Any kind of cooking process will damage the nutritional content of food. This is made worse still if the ingredients that went into the food weren’t much good in the first place. Vitamins, proteins, and fats are all damaged during processing, and food can lose as much as 70% of its nutritional value before it gets to your pets bowl.
Feeding raw food gives your pet access to the full nutritional content of food. You need to feed smaller amounts and your pets digestive system has a lot less work to get the goodness out of the food. Raw feeding is new to most people, but it is quite straightforward as long as the balance of ingredients is right. For a range of recipes and information try one of the books about raw feeding. “Give your dog a bone” by Dr. Ian Billinghurst” and “Home prepared dog and cat diets” by Donald R. Strombeck are both excellent.
Is it OK to feed raw meat to dogs and cats ?
Pre-prepared pet food is a relatively modern invention. Forty years ago most pet dogs were fed on cooked scraps, and this is still the case in many countries. Only a little further back in time dogs were fed on raw scraps and cats had to fend for themselves! Dogs and cats evolved to eat and digest raw food and there is plenty of evidence that a raw diet has health benefits.
Of course, not all raw food is safe for cats and dogs. Sharp bones can cause injury to the throat, stomach or intestine. You should always avoid meat that is spoiled by bacteria or is not clean and healthy looking. Cats should never be fed raw fish because enzymes in it can break down nutrients the cat needs. If your pet has a problem with chronic illness or a weakened immune system then you should discuss any change of diet with your vet first.
The choice of raw meat is important; AMP raw foods are made from the best ingredients and are guaranteed to be healthy and safe.
How should I introduce a natural feeding diet as I have been feeding complete processed pet foods ?
Gradually! Sudden changes in diet can cause digestive upsets no matter what new type of food you introduce. It is always best to introduce a little more of the new food mixed in with the animals old diet each day until after two weeks you are feeding only the new food. It is best to consult your vet or one of the books about raw feeding so you get the diet exactly right from day one.
Is it ok to feed my dog minced bones especially in the poultry product and what benefit will my animal get from receiving bone ?
In the wild, cats and dogs eat whole carcasses including the bones. Whole bone contains important minerals such as calcium as well as complex fats and vitamins. The only problem is that some bones, particularly in chicken, are sharp and difficult to chew up properly. Mincing makes the pieces of bone so small that it is easily digested and absorbed with minimal risk of an obstruction.
At what age can I start feeding my dog or cat on a natural diet and how should I introduce this diet at an early age ?
Wild dogs and cats begin to eat raw food as soon as they are weaned. You can begin to feed raw food to any weaned puppy or kitten. Both Donald Stromberg and Ian Billinghurst recommend a raw diet for puppies, and Ian has written a book about the subject called “Raise Your Pups with Bones”.
Raw chicken carries salmonella – will this harm my dog or cat ?
Salmonella is everywhere, not just in raw food. Cats and dogs walk around and lick their feet. They find bits of old food to eat. Salmonella is even found in dried food! Fortunately dogs and cats have an intestine that is designed to kill and break down bacteria in the food they eat, including Salmonella. In fact there is an argument that a dog or cat that eats a diet that contains bacteria will be better able to cope when they do eat something that is really rotten. It is like a form of natural inoculation.
Will my dog get worms from eating raw products ?
Possibly, but the same argument as above applies. Worms are a part of normal life for all species except most humans in developed countries. Cats and dogs fed on anything will get worms. The solution is simple; regular worming prescribed by your vet.
I am told to feed chicken wings but I am not sure why ?
Chicken wings are a good source of fat, protein and minerals. The chewiness of chicken wings helps keep teeth clean without brushing.
What do I need to add to raw meat and how do I make sure my dog is receiving a balanced diet ?
If you feed a variety of meat and a variety of fruit, vegetables and raw bones, your dog and cat will manage very well just as we do.
We do not worry about whether we are getting enough vitamin E do we?
No, we just make sure we eat a good variety including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Any of the books mentioned by Dr. Ian Billinghurst or Donald R. Strombeck will give you recipes for a balanced diet, but if in doubt then you could give a vitamin and mineral supplement.
