better off if you reconsider and begin feeding a prey model raw diet.

Also, it requires a wide variety of vitamins and supplements to keep the dog healthy and getting everything he needs in his diet.

There is no need to give vitamins or supplements to a dog on a prey model raw diet. Everything he needs is in the meat, bones, and organs of the animals he eats.

Next, it is very hard to feed raw food when traveling or boarding a dog.

It's a little more difficult to feed than kibble which is made from the throw away garbage from the human food processing plants. It's not that much more difficult. I have done it many times.

Once more, puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, and any dog who is anemic should not be fed a raw diet.

The ideal diet to feed an anemic dog would be a raw diet. Isn't it amazing how wild dogs and wolves give birth while eating a prey model raw diet? I know many breeders who feed exclusively a raw diet to all their pregnant and nursing dogs. THese breeders wean their puppies directly to a raw diet. I know breeders who have 5 generations of raw fed dogs. Think about it ... no dog in 5 generations were fed garbage ... isn't that great?

I do not like raw diets at all and have some very strong opinions and terrible experiences when it comes to feeding a raw diet to dogs.

I don't think you are old enough, experienced enough, know enought people or have done enough research to make a statement like that. I am on other lists with 11,000+ members who feed raw. I have been feeding exclusively a prey model raw diet to 4 dogs and 2 cats for almost 7 years. I personally know people who have been feeding prey model raw for 30+ years. Your previous statement is entirely without merit.

[rockymtsweetie82]

What about a kibble fed diet with their own raw meal in between?

[LabradorRetriever2009]

Dogs and cats have been domesticated for thousands of years. How safe are these diets? Pets are just as susceptible to the bacteria and parasites in raw meat as humans are. The problem with these 'natural' diets is the misguided assumption that 'natural' is better. Many raw food proponents theorize that freezing meat will kill bacteria. Proponents also theorize that bacteria is destroyed by stomach acid. Cats are also susceptible to bacteria found in raw meats. In March 2001, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association published a paper written by Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, and Kathyrn E. Michel, DVM, and their evaluation of raw food diets for dogs. To date, there are no studies that conclude that raw diets are healthful for pets. Many diets also encourage the feeding of raw bones. You also have to consider the damage to teeth by chewing on raw, meaty bones. Raw food proponents also contend that a cooked diet removes enzymes from food, yet many add digestive enzymes to the raw diet as well. Enzymes are proteins. My puppy isn't a wild animal, and I refuse to risk his health with diets that have caused illness and death.