Maintaining a raw diet for your pet can be both time consuming and expensive, as well as require safe storage of meats and bones. Holistic veterinarians are an invaluable source of advice regarding raw feeding, taking into account both their individual health needs as well as those of their clients.
Dogs are carnivorous animals, naturally equipped to digest meat. Their sharp teeth allow for efficient ripping and chewing action while their shorter digestive tracts ensure efficient digestion and nutrient absorption.
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Protein
“Biologically Appropriate Raw Food,” or BARF for short, is an approach to pet nutrition that emphasizes raw ingredients. Advocates believe it mimics wild animal diets for greater health and longevity in pets.
Dieters who subscribe to the BARF diet advocate for an eating regimen that incorporates raw meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit and nuts as part of a varied and balanced diet. Furthermore, proponents encourage the consumption of whole cuts of lean meats, organs and raw bones (never cooked) when it comes to feeding your family and maintaining good health.
BARF diets avoid heat processing that reduces the efficacy of proteins and other nutrients, helping reduce incidences of dog dermatitis, itchy skin conditions, ear infections and hot spots while leading to healthy coats and gums requiring fewer professional cleaning sessions. They should be gradually introduced over 7-10 days; most BARF foods offer balanced nutritional levels of meat to fresh fruits and vegetables recommended by your veterinarian or animal nutritional expert.
Vegetables
Add vegetables to a raw diet for vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that will balance gut bacteria. Aim to incorporate at least 25% vegetables into daily eating plans.
Common vegetables include carrots, kale, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes and beets; others such as apples, squash and yams can also be enjoyed as delicious side dishes. All these nutritious treats provide essential potassium, calcium, vitamin C and folate/folic acid content to nourish our bodies and lives.
However, it’s essential that certain vegetables and herbs be avoided as they can be toxic to dogs. Of particular note are onions, rhubarb, avocados and unripe tomatoes which should never be fed without first consulting with your veterinarian first. To prevent choking hazards, cut these veggies into smaller pieces or puree them for best results.
Bones
Bones provide calcium and phosphorus as well as collagen – essential building blocks of tissue health – while providing exercise and mental stimulation as pets chew them for mental stimulation, cleaning their teeth, improving gum health and providing exercise. Bones may even serve to replace some of the meat in raw diets; however, bones shouldn’t become their sole source of meat or protein since all animals don’t require them as sustenance.
Reward bones such as ribs, marrow or chicken backs provide pets with hours of entertainment and chewing pleasure. Recreational bones must be appropriately sized to prevent choking hazards and should always be fed under supervision.
Care should be taken when offering bones to dogs who have not been fed raw diet for some time as this could cause digestive problems such as bloat. When left undigested for too long a bone can splinter and break teeth as well as cause gastrointestinal obstruction which may require surgery and even death, so only offer them once or twice weekly as they adjust.
Water
Inflammation is at the heart of many health conditions for dogs, such as dermatitis, hot spots and allergies. Eliminating grains and carbohydrates from their diet allows their natural anti-inflammatory responses to kick back in, thus helping prevent these problems before they even arise.
The raw BARF diet does not involve heat processing of its ingredients, thereby protecting important proteins like those essential for cell health and growth. Many are drawn to this approach because it offers a healthier alternative than commercially prepared pet kibble or canned foods.
BARF diets consist of raw meats such as beef, kangaroo and chicken (and even organs such as livers and kidneys), fats and fresh offal such as liver treats or lamb hearts as well as fresh offal such as liver treats and lamb heart. Vegetables and fruits should also be provided along with high quality pet-safe supplements containing vitamins and minerals to prevent deficiencies. It is wise to consult a holistic veterinarian regarding creating the ideal raw diet plan for your dog’s individual needs.
