Many decisions in life are less confusing than whether you should feed your pet raw dog food. There are good arguments on both sides. Those who are pro raw diets claim it is closest to the natural diet of the dog. Those who are pro processed food argue that it contains all the nutrients that are needed for a healthy diet.
Processed food has meat and vegetable products, and is designed to provide nutrients determined correct for the age and breed of dog. It has gotten a lot of bad press recently, because contaminated products have been recalled. For those who have watched their beloved pets dig up and eat moldy bones covered in dirt, the possibility of harmful processed tidbits seems unlikely. But it can happen. Reports of renal failure alerted officials to investigate. The problem was wet product that included wheat gluten tainted with melamine, a chemical similar in structure to cyanide.
Some owners feel that the only way they can protect the health of their pets is to switch to a raw diet, like their distant ancestors, wolves. Studies have been done on the wolf diet and the research shows that almost the only thing they will refuse is a toad. Their favorites are hoofed animals, but they also eat fish, fowl, wild fruits and berries, bugs and many plants.
Concern that raw meats contain pathogens has encouraged some people to feed their pets processed products. Regulations that are concerned with the amount of bacteria in raw meat have put stricter rules in place for raw meat sold in pet stores than that sold to humans. Perhaps it is a comment about our society that what is sold for dogs to eat is safer than what is sold to humans to eat.
The bacteria limits for raw meat differs between meat that will be consumed raw and that intended to be consumed after it has been cooked. There is no differentiation in requirements for human or dog raw meat. Some pet owners might end up thinking about doing their grocery shopping at the pet store, since the meat has fewer bacteria.
The first step is to decide which raw diet you will provide for your pet. The vote is split between whole prey diets and a diet with a combination of raw meat, vegetables and supplements. Some owners even raise their own animals organically to be sure their dogs are eating the purest diets.
Whenever you change the products you feed your dog, it is important to do so slowly. Their systems can be sensitive and take time to adjust to new nutrients. Symptoms of changing diets too fast include diarrhea and an upset stomach. Whatever diet you use, dogs become bored with the same diet all the time, so introduce a little variety. Some dogs can eat almost any mixture with no adverse effects.
Feeding raw dog food or processed is a decision you must make. No matter how carefully you study the issues, by watching your dog on each diet, you can decide which works better. Do not worry if you are confused about making the wrong choice for your pet, your dog will love you no matter what.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")