Raw food diets for pets are becoming increasingly popular because they are less processed and more nutrient-dense than most commercial pet diets currently available. These diets usually emphasize bones, raw meat, fruits, and vegetables.
While some sing the praises of this dietary regimen, others argue against it as owners could run the risk of harming their pets if they are not closely monitoring their food and how they are reacting to it. Whether you’re looking to fully transition your fur baby to a comprehensively raw diet or want to integrate raw meat into their meals and treats, it’s imperative that pet owners educate themselves on the benefits, risks, and specifications that come with feeding your pet a raw food diet.
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM is available to share her expert advice on the do’s and don’ts of raw food diets and deciding if it would be for your pet.
Raw Food:
- What are the potential benefits of a raw food diet?
- Fewer allergies
- Better digestion
- Improved weight optimization management
- Increased energy levels & vitality
- Increased immune health
- smaller stools
- shinier coats/healthier skin
- cleaner teeth
- Increased mealtime excitement & motivation to finish meals
- What are the potential risks of a raw food diet?
- Threats to human and dog health from bacteria in raw meat and eggs
- Nutritional imbalances that may damage the health of dogs if given for an extended period of time
- Potential for whole bones to choke an animal, break teeth, or cause an internal puncture
- Proper storage, cleanliness, and daily sanitization of food bowls and utensils is a must. Most refrigerated and/or thawed meat should be used or discarded within 72 hours. Any uneaten food in your pet’s food bowl after their meal should be discarded immediately, and the bowl should be washed with hot, soapy water.
- How do I determine a properly balanced diet for my pet?
- Seek advice from animal nutritionists & consult with your vet to learn if a raw food diet is suitable for your pet.
- All meats and most vegetables are deficient in calcium, so it is imperative to provide supplemental calcium in the diet.
- Vitamin supplements added before or during the cooking process may become denatured or inactivated, and should instead be added after food preparation is complete.
- Some vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and collard greens contain high levels of calcium in a bioavailable form, and should only be included in a diet if specifically directed. Although spinach is high in calcium, it does contain high levels of oxalates, which may predispose some animals to develop urinary stones.
- To avoid trace nutrient deficiencies or excesses, it’s recommended to vary the source of each diet component (switch up the proteins, vegetables, and grains for each batch of food)
- What should I know about feeding a home-prepared diet to my pet?
- Cats are obligate carnivores and must consume meat.
- Veterinary nutritionists have determined that cats have no biological requirement for carbohydrates, suggesting that a high-meat and low-grain diet may be ideal for their well-being. It is essential to realize that cats are not just small dogs!
- Dogs are facultative carnivores
- Dogs are well-adapted to a high-meat diet but can also make use of non-meat ingredients. However, dogs are also well adapted to a high-meat diet to a significant extent.
- Cats are obligate carnivores and must consume meat.
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM.
Integrative Veterinarian
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM, is a practicing integrative veterinarian and a nationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of functional medicine. She is the founder and director of the Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center and Pet Clinic and an Emmy-nominated television journalist. Her first two books, Naturally Healthy Dogs and Naturally Healthy Cats, hit the international best-seller lists. She is a regular contributor to several television shows and networks, including FOX & Friends, The Today Show, Discovery’s Animal Planet, and Good Day LA.
Dr. Carol is board-certified in Anti-Aging Medicine and has developed and patented PAAWS: Pet Anti-Aging Wellness System for dogs and cats. Today, she has turned her passion for functional pet medicine, real food, nutrition, and wellness into activism. Dr. Osborne is leading a pet health revolution that challenges us to reimagine our pet’s biology and the process of aging to create and sustain your pet’s health for life.