yourpetsjustgothealthier

Why Mess With Perfection?

Less than a hundred years ago someone got the idea of making our companion animal’s food more convenient for us.  Before that dogs hunted and scavenged for carcasses and cats ate their way through the supply of barn and field mice, but over time houses got closer together and laws changed.  No longer did you open your back door to let your pet forage for its dinner.  This helped fuel a demand for pet food that was convenient, clean and ready to be served to hungry pets begging across the country.  Soon after product marketing got involved we all believed that the dry kibble formulated by a lab was the ONLY thing healthy for our pets to eat.  Over the years dog and cat food has transformed  into something close to livestock feed, full of grain small traces of meat, which leaves one wondering…Why did we mess with perfection? 

Although there has always been those that saw the benefit of feeding a biologically appropriate diet (carnivore in this case), commercial raw food is a relatively new concept for your typical pet owner.  After years of hearing to ONLY feed kibble, raw is a concept that most want to embrace but need a little nudging before they feel comfortable returning their pet to a satisfying biologically appropriate diet of meat and bones.

Why Raw?

Cooking destroys some of the most important nutrients in food, including changing the nutritional balance of vitamins and minerals.  Heat also destroys important digestive enzymes and probiotics (beneficial bacteria).  Pet food companies are forced to add these nutrients back in artificially, usually with a synthetic mix imported from a foreign country.   On a long term kibble diet some of the needed digestive enzymes will come from their pancreas, unfortunately this creates a huge burden on the organ.  If they are fed processed diets for long periods of time it can deplete the pancreas, creating a domino effect of illness in the body. If the diet is easier to digest, their body can better attend to other health issues such as allergies, joint problems, and immune dysfunction.  

Another large problem with commercial kibble is the extreme lack of moisture.   This moisture deficiency will cause many ailments of the kidneys and bladder.  A large percentage of kidney problems could be avoided if our pets were provided a food with 60-70% moisture.  Dry kibble is usually around 10%. 

Grains are another ingredient that is not always the best for our carnivore companions.  It takes extra effort to get the nutrients they need out of grains.   This puts extra strain of the entire digestive system.  All the extra energy used can use the immune system to overload and manifest into skin, coat and digestive allergies.  One of the main causes of chronic ear infections can be eliminated by switching to a grain free diet. 

 

Is It Safe?

Yes, with a healthy pet feeding a raw diet is extremely safe.  With a short and highly acidic digestive track the usual worries of e coli and salmonella do not apply.  Yes, we can get very sick as humans eating such microbes but that is because it is not biologically appropriate for us to consume raw meat.  Dogs and cats are obligate carnivores with teeth for tearing flesh and a digestive track for dealing with meat teeming with bacteria that would sicken us.

 

What Should I feed?

When starting your pet on a raw diet I always suggest going with a pre-made diet.  That way you don’t have to worry about not providing the correct ratio of nutrients.  Unlike kibble that has a relatively long shelf life you want your raw to be as fresh as possible.  I recommend SMALL BATCH brand frozen raw for this reason.  It is made to order for us and comes in convenient pre-weighed patties.  SMALL BATCH has 6 varieties of protein sources to choose and rotate from.   PRIMAL PET FOODS is another fantastic brand with lots of options for feeding raw including bones. Rotating the protein/vegetable blend is the best way to ensure complete nutrition.   Once you are comfortable with raw feeding you can try other forms such as Bravo pet foods.  With these simpler diets you will need to supplement the appropriate vitamins and minerals and fatty acids to maintain a complete diet.

How Much?

On average your adult dogs & cats will consume 2-3% of their ideal weight of raw food each day.   You can choose to feed one meal or two per day based on your pets need.  Growing puppies & kittens may eat as much as 10% of their weight.  You can adjust this amount for your dog’s needs, the goal being a lean, healthy dog or cat.

10 lbs = 0.2 to 0.3 lbs (about 1/4 pound)

20 lbs = 0.4 to 0.6 lbs (about 1/2 pound)

40 lbs = 0.8 to 1.2 lbs (about 3/4 to 1-1/4 pound)

70 lbs =1.4 to 2.1 lbs (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)

How do I feed it?

Let’s talk transitioning first…some pets do great switching right to a new food.   For those pets you can dive right in and start them eating raw for their next meal.  Most dogs will need a little transitioning.  The easiest way is a gradual transition with the addition of small amount of plain packed pumpkin and probiotics.   I suggest replacing ½ of your pet’s meal with raw food, pumpkin and probiotics.    For the next few days add more raw and take away some kibble.  For specifics to your feeding schedule please ask one of our knowledgable staff members to help you. 

Just determine how much your pet needs to consume for the next day and defrost in your refrigerator overnight.  The pre-weighed patties make this easy.  Each patty weighs 8oz.  Only defrost what you will use in 2 days.  Never microwave to defrost as it will slightly heat it enough to destroy some vital nutrients.  Give your pet 10-20 minutes to consume the meal before putting remainder back into refrigerator.  If your pet does not like cold food you can always warm it by adding a bit of warm water. 

 

What Else Should I feed?

Bones!  Raw meaty bones are the super food for our companion pets.  Not only do they nourish they also entertain and keep your pets teeth healthy.  Show me a pet given raw bones on a regular basis and I will show you one whose vet asks what you do to keep their teeth so clean! If your pet has never had raw bones before you should always supervise the first few times.  Always choose an appropriate size bone for your pet.  Bigger is always better.  That way they can scrape and knaw without the risk of cracking or swallowing the bone.  When it becomes small enough to swallow discard the bone.  Cats do well with chicken necks.  You can cut into them pieces or give whole.

Not Ready For Raw But Want Something Better Than Kibble?

Lucky for your pet there are many fantastic new foods on the market that have many of the benefits of feeding a raw diet.  Stella & Chewy’s Free Dried Pet Diets are one of my favorite products for adding in all the good stuff of raw without the mess or inconvenience that some people find with raw.  Grain free with the same ingredients as most prepared raw diets, Stella’s is freeze dried to retain all the intact nutrients and beneficial elements you want from a raw diet.  You can also rehydrate or crumble on your pet’s favorite kibble to give them the added benefits of raw food.  Grandma Lucy’s also has a wonderful freeze dried product that you just add warm water to. 

*This information is from my own education and experience of selling and feeding a raw diet for over 18 years.  I am not a veterinarian but have based my entire adult life educating myself on natural nutrition for our companion animals.  I have fostered over 250 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens with great results feeding a raw diet.  I do not recommend a raw diet if you have a pet on immune suppressing drugs due to cancer or other illness.

Thank you…

Shawna Patton – Owner Petropolis and Vice President One Dog at a Time Dog Rescue