Have you tried raw food with your dog? We know many people are wary about trying raw food, but others have found it to be a great diet choice for their canines. What are the pros and cons of raw food in your view? What more would you like to know about raw food for dogs? If you have any thoughts or experiences you'd like to share, please join the discussion and help others decide whether raw food may be right for their dog.

         Here are examples of humans who changed their dog or cat’s diet overnight by eliminating the dry/canned food and starting immediately on raw or a home-prepared combination diet of dehydrated/raw food.  In all cases there was rapid improvement in their friend’s condition, with no complications or digestive disorders.  These are foods that our dogs and cats were designed to ingest, so they actually help re-establish balance!  It’s amazing how quickly even serious or life-threatening issues begin to resolve once the nutritional needs of our friends are being met, and they are eating food that is digestible and actually nourishing to body and soul!  Even chronic, long-term imbalances can begin to resolve within hours or days of making the change.

          Example 1:  Feline, age 8, had been experiencing chronic diarrhea, weight loss and irritability for more than six months.  His health was steadily deteriorating.  Prescription drugs and prescription foods did not resolve the diarrhea.  At my recommendation, the cat was switched overnight to dehydrated and raw meats with digestive enzymes and some immune-strengthening whole food supplements.  The problem resolved in a matter of days, to the surprise of his humans.  Seeing this rapid improvement, canned food was hastily added back into the diet by his humans, and the diarrhea and digestive problems resurfaced immediately.  Switched back to dehydrated and raw, and balance was re-established.  This cat is now eating only raw and dehydrated meat with some greens and herbals, and is much happier, putting on weight, and looking great, with normal bowel movements.

         Example 2:  Small, 6 year old dog with digestive disorders, including chronic diarrhea and, more recently, vomiting blood, for the past 5 years.   Prescription drugs, prescription Hills Science Diet, and changing to other dry foods did not resolve the imbalance and, in fact, made it worse at times.  Within 3 days of changing to a raw food diet (50% Sojos Europa Grain Free, 50% raw stew meat (beef)), the dog began happily digesting her food!  Within two weeks, the formerly permanent discoloration around her nose and mouth disappeared.  Other positive changes were noted in her appearance and energy.

         Example 3:  A rescued Weimeriner who had experienced 18 months of uninterrupted diarrhea, sometimes explosive, and eating disorders (frantically eating her own poop), had her first normal bowel movement the day after her humans switched her, out of desperation, to a raw diet.  No transition – just gave her raw one day because they were out of options (having tried every kind of dry and canned food). After two months on an all-raw diet, she is completely recovered.  Since that time, her bowel movements have remained normal and this dog now has the proverbial iron stomach, eating cooked, some dry and canned food and lots of vegetables and fruits, along with raw meat, with no problems, no diarrhea.  The poop-eating habit greatly reduced,only happening on rare occasions.

I've been feeding raw food for almost 20 years.  Two of my shepherds lived to be 15 and 16 years old, with almost no visits to the vet during their lifetimes.  They were on a raw diet.  I believe this is the food our canine and felines friends were designed to eat!   If you're worried about bacteria, mix a few drops of grapefruit seed extract in water, pour it on the meat, let sit for 10 minutes prior to serving.

A balanced diet of fresh raw food could be the most important factor in your dog’s overall health and longevity.
Unfortunately most vets receive little to no education at university on dog diet other than what the commercial dog food company reps tell them! So now you know why the subject may never have come up at the veterinarian’s office
a long term medical study was conducted by Francis M. Pottenger, Jr., M.D., between 1932 and 1942 that by coincidence showed very convincing evidence in support of the raw pet food diet. Dr. Pottenger noted in great detail that over many generations cats fed a diet of heat processed foods were nutritionally deficient and suffered ailments ranging from irritability, low immunity, skeletal deformation, organ malfunction, poor development, low birth weight, allergies, birth defects, infertility and shortened life spans. In contrast, cats in the study group fed a raw diet showed distinct health improvements after being switched from a previous diet of cooked processed food.
There are exceptions where a raw diet would not necessarily be better, and that would be in the case of some pets with certain gastrointestinal difficulties, and some of our older and weaker pets that may be unable to tolerate a raw food diet. However, these pets would still be better served by a home cooked versus processed food diet.

