“The dog that trots about finds a bone.”
-- Golda Meir
Have you ever been served food that was so bad you said, “I wouldn't even serve this to my dog!”? It's a funny thought, because, let's face it, so many dogs will eat just about anything. But the truth is, nutrition is just as important for your dog as it is for you. And just like for human diets, there are so many opinions about what the right diet is for your pet. Have you heard about the newest trend for feeding your dog? It's the raw meat diet. If I'm being honest, I have had this on my “write-about-this-in-your-blog” list for a few weeks. I keep researching it, hoping for clarity. I've watched this topic mock me from my computer screen. The truth is, that I have an opinion about it-- I almost ALWAYS do-- but I don't want to start World War Meat. So I'm going to give you both schools on the new raw meat diet, then I'll give you my thoughts on the matter. But decide for yourself.
First, what IS the raw meat diet? Well, it's really what it sounds like. You feed your dog uncooked meat, like their ancestors used to eat in the wild. Some people include some raw vegetables, but it's a grain-free diet. The idea is that since dogs are descended from wolves, they should eat like they do in the wild: raw meat is their natural diet.
Supporters of the raw meat diet point out that for thousands of years, wolves lived on raw meat out in nature. They would argue that a dog's system is made to digest raw meat. Raw meat proponents substantiate their arguments with the following:
Opponents to the raw food diets argue that although dogs have evolved from wolves, they are not wolves who live in the wild. Therefore, evolution and availability of other foods mean that a cooked or prepared food are better for domesticated canine nutrition. Here are just a few reasons they disagree with raw meat menu:
So that's the latest “fad” canine diet-- hey, it's kinda like the human Paleo diet! You know they call Paleo the “caveman” diet, because you eat like your primal ancestors did. Hmmm.....I see a pattern here. Now for my two cents on this raw meat dog menu-- I would fall squarely into the opponents category. Why? I love a medium rare steak as much as the next person, but raw meat and the threat of contamination is enough to send this girl running. Well, walking fast anyway! If you want to give your (very lucky) dog some meat, then at least cook it a little bit. I promise, they aren't food critics, and they'll eat it! And yes, their ancestors killed and ate raw meat to survive (and still do), but dogs haven't had to hunt for their own food for thousands of years. In this dog lover's opinion, the risks of illness and a premature death are simply too high to justify what amounts to an emotional rather than scientific choice of diet. I'm a big believer that when we know better, we do better. Everything is improved over time; just look at the technology of our cell phone versus the rotary dial phone of our childhood. The environment in which wild animals live, along with their diet, make their life spans shorter. So although our dogs are tucked safely in our homes, adding in the second potential danger of raw meat just isn't worth it to me. I DO advocate, though, for feeding your pup a balanced, nutritious dog food or cooked diet. That's where I have bowed down to the superior knowledge of my veterinarian. His opinion there surely trumped mine.
Sources:
https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks#1
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/08/15/grain-free-pet-foods-are-no-healthier-vets-say-focus-on-this-nutrition-issue-instead/?utm_term=.ca55658fd301
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/raw-diets-good-or-bad
-- Golda Meir
Have you ever been served food that was so bad you said, “I wouldn't even serve this to my dog!”? It's a funny thought, because, let's face it, so many dogs will eat just about anything. But the truth is, nutrition is just as important for your dog as it is for you. And just like for human diets, there are so many opinions about what the right diet is for your pet. Have you heard about the newest trend for feeding your dog? It's the raw meat diet. If I'm being honest, I have had this on my “write-about-this-in-your-blog” list for a few weeks. I keep researching it, hoping for clarity. I've watched this topic mock me from my computer screen. The truth is, that I have an opinion about it-- I almost ALWAYS do-- but I don't want to start World War Meat. So I'm going to give you both schools on the new raw meat diet, then I'll give you my thoughts on the matter. But decide for yourself.
First, what IS the raw meat diet? Well, it's really what it sounds like. You feed your dog uncooked meat, like their ancestors used to eat in the wild. Some people include some raw vegetables, but it's a grain-free diet. The idea is that since dogs are descended from wolves, they should eat like they do in the wild: raw meat is their natural diet.
Supporters of the raw meat diet point out that for thousands of years, wolves lived on raw meat out in nature. They would argue that a dog's system is made to digest raw meat. Raw meat proponents substantiate their arguments with the following:
- Raw meat makes for a shinier, healthier coat, better skin and teeth.
- Animals on the raw meat diet have increased energy.
- Dogs have smaller stools when on a raw meat diet (well, that IS appealing!).
Opponents to the raw food diets argue that although dogs have evolved from wolves, they are not wolves who live in the wild. Therefore, evolution and availability of other foods mean that a cooked or prepared food are better for domesticated canine nutrition. Here are just a few reasons they disagree with raw meat menu:
- Raw meat can contain salmonella, listeria, or E. coli, all of which are dangerous to both dogs and humans.
- In the wilderness, animals eat flesh, but they also eat hair, bones, and cartilage, which all provide calcium to the animal. Calcium would be lacking in the raw meat diet.
- Dogs live in houses, not out in nature. They don't have the same energy needs as a wild animal. (Does anyone feel that their dog already has TOO much energy? Yeah. I know some of you do!)
- Animals in the wild don't live as long as domesticated ones, and thus copying their diet may not be the best idea.
So that's the latest “fad” canine diet-- hey, it's kinda like the human Paleo diet! You know they call Paleo the “caveman” diet, because you eat like your primal ancestors did. Hmmm.....I see a pattern here. Now for my two cents on this raw meat dog menu-- I would fall squarely into the opponents category. Why? I love a medium rare steak as much as the next person, but raw meat and the threat of contamination is enough to send this girl running. Well, walking fast anyway! If you want to give your (very lucky) dog some meat, then at least cook it a little bit. I promise, they aren't food critics, and they'll eat it! And yes, their ancestors killed and ate raw meat to survive (and still do), but dogs haven't had to hunt for their own food for thousands of years. In this dog lover's opinion, the risks of illness and a premature death are simply too high to justify what amounts to an emotional rather than scientific choice of diet. I'm a big believer that when we know better, we do better. Everything is improved over time; just look at the technology of our cell phone versus the rotary dial phone of our childhood. The environment in which wild animals live, along with their diet, make their life spans shorter. So although our dogs are tucked safely in our homes, adding in the second potential danger of raw meat just isn't worth it to me. I DO advocate, though, for feeding your pup a balanced, nutritious dog food or cooked diet. That's where I have bowed down to the superior knowledge of my veterinarian. His opinion there surely trumped mine.
Sources:
https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks#1
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/08/15/grain-free-pet-foods-are-no-healthier-vets-say-focus-on-this-nutrition-issue-instead/?utm_term=.ca55658fd301
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/raw-diets-good-or-bad
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