I am told that a high protein level in a product makes it better for my dog and I am worried that my dog is not receiving enough protein with simply meat and biscuit so I add the meat to a complete biscuit – is this ok ?
No! The proportion of meat in a complete biscuit is designed to give your dog the right amount of protein. If you add extra meat then the diet can become unbalanced. If you want to add raw meat, then feed less of the biscuit and perhaps give a raw food meal at the other end of the day according to the guiding principles for feeding a bones and raw food diet. This is then two balanced meals, rather than just upping the protein levels of one.
How do you know how much protein your dog needs?
How much protein do you need? If in doubt, consult the food manufacturer, your vet or one of the books mentioned above.
The truth behind manufactured dog food
We can’t control quality or ingredients of manufactured food, treats or supplements.
The company’s main aim is profit, i.e. buy cheap and sell dear.
The potential market and promotion budget are huge, the propaganda seductive.
Manufacture can multiply and widely disseminate errors (e.g. the recent melamine scandal in the U.S.A., supposedly killing about 4,000 dogs).
Processing does not improve food.
Processing ‘kills’ some vitamins, requiring the adding of artificial vitamins.
Some dangerous constituents are legal (e.g. colouring, ethoxyquin).
Manufacturers cannot know the balanced diet for every dog, for every day of its life.
Manufacturers often ‘improve’ their products, showing that they are still learning “not on my dog, thanks” and the diets are not perfect.
Many household brands are owned the same multinational giants.
Many have been developed using laboratory animal experiments or vivisection on dogs and other species.
Dogs have no requirement for chemical colouring, chemical anti-oxidants, chemical flavouring etc. In fact, these chemicals can harm.
Dogs need to exercise the chewing/cutting action of their jaws and teeth, to maintain healthy musculature, teeth and gums. Raw bones and chunks of raw meat are the best way to simulate the wild situation.
Dogs are naturally omnivores and scavengers, ingesting meat, bones, ingesta, herbivore dung, carrion, fruit, roots and other plant and herb material.
Like us, dogs can balance their own diet, provided they have sufficient variety, sufficient quality and moderation in any single component.
Feedback from clients who feed home-prepared, fresh food is unanimously positive.
Dogs fed in this way keep their teeth white and healthy, with no expensive veterinary dental work necessary.
A dog’s nutritional requirements are so similar to our own, that we should not fear adopting a natural feeding programme for them.
We advocate fresh meat, preferably organic and either raw or cooked. Pork however is quite a grey area any food from a pig (e.g. ham, bacon, pork, pigs ears). as many Vets will buy there dogs pork treats such as “pork ears”, plus many members of the public have no problem feeding pork as a treat only and not part of there pets regular diet.
However there is a slight risk of your dog being infected with trichinosis by eating pork. Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a worldwide, food borne disease caused by an intestinal roundworm, uncommon in the United States. Both humans and pets who eat raw or undercooked meat of infected animals can develop the disease. Undercooked or raw meat of infected animals contains the roundworm. The disease can lead to muscle soreness and pain together with swelling of the upper eyelids in mild cases but can lead to more severe symptoms.
I do recommend fresh vegetables, well cooked or steamed or liquidated raw. Broccoli (if the daily intake exceeds more than 10% of the animals diet – problems can occur) organic carrots, cabbage, outside leaves, root vegtables, sweet potato, seawed (kelp etc.) and culinary herbs are all good.
I do not recommend a lot of grain starch (e.g. wheat, oats, rice, bread or pasta).
A healthy diet is the platform on which we build health. The safest way to provide this is home-prepared, from ingredients you have sourced yourself. There are now products that chase this market too, but dangers accompany most of them. If you embark on a holistic treatment (e.g. herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture), you will almost certainly be advised to go down a natural feeding route. Even if not, experience suggests that a natural diet will benefit your dog.
