[Donna5503]

Why does this Raw Food feeding seem so important to everyone....I really can't warm up to it.....

Is it that good for your dog??? .....I see so much of it posted on this forum

 

[MissMutt]

Many people DO think it's "that" good.. I have never tried it, but I can understand why people like it. There are a lot of benefits. You know exactly what your dog is ingesting, it keeps the teeth/coat looking good, and is notorious for firming up poop.. and of course I'm sure there are health benefits that many raw feeders argue you don't get with kibble. I would like to try raw eventually, but I know that right now it is not ideal for me.

It's not for everyone. It can be inconvenient for a number of reasons. If your dog is doing well on kibble, leave him/her on kibble. If you listened to everything said on this forum (or ANY forum), you'd be totally confused about dog ownership and not have any say as to what to do with your dog!

 

[Shaina]

People have various reasons for feeding raw...ranging from the belief that is more healthy for your pet than the various processed dry and wet foods to particular health reasons to just because they want to.

Personally I feed raw for two reasons: first, because one of my dogs has allergies and virtually no kibble I tried worked for her for very long, if at all. Secondly, because I personally know people who have lost dogs to pet food recall issues, and I feel better having direct control over what is going into my dogs, having done sufficient research into the diet to inspire confidence that I can meet their nutritional needs.

Also, when I switched I was about two weeks away from picking up a puppy whose breeder preferred a raw diet for her pups, so I was going to switch my two existing dogs so all three would be on the same diet.

While I am happy with the diet my dogs get, and happy with the results of that diet, I would not push it on anyone else. I'm a big believer in doing what works for you and your dog.

 

[Curbside Prophet]

Because many guardians want to do what's best for their dog, and what better way to do that than by controlling the ingredients in the dog's diet. There is also a growing resentment over veterinary practices...the one person you should be able to take nutritional advise from may not be educated in unconventional diets.

 

[heidiann]

We have a dog with health issues (epilepsy) and I like to have control over his food and it helps to know exactly what he's eating since certain foods and additives/herbs can trigger a seizure.

If it weren't for that, I think we'd be feeding a high end kibble, although, now that I know more about dog food I may have made the switch to raw anyway.

 

[JustTess]

Ilya's weight went down to 35 lbs and he would hardly eat anything for a month. He was being treated for heartworms at the time and he felt lousy. The only thing I could get him to eat was raw chicken or beef. Later, it didn't seem like he was digesting his kibbles either and he was slow to gain weight.... soooo raw seemed ideal. I think we finally have his stomach back on track and he is now mostly on kibble with raw supplements.

 

[Kathyy]

My older dog developed a serious health problem with important diet changes so I started cooking for her. Feeding raw to Max developed from that. Comparing what I buy for him raw to premium kibble prices on the net cost is about the same, I was very surprised. I like knowing what is going in, no surprise formula changes, recalls ought to be better publilized, meat from the market has got to be better quality than even the very best kibble, wet food is better than dry and he is doing very well on raw. He did fine on kibble but even better on raw.

 

[ioreks_mom]

i am another person with a dog that couldn't tolerate kibble. i tried many different kinds of kibble, from evo to canidae to eagle pack holistic select. iorek always had soft stools - not good with a sammy. anyway, we finally made the switch to raw and we have not looked back. now the only time he has soft stool is if i don't give him enough bone.

while i do sometimes miss the convenience of kibble, i think the positives of raw, for us, far out weighs the inconveniences.

 

[reynosa_k9's]

Since I've always owned multiple large (GSD's) dogs I always do what I can to keep the vet bills minimal. I've noticed with my dogs on raw they have fewer health issues and I don't have to worry about cleaning their teeth. Then there is the extra added bonus of having less poop to scoop. With large dogs that is very nice bonus too. lol

Jihad
and the pound puppy crew.

 

[Skyegirl]

I have always wondered how the people who feed raw food diets justify using raw homemade diets instead of cooked homemade diets, while the USDA has confirmed through studies that there is no nutritional advantage to feeding the meat raw as oppose to cooked ( both are as digestible and have the same nutritional value). Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

I have always wondered how the people who feed raw food diets justify using raw homemade diets instead of cooked homemade diets, while the USDA has confirmed through studies that there is no nutritional advantage to feeding the meat raw as oppose to cooked ( both are as digestible and have the same nutritional value). Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

 

[BoxMeIn21]

I have always wondered how the people who feed raw food diets justify using raw homemade diets instead of cooked homemade diets, while the USDA has confirmed through studies that there is no nutritional advantage to feeding the meat raw as oppose to cooked ( both are as digestible and have the same nutritional value). Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

I have always wondered how the people who feed raw food diets justify using raw homemade diets instead of cooked homemade diets, while the USDA has confirmed through studies that there is no nutritional advantage to feeding the meat raw as oppose to cooked ( both are as digestible and have the same nutritional value). Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

Heh. I'd like to see those studies.

