Dog blog
Raw Dog Food?
Humans and dogs have been pals for over 14,000 years. From an early age, they have been protecting human campsites and homes, and in exchange, they have been given canine food such as meat.
Nowadays, the practice of feeding raw meat-based meals to pets becomes increasingly popular among pet owners.
Many pet owners have abandoned traditional, veterinary-recommended commercial meals in favor of more “natural” and “homemade” alternatives in recent years.
Uncooked meat, bones, vegetables, fruits, raw eggs, and some dairy products are the best examples of raw foods.
Raw food supporters think that raw food diets are healthier than standard commercial dog food, not only because of the precise components included or eliminated but also because those ingredients are supplied in an unprocessed condition.
A “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF)” diet should comprise 70% muscular meat, 10% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 5% liver, 5% other organs, 2% seeds, and 1% fruit.
Biologically Appropriate Raw Food For Dogs
Ian Billinghurst, an Australian veterinarian, conceived the notion of selling raw meals in 1993. According to him, adult dogs would thrive on raw food because they ate it before they were domesticated.
He coined the term “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF)” to describe a raw food diet. He also said that commercial dog meals are dangerous to our pets.
BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet) is a raw food diet for dogs that consists of raw muscle meat and raw meaty bones, as well as vegetables and fruits, while avoiding any processed foods.
A BARF diet should comprise 70% muscular meat, 10% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 5% liver, 5% other organs, 2% seeds, and 1% fruit. Including vegetables, seeds, nuts, and fruits in a dog’s food have a number of advantages, but it’s especially beneficial in case a full and balanced raw diet 1. The functions of BARF components are given below:
1. Muscle meat
Raw muscle meat provides necessary protein, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins in BARF diets. The muscle meat ratio starts at 70% of total daily consumption. It’s vital to understand that feeding a high muscle meat ratio does not imply feeding only muscle meat.
This is a broad category that includes a variety of components, including energy-dense saturated fat and muscular organs like heart muscle meat.
2. Edible bone
BARF diets include soft, raw edible bones as a source of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals. Since, we’re talking about giving raw diets to our dog, so, raw diet can contains maximum 10% of raw bones (not cooked), dogs can easily digest these. Raw bones for dog may include beef, chicken, turkey or lamb. These are safe for them. You just need to make sure that these bones are not so large that causes choking by obstructing their throat. These bones need to be soft enough to chew, eat and digest. Sometimes, hard bones can cause breakdown of their teeth. The amount of raw meaty bones a dog needs to keep his feces solid and consistent varies.
The 10% ratio is only a starting point. Many dogs, on the other hand, thrive on raw edible bone content of 12 to 15%. Always make adjustments based on the dog’s specific requirements.
3. Vegetables
Vegetables are key nutrients and phytochemicals in BARF diets. The vegetable ratio recommendation begins at 7% of total daily calories.
This help dogs meet their critical nutritional requirements. The 7% ratio is only a starting point; more or less veggies can be consumed to meet nutritional requirements.
4. Fresh liver
In BARF diets, the liver is a significant source of fat-soluble vitamin A as well as water-soluble vitamins. The liver-to-total-calories ratio should be at least 5% of total daily calories.
The 5 percent liver ratio is a starting point, and this quantity of liver offers more vitamin A than the required limits.
Even if your dog is sensitive to organs, giving as little as 2% liver will offer necessary vitamin A.
5. Seeds, nuts, fruits
BARF diets benefit from raw seeds and nuts because they contain important minerals, fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins. The raw seed and nut ratio starts at 2% of total daily consumption.
Fruit is a good source of antioxidants in BARF diets, but because of its high sugar content, it is only eaten in limited amounts.
Seeds and nuts can help dogs meet their basic nutrient needs, but they must be pre-soaked and crushed before being fed.
Phytates, anti-nutrients found in raw nuts and seeds, can disrupt the nutritional balance. Phytates are reduced by soaking raw seeds and nuts, and grinding improves optimum digestion.
A dog can synthesize 12 of the 22 amino acids. There are 22 amino acids, and a dog can synthesize 12 of them on its own (cats can make 11). An essential amino acid can’t be produced by the body and must be obtained from food or supplements.
The following are the 10 essential amino acids for dogs that must be included in their diet: Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Methionine, Lysine, and Valine.
If you’re thinking of switching your dog to a raw food diet, you should evaluate the benefits and disadvantages carefully before making a choice. Examine the purported advantages of these diets carefully, while also keeping in mind the hazards associated with this feeding method.
Why Raw Food is Beneficial for Dogs?
Muscle meats, organ meats like liver, entire or broken bones, raw eggs, fresh fruits, vegetables like spinach and broccoli, and dairy products like yogurt are common ingredients in a raw diet. They can be produced from scratch, purchased, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. According to the Pets.webmd.com, raw dog food diets are controversial. Though raw food advocates have compiled a list of raw food benefits for your canine companion. These are some of them 2:
1. Makes the coat shiner and skin healthier
Raw food diets are frequently linked to the development of a thick, shiny coat in dogs. Increased amounts of essential fatty acids in the diet are sometimes responsible for the glossy appearance that comes with a raw food diet. These fatty acids are also present in high-quality commercial dog meals, but in smaller amounts in low-quality commercial diets.
