If you are considering giving your pet a raw diet, there are various options available. One popular choice is freeze dried raw dog food.
Frozen food provides superior nutrition without many of the disadvantages associated with raw feeding: storage issues, pathogen concerns and lengthy preparation time.
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Cost
Freeze dried raw food may be more costly than its traditional kibble counterpart, but many pet owners feel it’s worth the additional investment for its health-related advantages and convenient storage needs.
Freeze-dried raw foods are composed of fresh raw meat, organs and bones which have been frozen and vacuum-sealed, to preserve their nutrition. Furthermore, oftentimes these meals come enriched with vitamins and minerals like taurine to ensure maximum nutritional benefit.
Freeze-dried food contains high amounts of protein and can provide essential rehydration for dogs suffering from dehydration or digestive issues. However, it’s essential that it’s rehydrated beforehand in order for pets to find it appetizing and enjoyable.
Convenience
Freeze dried raw food offers a safe and convenient alternative to fresh or frozen raw diets, as no heat is applied during its freeze drying process – this means all essential enzymes, vitamins, and minerals remain intact – something especially helpful for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
As another advantage of freeze dried raw dog food, it is easier to digest than traditional kibble. Thanks to less fat and carbs being present, its digestion in the stomach occurs more efficiently, leading to less gas, bloat and diarrhea symptoms.
Many raw pet foods contain organ meats as an excellent source of nutrition, providing livers, chicken hearts and beef udders as part of the equation. Preparation can be messy; with freeze dried raw dog food you can skip all this hassle while giving your pup all their vital vitamins from these nutritious sources.
One drawback of freeze-dried raw food is its lack of moisture. To rehydrate it, adding water or broth may be helpful; additionally, give your pet plenty of water as a voluntary way of staying hydrated in warmer weather.
Safety
Freeze-dried food does not present the same risks that fresh raw food does. Unlike fresh foods, freeze-dried products don’t need to be handled or stored in such a way as to transmit bacteria (e.g. licking hands or eating drops), while its pasteurized status means it is unlikely to contain dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria.
Vitamin C may become depleted during the freeze-drying process; however, this should not pose too much of a concern as dogs’ digestive tracts are acidic and they produce their own vitamin C production. If extra supplementation is required for your pet’s wellbeing, natural sources like red peppers or berries could provide extra Vitamin C boost.
Although freeze-dried diets may not provide as complete a source of nutrients as kibble, they still offer the essentials that your pet requires and are easy to store and reheat, making it part of their daily meals with ease.
Taste
Freeze-drying preserves more of the nutrients present in raw foods than kibble processing can, making freeze-dried food more digestible for pets who are used to a more traditional kibble diet.
Because freeze dried raw food retains the nutritional density of raw meals, you can be certain your pet is receiving a complete and balanced diet, helping avoid nutritional imbalances which often occur with non-kibble diets.
Freeze-dried raw foods are highly palatable for pets, making them an excellent way to introduce raw feeding without struggle. Furthermore, their freeze-drying process also minimises mess when handling organ meats like liver, chicken hearts or beef udders that provide essential nutrition for dogs. Since freeze-dried food lacks moisture content it is crucial that pets have access to plenty of clean water in order to rehydrate it after being frozen-dried.
