More on Raw Food

For this entry, I will only cover this topic as it relates to dogs and cats, but I will stress that for ANY pet, the closer you get to what would be a natural diet for them, the better! What would your rat eat in the wild, your iguana, your guinea pig? 

BENEFITS OF A RAW DIET

Firmer, smaller, better smelling stools (and biodegradable!). I mean, all poop smells really, but many of us often take for granted that poop should smell really bad. Well, it shouldn't! If it's smelling like sulfur or just plain unbearable, it is not normal! (This applies to humans too!) This was the very first change I noticed in my cats after switching them from kibble! 

Improved digestion. A raw food diet mimics our dogs' and cats' ancestral diets. Compared to a dry kibble diet, raw food is higher in protein, fat and lower in carbs. Our pets tend to wolf down their food, eliminating the time the stomach needs to properly receive it. Raw food takes more work, which gives their tummies enough time to secrete their digestive juices.

Healthier skin and coat. Cuts back on shedding! Raw food has way more moisture than kibble, and all the necessary nutrients for a silkier coat. As a double plus, watch skin allergies improve!

Better weight management. Because raw food is more wholesome, your pet will tend to get way more nutrients in way less food. I currently feed my cats about 4 tablespoons of food a day, maybe five if I'm home. 

Portion control. You simply can't leave raw food out, so your pet will learn to expect their portion and that's it. There'll be no overeating and no begging throughout the day.

Cleaner teeth. Our dogs and cats are equipped with very sharp teeth and strong jaws made for ripping through their prey. This action scrubs and flosses their teeth, which leads to healthy gums. I cannot stress how extremely important dental health is to the overall health of your pet! If you're feeding your pets kibble and canned, and you're not brushing their teeth, expect some serious health issues in the long-term! 

Better breath. Something else we take for granted. Your pet should not have pungent breath!

Mental health. It is still important to honor our dogs' and cats' inner wild side. A raw food diet will stimulate them emotionally and mentally and increase their vitality.

DOWNSIDES

Convenience. Raw food takes some degree of preparation. 

Price. I would say I spend about $30 a week on raw food for my 3 cats. This can vary depending on appetite and special needs. But if it saves me a ton of vet bills and heartache in the long-run, then it's a small sacrifice to make!

Salmonella and E. coli. Guess what! For YOU, not your pet. You always have to be careful when handling raw meat. Our dogs and cats have a more acidic stomach and their digestive tracts are way shorter, which makes infections rare. If they have a healthy immune system, this bacteria will be of no consequence. On that note, check out the FDA's list of commercial pet foods that were recalled due to traces of salmonella and E. coli.

What about fruits and veggies?

Dogs are not obligate carnivores and therefore benefit greatly from fruits and vegetables! Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need a higher amount of protein, but it doesn't mean they can't benefit from fruits and veggies. Think of it this way. If your cat hunted down a rabbit, it would essentially it whole. That includes the muscle meat, bones, organ meats, raw eggs, and whatever it had in its tummy…grass, fruits, veggies and some grains. Same with dogs!

Precautions

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy your pet's raw food at a grocery store!!! I don't care if it says free-range, cage-free, grass-fed, happy cows… This should be a whole different entry, but in short, if you think this meat comes from chickens roaming a beautiful green pasture happily greeting each other as they welcome the morning sun, you're mistaken. Cage-free means chickens aren't necessarily kept in cages. BUT they can still be enclosed in large chicken houses with barely any room to walk around. And free range? Free range only means that chickens must have access to the outdoors, but that space doesn't need to be very big. The Humane Society website has more on the terminology. And in the end, the slaughtering process can be extremely unsanitary, not to mention the chlorine and ammonia often found in "washed" meat. 

So where can you purchase your raw food? 

A lot of pet stores already sell raw pet food with all the necessary nutrients! If you're feeling adventurous and want to cook something up yourself, visit your local farmer's market. Just remember, you'll still have to throw in some very essential vitamins, such as taurine, for cats! Or just get some good probiotics or a daily supplement to mix in! Two of my favorites are Anitra's Vita-Mineral Mix for Cats and Dogs by Pet Guard and Earth Animal's Daily Health Nuggets.

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A growing number of vets state that processed pet food is the main cause of illness and premature death in the modern dog and cat. In December 1995, the British Journal of Small Animal Practice published a paper contending that processed pet food suppresses the immune system and leads to liver, kidney, heart and other diseases. This research, initially conducted by Dr. Tom Lonsdale, was researched further by the Australian Veterinary Association and proven to be correct. -From the British Journal of Small Animal Practice

I don't believe it is possible for cats to be truly healthy when living on commercial foods for a long period of time. This belief came about after contrasting the condition of house cats with feral cats who have access to adequate prey. -Christina Chambrea, DVM

Survival is insured by commercial food; nothing more; not health, not the robustness for life. -William Pollak, DVM

Dogs should eat raw food -- raw meat and bones, vegetables and fruit. If they were meant to eat processed, sterilized food, they would have evolved with tin openers instead of dew claws. -Nick Thompson BSc. (Hons), BVM&S, VetMFHom, MRCVS

Dogs and cats need raw meat to be really healthy and even the best processed foods cook their good ingredients, and most commercially available foods, even the expensive ones, use the cheapest ingredients (that means dead, diseased and decaying meat & by-products). -Christina Chambreau, DVM