Raw Foods are for Pets too! March 31, 2007
Posted by Spirit in : pets, raw foods , trackbackMost of us do everything in our power to make certain that those we love are eating a well balanced diet. We go out of our way to prepare foods that reap the most nutritional benefits. In an effort to do that, many people are turning to raw food diets to improve the way they look and feel.
What many people don’t put a great deal of consideration into is the diet of their pets. Although you may think you are choosing the best dry pet food available you are still feeding your dog and cat things they don’t need.
There are many preservatives in these products that are meant to make the food taste more appealing to your pet. Although they do serve that purpose, they also compromise your pet’s health.
Every animal needs a diet that consists of a small percentage of raw fat. This is necessary for the health of the animal’s skin and coat. Most people would be surprised to realize that many dogs and cats suffer from chronic skin problems. Although it’s natural for a dog to scratch itself from time to time, if that persists it’s an indicator that there is a problem with the dog’s skin. Most veterinarians will prescribe either a specially formulated cleanser or a topical cream to use to treat the condition when in fact all that is needed is for the owner to introduce raw fat into the diet.
There is a common concern that encouraging an animal to consume meat in a raw form will result in all kinds of ill effects including food poisoning. You simply have to consider that in the wild, this is how animals survive. They are not fed processed foods that have been cooked, dried and formed into pellets. They are eating the flesh of other animals and have no health problems.
This is because animals have a very acidic digestive system. When an animal consumes something their body makes quick work of it, breaking it up for digestion and absorption quickly. It’s not uncommon for a dog to chew on a slipper or munch away on a piece of paper. Their bodies break up the material and the dog doesn’t seem to notice that they’ve eaten something they shouldn’t have.
There are also benefits to feeding your pet a diet of raw vegetables. Although you won’t want to make this the foundation of their diet, they do add nutrients that the pet needs to survive and prosper. Adding a few raw vegetables to the animal’s raw food diet creates balanced nutrition.
It’s vital that the meat that you are serving your animal is very fresh. This means purchasing it on a very regular basis. In addition, safe handling precautions are always recommended including putting it out for a specified amount of time and no longer. If the animal doesn’t finish the portion, it should be discarded and not served again. This type of raw food diet for your pet can lead to a much longer and healthier life for them, which means more time for you to enjoy having them as part of the family.
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Hi, I have two cats, one of whom is 13 and the other is almost 4. I found Nandi, the 4 year old, in the street in East Baltimore (the ghetto). He was completely covered with fleas from head to toe, starving, and very weak. He had - and still has - a problem with his hind end (let’s just say he’s wobbly). I brought him home, got rid of the fleas and started him on a raw diet, often making it myself. I still make his food myself and when I do not, I use Primal. I do not use Aunt Jeni’s any more because there is too much flaxseed in it (birds eat flax, cats eat birds). Nandi is now the largest, healthiest cat I’ve ever had. I kept him on the raw food for three months before I even considered taking him to the vet. When I did take him to the vet, he tested negative for every disease, and did not have any parasites. Since I’ve added the Fiberzon (from the Amazon Herb Company) I’ve even seen some improvement in his neurological condition - and he is also eliminating better.
Cheli