Anyone here feeding their dog a raw or all meat/lc veg diet? Been looking online and there is a mixed bag of results....some say the rawmeat/veg diet can cause pancreatic or kidney disease, parasites and bacterial infections.
Not looking to use the barf diet (raw meat and bones) because of danger of bones puncturing intestines, causing infection, etc....so I need to consider how to get the necessary balance of calcium/mag and not too much phosphorous in their diet....Wanting to make my own dog food (grain free if possible) because of allergic problems in my dog. Simplest basic "cover all the needs" approach needed as finances are an issue. Thanks, Flower

We've had a lot of raw meat pet owners in here in the past. I feed my cat raw and don't use any grain or carbs in his food. You can get bones ground into the dog food so they're not such an issue. (Search in this forum, you'll find a lot of stuff. Use the google search though, the forum search engine seriously sucks).

I have lately been getting pre-packaged frozen cat food for my puddy-tat. I found a few brands like Bravo and Whole Foods also carries some. It is pretty expensive though. Sometimes I just cut up boneless chicken thigh meat because they're very inexpensive. He also spends some time outside probably catching insects so that supplements his diet.

Also, I know they make supplements for cats and dogs you can shake onto their food.

Cats need taurine in their diet and cooking meat denatures it, so you have to either feed them raw or supplement them.

I do not own a dog (used to, family dog), nor have I ever fed one a natural (raw or not) meat diet before, but I would be very interested to know how parasites would come about feeding a dog a raw meat diet (of meat that wasn't just lying around and nasty, you know, for lack of better words)? I was just in the book store yesterday and came across a natural dog care book that took a natrual holistic approach to dog food. I personally would feel more comfortable feeding my dog raw meat than any of the commercial toxic brews they call food in the stores (in my opinion, it doesn't deserve to be called food). There was a success story in there about a lady who had a dog and had started a natural diet (meat, etc.) and her dog ended up pooping out a huge batch of worms! I wouldn't have been surprised if I were this lady, because that commercial dog food is nasty and it's no wonder worms and parasites would develop from them eating that crap, because there is so much stuff that doesn't get fully digested and passes into the intestines where they can feed on it (i.e. sugars, etc. they throw in the mix as "healthy carbohydrates"). I think it is wise to remember that dogs are primarily carnivores. It would seem to me that the raw meat would be completely digested in the stomach and pass nothing to the intestines that wouldn't get absorbed and utilized, leaving a whole lot of nothing for parasites and worms to feed on. It is the same with human beings. People suffer from candida yeast overgrowth from eating sugar and carbohydrates; The candida thrives and grows out of control because it feeds on the undigested carbohydrates that we (who are primarily carnivores like dogs in my opinion) aren't designed to consume and digest properly.

I also would be interested to know how a raw meat diet given to a dog would contribute to kidney/pancreastic disease. This doesn't sound logical to me. Like I said before, in a natural environment, dogs are hunters and primarily feast on the carcasses of their kill (organ/muscle meats and fats). In other words, giving your dog meat is exactly what it is genetically programmed to process, and wants it. In my opinion, I wouldn't be fooled by those that say your dog needs all these carbohydrates - that stuff is probably starvation food for a dog at best (I dunno - just seems like to me if they had a slab of meat/fat to eat or some veggies, I'd think they go straight for the meat).

There are also smaller bones that you can give to your dog that are not as big and wouldn't cause problems. For example, maybe not a good one, but salmon fish bones and the skeletons of fish are usually pretty easy to crunch up (a cooked fish I believe though - don't know about uncooked one) and digest easily. Don't feel like you have to give him these huge beef or chicken bones. Dogs can eat fish, right? It's probably good for them (but not that salt laden stuff in the can - rinse it thoroughly at least if you would use that).

This is just my opinion, and I thought thinking outloud may help provide a different perspective for you. I hope this was helpful!

Take care in Ohio - go Buckeyes!

Mine had a bad hip for over 3 years and had a hard time walking , now its cleared up and the 7 year old dog can run faster than I can ride my Mt. bike.

If you look at most dog foods the 1st ingredient is yellow CORN.

For the last 3 months I have been feeding just meat, eggs, uncooked bones, a little Purina ONE, broccoli stems, cabbage heart and a few leftovers from what I eat on my Atkins OWL like yogurt. Never feed cooked bones-- cooking makes them brittle. Dogs can grind up uncooked bone in short order.

Today we had turkey, beef heart, liver, pork sausage, fried eggs, cheese, raw peanuts and then more turkey

I figure 3 dog years x 7 = 21 in "human years" and I also feel at least that much younger than when I was on a high-carb diet. To me, as a scientist, its just more proof the diet works!

Here's the search for this topic:
http://www.google.com/custom?domain...ID%3A1%3B&hl=en

I believe I read somewhere that the meat goes quickly through their digestive system, so bacterias aren't a problem. And also, if their immune system is strong (and it is strong via lowcarbing), they can easily take care of any parasites and bacterias in the meat. I feed my dog cooked and uncooked meat. I don't feed him uncooked pork but everything else is good. He seems to be healthy and full life.

Pork is ok if you freeze it for 2 weeks before using. That is long enough to kill off the parasites (that are already extremely rare in pork nowadays).

Thanks Nancy. Good to know!

I prefer feeding my Yorkie meat, not just for health benefits. I gave him Royal Canin (sp?) the other day and he wouldn't stop pooping! LOL. When he eats meat, he poops like every other day. So meat is pretty low in residue, which is nice

Thanks for all the replys. I've been feeding Ida and Boots raw now for several weeks. Both are doing well. Ida's coat has grown in again but she has one area that is still a problem. I've heard it described as a "foxtail"....she bites at the base of her tail and the hair is worn off and skin is leathery looking now from what she's doing. I understand some dogs do that when they have a thyroid prob...some just do it for no apparent reason or because of flea allergy. Have to have save up to have her tested if it doesn't clear on its own. Anyone out there have this exp w/their pooch? (she is no longer on prednisone or antibiotics since eating raw ptl)

This is what I feed them each day: 50 - 75% raw meat ( mostly fatty muscle meat and about 10-20% organ meat); calcium/D tablets to balance the phosphorous from the raw meat (instead of bones); pulverized veggies such as celery, romaine lettuce, cabbage, broccolli. Sometimes I cook the cruciferous veggies because I'm concerned for her thryoid and I understand they pose less of a problem cooked. And a children's vitamin. Also I add water to the food to make it more soupy so they don't gulp it too fast and barf it up. I'm thinking of adding a fish oil supplement because of Ida's skin problems to see if it helps the tail area.

To the person who asked: from what I've read online, too much phosphorous from raw meat if not balancing by feeding enough bones or giving a calcium supplement can cause problems w/pancreas, etc...so far my pooches seem fine.... Terry