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RAW DIETS
Why raw food?
With raw foods, the concept is simple: Why provide a chemical vitamin or
mineral that represents only one fraction of the vitamin or mineral
complex? Instead, feeding a whole food product which provides your pet
with all of the nutrients found in that food.
A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine (July 22, 1994)
showed that synthetic antioxidants were not effective against recurrence
of benign growths of the colon. Yet, other studies have shown that diets
high in natural vegetables and fruits did have protection against colon
cancer.
So what does this have to do with your dog?????
I can’t really talk about a natural diet without bringing up some
information about the pre-packaged foods that most of us feed our dogs.
A very important book: What’s Really in Pet Food should be top of the
list of reading material for anyone truly interested in their dogs
nutrition.
It states that most consumers are unaware that the pet food industry is
an extension of the human food industry, also know as the agriculture
industry. Pet food provides a place for slaughterhouse waste and grains
considered “unfit for human consumption” to be turned into profit. This
waste includes cow tongues, esophagi, and possibly diseased and
cancerous meat. The “whole grains” used have had the starch removed and
the oil extracted (usually by chemical processing) for vegetable oil: or
they are the hulls and other remnants from the milling process. If whole
grains are used, they may have been deemed unfit for human consumption
because of mold, contaminants, or poor storage practices. There are many
different brands of pet food available in this country. While many of
the foods on the market are virtually the same, containing ingredients
as described above, not all of the pet food manufacturing companies use
these poor quality and potentially dangerous ingredients.
This is all I am going to say at this point on the subject as I
understand you are having someone else come and talk on processed foods,
but I wanted to give you a bit of background on why many of us have
turned to the raw diet for our dogs.
BARF: Which stands for::: Bones and Raw Food
Barf promotes supreme wellness: Barf-fed pets tend to be free of dental
problems, skin problems, ear problems, eye problems, bowel problems,
kidney and heart problems, pancreas and liver problems and immune system
problems.-- Do I have your interest yet????
As a general rule, any genetic fault your pet may have inherited will
have minimum chance of expression when the BARF diet is fed.
Pets fed BARF have brilliant health. They are more likely to be happy,
active, bright, alert, well adjusted family members- free of any
problems, and they tend to stay that way for all their very long lives.
Many dental problems disappear:
The tartar will disappear and be replaced by clean shining teeth. All
without having to visit the pet dentist or brush your pet’s teeth.
Many skin problems will disappear:
Dogs fed BARF have deeply colored, lustrous, thick and healthy coats.
You no longer need medicated washes, antibiotics, cortisone shots and
tablets to mask the ill health your dog’s coats showed when on a
processed food diet.
Infected ears become healthy again:
The BARF diet normalizes and strengthens the immune system. Because BARF
contains a good balance of essential fatty acids and other immune
normalizing and strengthening nutrients, it reduces inflammatory
conditions and strengthens the overall health of the animal.
Anal Sac problems disappear:
This reflects the improved health of the immune system and the
remarkable difference that bone eating makes in the production of firm
stools, which are essential for normal anal sac emptying.
Arthritis Disappears:
After a few weeks to months you can expect to see much greater mobility
in your pet. This is part of the reason so many older pets have a new
lease on life when switched to BARF. You may find you no longer have to
buy those horrendously expensive arthritis pills (NSAIDS) with the
ever-present danger of side effects. The weekly trip to the
acupuncturist may become a thing of the past. Even better results with
this problem will be seen when BARF is suitably modified by the addition
of healthy oils and anti-oxidant vitamins, an increase in green leafy
vegetables and the removal of red meats.
This list goes on and on as to how this type of diet can benefit your
pet.
It can help with growing problems in puppies, diabetes, reproductive
problems, and yes it can even improve behavior issues. It also reduces
the impact of degenerative diseases.
Pets are perfectly capable of eating whole raw natural foods. Dogs and
Cats!
Dr. Ian Billinghurst a vet from Australia, who has been working with the
Raw diet for over 20 years has written several books on the subject. His
research shows that our animals are capable of digesting and
assimilating all the components of a raw diet. This includes raw meaty
bones, crushed raw vegetables and offal. Their digestive and immune
system has lost none of its ability to use and safely deal with the
bacteria in raw foods.
Experts say “each meal you feed your pets should be complete and
balanced”
This is not the whole truth. Although a raw food diet may be fed in a
format
That attempts to be “complete and balanced” at every meal, it is not
essential for animals to be fed this way. What is essential, is that the
whole feeding program aims to be complete and balanced. Achieving a
balanced diet over many meals is the way our pets have been eating for
millions of years. It is the way most of us feed ourselves.
Consequently, feeding a number of different meals to achieve nutritional
adequacy, is an entirely legitimate way to feed our pets today.
Experts may say “starch is essential in a pet’s diet”
This is not true. Starch was introduced into our pets diet as a cheap
(and the major) energy source about 70 years ago. This was the time we
began to feed our pets cooked grain as the bulk of their diet. From that
time forward, there has been a massive rise in degenerative disease
within our pet population.
This is because our pets were suddenly forced to eat a diet that
departed enormously from what they had evolved to eat. Science is now
showing us why this diet is so disastrous.
One of the main reasons is that a diet based on starch will cause a
chronic elevation of blood glucose, which in turn causes a pathological
rise in insulin called Hyperinsulinemia.
Hyperinsulinemia contributes to a range of pathological conditions,
including diabetes, obesity, arthritis and numerous diseases involving
excessive inflammation. Diets high in starch play a major role in
promoting cancer!!! The bottom line is that continuously high starch
levels in your pets’ diet are not only unnecessary, they are highly
detrimental to health.
