After the pet food recalls of a couple of years ago, many pet owners are looking for alternatives to commercial diets. Some people are preparing home-cooked meals for their dogs, while others go all the way to formulating species-appropriate raw diets to ensure the best health possible for their pets.
While the many aspects of raw feeding go beyond the scope of this article, there are five major considerations to look at before even considering the raw food route:
Your Veterinarian
Just like traditional allopathic medical doctors balk at alternative medicine, so do many veterinarians oppose raw feed. Warnings about bacteria in the food are most common (the healthy dog's stomach acids don't allow for bacterial proliferation). The dangers of bones are often cited as well (again, a healthy, raw-fed dog's stomach acids will break down uncooked bones relatively easily. Cooked bones can be deadly). Be sure to educate yourself about these "dangers" before approaching your vet.
It is important to maintain a good working relationship with your vet. Of course, if your pet has any health problems, you need to consult with your vet before starting a new feeding regimen of any type. If your vet just does not like raw diets, you may need to find a holistic vet who will be more understanding about your desire to feed a raw diet. Try http://www.holisticvetlist.com to look for a holistic vet.
Your pet sitter
Be sure to discuss your decision with your pet sitter, if you use one. Some people who have no trouble cleaning up after your pet may turn out to be squeamish about handling raw meat and its juices. Explain your reasons for the switch and make it as easy as possible for your sitter by freezing meal size portions and leaving detailed instructions.
Your boarding kennel
The same goes for boarding kennels, though it may be more difficult to find one that will go all the way in accommodating your preferences. Some just won't be bothered, while others simply don't have the freezer space to store your food. If you board your pets on a regular basis, it is a good idea to keep them used to their current commercial food by feeding them with it at least two or three times a week. Give yourself or your sitter a night off, and prepare your pet for a stay at the kennel at the same time.
Your travel plans
Do you plan on travelling with your pet? While you can easily bring the food on short trips, longer vacations require advance planning. Do you have access to a freezer at your destination? Is there a grocery store that carries quality meats? Will you need to take a food processor with you?
If you're usually buying a commercially prepared raw pet food like Oma's Pride, ask your local distributor to put you in touch with one servicing your destination area. She or he will be happy to help you out during your stay.
Your freezer
Unless you're only feeding a cat or a teacup size dog, the little bit of freezer space above your fridge is not likely to be enough to store raw pet food. So you're looking at an additional investment in a freezer. It should be large enough to store six to eight weeks' worth of your pets' food. Keep in mind that this includes enough variety of food to ensure a balance of nutrients.
The recommended guideline is 3% of body weight per day for a healthy adult animal. "Variety" means several different meat sources (chicken, beef, turkey, rabbit, etc.), including different cuts and bones (ground or whole), and organ meats, and some vegetables for dogs (NOT for cats!). Work with your distributor or join one of the many online raw feeding lists to determine your needs.
Incidentally, many people find that once they have a freezer, they start buying more food for the family as well, so don't be surprised if you "outgrow" your first freezer!
Raw feeding proponents claim that raw diets can provide many health benefits to your pets, including curing or stabilizing various health conditions and providing increased vitality and longevity. As long as you can overcome these initial obstacles, you'll be able to enjoy your best friends for many years to come.
Until next time,
Teia
PS. Note that there are a lot of very highly educated nutritionists that claim that raw food diets cause problems in modern animals because they are different animals than the wild beasts from which they originated. So, do your research before jumping on the raw pet food bandwagon.
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