Raw food

by Pam Brink

Created on: September 09, 2010   Last Updated: May 26, 2012

The debate over which is the best way to feed your pet has been raging since the publication of Dr. Billinghurst’s  book “Give your Dog a Bone.” Prior to his almost shocking statement that feeding dogs raw food was better for their health, serious breeders and pet owners alike believed that commercial foods, especially kibble, was the most “healthy diet” one could feed a dog. After almost four decades of television commercials, the public had grown to believe that a “healthy and balanced diet” for dogs was a grain-based diet. Dr. Billinghurst, an Australian veterinarian, was a lone voice.

Quickly following on the heels of Dr. Billinghurst’s books, came other books by other veterinarians, nutritionists and breeders. Most notable was the equally shocking book by Ann Martin who described some of the ways in which commercial dog food companies obtained their meats. Since there was (at the time of her writing) no monitoring system for commercial dog food, the buying public had to rely on the ethical practices of companies.

Some breeders sat up and took notice. Why not try it? If so many of our health problems today are due to a grain based diet, perhaps feeding dogs the way they had eaten before the advent of commercial dog food companies, some of these problems might go away?

Now breeders and pet owners alike have a choice of feeding either raw or kibble. Some breeders started producing enough raw food to sell to their puppy buyers, then expanded to serve other breeders, then became a commercial source for raw food.

Interestingly enough, some of the diseases that have developed in dogs over the past half century are the same diseases that have plagued N. Americans since the Dietary Guidelines for humans changed to a high carbohydrate, low fat diet:  obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Periodontal disease is far more common in kibble fed dogs than raw fed dogs that gnaw on raw bones. Bloat (gastric torsion, acute gastric dilation) is far more common in kibble fed dogs than raw fed dogs. Raw fed puppies grow more slowly and have stronger bone development than their kibble fed siblings because the calcium in raw bones is more readily available.

The physiology of dogs has not really changed since the time of their wolf ancestors despite the changes in their exterior anatomy. Their digestive systems remain the same as well.

Cooking destroys most of the vitamins and enzymes in the food. Artificial substitutes must be added. Raw food contains all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed for proper digestion.

Feeding your dog kibble day after day would be like you eating breakfast cereal for every meal day after day (without milk). After all, don’t the cereal manufacturers tell you that their cereal fulfills all your needed nutrients for the day?

One major problem with the raw diet is the pet owner who has no clue what it means to feed raw. Some buy a puppy then feed it ground beef from the grocery store, and wonder why their puppy doesn’t have any bones. To feed a raw diet requires some knowledge of nutrition and a willingness to learn more. Feeding raw is more time consuming than feeding kibble and takes planning, particularly when going on a vacation. Some basic knowledge about the role of vitamins and minerals and where they are found is very useful. An understanding of why a dog needs a varied diet so that they are not eating the same thing day after day is also important.

For the average pet owner who just wants to open a can or a box to feed their dog, commercial kibble is the best way to go. For the serious pet owner and breeder, concerned about the health of their puppies and dogs, the raw diet will give better satisfaction. Try it, you just might like it.

References

Dr. Ian Billinghurst. Give your Dog a Bone: The Practical Commonsense Way to Feed Dogs for a Long Healthy Life. 1993
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Ann N. Martin. Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts about Pet Food. 1997.

Kymythy R. Schultze. Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats:  The Ultimate Diet. 1998.

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