Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellie May  I don't feed or recommend raw. Before starting this kind of diet, please make sure none of the following would be something you'd be concerned about your pup consuming. And if you do have concerns, find out what needs to be done to make sure these things aren't present in the meat that you feed.
E. coli
Salmonella
Campylobacter
Neospora
Trichinella
Toxoplasmosis
Brucellosis
MRSA
Anthracis
Trematoda
Mesocestoides
Taeniasis
Etc.
Of course not all of these are present in certain places and some are only found in particular species. Some are rare. Some can be found in kibble too. Some things can be killed by freezing at certain temps for specific periods while others can't and there is a potential of reactivation when thawed. Companies who make premade raw foods do some testing. What testing do they do? Is this adequate for you and your pup?
Dogs can and do choke on bones, even raw bones. They can tear up intestines leading to emergency surgery, enemas, and potentially death.
Prey model diets are balanced by owners or nutritionists without the credentials to decide what a balanced diet is. Veterinary nutritionists (veterinarians who are members of the ACVN) will usually help balance a prey model diet, but they generally do not support feeding this way. When trying to figure out if a pup's diet is balanced (prey model raw or homecooked), a veterinary nutritionist should be consulted. Unbalanced diets can lead to blood and bone problems (very quickly in puppies).
Before straying from an AAFCO approved kibble or canned food, remember that just because there aren't a ton of reports of alternative diets negatively affecting pets, that doesn't mean they don't exist. They just aren't always talked about online.
And most vets try to redirect their clients to AAFCO approved foods not because they don't know what they're talking about, but because they are about your pets. Next time when a vet says they don't agree with feeding raw or even homecooked, maybe ask them why. Some will have old cases of very serious problems with these diets. I know Ellie's vet does. |
Ellie May -- I thought your post was very well-thought out and presented a fair opinion. You made sure to say that the things on your list are not in all raw and some are in kibble as well. You were very fair -- saying bones can and do cause choking and intestinal damage, even raw. Of course we know it is not always going to happen, but the fact is is is a possibility. To say you need to present documentation is over the top. We all know of incidences where a dog has choked on a bone. Even the sites that are pro-raw diets agree it is a possibility although not nearly as common as with cooked bones.
I am another who has decided to forgo the raw diet. I (like others suggested in your post) am not as knowledgeable about diets to be able to ensure myself I was providing all that my dog would need to balance their diet. I believe many do this well and for them the choice is a good one. I am not against others using a raw diet, but feel it is not for me and mine. All of my dogs are small and one is tiny -- this too increases the danger of bones. I could grind the bones, but this seems to take away a good portion of the potential benefits derived from the raw diet. So for me and my dogs, sticking with a premium kibble seems to be best. I will occasionally remove a large bone before cooking like a T-bone or the round bone in a round roast and let mine chew on it. But before they start crunching and splintering bone, I take it away and throw it out.
But I don't have anything against those who have researched and found raw bones are the best choice for their dogs and would NOT insult them for their decision. Many of them know more about canine dietary needs than I do. I think we all just have to read up and make decisions based on our own minds and heart. I will also admit that part of my decision is just the fear of them choking even though I know it is a rare possibility. There is no reason for any to insult or berate another for the choices they make when they have researched the subject. I think there is plenty to show a raw diet is safe enough that no one needs to feel bad for going that route. I also think there is plenty to show those of us feeding premium kibble are doing right by our dogs needs as well. We are all doing what we think is best and none of it is really bad for our dogs. Now if someone says they only feed table scraps or they only feed toast and jelly or something equally preposterous, then maybe we would have a case for saying it is wrong. But as long as we are all sticking with a premium diet (raw or commercially-prepared) there is no harm/no foul. We should all remain courteous and respectful, regardless of what is being fed.