 

[Curbside Prophet]

Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

Why? Because as real as the risk is, it's very small. If you follow the raw feeding circle they tend to minimize that risk to zero based solely on anecdotes. But surely it isn't zero. It's more like no harm, no foul...until your dog dies.

 

[briteday]

I have always wondered how the people who feed raw food diets justify using raw homemade diets instead of cooked homemade diets, while the USDA has confirmed through studies that there is no nutritional advantage to feeding the meat raw as oppose to cooked ( both are as digestible and have the same nutritional value). Therefore why not feed a cooked balanced homemade diet instead which would provide the same health advantages but would greatly reduce the risks of Salmonelle, campylobacter, E.coli and Clostridium infections in both dogs and humans?

Raw vs. cooked...same reason that humans live longer on a vegan raw diet than a cooked diet. You lose precious vitamins and enzymes when you cook any food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism

A percentage of all dogs, whether raw fed or kibble fed, excrete salmonella and other bacteria. And Cornell studies show that cattle fed on a grass diet had far less excretion of E. coli that cattle fed on a grain diet. So all animals, including humans, excrete bacteria. Bacteria live in our guts to digest our food. It's only when that bacteria blooms beyond normal levels that treatment becomes necessary. (and you probably don't want to read the studies done of culturing bacteria from tooth brushes left within 10 feet of a flushed toilet...let's just say that your tooth brush should stay in the cabinet...)

If you prepare raw meat for your human family you have the same exposure to bacteria on raw meat as if you are feeding it to your dog. I limit the mess by feeding my dogs outside. But if the weather is bad and they eat inside I do it in the laundry room so I can just quickly mop up and ick left on the floor. And to reduce the bacterial load on all meat that I buy, for human or dog consumption, it is immediately frozen unless eaten the same day. Bacteria and parasites cannot survive freezing. Proper defrosting techniques and handling are crucial and even printed right on the label of meat that you buy at the grocery or elsewhere.

I believe that a bad raw diet is worse than a good kibble. And my dogs eat kibble a few weeks every year when we go on vacation and leave them behind.

Why do I feed raw? I have one dog that failed to thrive, almost died, during the first five years of her life and we couldn't find a commercial food that she would thrive on. The only thin left was raw. And why should we cook it? And lose precious enzymes and vitamins? I'll be happy to post plenty of data showing that dogs as well as humans live longer on a raw diet. Yes, we should be eating as much fresh raw food as we can. But our guts are not designed the same as canids, so we should avoid raw meat. But raw vegan diet is the way to go if you want to live to see 100.

I happen to have access to running blood work on my dogs and cat any time I want. I checked them before we started raw and have checked at least every 6 months since starting raw. Their chemical health is far better since raw than it was before raw. And I'm referring to the chemical markers that we can measure for heart, kidneys, liver, ... Last week one of the older dogs had her bloodwork done and the vet remarked that she looked like a 3-year-old from her blood work. This is the "failure to thrive" dog.

The two older dogs and cat have not needed dentals or exctractions in over three years now. Previously we did dentals on them every 6 months and they always included extractions.

Lastly, I started feeding raw full time right around the same time as the dog food recalls and deaths due to melamine from China. I have a limited choice of commercial food in my area so I prefer to control what they are eating. And dog food recalls due to salmonella contamination have continued right up to the present. I'll never be able to know where (what country) a commercial dog food manufacturer is obtaining the products. So I choose to only feed them what I know.

Oh, and I forgot about almost no poop to clean up and lack of vet bills.

But I still maintain that a bad raw diet is worse that a good kibble. Raw feeding is not for everyone.

 

[txcollies]

Because many guardians want to do what's best for their dog, and what better way to do that than by controlling the ingredients in the dog's diet. There is also a growing resentment over veterinary practices...the one person you should be able to take nutritional advise from may not be educated in unconventional diets.

Guardian? I always thought I was the owner. ;-) Last time I looked, I owned my dogs. My name is on the papers, I call the shots and decide what do with 'em.

