Has anyone here feed their dogs a mixed diet of raw food and kibble? If you have or do feed your dog this way?

I can not afford a raw food only diet but I like the idea. I do not need recommendations for a good dry dog food. If I decide to go with a raw/kibble diet, I will purchase commercial frozen patties.

I do not have the freezer space to make my own frozen food, even if making my own food would be cheaper. Thanks for your help! DD Asked by DandyDear711 32 months ago Similar questions: feed dogs mixed diet raw food kibble dog Pets > Dogs.

Similar questions: feed dogs mixed diet raw food kibble dog.

By: Alex Lieber PetPlace. Com veterinarians recommend that dogs and cats be fed prepared meat from high quality brands such as Eukanuba or Science Diet. Photo by Beth Bianculli Raw Meat Debate Along with politics and religion, meat is fast becoming one of those topics no one can seem to agree on.

The latest argument concerns the quality of commercial pet food fed to dogs and cats. Some people, including a few veterinarians, believe that raw meat is much healthier for a dog or cat. According to the argument, commercial pet food is over processed and tainted with toxins, which are used to preserve the food and to give it an attractive smell and taste.

They advocate feeding fresh, raw meat (and other raw foods, such as vegetables, if appropriate) to pets. The debate is becoming passionate, with claims and counterclaims hurled through cyberspace and in between the pages of magazines. This article explains the arguments pro and con.

Incidentally, a third argument opposes feeding any meat to dogs, cats or people. Vegetarians and vegans (people who refuse to consume any animal product, even milk) believe they can formulate the proper plant-based diet for dogs and cats. This is a fallacy; while a dog can eat a carefully formulated vegetarian diet, cats are strict carnivores and cannot digest plant matter.

There are three major types of raw meat diets: Commercially available complete raw food diets. Sold frozen, the diets are supposed to be complete and balanced. Homemade raw food diets.

Suggestions for homemade raw-meat diets abound on the Internet, in magazines and in books. One of the more popular is the Bones And Raw Food diet – which goes by the unappetizing acronym BARF. For a dog, the diet consists of 60 percent raw, meaty bones, and the rest comprising a variety of foods that a wild dog would eat, like green vegetables, eggs, milk and some organs such as liver or kidneys.

Combination diets. Commercially available grain and supplements are mixed with raw meat.It should be pointed out that, as a matter of policy, PetPlace. Com veterinarians recommend that dogs and cats be fed prepared meat from high quality brands such as Eukanuba or Science Diet.

On the One Hand ... Proponents of raw meat argue that many commercial pet foods contain numerous toxins that impair the health of the animal, such as sodium nitrate, artificial flavorings and other impurities. Proponents contend that meats have been so overprocessed that they don't contain the right nutrients required by pets. According to Jean Hofve, DVM, in Cats magazine (July 2001), "Doctors and nutritionists have told us for years how important it is for us to eat fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.

Similarly, it is better for our cats to eat fresh, raw, species-appropriate food than to be exclusively fed processed, preserved foods." Dogs and cats who eat an all-fresh food diet are supposed to have better coats, fewer dental problems, fresher breath and less body odor. Furthermore, dogs and particularly cats are natural predators – they simply do better eating fresh, species-appropriate raw meat instead of processed and persevered foods.

Cats, for instance, have thrived on hunting and eating their prey raw for eons. Hundreds of thousands of years cannot be waved away by a few generations of eating commercial pet food, they say. In the same vein, proponents argue that cats and dogs are much more resistant to bacteria, such as E.

Coli and salmonella, than people. One of the reasons pet food is so processed is for the safety of the pet owner, not the pet. Careful handing can minimize the risk of human infection.

On the Other Hand ... Opponents dispute the notion that dogs and cats naturally do better on raw meat diets. There is only "anecdotal" evidence that raw meat is better; in other words, claims made by individuals, which aren't backed up by hard clinical trials. On the contrary, feeding your pet a raw-meat diet that you balance yourself is dangerous for many reasons.

Among them: gh quality pet food is already balanced for the stage of life and health condition of your pet. Trying to "wing it" by formulating the right balance is very difficult and can easily lead to nutritional deficiency, especially in young, growing pets. Raw bones in meat can splinter and become lodged in the throat or digestive system, where they can block passage or cut tissue.

They can also fracture teeth. Bacteria in raw meat IS dangerous to pets, as well as owners. Dogs and cats may have persistent diarrhea that their owners just accept as normal.

However, this is a sign of illness and can cause other problems down the road, besides the discomfort suffered by the animal.In the case of cats, proponents of raw meat claim that a cat's digestive system is more acidic and can process food faster, so bacteria does not have time to duplicate and cause illness. That's nonsense, according to animal nutrition expert Rebecca Remillard, DVM, DACVN, Ph.D. "Everyone's stomach is acidic," she says."That's how we digest food.

