Raw feeding is dangerous because…..?
Well this one needs an entire blog of its own!
-“Its unbalanced and doesn’t meet AAFCO standards”
It is simply not true that a dogs every meal must be perfectly and completely “balanced”. Think about how you eat- do you sit down to a meal knowing it has the exact amount of protein, fats, carbs, vitamins & nutrients you need today?
It is simply not true that a dogs every meal must be perfectly and completely “balanced”. Think about how you eat- do you sit down to a meal knowing it has the exact amount of protein, fats, carbs, vitamins & nutrients you need today?
No! We try to eat a range of foods and hopefully achieve some kind of balance over time. The same rules apply to dogs. Our bodies and our dogs bodies are excellent at adapting to what we give them and dogs have evolved as scavengers so could basically survive on almost anything (if they had to).
If you are putting some effort into providing a balanced diet for your dog then you are doing fine and nothing bad will happen to your dog, even if every meal isn’t perfect. If you are particularly concerned about this then include a pre-made raw regularly in your dogs diet to alleviate the anxiety.
Aim to feed as wide a variety of foods as you can in appropriate amounts and your doggo will thrive.
Aim to feed as wide a variety of foods as you can in appropriate amounts and your doggo will thrive.
As far as AAFCO standards go; well, that will be another entire blog in itself.
Read this if you want more info on why the only acronym I associate with AAFCO is BS!
-“Raw meaty bones are dangerous because x, y, z”
There is nothing better for your dogs long term dental health than eating raw meaty bones regularly. Repeat!
There is nothing better for your dogs long term dental health than eating raw meaty bones regularly. Repeat!
There is nothing better for your dogs long term dental health than eating raw meaty bones regularly.
This is a statement I say to pet parents ten times a day. However, keep in mind that raw bones CAN be a choking hazard so it is important to pick the right bone for your dog. More on this here.
It is also very important to note that cooked bones CAN cause internal blockages/injuries so are definitely dangerous to feed.
-"Raw feeding makes dogs aggressive"
This one makes me lol. Your dog is a carnivorous hunter whether you like it or not. Some dogs have a higher prey drive than others. This is decided mostly by breed genetics and NOT by what they eat.
-"Your dog will get salmonella from raw meat"
This one makes me lol. Your dog is a carnivorous hunter whether you like it or not. Some dogs have a higher prey drive than others. This is decided mostly by breed genetics and NOT by what they eat.
-"Your dog will get salmonella from raw meat"
They won’t.
For 2 main reasons:
Their stomachs are highly acidic (about a pH 1) and salmonella usually requires much higher pH conditions to survive (more like 4-8 or higher).
Dogs have a short digestive system that takes about 4-6hrs for food to pass through. Salmonella can require up to 12hrs to incubate.
Does this mean dogs CAN'T get salmonella? No! Anything is possible and it does happen. But it is very unlikely they will get it from raw meat if you are storing and handling it safely.
ALSO!
Lets not forget the multiple times that commercial dry foods have been recalled because of high levels of salmonella.