Should You Switch Your Pet to a Raw Dog Food Diet?
Many people today are switching from the processed and dry dog food that they have been feeding their pet for years to a more natural diet for dogs - namely raw dog food, which is usually frozen and served in either pellets or patties. You might be considering putting your dog on this type of diet, but wondering if a raw food diet will harm your pet.
The truth is, that you aren't so much giving your pet a brand new type of diet as you are reverting back to what your dog ate for thousands of years. Just like other animals in the wild, dogs at fresh, raw meat from prey that they had killed when they ate in the wild, and even though their digestive system might not be used to a raw food diet, their bodies are already genetically predisposed to it.
As long as you feed your dog the raw food that comes from your local pet store, or from a manufacturer that knows what they are doing, feeding your dog raw pet food is perfectly safe and even healthy. However, there are a few things that you should be aware of if you are going to switch to this type of diet for your pet.
The first thing that you should understand is exactly what to feed your dog. Pets should be eating raw food that is biologically appropriate. This basically means that the best food for dogs are the food that they previously ate when they were in the wild: meaty bone and vegetable scraps. The raw pet food that they sell commercially is perfect.
Pet owners are also extremely concerned about whether or not the diet that they are feeding their pet is grain free. That is because dog food with grain in it has been shown to cause your dog difficulty and even distress in digesting food. A grain free diet is supposed to reduce weight in obese dogs, give them a healthier coat and decrease their allergies.
Often you will find these raw food brands in big name pet stores, usually in their refrigerated and frozen selection of food. This is because the raw food must be kept frozen. You can usually find raw food for dogs or cats in either pellet form or as patties.
You should talk to your vet before you start any new program as far as your pets diet, but more often when you are starting a raw food diet. You may not even be aware of some of the things that can happen. Your vet should be able to fill you in however.
Also, to prevent any illness, you should try to take it one step at a time when switching your pet to raw dog food, because sometimes illness can occur, since the dog isn't used to eating this type of food.
The truth is, that you aren't so much giving your pet a brand new type of diet as you are reverting back to what your dog ate for thousands of years. Just like other animals in the wild, dogs at fresh, raw meat from prey that they had killed when they ate in the wild, and even though their digestive system might not be used to a raw food diet, their bodies are already genetically predisposed to it.
As long as you feed your dog the raw food that comes from your local pet store, or from a manufacturer that knows what they are doing, feeding your dog raw pet food is perfectly safe and even healthy. However, there are a few things that you should be aware of if you are going to switch to this type of diet for your pet.
The first thing that you should understand is exactly what to feed your dog. Pets should be eating raw food that is biologically appropriate. This basically means that the best food for dogs are the food that they previously ate when they were in the wild: meaty bone and vegetable scraps. The raw pet food that they sell commercially is perfect.
Pet owners are also extremely concerned about whether or not the diet that they are feeding their pet is grain free. That is because dog food with grain in it has been shown to cause your dog difficulty and even distress in digesting food. A grain free diet is supposed to reduce weight in obese dogs, give them a healthier coat and decrease their allergies.
Often you will find these raw food brands in big name pet stores, usually in their refrigerated and frozen selection of food. This is because the raw food must be kept frozen. You can usually find raw food for dogs or cats in either pellet form or as patties.
You should talk to your vet before you start any new program as far as your pets diet, but more often when you are starting a raw food diet. You may not even be aware of some of the things that can happen. Your vet should be able to fill you in however.
Also, to prevent any illness, you should try to take it one step at a time when switching your pet to raw dog food, because sometimes illness can occur, since the dog isn't used to eating this type of food.
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