There’s no denying that Britain is a nation of dog lovers with many people’s beloved pooches often being one of the best fed members of the family. By feeding your dog well, it can often initiate a strong emotional reward as a study by Harringtons found that nearly 21% of dog owners reported feeling good about providing their pets the best nutrition. The study also revealed that 20% of Brit households believe that incorporating a variety of foods in a dog's diet was an important part of pet ownership.
One dog expert, however, has issued strong advice to any dog owners when it comes to feeding their pets raw food, further reiterating some vital tips all owners should be aware of when it comes to their pets eating habits. Dr Nicole Rous elaborated how a raw diet for dogs should be followed with caution and emphasised that, while any dog breed can potentially be on a raw diet, it's important to know the reasons why you should be careful.
As the name suggests, raw food for a dog are meals that are mainly made up of uncooked and minimally processed ingredients and includes bones, raw meat, organs, or fruits and vegetables.
“Some breeds are more sensitive to certain proteins than others,” Rous said.
She added: “For example, commonly Cavoodles I see reactions to chicken and beef, so they might not be the first proteins that I'd choose, or I might not want to choose to be a big part of their diet.
“And then the other thing is just remembering every breed or every dog has a different energy requirement, so some are sedentary and others are really active and sporting dogs, so they might need more or they might need leaner proteins or fattier proteins, but absolutely every dog can be fed raw.”
The claims that raw food for dogs should entail careful planning caused quite the online debate with one user writing on Rous’s declaration that it was “definitely not breed specific” and that “balanced correctly, raw is fantastic for optimal health and longevity.”
Others, however, said careful planning was essential as it could trigger allergies for some breeds adding how “chicken sets German Shephards’s allergies off”.
The Kennel Club reiterated these concerns that raw food is good for your dog and said: “When it comes to how healthy a raw dog food diet is, there’s a lot of debate between veterinarians, pet nutritionists and dog owners.”
The site also listed potential concerns when it comes to a raw food diet for dogs which includes bacterial contamination, nutritional imbalances or choking hazards or broken teeth.
PDSA added: “Raw food, especially meat, contains bacteria, parasites and other pathogens that would normally be killed during the cooking process.
“So, feeding raw food brings extra risks, not just to your pet’s health but also to other people in your household.”
PetMD also added: “Dogs are natural carnivores that can digest raw meat, but that doesn't necessarily mean raw meat is good for them.
“Uncooked meat can harbor harmful bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, which cause foodborne illnesses that can make your dog very sick.”
