# Raw Feeding Info



## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

http://aspenbloompetcare.com/pet-resources/raw-feeding-information


I haven't read through this entire site, and I am personally pretty neutral about raw feeding at this point. But I am very interested in it, and I thought I'd pass along to link here in case others were, too.


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## maltemom09 (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks for the link Suzan. :aktion033: Bailey has been on nothing but raw (Nature's Variety Medallions) for several months and seems to be doing great with it but I plan to spend some time reading this site just in case I missed something.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I have a bag of Paw Naturaw frozen raw bison in the freezer. Nikki is pretty neutral about it. She'll eat it, but she doesn't seem to love it. I've been alternating home cooked with a little raw on and off for a couple of weeks.


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

Suzan you might want to look into feeding the prey model of raw. Just google it. That's what I feed Snoopy.


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## Miss_Annie (Mar 3, 2010)

Thank you so much for the link! I've been reading Dr. Pitcairn's complete guide to natural health for dogs and cats and think this will make a great addition.  I love reading about diet alternatives for animals.

I'll also be reading into "the prey model of raw".  Does Snoopy love it?


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

Miss_Annie said:


> Thank you so much for the link! I've been reading Dr. Pitcairn's complete guide to natural health for dogs and cats and think this will make a great addition.  I love reading about diet alternatives for animals.
> 
> I'll also be reading into "the prey model of raw".  Does Snoopy love it?


Does Snoopy love it???? That boy will eat a rock if I give it to him.....LOL His favorite are the cornish hens I feed him. He eyes it like where do I start.:w00t: I give his chicken livers, kidney, gizzards, hearts 2x a week and usually chicken quarters or halves, lamb chops or ox tails. He is a happy camper at dinner time.:thumbsup:


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I have Dr Becker's book and it's good, too. 

Nikki is now on a "warm food" kick. Everything must be warm for her to eat it, lol. I won't be transitioning fully for a while. Too many other things going on right now.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

luvmyfurbaby said:


> Does Snoopy love it???? That boy will eat a rock if I give it to him.....LOL His favorite are the cornish hens I feed him. He eyes it like where do I start.:w00t: I give his chicken livers, kidney, gizzards, hearts 2x a week and usually chicken quarters or halves, lamb chops or ox tails. He is a happy camper at dinner time.:thumbsup:


Alex loooooves cornish hens from the rotisserie. Unfortunately they don't come anymore with the liver, kidneys and gizzards. But when I make rabbit, the liver, kidneys and heart are all his.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

I'm still on the line about raw. I know in theory it sounds great, but I'm still not 100% sure. So I welcome any new info out there to look at. My biggest concern is, if you have a dog with a compromised liver, raw can be deadly. And do most people have full blood panels run on their dogs every 6-12 months to know. I'll admit I've been a bit shocked to find out how many people that I would have thought do routine blood panels really don't. I also think about my Zoe and how her liver was compromised when she got Lepto. What if she had been on raw or I had just recently transitioned her to raw at that time? I know the general answer from holistic vets is, if they are on raw, their immune system would have been able to fight off the Lepto or 'insert any disease here'. But do they know that for certain? Another concern is, I know there are some dogs that have a slower digestive system and need the digestive enzymes. Jett is one of those dogs. Without the Animal Essentials Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes, he would throw up his entire breakfast in the late afternoon. And yes...I measured the food that was not digested. It was his whole breakfast. Maybe I'm not understanding why cross contamination and things like botulism, etc are not a concern when feeding raw to dogs. But my understanding is that they digest food so much more quickly then humans it's just not a problem. But what about dogs like Jett?

I've finally transitioned mine to grain free, Dr. Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl. Jett's system just needed the grains for so long. But he's doing great on the Veg-to-Bowl. I know that holistic vets would say this is great, and let's work on getting him to where his system can handle raw. But again...I'm still not 100% sure.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Crystal&Zoe said:


> I'm still on the line about raw. I know in theory it sounds great, but I'm still not 100% sure. So I welcome any new info out there to look at. My biggest concern is, if you have a dog with a compromised liver, raw can be deadly. And do most people have full blood panels run on their dogs every 6-12 months to know. I'll admit I've been a bit shocked to find out how many people that I would have thought do routine blood panels really don't. I also think about my Zoe and how her liver was compromised when she got Lepto. What if she had been on raw or I had just recently transitioned her to raw at that time? I know the general answer from holistic vets is, if they are on raw, their immune system would have been able to fight off the Lepto or 'insert any disease here'. But do they know that for certain? Another concern is, I know there are some dogs that have a slower digestive system and need the digestive enzymes. Jett is one of those dogs. Without the Animal Essentials Probiotics with Digestive Enzymes, he would throw up his entire breakfast in the late afternoon. And yes...I measured the food that was not digested. It was his whole breakfast. Maybe I'm not understanding why cross contamination and things like botulism, etc are not a concern when feeding raw to dogs. But my understanding is that they digest food so much more quickly then humans it's just not a problem. But what about dogs like Jett?
> 
> I've finally transitioned mine to grain free, Dr. Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl. Jett's system just needed the grains for so long. But he's doing great on the Veg-to-Bowl. I know that holistic vets would say this is great, and let's work on getting him to where his system can handle raw. But again...I'm still not 100% sure.



Yes, I totally understand what you are saying. That is why the SOURCE of the food is of utmost importance regarding its purity, more than whether it is cooked or raw. Free-range, organic, grass finished meats, pastured chickens, etc., preferably from a local farmer if available, the chances of microbes in the food are much lower. The reason why we have so many problems with the food supply is CAFO or FACTORY FARMING. If you haven't already done so, then watch the movie, Food, Inc. for more info. We MUST start supporting our local farmers/food producers, and stop the horrible factory farming processes so we can have nourishing and safe food. When I was drinking milk, I drank raw milk from a local dairy farmer for 4 years, and never had an issue, because it was a small operation, the farmer knew how to take care of his animals and keep his place clean. The risks are minimal. 

One example of a larger ranching operation that has grass fed cows and humanely raised pigs: US Wellness meats sells a pet food meat mix for $3.59 a pound. Their cows are NEVER fed grains, they eat grass from birth to death. I've not yet ordered the pet food, but I've eaten the different cuts of beef and pork, and it is very good quality. I spoke to the owner and he said that the pet food is exactly the same human quality as their other cuts of beef, but because it is higher in fat, they have to label it as pet food. I plan to buy it and mix it with some very lean ground beef for Nikki's recipe. I add my own vitamins and calcium and fish oil. I will cook it lightly on a low temp. If you can't afford grass fed beef or organic chicken, they buy the best food you possibly can, cook it lightly, and give a good fish oil supplement. If you want to feed supermarket food raw, it's your choice but I wouldn't. Paw Naturaw is frozen raw, great quality, but it's expensive.

You probably already know all this, but let me put it out there for others who might not. 

If raw food is from a clean source, it can be very healthy for dogs. Perhaps all of them might not tolerate it, or even like it. (Nikki doesn't like raw too much.) Or perhaps you might not feel comfortable feeding it. That's fine. Once again, I have to stress QUALITY of food. If you want to give Dr. Harvey's, or home cook everything from scratch, or feed raw, feeding the best quality food you can afford is more important than whether the food is raw or cooked, imo. For cooked food, don't overcook - cook "low and slow" to retain the nutrients, and feed a variety of foods. It's really a personal preference. 

Above all, choose quality meats, and go from there.


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