" Remillard, of Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, said the dietary theories proposed by raw-meat advocates are too vague and are causing a lot of problems in pets. "They're basically, 'open the fridge and feed what you want, whenever you want.'" An article in the March 2001 issue of JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) compared raw meat diets with high-quality commercial diets. The raw meat diets used in the comparison were well researched and carefully balanced – a big assumption because many people do not have the nutritional experience to formulate such diets.

Even so, the comparison showed that raw meat had significant risks: "The results of the small number of diets analyzed here indicated that there are clearly nutritional and health risks associated with feeding raw food diets. All the diets tested had nutrient deficiencies or excesses that could cause serious health problems when used in a long-term feeding program. " Remillard hopes the raw meat issue is just a passing fad.

"There's a general distrust of big business, and the pet food industry is big business," she said."Add to that, food labels are not understandable and scary. But the risks of raw meat are there. Is the risk worthwhile?

No, it isn't. " Legal Disclaimer If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately. All of the information presented on this website was developed by Intelligent Content Corporation staff members and is the sole responsibility of Intelligent Content Corporation.

See the legal terms on the website for additional legal terms. Sources:?3critters1nheavn? ; http://www.petplace.com/article-printer-friendly.aspx?id=3723 .

Poppet! Said: 1 There was a guy on here who feed his dogs all raw meat...can't remember who it was, though! Maybe he will post!

There was a guy on here who feed his dogs all raw meat...can't remember who it was, though! Maybe he will post!

2 I don't do raw, cause the whole food market (organic USDA approved) is very expensive, and I'm NOT gonna give them the horrible meat from regular stores. But, I DO believe that dogs need to have some kind of natural food entering their body, because they ARE carnivores.So, I feed them chicken. I buy a pack of drumsticks every week and cook them, no salt, no spices, just the chicken.

I keep the drumsticks AND the broth in a container in the FRIDGE, not freezer. Every day, I heat up half a cup of broth and a drumstick. I shred the meat off the bone, and I give half to one pup and half to the other mixed in with their Ultra dry food and the broth.

Their poop looks and smells healthier than giving them canned wet food, even the *good* quality kind, and they enjoy their food more =) .

I don't do raw, cause the whole food market (organic USDA approved) is very expensive, and I'm NOT gonna give them the horrible meat from regular stores. But, I DO believe that dogs need to have some kind of natural food entering their body, because they ARE carnivores. So, I feed them chicken.

I buy a pack of drumsticks every week and cook them, no salt, no spices, just the chicken. I keep the drumsticks AND the broth in a container in the FRIDGE, not freezer. Every day, I heat up half a cup of broth and a drumstick.

I shred the meat off the bone, and I give half to one pup and half to the other mixed in with their Ultra dry food and the broth. Their poop looks and smells healthier than giving them canned wet food, even the *good* quality kind, and they enjoy their food more =).

4 My dog is 14 years old and has been fed a combination of dry dog food with cooked ground beef. Sometimes I'd give him spaghetti, scrambled eggs, or whatever I happen to be eating. I agree with Ladybug314.

They do need some sort of natural food. Except for an ear infection, he's always been very healthy and energetic. Too energetic I would say.

My dog is 14 years old and has been fed a combination of dry dog food with cooked ground beef. Sometimes I'd give him spaghetti, scrambled eggs, or whatever I happen to be eating. I agree with Ladybug314.

They do need some sort of natural food. Except for an ear infection, he's always been very healthy and energetic. Too energetic I would say.

DandyDear711 replied to post #2: 5 You aren't kidding about the expense of organic/free range chicken! We don't eat it very often ourselves either! (I don't buy that stuff from the store either - not good for the environment also.) That is why if you are really gonna feed raw you have to buy a whole ton of raw meat bone stuff - chicken backs etc. , process it and then freeze it.

It is a lot of work and takes a lot of freezer space. Same with preparing the veggies ahead. My dog would like to eat at your house too!

(He does like his dry food. I bought a same package of Nature's Variety raw food and he really liked that too. Cat wouldn't eat it.

LOL) .

You aren't kidding about the expense of organic/free range chicken! We don't eat it very often ourselves either! (I don't buy that stuff from the store either - not good for the environment also.) That is why if you are really gonna feed raw you have to buy a whole ton of raw meat bone stuff - chicken backs etc. , process it and then freeze it.

It is a lot of work and takes a lot of freezer space. Same with preparing the veggies ahead. My dog would like to eat at your house too!

(He does like his dry food. I bought a same package of Nature's Variety raw food and he really liked that too. Cat wouldn't eat it.

LOL).

After being stored in the frig. " "Why Do Dogs Nudge and Nose their food around? " "Why do you feed your dog the food that you feed them, and how did you choose it?" "Can you feed dogs scrambled eggs?

" "What exactly is in raw-hide bones and chews for dogs?

When I give them food I want to make sure I am not hurting them.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.