Here is a generalized overview on feeding raw diets, better known as “BARF” diets.
This is often referred to as “return to nature diet”.
To basically sum it up in my opinion there are NO nutritional advantages gained,
but there are 3 proven major potential risks:
1. Nutritional imbalance
If you don’t have a good background in feeds and feeding it is very hard to
strike a nutritional balance in putting together your pets daily requirement of
pet food. Supplements can help but again over doing can cause problems.
Nutritional imbalances can cause bad bone growth, deformities and general
overall poor health.
2. GI problems from bones
Gastrointestinal problems such as chronic diarrhea, vomiting, or perforation of the
esophagus, stomach or intestines by bone splinters are common. The “barf” diet
is designed to be eaten raw. Beef bones and large wild animal bones [deer, moose etc]
are used for both bulk and the marrow they contain. Raw pork and chicken bones are fed as
just a plain daily diet. Many people do not understand that pork and chicken bones
become very fragile when cooked and splinter with ease. There have been some
reports of intestinal impaction due to the eating of large amount of bone matter.
Adding vegetables in the raw state can also cause severe intestinal problems such as
impaction of the bowel or chronic diarrhea. In many cases severe and prolonged bouts
of “bad air!”
3. Poisoning from E. coli and Salmonella
Not cooking can and often does have and adverse effect on sanitation. People who
are feeding raw diets need to be especially careful and always clean utensils, counters,
and your hands after preparing your raw animal meals. The animals dishes need special
washing as well. Animals can get these diseases just like humans. Plus you could be
transferring “bugs” to the family.
The main thing to be kept in mind is that you cannot switch diets from day to day
because it doesn’t fit into your schedule. If you have your animal on a raw diet you
cannot feed regular kibble and then raw at the next meal. Animals must have a period
of time to adjust the stomach juices to cope with the raw food. You can cause anemia,
impaction and severe stomach and bowel distress switching between the types of diets.
If you are going to feed your pet fruits and veggies please remember that Onions cause
severe anemia in animals.
Also “NO” Grapes or raisins as they can be deadly.
Many people feel that because they are vegetarians that their animals should be also.
Please remember that if you have decided to go the way of the vegetarian that it will
take months to get your animal accustomed to a strict diet of veggies. Trust me your
animal will not be a happy camper.
If you spend a few minutes you will get more information than you might have wanted.
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