Raw Food Diet for Dogs Pros and Cons

Pet owners are now increasingly becoming conscious of raw food diet for dogs. It was a notion popularized in the mid 90's by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst. The diet aims to imitate the meals eaten by sled dogs s well as racing greyhounds who feed on raw meals. According to Billinghurst, the same can be fed to domesticated pets because it is a natural meal.

Through this diet, around 80% would be devoted to feeding dogs with actual raw meat and bones. But it should be noted that there are only identified types of meat that should be used. These are from chicken, beef, lamb, and fish only. The same goes for feeding bones wherein chicken and lamb are the two recommended sources.

But aside from these, other important nutrients are also being included in the meals. Among them are vegetables and fruits as well as small portions of organs like liver, kidney, and even a portion of the heart. The organs should also come from the same animals listed as the acceptable raw meats to feed to dogs.

Apparently, there has been a lot of talk too about the positive effects of eating raw food among dogs. Owners say that most of the benefits are seen physically. They say their dogs start to have even more shinier coats after they eat raw meals and they are also finally blessed with better skin.

However, there are still some experts who are doubting the credibility of this newfound diet. Among them is the FDA which says there might still be negative implications about eating raw for pets.

Some experts say that making dogs feed on raw food might do them more harm than good. Their argument is that this type of feeding only increases the possibility of cultivating bacteria. Salmonella can be passed on from the raw meat into the pets and even humans who handle the raw meat can get it as well, they say.

There's also concern about feeding dogs with raw bones. Some experts say that the diet runs the risk of having splinters get caught inside the dog's throat. They also worry that these bones can in the long run cause teeth to break and even have some internal punctures as they pass through the digestive system.

Considering all these pros and cons presented about the raw food diet for dogs, it really becomes important to consult a vet first. Before you try it out for your dog, make sure you can get clearance from the vet first.