Under ideal circumstances, our pets would be given an all raw diet consisting of organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free internal organ meat of the thorax or abdomen; when removed from a butchered animal, known collectively as offal and bones. The more raw food that comprises our pets’ diet the better, but some is preferred over none.
There are exceptions where a raw diet would not necessarily be better, and that would be in the case of some pets with certain gastrointestinal difficulties, and some of our older and weaker pets that may be unable to tolerate a raw food diet. However, these pets would still be better served by a home cooked versus processed food diet.

Under ideal circumstances, our pets would be given an all raw diet consisting of organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free internal organ meat of the thorax or abdomen; when removed from a butchered animal, known collectively as offal and bones. The more raw food that comprises our pets’ diet the better, but some is preferred over none.

I am definitely in favor of raw diets and make my own cats' food that way. However you're quite correct that it is not the best diet for ALL pets. Some are unable to handle it based on age, heredity, or background. For instance, raw meat is naturally loaded with bacteria (as it would be in the wild as well), and as you mentioned, dogs with inflammatory conditions of the gut, where natural defenses are not in working order, could risk a serious infection.

One of the problems with Pottenger's study is that nearly all the health problems documented for the cooked-food cats are attributable simply to taurine deficiency. Taurine was not known to be an essential amino acid for cats until the late 1980s. Cooking does not destroy taurine but it makes taurine less available to the cat (the mechanism has to do with differential digestion by gut bacteria). I agree that raw food offers many advantages, but I wouldn't rely on the Pottenger studies as the best scientific rationale.

It is true that vets are undereducated in nutrition. When I went to vet school, we had just one 2-hour lecture on pet nutrition, and it was taught by a guy from Hill's Science Diet. The lecture basically went something like this: "a/d is for anorexia, c/d is for cystitis, h/d is for heart, k/d is for kidneys....any questions?" Ack!!! So nutrition is one area where it is pretty easy for the average guardian to have a lot better grasp of the subject than their vet. If your vet isn't willing to work with you on nutrition, it's time for a second opinion!

"Cold turkey" is one way to switch, and I have done so many times for animals whose condition was too dire to take the time for a gradual switch. However, a sudden switch, especially from kibble-type foods to raw, is a huge shock to the system, and could cause problems, most of which will end up on your carpet! We did a series in our Blog a few months ago on how to switch foods that, when possible, will give your pet an easier transition: http://onlynaturalpetblog.com/2008/04/12/how-to-switch-foods/

The key to success with a homemade diet (and really, homemade cooked is almost as good as raw!) is to start with a good, balanced recipe and not deviate from it in terms of supplements. Variety of meats and, when desired, veggies and/or grains, is important, but those darn supplements need to be there no matter what! Unless you're grinding your own bones, calcium must be provided; and there are many other elements that won't be found in meat, even most organs, that must be supplemented. Omega-3 fatty acids, for instance, are critically important because they are absent in virtually all commercially grown meat (even organic)--brains and eyes are the best source in a prey animal, but those aren't going to be available to most folks. (Personally I use the Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil for my furry family.) Most "cookbooks" and recipes on the internet are *not* balanced with all necessary nutrients, so be sure you do the research and get a balanced recipe; or, use one of the "total" supplement packages that you add to meat to make a complete meal; or (easiest, IMO!) buy a balanced, pre-made frozen or freeze-dried raw meat product. There's nothing better than a good homemade diet--but nothing worse than a bad homemade diet!

I agree that cold turkey may not always be the best way to transition for some animals, but when the food being fed is the cause of the imbalance (which it often is), changing over the course of 2-3 days or even overnight will often bring relief.  Adding digestive enzymes and essential fatty acids will help, too.  My experience is mostly with canines, who are probably more adaptable than cats.  I definitely hear about felines who take longer to transition and are more inclined to reject new food in the form of vomiting and diarrhea, although Anitra Frazier, author of The New Natural Cat, says that "Eighty percent of the cats welcome the new food the moment it is set on the floor-they dive into it."    Also, introducing the new food one "element" at a time is a great idea, starting with the meat.  Anything has to be better than Hills Science Diet!

