Why NOT feed RAW?

I think it's important to have a thread for those who wish to make a point about why they don't feed RAW. Or for any other concerns they have that they feel like sharing, for the benefit of others who might be thinking about feeding RAW.

We'll make it a sticky, too

Um, cos there is no need? I have a great diet for my lads, without it. Also, as a vegetarian, it turns my stomach. Not a reason not to feed it, but a big turn off! I cook them meat, but that's it for me.

In a nutshell, their diet is fine as it is. Why would I change anything?

I fed raw for a year & had a lot of problems, itchy skin & hot spots one after the other. I changed back to kibble altho do occasionally give our youngest dog raw meat, tripe & chicken wings. They both get raw meaty marrow bones occasionally

I also found it expensive - upwards of £40 a week altho that was not the reason we gave it up.

Their diet now suits their needs

IMO the whole Raw thing been done to death I feel its what works for your dog I have 2 dogs now did have 3 lost him in april all my dogs are feed different my boy that died was on a raw diet it worked for him IE coat, stools muscle tone but didnt work with my other 2, my girl is on a 23 per cent protein dry food and my other one is on a 28 per cent dry food and both have raw twice a week.
It took along time to find what works for each dog after trying endless foods but this is what works for them so wouldn't change it I have a new pup coming in August so will go thro the whole thing again with him.

I fed raw for a year & had a lot of problems, itchy skin & hot spots one after the other. I changed back to kibble altho do occasionally give our youngest dog raw meat, tripe & chicken wings. They both get raw meaty marrow bones occasionally

I also found it expensive - upwards of £40 a week altho that was not the reason we gave it up.

Their diet now suits their nutritional needs

I've been feeding Rocky RAW for about 6 months now, but have just recently stopped.

• Rocky was loosing weight - there was plenty of food down for him but he just didn't want to eat as much.
  
• He was getting (occasional) diarrhoea - I'm guessing it was a combination of red meat and just raw meat in general.
  
• He had 'down days'/low energy days - although at first I put this down to his cancer.
  
• His tummy would often gurgle - bit like what we get when we have an upset stomach

He'll have been on (home) cooked food for a week tomorrow and *touch wood* his energy levels are much more consistent, his poos are better and he's enjoying his food a LOT more Generally he's a much happier dog.

I'll still give him the occasional bone, but we're ditching RAW feeding.

I think my original concerns are probably valid here - that cooking kills bacteria. I know dogs have a higher acid level in their stomachs to deal with this, but, farming and food production is so screwed up now that I just don't think you can compare wild 'fresh meat' to meat bought in a supermarket that's been bred and slaughtered in questionable ways (routine antibiotics/steroids/growth hormones/poor hygiene etc etc). Especially the cheaper meat which our pets tend to get.

Additionally, as our oldest domesticated pet - who was probably given scraps of (cooked) human food I think they would have adjusted to cooked food to some degree too. This is especially important given that food is easier to break down once it is cooked:

Source: BBC Horizon

I am currently feeding him cooked meat and sweet potatoes, with some cooked and uncooked veg - I'm steering clear of non-palaeolithic foods, such as grains, potatoes etc. Although might consider potatoes depending on further research. I'll add things like eggs and vitamins/oils etc too, but just wanted to post what we're doing now in case it's of interest to anyone else.

The only problem I have ever had with regard to feeding raw is the possibility of bacterial contamination of surfaces.

Dogs can tolerate a much high level of bacteria than humans and when feeding raw meat particularly raw chicken there is a risk of humans coming into contact with/ becoming infected with bacteria particularly the very young and the elderly. So I think it is important to be aware of this and observe strict hygiene measures when storing and handling raw dog meat.

Interesting thread.

I switched Dexter to raw recently but we are having a few problems. He suddenly started eating his own poop - whereas previously he showed no interest in it.

I mentioned it to the vet today while we were there for something else, and also told her he gets raw meat. She immediately asked if I was feeding either heart or liver - and I said yes to both.

Apparently both of these can cause a problem with phospherous...

I think raw feeding is great and am sticking with it a bit longer - but the one worry I have is that UNLESS one gets it accurate, it can cause problems.

Also, however careful I am in sourcing meat etc for my dog, it can't compare to dogs and wolves in the wild and the way they eat meat from a fresh kill.

In addition, last time I gave Dex a raw bone he threw up....

He doesn't show much interest in bones and as he doesn't chew food I am just too scared to try him on chicken wings; even with me holding them he will grab them and swallow them I think. Last time I hung onto a bone he just walked away - rather than chew at it.

I will keep going for a while longer but if he keeps eating his own poop I may have to rethink this. If I have to switch back to a complete food, my plan is to still feed raw two days a week - and feed Wainwrights wet trays the other five days. Plus fish, eggs, egg shells, and some vegetables.

I went down the raw route with my Lab. He was raw fed (with some Naturediet thrown in there) as a pup from weaning, which we continued for a good while after we got him. We then switched him to kibble.

When he was a couple of years old I decided to try raw again. I was convinced after more research that raw would have additional health benefits that I did not see while he was on kibble. He was raw fed for well over a year, and I have to say that I noticed no change whatsover! people say raw made their dogs poo smaller, made them smell less, gave them more energy, etc., but it was safe to say that he was exactly the same as he was on kibble.

We don't have room for an extra freezer, so making room for his food was a big issue. This meant I couldn't order anything in bulk at cheaper wholesale price. Consequently it was a very expensive way of feeding. Part of me thought that I have a dog that will eat other dogs poo and rotting animal corpses, so why am I spending a lot of money on expensive meats? I think it starts getting a bit silly when your dog is costing as much as you do to feed per week.

I find commercial foods to be cheaper and far more manageable than raw. I'm not convinced raw is superior to a high quality commercial diet, so it isn't worth all the extra fuss IMO.

This is to show the devastation a hot spot can cause, this was the first of many, not just with Rosie but Katie & Harvey as well. Hot spots are very painful & uncomfortable for the dog. The dogs were getting them repeatedly. The one shown was the largest hotspot any of the dogs had. Once back onto a complete feed, the hot spots didnt recur.

The darker area on the bottom right hand side is where the actual hot spot was, the rest is where the hair came out, the lighter hair on the edges all fell out. The hair from the base at her tail is new hair growth occurring, the whole area on the bottom of her back was bald & sore.

I didnt go into raw feeding blindly i waited until Harvey was adult & belonged to a raw diet forum to make sure i did it correctly.

I accept some dogs a raw diet agrees with, it didnt with ours.