Raw diet effects on health?

[RodRussell]

I think it really depends on the dog and the raw diet. A lot of people I fear feed nutritionally deficient raw diets that are homemade as it isn't as simple as throwing together a bit of this and that. Over time, failing to provide the correct balance for canines will be deleterious to health and this will not be obvious because much of the effect will be on things you cannot see or that take time to develop. ...

I agree absolutely with Karlin's statement here. We feed home-prepared raw, and have for well over a decade, for two reasons: (a) Our vet firmly recommended that we stop feeding kibble and/or canned food, and (b) we can better supplement our own recipes for the particular health issues, especially mitral valve disease, which our dogs have had over that time period.

Our home-prepared recipes are reviewed and approved by our vet, as are our supplements (all of which are commercially prepared). We would not feed our dogs a homemade diet without being sure that some knowledgeable vet has blessed it. To make up a recipe from table scraps or whatever is in the refridgerator or pantry would be idiotic.

Also, I have found that on the whole, board certified veterinary nutritionists are hostile to home-prepared raw diets. They seem to think that if the food does not come in a bag or a can, it cannot be any good. It amazes me how prejudiced so many of them seem to be about home-prepared raw diets. They are openly disdainful of the recipes and the owners who use them.

[RodRussell]

I feed Bella a 'Premium vet recommended kibble' and she scratches quite a bit. I am thinking of taking her off it to see if it is the food. She has a few little bits of flaky skin that looks like dandruff. How long would it take to see a change in scratching if I change the diet?

I think that a "'Premium vet recommended kibble" is an oxymoron. This is what our vet has written about kibble:

"Another reason for overweight pets is what we feed our pet friends. Commercial pet food is anywhere between 45 percent to 65 percent carbohydrates (grains). Grains are the least expensive part of pet food and can fill the animal quickly. Dogs and cats are more carnivores than we humans are, and we are feeding them almost as much grain (or more) than we humans eat. I feel that this high carbohydrate commercial pet food is the worst food we can feed our pet friends. Our pet friends need fresh meats, not dehydrated meat by-products. I also feel vegetables are an excellent source of fiber and moisture as well as sources of natural vitamins and minerals for our pet friends.

"I feel most commercial foods use poor quality proteins, and destroy even those with high temperature cooking."

How long will it take to see a change in scratching? I really don't think anyone could say for sure. But, you do need to switch from the kibble to the raw very gradually.

When we switch a dog from kibble to a raw diet, we start out with a mix of mainly the kibble with some of the "raw diet" nonetheless cooked. We gradually (over about a week) reduce the amount of kibble and increase the amount of cooked food, until we eliminate the kibble. Then, we switch the "raw" food from cooked to slightly cooked to not cooked at all.

When we did this most recently, we started a young bitch off with mostly the kibble she had eaten all of her life, and some cooked home-prepared food. For the first three or four days, she actually picked the kibble out of the dish and ate only that kibble. She finally caught on to the raw food and has never looked back, near as we can tell.

And, once again, we have our vet approve any home-prepared recipes we use, as well as the supplements we add to them.

[Kim N]

I may one day feed home prepared raw but for the time being I have been and will continue to feed pre made raw until I am knowledgeable enough to do it myself.

I'll keep my opinions to myself about professionals being so pro bagged and canned food and just say that for us I feel fresh is better and more healthy. I just want to make sure that we are doing it properly.

[Kim N]

Rod, do you put puppies on the raw diet as well? That is an area in which I would not be comfortable in myself doing without a lot of guidance but at the same time feel horrible having to feed a kibble for that first year. If not what do you feed for the first year?

[RodRussell]

Rod, do you put puppies on the raw diet as well? That is an area in which I would not be comfortable in myself doing without a lot of guidance but at the same time feel horrible having to feed a kibble for that first year. If not what do you feed for the first year?

We start puppies out on raw after we gradually switch from the kibble they had been eating at the breeders. We would never consider feeding kibble for more than the first week or ten days. But, once again, it needs to be a healthful diet with appropriate supplements.

[Kim N]

I am having a very hard time finding a good holistic vet in my area. Does anyone in England know of any in the Peterborough, Wisbech areas?

If I can feed a new puppy raw through the first year I would much prefer that to waiting until after that year.

[RodRussell]

I am having a very hard time finding a good holistic vet in my area. ...

If I could not find a good holistic vet to advise me, I would either feed commercial raw food or follow recipes in a good raw diet book prepared by a good holistic vet.

I forgot to say that we prepared our raw diet recipes from such books, and then had our vet review them and tweak them.

[Kim N]

Thanks Rod, this is what I am mostly feeding at the moment. http://naturesmenu.co.uk/

They make a lot with rice and I don't use those but does this look good to feed in your opinion and would it be sufficient for a puppies first year? At the moment I am not adding any supplements but am looking into that. Can I ask what you would add to this or could you point me in the right direction of a place/book that is a good source?

Right now we are using this one http://naturesmenu.co.uk/products/ca..._Menu_Nuggets/

with this one added in http://naturesmenu.co.uk/products/Bl...rozen_Nuggets/

on top of those she gets non consumable meaty bones, usually beef rib, Ziwi pack for treats raw egg about once a week and sardines about once every two weeks.

[waldor]

I feed Bella a 'Premium vet recommended kibble' and she scratches quite a bit. I am thinking of taking her off it to see if it is the food. She has a few little bits of flaky skin that looks like dandruff. How long would it take to see a change in scratching if I change the diet?

I am not educated nor trained in this at all, but my best guess would be two or three weeks, if not sooner. Our Sophie scratches even if a pre-mixed raw diet includes any type of carbohydrate (potatoes -white & yam/sweet, grains, whatever). There was one that had no carbs, but loaded with berries, seeds, etc. and she scratched from that. (arghhh!)

Sophie came to us with dandruff and dry skin as a pup, and still has it but after adding an Omega supplement, it is much better but not 100% gone. It may be hereditary. I try to rotate her proteins with lamb, which has a higher fat content, and beef, and try to not give all chicken & turkey. I also include a good Omega supplement 1x/day that has:

• Fish Oil (1000 mg)*
• EPA (eicosapentaeonic acid) (180 mg)
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) (120 mg)
• Vitamin E (derived from d-Alpha Tocopherols plus d-Alpha, d-Beta, d-Gamma and d-Delta) (1.1 IU)

[Alana]

Thank you! I will give it a go.