I also agree that a good home-cooked meal is almost as good as raw.  When I was growing up, our dogs got lots of table scraps with some dry food, and they lived long lives with very few health issues.  The only raw food they got consisted of the rabbits and mice they caught behind the barn!

I do provide a home cooked diet. The grains and meat are cooked, but the veggies and fruit are raw. I am considering a grain free diet for Dixie, who seems to be ithing no matter what. I give turkey or chicken as the protien. E cannot tolerate beef or eggs. Does anyone have suggestions for an alternative protien? I do give fish on occasion.

Venison and rabbit are possibiities; also bison, elk, ostrich or emu are sometimes available at stores like Whole Foods. I don't especially like lamb because it's too fatty. Chicken, beef, fish, eggs and dairy are all common allergens, as are wheat and corn.

You could try one of the pre-made frozen raw foods, and then add a bit of veggies and fruit. Most of those diets are very heavy on protein and could easily tolerate the addition of some "goodies." :) Although if you want to do a true trial, then the simpler the diet, the better. You can add back other items as Dixie's symptoms improve; one at a time of course, that way you know (pretty quickly) which is the culprit!

What if I used the lamb tenderlions? We don't have a Whole Foods in our area(I sure wish we did!), so the meat choices are limited. I CAN get organic buffalo at the grocery store at an outragous price, but I have considered it for myself and the dwogs, as it is supposed to be so healthy. I've also heard of using pork, but that is REALLY fatty.

I tend to use rice, millet, or quinoa as the carb. Should I go grain free? If so, what do I use as the carb? Shouldn't I cook it a little bit?

Ground lamb is about 50% fat (and all lamb is quite expensive around here at least!), but you can look up practically any cut of meat, or any ingredient, for that matter, in the USDA Nutrient Database (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/). That's a wonderful resource.

If you have freezer space, there are lots of sources of "oddball" natural and organic meats online; they ship frozen, and buying large quantities at a time of course saves money. Organic Consumers has a list of sources.

There are lots of starchy vegetables and beans that can be used as carbs; sweet potatoes are quite popular with my cats. But dogs (and cats!) don't actually *need* carbs in the diet...though it certainly does stretch those expensive proteins. Rice is supposed to be the least allergenic grain. All carbs must be cooked in order to be digestible to carnivores. Long-chain sugars are made up to 12 times more digestible, and cooking also neutralizes the anti-amylases found in grains and some other foods.

I have been researching the many benefits of raw and grain free diets for dogs. I read the ONP Staffer's prospective on raw foods. Of the examples listed, it seems everyone is using premixes and frozen preparations. What about raw meaty bones and organ meats from the butcher shop or grocery?  Feeding your dog  chicken backs and wings is different from thawing out a few patties of a previously frozen mix. Yes, the patties are still raw, but, do they provide the same benefits as feeding raw meaty bones? Many of the articles I have read say it's not. At the same time, I am not quite ready to let my dogs munch on chicken wings, but, I am trying other things.

Any thoughts?

Sure, I have a few thoughts for you; in fact I have done a lot of thinking about this particular topic over the last decade or so! :) Here's what I have concluded:

a) Raw meaty bones are not a balanced diet, not even with the addition of organ meats. There are many essential nutrients found in blood, glands, brain, etc. that will be missing.

b) Contrary to popular belief, raw bones can and do splinter, resulting in tooth fractures, impactions, and intestinal perforations. Based on my own experience as a vet as well as input from holistically-minded colleagues, I no longer generally recommend feeding bones.

c) The only real "advantage" raw meaty bones provide over other raw meat-based products are the purported dental benefits. If your dog will eat the patties still partially frozen, they seem to provide similar cleansing ability. Alternatively, you can feed a chicken or turkey neck as "dessert," always on a full tummy; pound the neck with a mallet to crush the vertebrae (yet the dog is still protected from the fragments by the meat and ligaments around the bones), and cut into size-appropriate pieces, to get the same benefit of bones with much less risk--but always supervise to watch for choking or other problems.

d) The best solution, to my mind, is to brush your dog's teeth daily yourself, thus providing the cleaning action as well as being able to spot potential dental problems very early and get them corrected.

