Pet Me! Magazine™ JULY/AUGUST 2015
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aw food diets seem to be gaining popularity as owners struggle with food recalls, and pets that are picky eaters, have allergies, or require a diet other than kibble. For owners who are searching for the “right” food to give their pet, many consider a raw food diet. However, there also seems to be some potential risks associated with feeding raw meat and bones. According to a NY blog by Anahad O’Connor, makers of raw pet foods say their products allow cats and dogs to eat a more natural diet, similar to the way animals in the wild hunt prey and eat it raw. Cooking pet foods, they claim, kills a wide assortment of vitamins and enzymes. And pet digestive systems, advocates say, did not evolve to handle the corn, grains, flour, and other fillers often added to highly processed pet foods. “What’s more, many people are under the mistaken belief that a raw diet means plopping uncooked chicken breasts in a bowl for their dog or cat,” said Dr. Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary clinical sciences at the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. In reality, cats and dogs in the wild get their nutrients by eating the entire animal. “What people confuse is that ‘carnivore’ really means animal eater, not muscle-meat eater,” said Dr. Buffington. “In nature, they’re eating all the guts and the bones and the rest of the animal, all of which supplies their nutrient needs.” A raw food diet typically consists of: • Muscle meat, often still on the bone • Bones, either whole or ground • Organ meats such as livers and kidneys • Raw eggs • Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and celery • Apples or other fruit • Some dairy, such as yogurt WebMD Pet Health writer, Elizabeth Lee, states that the cost of a raw dog food diet varies with the ingredients used and how it is prepared. For a 30-pound dog, a one-day supply of one variety of a frozen, commercially available raw chicken diet costs about $2.50; others may range up to $5 a day. A super-premium, commercial dry dog food costs about $1. Despite the cost, supporters of feeding raw food cite the potential benefits of the diet, which include: • Shinier coats • Healthier skin • Cleaner teeth • Higher energy levels • Smaller stools When responding to a Facebook post asking raw food feeders why they chose the diet, Gina Nelmar of SCV posted, “I use raw for my boys. It’s amazing! Their allergies are gone. They’re 100 lbs each and nine years old and act like they’re a
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Pet Me! Magazine™
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