I fed raw because, IMO, I feel it's the best and most natural way to feed. My dogs did FANTASTIC on it, and once I start making more $$$, I'll put them back on RAW.

 

[Curbside Prophet]

Guardian? I always thought I was the owner. ;-) Last time I looked, I owned my dogs. My name is on the papers, I call the shots and decide what do with 'em.

I don't really care what title you choose. If it suits you, fine. If you're proud of it, fine. But don't bother trying to persuade my choice of words, and I won't bother with yours.

 

[Skyegirl]

Hello,
I won't try to argue the cooked vs raw case anymore but I just wanted to let you know that Salmonella is not naturally present in the digestive tract of any animals. When Salmonella is present in the gut this is an abnormal infection, while most of these infected animals do not show clinical signs of the disease they still excrete the parasite and therefore can contaminate other dogs or humans. Some dogs however do get seriously infected with Salmonella and can become severly ill.

Also most bacteria and parasites are not killed by freezing. Thus freezing does not remove the risk of parasites or bacteria, however cooking does.

In reality however the basic problem with raw homemade diets or cooked homemade diets is usually the fact that they are not nutritionally balanced ( no supplements added, for example).
The risk for human bacterial contamination from dogs that eat raw meat however is real and I hope that if you feed raw meat you make sure to be very careful around kids or immunosupressed people, since these people can be severely affected.

 

[BoxMeIn21]

Hello,
I won't try to argue the cooked vs raw case anymore but I just wanted to let you know that Salmonella is not naturally present in the digestive tract of any animals. When Salmonella is present in the gut this is an abnormal infection, while most of these infected animals do not show clinical signs of the disease they still excrete the parasite and therefore can contaminate other dogs or humans. Some dogs however do get seriously infected with Salmonella and can become severly ill.

Also most bacteria and parasites are not killed by freezing. Thus freezing does not remove the risk of parasites or bacteria, however cooking does.

In reality however the basic problem with raw homemade diets or cooked homemade diets is usually the fact that they are not nutritionally balanced ( no supplements added, for example).
The risk for human bacterial contamination from dogs that eat raw meat however is real and I hope that if you feed raw meat you make sure to be very careful around kids or immunosupressed people, since these people can be severely affected.

Um it's called doing your research and using common sense. And as far as contamination being real - lets not forget this is an animal that uses the same tongue to lick it's butt as it does your face. Based on your logic, you might want to keep dogs away from children and sick people entirely.

 

[reynosa_k9's]

I...n reality however the basic problem with raw homemade diets or cooked homemade diets is usually the fact that they are not nutritionally balanced ( no supplements added, for example).
The risk for human bacterial contamination from dogs that eat raw meat however is real and I hope that if you feed raw meat you make sure to be very careful around kids or immunosupressed people, since these people can be severely affected.

I'm a multiple dog owner and started feeding raw in the early/mid '90s. I'm also an "immunosupressed" person. I have Lupus. So far all my dogs have never had any major health problems and neither have I.
We love our raw!

Jihad
and the pound puppy crew.

 

[HersheyPup]

I don't feed a completely raw diet, but I do supplement with raw. I have noticed that when I cook the meat first my dog gets gas and loose stool. If I give it to her raw she has normal stool. Is this a coincidence? I don't know..

 

[Angie's Bella]

Hello,
I won't try to argue the cooked vs raw case anymore but I just wanted to let you know that Salmonella is not naturally present in the digestive tract of any animals. When Salmonella is present in the gut this is an abnormal infection, while most of these infected animals do not show clinical signs of the disease they still excrete the parasite and therefore can contaminate other dogs or humans. Some dogs however do get seriously infected with Salmonella and can become severly ill.

Also most bacteria and parasites are not killed by freezing. Thus freezing does not remove the risk of parasites or bacteria, however cooking does.

In reality however the basic problem with raw homemade diets or cooked homemade diets is usually the fact that they are not nutritionally balanced ( no supplements added, for example).
The risk for human bacterial contamination from dogs that eat raw meat however is real and I hope that if you feed raw meat you make sure to be very careful around kids or immunosupressed people, since these people can be severely affected.

Hmmmmm.................. have you researched what is in that commercial kibble, you might want to before you you go throwing stones at people who feed raw. When you compare raw to commercial kibble you will find that although there are risks involved with raw, the benefits are much greater than the risks. There are also risks with riding your bike or going for a brisk walk, does that mean you shouldn't do it? If the benefit out ways the risk then it is worth taking the chance!! Wouldn't you agree???