2. Promotes weight loss
Meat is the main component of raw food diets. Raw dog food contains very few carbohydrates, which may aid in weight loss in overweight dogs. Furthermore, owners who prepare their dog’s raw food diet at home are usually more selective about the products they use and the amount of food they feed their pet. This “portion control” is likely to be equally important as the diet’s content in terms of weight reduction.
3. Maintains bone integrity
Bones are the best way to support bones. Calcium, phosphate, glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and marrow are all found naturally in crushed bone. All of these factors contribute to your dog’s healthy growth and long-term joint and bone health. Providing your dog with a variety of fresh animal proteins ensures that they get a variety of micronutrients, which is good for their general health.
4. Stimulates the immune system
Raw muscle meats provide high-quality and easily digested protein – the building blocks of excellent health and immunity – and are an important part of a dog’s diet. Furthermore, raw meat proteins include a variety of important fats, vitamins, and minerals that, unlike extensively processed meat products, are not depleted throughout the cooking process.
Antioxidants, phytonutrients, and enzymes are abundant in fruits and vegetables, all of which are helpful to our dogs’ health. These help to detox the digestive system and enhance the immune system as well.
5. Superior dental health
In certain cases, poor oral hygiene may be attributed to a bad diet, particularly one that is excessively processed or heavy in carbs. Raw, meaty bones are well-known for being nature’s dental brush for our dogs, assisting with plaque clearance and getting into those hard-to-reach spots between their teeth. A diet rich in healthy natural components like celery and, on rare occasions, peppermint can be utilized to freshen your dog’s breath.
6. Produces smaller stools and reduce body odor
When your pet eats a diet made primarily of highly digestible foods, more of what goes in is digested and used, resulting in less coming out the other end. Our puppies’ digestive systems are intended to extract as many beneficial elements from their food as possible.
Carbohydrates and filler components like soy, potato, maize, and rice take longer to digest and your dog does not absorb them completely. These substances function as fillers, causing your dog’s feces to bulk up, resulting in a greater volume of stool with a strong odor.
Risks of Raw Food
The benefits of a raw food diet are still debated by veterinarians and nutritionists. Several researches published in veterinary publications have revealed the dangers of feeding raw food to your dog 3.
- Consuming a complete bone might result in choking, tooth breakage, and internal damage, according to hillspet.com
- Inadequate vitamins and nutrients to meet the dog’s demand.
- Vitamin-A toxicity may occur if there is too much vitamin-A present in the raw food
- Toxicity can be caused by bacteria and toxins found in uncooked food
So, now that you know all of the advantages and disadvantages, it’s up to you to pick the finest diet for your dog. Before creating a diet for your dog, speak with your veterinarian. This will save you time while also extending the life of your dog.
Recommended Raw Food Diet For Dogs
Given all the aforementioned characteristics, it’s reasonable to assume that dog diets are closely connected to the food of their progenitor wolf. This instructs us on how to properly feed our pets.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Timber Wolf eats 55 percent white-tailed deer, 16 percent beavers, 10 percent snowshoe hares, 19 percent rodents, and other small animals. According to the University of Michigan, the wild dog’s major dietary source is tiny prey animals.
During their difficult season, they may become opportunistic and consume eggs, fish, fruits, seeds, and grasses as a substitute for meat. However, this does not imply that they will be able to live for an extended period of time on these supplement meals.
You, as a dog owner, must feed your dog similarly. Beef, buffalo meat, and bones, chicken, turkey meat, lamb meat, offal, venison, and other meat sources are all available.
A dog’s optimum diet should consist of 75-80 percent meat, bone, offal, and tripe, with the remaining 20-25 percent coming from vegetables, fruits, and other sources.
How To Make Transition Of Your Dog From Dry Food To Raw
When feeding raw food to their pets, owners must exercise caution. Raw food should be handled, prepared, and sanitized with extreme caution. Before feeding raw meals, it is necessary to eliminate dangerous microorganisms. This lowers the chances of your pets being unwell.
By adding high-quality canned dog food to their dog’s diet, any owner may simply transition their dog’s diet from dry to raw. To eliminate the dry food as fast as possible, the owners must mix tiny amounts of raw into the canned food on a daily basis.
Depending on the dog’s response, this changeover might take anywhere from 3 to 2 weeks. During this time of adjustment, keep a close eye on your dog. Stop feeding your dog and take him to the clinic if you see any anomalies or indications of sickness.
We’d also like to point out that raw diets are only suitable for dogs aged 12 weeks and up.
Day 1: Start the adjustment phase for clean digestion by feeding 75 percent of your existing (old) diet and 25 percent raw food in each dish.
