Raw food trend has pros and cons, says Carlisle pet food shop owner

Feeding raw foods to dogs and cats is controversial but has become an increasingly popular option for pet owners.

Proponents of feeding a raw diet will argue that animals benefit from a diet based on what their ancestors ate before they became domesticated and that grain-based commercial foods can be harmful as they’re not a natural part of their diet.

Although not all grain-free foods are created equal, ingredients like corn, wheat, and soy are known allergens, and added fillers can lead to obesity, diabetes, and skin problems in pets, while improved digestion, a silkier coat, a better skin condition, increased energy levels, improved stools, and cleaner teeth are among the benefits of feeding your pet a raw diet.

However, feeding raw has some drawbacks.

There’s the potential for nutrient imbalances and vitamin deficiencies; bones could become a choking hazard or cause an internal puncture; and raw meat can contain bacteria and parasites that might lead to infections.

“Raw food is not necessarily for everybody in the same way that not every human should be on a vegan diet and not every human should be on a carnivore diet; it’s by the animal. For a much older dog, having a high organ meat diet can be a bit hard on the digestive system.” says Dave Roberts, who, along with his wife Sarah, owns and operates Carlisle Pet Foods on Centre Road.

“The one thing I’ve found with the food is the less processed, the better,” he added. “Nothing’s really less processed than the raw foods. There’s no filler in raw dog food. You might get things like vegetables added, but that’s about as much as would be added outside the raw organ meats and bones.”

Roberts says that one of the first things people have noticed when switching their dogs from kibble to raw food is that there’s much less cleaning up, as the animal proces less waste. It means the animal is using much more of the food.

Although raw food for dogs is probably more common, cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need to get their protein from animal sources because, unlike other animals, they’re unable to regulate protein breakdown and can only tolerate carbohydrates in small amounts.

“I’m kind of shocked it’s not nearly as popular as feeding dogs the raw,” said Roberts. “The benefits are equal, if not more so, than feeding your dog a raw diet. Dogs are omnivores. Cats really do need that incredibly high meat content. With the raw food, you also get the organ meats, which aren’t necessarily present in a lot of the kibble or wet foods.” 

At one time, feeding your pet a raw diet meant preparing it yourself, which could also expose you and your family to dangerous pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli that can cause serious illness since they can remain on kitchen surfaces and utensils if not cleaned thoroughly.

Today, there is a wide variety of commercial raw foods available that eliminate this problem. Commercial raw pet foods typically contain meats, organ meats, bones, and assorted vegetables, and come in a hamburger patty-like format that can be defrosted from the freezer and fed directly to your dog or cat. There’s also freeze-dried or air-dried raw foods that are very popular because they’re shelf stable.

“Commercially produced raws are going through a lot of scrutiny,” says Dave. “They’re much more balanced in terms of one patty to the next is going to have the same amount of nutrition, whereas if you’re doing it yourself it’s very difficult to have that exact science down.”