I was never sold on the idea of necks and wings and such, and am even less so now. Other than covenience, is there any other advantage to pre-made raw, or can I use things like ground chicken, turkey, beef, fish, along with veggies and the appropriate supplements? My kids get plenty of supps.

Mainly convenience, but also the issue of completeness of the diet. Reputable manufacturers have taken care to meet the nutritional needs of our pets, at least as far as published standards exist. That said, I make my own cats' food (I also feed some canned food), but I have worked with the UC Davis program to make sure I'm doing it right. I had to make some changes based on their input. So you need to have a trustworthy recipe. But where to find such a thing? The vast majority of recipes in pet "cookbooks" and online are not balanced, and their creators have not really made any effort to make them balanced. They make stuff that their and their friends' dogs enjoy, with little regard to stuff like trace minerals, or vitamins that could be lost in cooking veggies, for example (and raw veggies cannot be digested by our carnivore pals, at least not without significant enzyme supplementation). Good taste is important, but you wouldn't let a 2-year old design his own diet, and taste is not a valid basis for a balanced diet for dogs either! ;-) However, if you're willing to do the research, or alternativey to use one of the balanced supplements such as Celestial Pets or Sojos, making your own pet food in bulk is probably more cost-effective...plus you have control over ingredient quality, and  you're adding that ephemeral quality of "love" that does make a difference! (BTW I don't recommend raw ground beef unless it is organic and processed separately from conventional beef, due to the immense contamination problems in commercial beef; and raw fish can be loaded with parasites. I generally stick to poultry and sometimes a bit of bison, elk or venison depending on what I can get.)

As always, there are many differing opinions about raw bones and the raw diet in general.  According to The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care,

"Bones offer calcium, magnesium phosphorus and other minerals in perfect balance; bone marrow is rich in copper and iron. The advantage to food-derived minerals is that they are easy to assimilate and in proportions that living bodies utilize well.  Ian Billlinghurst based his dog diet on bones because they provide a puppy's most complete and balanced supply of minerals, preventing hip dysplasia, growth defects, wobbler syndrome, dropped hocks, spayed feed and bone cysts."  

The aforementioned Ian Billinghurst (a breeder of Great Dones and Rottweilers) goes on to explain that bone and joint problems so common among these large breed dogs literally disappeared "the moment we began to raise our puppies on a bone-based diet."  That said, there are many forms of bones you can safely give your dog, and poultry necks are one of the best.

Personally, I plan on giving my next puppy raw meaty bones on a regular basis right from the git-go, along with all the other foods I would normally serve.  The raw blends such as Bravo, Primal and Nature's Variety include bones and organ meat, so offer a very balanced source of nutrients. I'm all for those blends and my dogs love them.  AND I also think that the exercise of chewing on bones is one that most dogs benefit from - strengthening teeth, muscles and bones while balancing energy.  Especially puppies.  Think about how much they want to chew! 

I give my large Shepherd raw free-range chicken legs and wings because I know he will carefully chew them up.  He is 9 years old and his teeth are in decent shape.  I believe his teeth would be in even better shape had I started him on a regular and consistent ration of bones at an early age.  My little Corgi receives only bones that she could not possibly swallow that have a good amount of meat and gristle for her to chew on (raw chunks of meat also clean teeth)..  

My plan is to continue feeding a wide variety of raw meats, eggs (with shells), vegetables, greens, fruits, herbs, nuts, seeds, sprouts, yogurt and bones along with some of the cooked legumes and grains that my dogs enjoy.  I always include EFA's, digestive enzymes and a green supplement with every meal.  Yes, every dog is different, and this combination works for my dogs as well as all the dogs that have come to visit, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it!