Day 2: Switch to feeding 60 percent of your old diet and 40 percent raw food in each dish.
Day 3: Feed 50 percent of your old food in each dish, combined with 50 percent raw food.
Day 4: Feed 40 percent of your old food in each dish, combined with 60 percent raw food.
Day 5: Feed 25% of your old food in each dish, combined with 75% raw food.
Day 6: Feed 90-100 percent raw food – you should be close to a clean digestive transition stage at this time.
Day 7: Transition completed.
You will notice beneficial improvements in your dog’s appearance, such as reduced body odor, shinier hair, shiny skin, cleaner teeth, and so on, when the transition is complete. Always visit your local veterinarian if you have any questions about your dog’s nutrition and food.
Check out this helpful video below on some more helpful tips about transitioning.
Best Homemade Raw Dog Food Recipe
Below we provided one easy homemade raw dog food recipe for your lovely dog. The ingredients include:
- 10 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 lb Beef heart
- 1 lb Beef liver
- 10 cups of Brown rice
- 10 Eggs
- 2 lbs Fresh vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, spinach, etc.
- 11 grams Krill oil
- 1/3 lb of Hempseed
- 5 mg Manganese
- 1200 IU Vitamin D
- 200 IU Vitamin E
Please follow the below procedures to prepare beef-based dog food for your furry companion. You may also add some various beef bones, such as ribs, shins, or shanks, to give their teeth and bones more strength. Steps are given below:
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Cook and stir the beef, liver, heart in the pan for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it browns and crumbles. Drain and dispose of the grease.
- In a separate pot, combine 10 cups of water and brown rice. Add the meat, liver, hempseed, and bones to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to low heat and cook for 45 minutes, or until the rice is mushy. Add more water for a thick mixture.
- Puree the vegetables such as carrots, spinach, eggs, and rest in a blender, then completely combine the mixture with the pumpkin puree.
- Cook for 5 minutes after pouring this egg-vegetable mixture over the meat mixture.
- Allow 30 minutes for the entire mixture to cool before feeding your dog.
It is necessary to feed 2-4 percent of your pet’s body weight. Please adjust the amount of each recipe to your dog’s weight and activity level. Smaller dogs will need a higher proportion of their body weight, whilst larger dogs would need a lower percentage.
The daily portion should be divided into two halves, one for the morning and one for the evening. For a 50-pound dog, you can easily feed 1/2 to 3/4 cups twice a day. You may also add fruits like apples, blueberries, or peas in place of the vegetables. Here are a few more easy homemade raw dog food recipes.
Myths about raw dog food
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding raw dog food. Among them, our veterinarian experts revealed some of the common myths. These are:
1. Raw food is not healthy and well-balanced
One of the most common misconceptions propagated by many pet food companies is that feeding your dog a raw diet will deprive them of essential nutrients. Yes, feeding your dog steak every day isn’t a balanced diet. To keep your dog fit and healthy, a balanced and comprehensive raw diet should include meat, offal, bone, and important vitamins and minerals.
2. Raw food harbors Salmonella
This is the biggest myth that spreads over the years. Salmonella can be found in any type of food such as commercial or raw if proper measures were not taken strictly. Also, your dog’s stomach is designed to prevent dangerous germs (like salmonella) from infiltrating the body, therefore it should be able to manage the bacteria with ease 4.
Their stomachs are acidic, and they have inherent digestive enzymes that enable them to process and break down germs without becoming unwell. Just take hygiene protocols when preparing and cooking meat for your dog to prevent salmonellosis.
3. Raw food is expensive
This is absolutely wrong. Raw food includes some natural ingredients that didn’t contain any kinds of additives or other substances, just like commercial kibble. And yes, this is very much economic for the pet owners to serve their lovely dogs.
In conclusion, as a responsible dog owner, you can easily choose raw foods for your lovely dog with no hesitation. But make sure that you follow the necessary steps and maintain proper hygiene from preparing to serving. This will save you a lot of money and help your dog in many ways. For any information, contact our veterinarians. Check more information at https://ruff-ruff.com/.
References
- BROZIĆ, D., MIKULEC, Ž., SAMARDŽIJA, M., ĐURIČIĆ, D. & VALPOTIĆ, H. Raw Meat-Based Diet (Barf) in Dogs and Cats Nutrition. Ветеринарски Журнал Републике Српске 19, (2020).
- Schlesinger, D. P. & Joffe, D. J. Raw food diets in companion animals: A critical review. Can. Vet. J. 52, 50–54 (2011).
- Morgan, S. K., Willis, S. & Shepherd, M. L. Survey of owner motivations and veterinary input of owners feeding diets containing raw animal products. PeerJ 2017, 537–539 (2017).
- Davies, R. H., Lawes, J. R. & Wales, A. D. Raw diets for dogs and cats: a review, with particular reference to microbiological hazards. J. Small Anim. Pract. 60, 329–339 (2019).
