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Originally Posted by Ellie May  Dogs have spleens unless they undergo a spleenectomy. Not sure what is meant about dogs not being able to do well on vegetarian diets. There would be many Yorkies in trouble if that were the case.
AAFCO is not perfect and there are two ways to get a diet approved. One is a nutrient analysis and the other is a feeding trial (done on the life stage that is represented on the bag/can). The latter may be preferred and is a good indicator of how dogs will do on the food.
Here is a study: Cat Fanciers' Association: Role of Diet
that shows what can go wrong. Apparently rabbit isn't deficient in taurine, but the cats couldn't absorb it. And it looks like their vitamin e levels were low. My point being is that there is no clear answer here that this is the best diet...far from it. And this 10% one type of meat and 15% that type of meat...nto sure where that is coming from, but wonder where they came up with it at. |
I don't understand the part in the earlier post (not yours Ellie) that 'most dogs with liver disease do not need low protein diets'. I can see the immediate effect on Lucy when she consumes too much meat protein such as beef. Many people that have liver diseased dogs have kept them ALIVE using low protein and 'liver friendly protein' ie - not meat. Internists that treat and follow dogs with liver disease have protocols they follow - and low protein is often part of that protocol UNLESS your dog is not symptomatic.
So while I have no partiular issue with feeding raw; I don't like raw feeders trying to push protein on my MVD dog. Certain proteins - yes. Any ole kind of meat protein - NO. HE symptoms will then rear their ugly head. And anyone who has experienced these know how frightening it can be. Directly related to the amount and type of protein in the system.