The Raw Diet - An Introduction

     The Raw Diet, formerly known as the "BARF" (bones and raw food) diet, has become increasingly popular with owners wishing to feed their pets as naturally and healthfully as possible. It can be as easy as stopping by your local pet store and purchasing ready-made bagged foods, or for do-it-yourselfers, locating a supplier and placing an order. The raw diet, once derided as a fad, has developed a dedicated following as well as more than a few dissidents. Those faithful have merely to point out the glowing health of their pets to show evidence that it works; however, the naysayers are correct in pointing out that raw feeding is not without risks.

     Raw feeding was developed and has grown in popularity as an alternative to feeding pets highly processed and preserved foods that became popular after World War II. These foods became popular due to ease of use and low price- but dogs have been companion animals for far longer than “dog food” has been in existence. Before the widespread use of commercial food, dogs and cats were fed scraps and leftovers, or scavenged their own food. Today, the pet food industry is a big business- and the search continues to find ever cheaper ingredients to put into the food while still meeting the AAFCO’s (American Association of Feed Control Officials) nutrient requirements. After many exposés regarding the real ingredients in pet foods (like 4D meats- dead, dying, diseased, or down) the public is becoming more aware of the ingredients in the foods they offer their pets.

     Raw feeding is not a casual endeavor. Before taking on such a project, be sure to read a few books, like Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats by Kymythy Schultze, Raw Dog Food by Carina McDonald, and Raw Meaty Bones by Tom Lonsdale. Make sure that you have a working understanding of the principles of raw feeding, and visit some of the websites and email lists at the end of this article to further your knowledge. Raw feeding is meant to have "balance over time" which means that every individual meal does not have to be perfectly balanced in nutrients- our own diets are based on the same idea. After all, a couple of slices of pizza and a soft drink don’t exactly cover all the sections of the food pyramid. Another important concept is variety- it is a mistake to think you can feed chicken backs for weeks on end and receive the same results as a diet containing sufficient variety. A raw diet should include as many different types of meat as you can find or afford, including red meat; organ meat is also a necessity. The main thing to understand, however, is why to feed raw- a question with as many answers as there are dogs on raw. You will have your own reasons, but mine are as follows. I feed raw because dogs are carnivores. Cats are obligate carnivores. Both species are built to eat meat and bone. Although they can utilize the carbohydrates that come in kibble for energy, it’s not ideal and it’s not what they were meant to eat. I feed raw because my pets love it, and because I have seen the benefits first-hand.

     Essentially, raw feeding consists of feeding your pet raw meat and bone. There are many ways to accomplish this, and you can add or not add a number of other elements- vegetables, fruits, grains, supplements, etc. Many raw feeders use the "prey model" which is trying to feed whole carcasses or as closely to a whole prey animal as possible in terms of meat, bone, and organ content. Some prefer to grind the bones up before feeding, while others enjoy handing out large slabs of meaty bones for their pets to work on. Although there is no one “correct” way to raw feed, methods may vary from person to person and opinions will certainly differ among raw feeders as to which way is the "best way."

     The benefits I have seen and that raw feeders may expect on this diet vary widely. The first change I noticed was that one of my dogs, notoriously picky when it came to kibble, ate everything in his bowl with gusto, and has continued to do so. My other pets seem to genuinely enjoy their food. Subsequent changes noted were a decrease in "doggy odor," a complete eradication of tartar on teeth, better smelling breath, and shiny, clean, odorless coats. Their anal glands no longer need to be expressed due to their hard, compact stools that crumble into dust in the yard; they have more energy, more vitality, and more stamina. All of my dogs became more lean and muscular, and I even saw a reduction in the symptoms of arthritis and allergies that two of my dogs possessed. Now, not all dogs will exhibit all of these changes, but most are very common among raw fed dogs. Feeding fresh, raw food rather than kibble prevents the loss of enzymes and anti-oxidants that comes with the cooking and extrusion of commercial foods.

     Many veterinarians and scientists have spoken out against the raw diet. In my opinion, at least some of their dissention must lie in a loss of revenue from people being steered away from the purchase of commercial food, many varieties of which are sold by vets, and also in the fact that veterinarians are only taught about commercial food (namely Hills) in vet school. In fact, Hill’s provides free kibble to vet students and sponsors many nutrition classes and laboratories. In my opinion, vet students see the use of these kibbles as the norm from early on and so continue to recommend and sell them in their practices because "that’s what they were taught." That said, there are risks to the raw diet- but there are risks in feeding kibble as well.

     The most commonly mentioned risks of raw feeding are choking, impaction, and perforation in the digestive system. Realistically, any or all of these things can and have happened. However, the risks can be minimized. If feeding whole bones, feed a size appropriate to your animal. Go bigger, rather than smaller, if you are unsure. For instance, it’s a lot easier to imagine a Boston terrier choking on a chicken neck than a whole chicken frame. Even the smallest dogs (and cats as well) can handle a chicken back or frame, and, when feeding even closer to the prey model, these issues are almost non-existent. These incidents are much more prevalent when an animal is fed cooked bones, which are very harmful to a dog’s digestive system. Besides, dogs choke on kibble, tennis balls, sticks, socks, and the like every day and certainly more often that a raw fed dog chokes on an appropriately-sized bone. (As a side note, some dogs don’t know how to chew properly and must be helped by their owner holding one end of the bone. Usually the dog gets the hang of it pretty quickly.) If the choking risk is a significant deterrent, you can always grind your dog’s food (or buy pre-made) and still get most of the same benefits as a whole-prey diet. Another risk mentioned by vets is the presence of pathogens like e.coli or salmonella in raw meat. Dogs’ shorter digestive systems are able to handle bacteria much better than humans, and a fresh raw diet is not likely to be laden with bacteria if normal diligence is used in handling. In fact, salmonella and e.coli both have been found in kibble and kibble-fed dogs.

     Other risk possibilities in feeding commercial food are: the introduction of carcinogens and preservatives to your pet’s digestive system; the presence of disease-causing mold; the development of food allergies; and illness-inducing fats and flavor enhancers sprayed on foods to increase palatability. Kibble fed dogs are thought to be at an increased risk of bloat and torsion due to the amount of time it takes for kibble to digest- an estimated 18 hours vs. 6-8 hours or less for raw foods. So, there are risks to feeding kibble or raw- it us up to the individual whether these risks are acceptable or not.

     Raw feeding is a wonderful way to better the health of your pet. Once you get the hang of it, it is neither complicated nor expensive, and most dogs enjoy it immensely. It does require commitment, and research is recommended before undertaking a switch to raw, but the benefits far outweigh the advance preparation and risks. Many of the problems we see in our pets, like skin disease, cancer, diabetes, pancreatitis, etc. can be attributed to poor or improper nutrition and subsequent weakening of the immune system. A natural diet can boost immunity and can return many pets to health. By all means, do the research yourself and read both pro- and anti-raw articles. The decision is yours to make.

Website Links:

Raw food Myths
Various Pet Food Articles
Raw Diet Basics
BARFing Boxers by Bree - A Bones and Raw Food Site
Raw Meaty Bones
Learn How Easy it is to Feed a Raw Diet
Information on Natural Rearing and Alternative, Holistic, Complementary Health Care for Pets
Dog Food and Health Information
Belfield.com - A disturbing look at where your pet may end up in the afterlife
Earthisland.org - More Pet Food information

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