Let’s ask your dog about feeding dogs:
Our dogs tell us they are raw food eaters:
Our dogs tell us they are carnivores:
They love to eat other animals. Has your dog ever caught and ate a bird
or rabbit? They love to eat the internal organs, the meat, the bones and
everything else that makes up another animal. Our dogs are pleading with
us to feed them a diet that contains a wide range of different animal
parts.
Our dogs tell us they are vegetarians:
Wild dogs love to eat the stomach and intestinal contents of their prey.
Fermenting is how they eat their vegetable material. Modern dogs, given
the opportunity, tell us exactly the same. Our dogs also love fruit.
They will scavenge in orchards, they will dine at the compost heap.
I could go on and on- but lets now take a look at what makes up the raw
diet:
Bones:
Raw meaty bones, Chicken bone is the staple, we feed chicken backs and
wings, also feed lamb ribs, lamb necks, and lamb shanks. Smaller pork
bones, Ox tail, beef ribs turkey necks. Don’t feed chicken all the time
as there is not enough bone and too much flesh, particularly for young
growing dogs.
Bones can be fed finely ground
Bones (long bones without much meat) can come from sheep, cattle, pigs
or other large animals. They are recreational bones to gnaw on. They
benefit in a number of ways. They help to clean the teeth and massage
the gums. Chewing exercises practically every muscle in the animal’s
body. Cats will achieve these benefits chewing on smaller meatier bones
such as chicken wings and necks.
Lean Meat:
Chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc. The greater the variety the better. It
must be fresh and raw, like the raw meaty bones, it must have come from
a reliable source.
Raw fruit and Vegetables:
For dogs approximately 15% of the diet is fresh, whole raw and mostly
non-starchy vegetables and fruit, to mimic the long-term intake of
vegetable material derived mostly from the gut contents of wild
herbivores.
Which Vegetables and fruits should be used?
Whatever is in season. Green leafy vegetables, such as beet, spinach,
celery, Cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Herbs such as
parsley, root vegetables such as carrots and sugar beets, or fruit type
vegetables such as tomatoes and red, green or yellow peppers. ALL RAW.
Use whatever fruit is in season and as wide a range as possible. The
fruit should be over-ripe, but not rotten. Use whole apples, oranges,
pears, bananas, grapes, berries, papaya, apricots or plums (remove the
pits), mangoes kiwi, etc. ALL RAW
Offal:
10 to15% of your dog’s diet and 15-20% of your cat’s diet should consist
of offal or internal organs, such as liver, kidneys, heart and green
tripe. This must be fresh and raw!
It should come from organic sources. In its raw state, offal is a
valuable source of nutrients, including water, protein, essential fatty
acids, minerals, vitamins and enzymes.
Supplements:
It is sometimes necessary to add supplementary ingredients to the BARF
diet of water, raw meaty bones, vegetables/fruit, and offal.
The supplements commonly used include: healthy oils, probiotics,
minerals, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, nutraceuticals, phytochemicals,
antioxidants etc. Reasons for supplements are due to our soils low
mineral levels. These are the same reasons people need supplements.
There is so much more to read on this subject and if you are interested
in learning more about the barf diet there are many books and chat
groups on the subject.
I wanted you to know that there is another way than the bag of food on
the pet store shelf. While there are numerous all natural products
available for your pet today, I feel there is a place in every pets diet
for BARF.
There are many companies offering pre-packaged BARF diets for pets
giving you a wide range of choices.
Even adding BARF a few times per week to your pets diet can make a hugh
difference in their overall health.
References:
Give your dog a bone Dr. Ian Billinghurst
The Barf diet Dr. Ian Billinghurst
The allergy solution for dogs: Shawn Messonnier, DVM
The natural remedy book for dogs and cats by Diane Stein
Foods pets die for by Ann N. Martin
The holistic guide for a healthy dog: Wendy Volhard
K-9 Kitchen: Monica Segal
See spot live longer: Steve Brown
The nature of animal healing: Martin Goldstein DVM
Natural health for dogs and cats: Dr. Pitcairn
Google: BARF
What we do:
Some of us still feed Kibble and include raw meals into our diet. I feed
a kibble meal with vitamins and supplements in the morning and a Raw
meal at night adding veggies, yogurt, cottage cheese etc to the evening
meal.
Some of my friends are true BARFERS. They make a veggie slop of stud
fruits and vegetables and add give just this on one day and meat at a
separate meal.
I actually have a friend who throws some meat on top, although I would
not advise this because the kibble holds the raw in the gut to long, she
has been doing it for years without any problems.
Many of us have been feeding raw for more than 5 years, and we know
others who have been doing it longer. We are seeing healthier puppies
and older dogs. Time will tell if our old dogs live longer, but we are
seeing less health problems and making many less trips to the vet.
I can not end without one more note.
Vaccinations:
If your still getting yearly vaccinations you need to find a new vet. Of
course this is just my opinion but the holistic vets are finding that
the over vaccination of your pets are also causing numerous diseases
like cancer. One vet in California has been tracking vaccination
information for over 10 years, and has found that the initial puppy
shots have held up and they have not had to give any additional
vaccinations to the group of dogs being studied. Boosters do not boost,
they bring down the immune system and make it have to fight to prevent
the disease being introduced to it. Over a period of time your animal
can no longer fight off the disease and it starts to cause problems in
our dogs bodies. Opinions are changing in the health of our pets and it
is up to you as a consumer to be a pet detective and find out what is
the best answer for your animal.
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