Toxic Foods
Chocolate
Best to remember – dark chocolate, especially baker’s chocolate, is the worst when it comes to this type of “poisoning”. Chocolate contains a substance called Theobromine (similar to caffeine), which in toxic doses can cause heart attacks. As little as 2 oz baker’s chocolate can be fatal for a small dog. If you suspect your dog has gotten into chocolate call your vet immediately.
Grapes & Raisins
Surprisingly, this is a toxic fruit for dogs. They contain an unknown toxin, which can cause acute renal (kidney) failure. As little as a handful at a time can be deadly.
Onions
A substance in onions, disulfide, is harmless to humans but toxic to not only dogs but cats, horses, sheep and cattle. It causes hemolytic anemia, and as little as 2 slices a week can damage red blood cells, impairing their ability to carry oxygen.
NOTE: Garlic and onion are in the same family, while small amounts of garlic will not harm your dog, too much is not good.
Liver
In small amounts liver is very good for your dog (less than 3 servings a week). Large amounts cause vitamin A toxicity (hypervitaminosis A). This can lead to bone problems, weight loss and anorexia. Also, never feed liver if your dog is taking vitamin A supplements, and always cook it before feeding.
Bones
Sterilized bones that are purchased aren’t the problem. Raw meaty bones and chicken bones are prone to splinter and lodge in the throat, or worse, the intestines, in which case they can perforate the lining causing internal bleeding and possibly death. This doesn’t mean “no bones” – ask the butcher for soup bones, bring water to a full boil then cook the bones for approximately 20 minutes (depending on size).
NOTE: The first time I did this I removed much, not all, of the fat and meat from the outside of the bone. My dog’s stomachs weren’t used to such a treat and I didn’t want to cause diarrhea. However, I did save the scraps and fed them on their food at a later date.
Raw Eggs
Cooked eggs are a very healthy treat for dogs, raw egg whites contain a protein called Avidin. This protein depletes your dog of B vitamins, specifically Biotin, which is essential to growth and coat condition. Also, raw eggs may contain bacteria, such as Salmonella.
Milk & Milk Products
FYI, 50% of dogs are lactose intolerant (just like people!) – they don’t produce the enzyme Lactase, therefore they are unable to break down Lactose (milk sugar). This can cause gas, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.
Nuts
Walnuts can cause gastroenteritis and are considered poisonous to dogs. Macadamia nuts contain an unknown compound, which can cause muscle tremors, weakness and paralysis of the hindquarters – luckily these symptoms last a short time. In general, nuts are high in phosphorus and may contribute to the formation of bladder stones.
NOTE: Peanuts are a legume, “from the earth”, not grown on trees. They are not harmful when used in small amounts.
Potatoes
Cooked and mashed potatoes are good for dogs. However, poisonous alkaloids (Solanum) are present in green sprouts and green potato skins. ie “NOT RIPE”.
NOTE: Poisonings occur in people as well as dogs!
Tomatoe Plants
Stems and leaves contain oxalates, which can cause bladder stones.
NOTE: The fruit itself is not the culprit, however high amounts of vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal distress.
Rhubarb
This plant (especially the leaves) also contains oxalates.
Turkey Skins
Known to cause acute Pancreatitis in dogs.
Pips
Found in the seeds of apples, pears, plums, peaches and apricots – ALL CONTAIN ARSENIC!
Nutmeg
Is a hallucinogen in dogs.
Baby Foods
I’ve known some Vets commonly gave chicken baby food to dogs and cats that wouldn’t eat. Just be careful that the baby food you are feeding doesn’t contain onion powder, some do.
Mushrooms
In all honesty, any wild growing mushroom scares me, and if my dogs are anywhere near some, I go the other way – you just don’t know. Store bought mushrooms are fine, but do you really want you’re dog to develop a taste for them?
Broccoli
There has been a bit of confusion where broccoli is concerned. Broccoli is very good for dogs, however, if the daily intake exceeds more than 10% of the animals diet – problems can occur. The toxic substance is isothiocyanate and can cause gastrointestinal irritation.
More information at:
http://www.naturalfeeding.co.uk/
and at:
http://www.alternativevet.org/
**If in doubt consult your Vet**
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