Lately, though I have noticed Bello has a very sensitive tummy even though he is on a grain free diet. I have heard a lot of information about the benefits of feeding a raw diet, so of course let the research begin!
While controversial; there are many benefits to feeding a raw diet of raw meat, bones, fruits and veggies according to petmd.com.
- Shinier, healthy coats
- Healthier skin
- Cleaner teeth
- High energy levels
- Smaller stools meaning more nutrients digested and less waste
However, any research I do would not be fair and impartial if I did not also find out what the risks of a raw diet were.
- Threats to human and dog of bacteria if not prepared/stored correctly
- unbalanced diet
- whole bones risk choking, internal punctures, or breaking teeth
With the growing number of recalls on melamine contaminated retail manufactured dog food and other issues related to manufactured dog food though the benefits in my mind currently far out weigh the risks.
A raw food diet consist of
- muscle meat often still on the bone
- whole or ground bones
- organ meats such as livers and kidneys
- raw eggs (which Bello already eats in cooked form)
- Veggies like broccoli, spinach, celery (all of which Bello already eats)
- Apples and other various dog friendly fruits (all of which Bello already eats)
- some dairy such as yogurt (which Bello already eats)
The raw food diet can be purchased through companies who specialize in raw foods or it can be purchased and home made. The cost is looking to run me about $200 per month but if I add up the grain free kibble I already buy with the eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, veggies, I already buy it runs about the same each month.
It seems most of the concerns with a raw food diet is not getting the nutrients ratios right and proper handling and prep. For now I guess I will be researching more on the nutrients rations to make sure this is something I can handle before taking the plunge.
What are your thoughts or experiences with the raw food diet?
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