Raw Pet Food Diets

Homemade or Raw Diets-Are These Any Better for My Pet?
Some owners of cats and dogs decide not to feed commercially made diets, either canned or dry to their pets. There are several reason why an owner may decide that commercial diets are not for their "other family members", their pets.  There is fear about the possible contamination of commercial foods, especailly prevalent since the Menu Foods contamination in March 2007. Also, some owners believe that commercial foods are made of products that they do not want their pet to ingest, that commercial diets could cause health problems, that commercial diets damage the immune system, cause allergies, are not nutritionally sound, are not "natural", and/or some owners find that their pet simply likes "people food" better than pet food and the owner wishes to cook for their pet.

For these owners, we offer this advice:

Make sure that whatever diet you select, it is nutritionally sound and balanced for your pet. Seek out nutritional advice before feeding a homemade or raw diet exclusively.

Avoid raw foods that has not been properly handled and maintained as bacterial contamination can cause gastro-intestinal upset and bacterial infections.

Whole and partial bones can cause severe digestive problems and blockage.

There is no evidence that homemade diets or raw diets are any better than commercial diets or that homemade and raw diets prevent disease or promote longevity in your pet.

That being said:

Homemade Diets:Owners with concerns about commercial diets may select a "homemade diet" which generally means a home-cooked diet of meats, cooked vegetables, grains and vitamin/nutritional supplements fed in place of a commercial diet.

For those clients who have access to fresh ingredients and have ample time on their hands, preparing a homemade diet can be an enjoyable part of your relationship with your pet. Please ensure you purchase a veterinary diet book created by a veterinary nutritionist, speak to a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist to find a recipe that will be specific to your pet's needs, and/or look for veterinary nutrition websites. There is a website called www.balanceit.com where you can create an online cooked diet for your pet using a protein and carbohydrate source of your choice. A reasonable fee is charged for their recipes but often times you can find promotional coupons in pet magazines for free recipes. This website was created by veterinarians interested and specialized in veterinary nutrition who make recipes easy for pet owners to feed their dogs and cats.  We also recommend Home Prepared Dog and Cat Diets,the Healthy Alternative, by Donald R. Strombeck DVM, PhD, published by Iowa State Press which can be purchased in a bookstore, on-line or here at OPVMC.

Raw diets: These are diets that contain raw meat, sometimes raw bones and/or bonemeal, raw vegetables and are thought to be "more natural" for cats and dogs than commercial diets. Raw diets, including the BARF (Bones and Raw Food) diet, have taken a surge on the market in popularity for animals especially those with cancer or skin diseases. Some raw diets are now produced commercially and can be purchased, generally frozen. Take caution in purchasing the raw diets because there is no regulating body to ensure the quality of the ingredients and there have not been any recognized feeding field trials to provide objective information concerning the consistency and quality of ingredients or the diet or how pets fare nutritionally on the raw diet. Check websites and internet for local sources of frozen raw diets.

Should you choose to prepare a raw diet for your pet, be sure to seek nutritional advise for recipes and supplementation. Cats and Dogs cannot live on raw meat alone and require a balanced, complete diet. When making a raw diet for your pet, yourself, be sure to use proper kitchen hygiene in preparing the the raw meals and cleaning up the workspace, food bowls after preparing the diet and after your pet eats it. Raw diets and the utensils used to make them could be sources of Salmonella bacterial infections if left out of the refrigerator/freezer and/or on counters for extended periods of time or not cleaned properly between meal preparations.

Please choose wisely in whatever method you use to feed your pet. Please contact your veterinarian or veterinary technician for any further nutritional information.