Raw food diets
Periodically we have discussed raw diets for dogs. Lots of opinions have been posted on the internet (often passed off as fact) about the benefits and deficits of raw diets. Opinion, hearsay, observ...
Forum Discussion
Actually, BARF diets are meant to include organ meats.
I do meat raw, veggies pureed and cooked. Meat (and bone) are more bioavailable raw, veggies need breaking down for dogs or cats to get much out of them besides bulk.
There is fiber, and there is fiber. Such a thing as enough (enough bulk in the stool, a full enough dog) and such a thing as too much. When I started BARF I gave whole grains and got huge stools and mucus. Removing grains removed huge stools and mucus. These days I am doing sweet potatoes/white rice or sweet potatoes/oats for a calorie/carb source to reduce the load on the planet of feeding meat and to reduce cost. No huge stools. No mucus. Good regularity. Firm stools. Happy dogs.
Will add taurine.
Flax not best source for efa's for dogs... not species appropriate. Can be added and help some, but fish oil makes more sense.
Poop pickup important and handwashing, regardless of food source. Interesting that "that" may be how dogs deal with salmonella. Makes a certain sense. I always wash dog and cat bowls separately and dry them that way.
Typing around large cat, in case you're wondering. Gotta go, killing elbow.
I do meat raw, veggies pureed and cooked. Meat (and bone) are more bioavailable raw, veggies need breaking down for dogs or cats to get much out of them besides bulk.
There is fiber, and there is fiber. Such a thing as enough (enough bulk in the stool, a full enough dog) and such a thing as too much. When I started BARF I gave whole grains and got huge stools and mucus. Removing grains removed huge stools and mucus. These days I am doing sweet potatoes/white rice or sweet potatoes/oats for a calorie/carb source to reduce the load on the planet of feeding meat and to reduce cost. No huge stools. No mucus. Good regularity. Firm stools. Happy dogs.
Will add taurine.
Flax not best source for efa's for dogs... not species appropriate. Can be added and help some, but fish oil makes more sense.
Poop pickup important and handwashing, regardless of food source. Interesting that "that" may be how dogs deal with salmonella. Makes a certain sense. I always wash dog and cat bowls separately and dry them that way.
Typing around large cat, in case you're wondering. Gotta go, killing elbow.
