Special Dog Diets
Raw Dog Food Diets
The following is an excerpt from Petfinder.com's The Adopted Dog Bible
Proponents of the raw food movement contend that feeding dogs only uncooked foods is the closest we can get to the diet of dogs in the wild. Wolves eat their meat raw and ingest plants, berries, and other non-meat foods from the intestines of their prey.
As repulsive as this may sound to you, raw diets are perceived as more natural than processed foods and, some feel, are quite healthy for dogs. In fact, many holistic veterinarians recommend them.
As with home-cooked diets, feeding your dog only raw food requires a strong commitment from you, and it's important to do some research and consult a holistic veterinarian or naturopath before embarking on this type of meal plan for your dog. You must exercise caution if you're going to feed your dog raw meat, which often contains harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella, as well as some parasites. These bacteria can cause illness and even death.
For your dog's safety, when feeding a raw diet:
- Use only fresh meat and keep it refrigerated or frozen prior to feeding
- Never leave meat at room temperature, as bacteria can proliferate quickly
- Avoid feeding raw pork or fish, which frequently contain parasites
- Always wash your hands with soap and hot water after handling raw meat
- Clean cutting boards, dishes, and utensils thoroughly after use to reduce the risk of spreading food- borne illnesses
You can also rinse the meat with food-grade hydrogen peroxide -- a teaspoon of peroxide diluted into a quart of water -- or lightly steam or boil the meat (for about five minutes), keeping the pan covered to help keep nutrients intact. While some believe that cooking the meat destroys healthy enzymes that help the body to detoxify, cleanse, repair, and rebuild itself, it will also kill the harmful bacteria and parasites.
Finally, commercial raw food diets are readily available at pet specialty stores, making it a more realistic option for the average pet parent.
By way of example, I have found that Mojo flourishes on a diet that includes Nature's Variety raw frozen foods. It is available in convenient patties or medallions in a variety of flavor formulas, and our veterinarian was relieved to learn that it meets AAFCO standards. The packaging also boldly suggests safe handling guidelines, much like those outlined above.
While feeding raw meat is controversial, almost everyone agrees that
feeding a dog fresh fruits and vegetables (preferably organic) is a good idea.
Foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, legumes, green beans, and apples are
excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, and dogs love the way they taste.
Large, raw (uncooked) bones are generally considered safe, and they also
help keep your dog's teeth healthy by removing plaque and tartar.
The raw food movement is gaining popularity today. Below are brief
descriptions of a few of the main types of raw food diets.
Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet (BARF)
The BARF-Biologically Appropriate Raw Food-diet, also known as
the Bones and Raw Food diet, was developed by Ian Billinghurst, DVM.
Billinghurst believes that every living animal requires a biologically appropriate diet and that cooked foods do not allow them to thrive.
The BARF diet mimics the evolutionary diet of dogs. It consists of
finely-ground bones mixed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Some people
find that feeding this diet to their dog helps clear up skin problems and
minimizes the need for dental visits. Opponents of the BARF diet believe
that dogs (and cats) are at risk of infection by the many bacteria in raw meat, such as salmonella, Campylobactor, E.coli, and Listeria, and that this diet (and all raw food diets) does not allow dogs to get full, balanced nutrition.
To learn more about Dr. Ian Billinghurst and the BARF diet, visit
barfworld.com and drianbillinghurst.com.
The Volhard Diet
The Volhard Diet, developed by Wendy Volhard, has strict requirements
for mealtimes: the morning meal is made up of molasses, grains, yogurt, egg,
oil, and vitamins. For dinner, dogs are fed raw muscle meat, liver, fresh
greens, and herbs. Other supplementary ingredients include kelp, cod liver
oil, vitamin C and fruit.
For more information, visit volhard.com.
The Whole Prey Diet
The Whole Prey Diet is about as close as you can get to feeding your dog
a "natural" diet. It is a model that simulates the portions of an actual prey
animal. As the name implies, with this diet, a dog eats an entire animal, like a chicken, fish, or rabbit.
If that's not practical, he can eat various parts of the animal, such as chunks of raw meat, organs, skin, fat, and edible bone. As a general rule, a dog eats 10 percent edible bone, 10 percent organs, and 80 percent meat, skin, and fat.
The Ultimate Raw Food Plan
Similar to the Volhard Diet, the Ultimate Raw Food Plan consists mostly
of feeding your dog muscle meat, organs, raw eggs, bones, and vegetables,
and supplementing these with kelp and alfalfa.
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