It's my opinion that even a floundering, new raw feeder is providing food that is immeasurably better than kibble.
Not necessarily true and especially for young puppies. I have been feeding raw for over 15 years. I have raised pregnant bitches, top working dogs, whelped litters etc. Through these years I have learned many things. I do believe that 'today' my dogs get/are fed the 'best' possible diet and all that they need.
Things I have learned.
1) Chicken is not enough. It is a necessary and vital part of a raw diet but this alone WILL cause problems...especially to young puppies.
2) Red meat/organs/fat are essential to a raw diet.
3) VARIETY is the key!!! A variety of meats/organs etc is essential.
4) Veggies ARE important to a raw diet
5) Adding other things to the diet are important
What I add:
Omegas found in different oils. I use salmon, hemp seed, olive oil etc. I will alternate/change and so on
Egg yolk
Vit C
Kelp
Vit/mineral supplements (I us a varity of brands and alternate this with kelp etc.)
honey (raw if possible)
yogurt
Older or active dogs also get some glucosamine, and perhaps other supplements as necessary.
THe "added supplements" that I put in my dogs diet are not done daily but every few days/couple of times a week. I like to alternate with a VARIETY of different vit/minerals out there for dogs to give a 'vast choice/ingrediencts".
My dogs are very active and work outside a lot. The amounts of everything I feed will depend on the dog/age/activity level.
I don't believe that dogs (or humans) can get "everything" they need to have a healthy body from eating 'good fresh foods'. Some foods may be better than others, but we live in a day and age where TONS of chemicals are used on our meat/veggies to help them grow so that they 'look' good, grow faster, and so on. The soil many of our foods are grown in are depleated of the much needed minerals that we once obtained from the produce when it was grown in it.
In my last litter a puppy went to a person who that wanted to feed raw and were somewhat familiar with it. The person proceeded to feed raw to this puppy. When he left he was normal and VERY healthy.
After a couple of weeks, I recieved a frantic phone call that this puppy must have bad hips or something is wrong as it is limping and can barely walk. Did not sound right. She was taking the pup to her vet. An hour later, I got another phone call with the person being a tad embarrassed. The puppy had very torn pads (and some missing areas) on it's feet. In further discussion I found out they had taken him for a LONG walk on a gravel road.
About a month later, I got an email saying that this pup was VERY cow hocked and too angled in the rear and after a professional looked at him, they said they would not train him for SAR. (he was sold as SAR puppy). This made NO sense to me. Puppy is from working lines and has very little angulation in rear. I asked what she was feeding him.
Seems that all the pup was getting was chicken necks/backs, a raw egg once in awhile and a few veggies that were left over from 'baby food'. I told them this was not a balanced raw diet and likley something physically was going on. They returned the pup the next day to the co-breeder.
I have never seen anything like it. Looked like Ricketts to me. Ended up being a different form of rickkets. He was totally down on pasturns in front and on hocks in the rear. He was at least 15-20lb.s OVERWEIGHT. Poor puppy was definately in pain.
Guess due to his foot/pad injury they had kept him in the house and fed him trying to get feet to heal but to no avial.
I did video tape and took pictures. Within 2 days of being on a balanced diet and being outside in the sun, he looked SO much better and NEVER limped again. Within 2 wks, he was back to normal, feet were normal etc. THANKFULLY we got him back in time!!!
At 7 months,x-rays were done on spine, hips/elbows to make sure no long term damage had been done. Everything looked WONDERFUL. Orthapedic surgeon said, had he not known the history of the pup he never would have known something was wrong.
He is now a hearing assistance dog for someone who is deaf.
The above taught me a lot. I think it is likley that an adult dog can be switched to raw and even an unbalanced raw diet without too many negative side effects.
I am more careful with puppies. I don't say this to panic anyone as I *think* common sense should/could prevail and in all likley hood most pups are fed a raw diet correctly suffering no ill effects.
BUT..several things happen now. A book on raw feeding goes to every puppy buyer. I Keep in touch as much as possible and I strongly encourage ANYONE who is going to feed raw to do some research.
It is not hard to do this and/or to find GOOD information in this day and age. There are NUMEROUS books out there, tons of articles and websites galore to help. It just takes a bit of time.
Shelley
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