What you should know before feeding your dog raw meat
Do you ever wonder if you should feed your dog raw meat? Have you been considering changing your dog’s diet to consist of fresh meat, and you have no idea if it is healthy or not? Feeding your dog raw meat is a personal decision. Dogs digestive systems are made to digest raw meat and bones. All fresh meat contains such as listeria and salmonella, which are not harmful to your dog.
Different Organs to feed your dog and their nutritious value
- Brain; this is a good source of protein for your canine friend, but it is not a good source of minerals and vitamins.
- Heart; this is the most nutritious muscle meat. It is an excellent source of thiamin, vitamin B6, and B12. It is also rich is Zink, iron, and selenium. This should make up to 9% of your dog’s raw diet as it is very high in cholesterol. Do not feed the heart to your dog very often.
- Kidney; is a good source of all vitamin B’s, and it will provide your dog with fatty acids, folate, iron, and zinc. The kidney is also a good source of protein and Vitamins A, D, E, and K.
- The liver; is the most nutritious organ; therefore, it should not be left out of your dog’s diet. It is an excellent source of protein, zinc, and iron. It is also a good source of folate, vitamin B6, and B12, as well as Vitamins A, C, D, E, and K.
- Tripe; if you are considering changing your dog’s diet, start by feeding him tripe. Tripe is a good source of vitamin, B, C, D, and E. It is also the best source of protein, Omega 3, calcium, phosphorus, and fatty acids. It also helps your dog’s digestion as it contains digestive enzymes and bacteria’s. Always choose the unwashed tripe instead of the bleached white one. It will not give your dog all the helpful bacteria’s and digestive enzymes.
Advantages of feeding your dog raw meat
- Adding raw meat to your dog’s diet will help to boost their immune system and also significantly reduce inflammatory conditions.
- Raw meat will minimize the possibility of your dog having arthritis, diabetes, and a hike in their blood sugar.
- Raw dog diets help with toning muscles and help with weight issues such as obesity.
- Raw dog food diet includes a lot of fatty acids and a lot of boosting nutrients that are good for your dog’s health.
- Raw meat helps keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy and shiny. It also helps to do away with bad breath.
- If your dog is prone to allergies from corn and wheat, raw meat is the best alternative. Fresh meat is allergy-free for most dogs, and it will save you hundreds of dollars from visiting a vet.
Disadvantages of feeding your dog raw meat
- Raw meats and diets can cause health complications due to nutritional imbalances. Raw meat considered to be nutritionally imbalanced. There are low phosphorus and calcium and excessive such as A and D I raw diets, thus causing imbalances.
- Dogs can have issues processing diets high in animal proteins, and they may develop allergies and sensitivities to these foods. Meat and bones are among the foods that contain the highest amounts of toxic chemicals. The World Health Organization declared red meat to be carcinogenic; this might even cause cancer to your dog.
- Feeding your dog raw meat is considered disregard for their evolution. Dogs have evolved over the years and are now able to digest starchy food thanks to their increased amylase secretion and the AMY2B gene. This gene has multiplied throughout their evolutionary history.
- Dogs are not obligated carnivores. They have evolved to be physiologically omnivorous due to their domestication.
- Dogs have very complicated nutritious needs. You can never create a complete dog’s balanced diet just by using a raw diet. It is best to consult a vet and mix with other foods such as dog-friendly vegetables and fruits.
- Feeding your whole dog bones might pause a real health risk where the dog might choke, cause internal puncture, or break their teeth.
Guidelines for feeding your dog raw meat
The importance of feeding your dog raw meat is to achieve a balanced diet over time. Trying to feed your dog a balanced diet every day can be costly. Before the domestication of dogs, their diets were mostly made up of raw meat such as rats and moose. This is considered to be the healthiest diet for dogs; therefore, it is advised that 80% of your dog’s diet should be meat.
When you decide to switch and start feeding your dog raw meat, always ensure that you start with internal organs, lean muscle, and bones from lamb, beef, chicken, and pork. Start by trying to feed your dog different organ parts to see which one is his favorite.
Always ensure that you buy good-quality fresh meet and keep it refrigerated. Raw meat is known to go bad quickly, and it might contain microbes and parasites that are harmful and life-threatening.
When starting, you should always try to start by ripe, and it should always consist of 80% of your dog’s raw diet. Occasionally introduce the other parts and don’t overdo it.
Conclusion
As a dog owner, you want the absolute best for your dog. You want to ensure that they live happy and active lives. The first step towards this goal is to provide you feed your dog a balanced and nutritious diet. You should always ensure to discuss your dog’s nutrient requirements with your vet. They will advise you best based on your dog’s lifestyle, health, and exercise level. Different dogs have different caloric requirements; they also have very complex nutritious needs.
Feeding your dog well-cooked meat and carbohydrates can make the food more digestible. This will help your dog easily absorb more nutrients that are useful for building muscle, producing energy, and strengthen their immune system.