I'm happy with his care of my dogs but I wouldn't take nutritional advice from him or any vet. Just my opinion.

We have an old friend of the family who is a vet and I was going to ask him how much training he'd had on dog nutrition but he's moved to South Africa

One of the girls who does our home visits for the Freedom Project is a veterinary nurse and she is all for raw-feeding. She even said it was fine to feed our foster dogs the odd bit of raw if I wanted. And I do

I think this is an excellent point. It's a different degree but mine is in chemistry and although I studied areas of chemistry in general as part of my degree, it doesn't give you an indepth insight into each area. That comes with experience and further research - and specialising.

I'm pleased to say that my vet's main concern is that a diet contains the necessary nutrients. They are aware that we feed predominantly raw with bones and even when we asked about the BARF diet a couple of years ago, the only comment was that it was sometimes given evangelism status. They had no objections to our choice of diet though.

Wow - that really amazes me. I can't comprehend not listening to the advice of someone who had spent that much time studying and working with how animals work. I don;t always take the advice of my vet - I always tell them that of course and if they then know I am not happy they will either explain more clearly why they suggest this or they will try and find a different solution. I expect people who come to my classes to question things and I am happy if they do. I would never dismiss anyone just like that. Everyone can have opinions that will be based on research and personal experience - I am glad you have had good experience with Raw - I have never done it myself but know many who have had bad experience which makes me shy away - IMO it is just not worth the risk when my dogs are healthy as they are.....but we can all learn from each other.

That's wierd Tassle because I don't know of one person who has had a bad experience with raw (unless they've not researched and done it wrong). Anyway, that's not what this thread was about. It was about a vet saying that raw chickens bones = emergency surgery inevitably. And it just doesn't. My dog is proof of that and lots of other dogs on here.

I don't question my vet on matters of my dog's health. That's what he has trained for. He hasn't trained in how to feed dogs. As Labradork said, there is no provision for training in canine nutrition. It's just the vet's opinion.

I know a woman in HtM who has always fed RAW - she has reserched it to the nth degree....one of her dogs (sadly now deceased) had to have 2 operations to remove blockages. She still feeds raw and swears by it. One of a few I have known - bu she is the one I know who has researched it most.

I agree that the Vet was wrong by treating a client like that and making absolutes...there are none really.

And I don't believe that is what Labradork exactly said - but I probably interrputed it differently to you. And yes - it is just the vets opinion - but they will have had more experience dealing with nutritional issues than most dog owners - and many have owned dogs...and how do you know they do not do thier own research? (retorical question!)

Our main vet is beyond retirement age and is fine with raw feeding...he hs been in practice for more than 45 years and would remember when the vast majority of dogs weren't fed on commercial complete foods.

That said, one of the younger vets in the practice is also an advocate of raw feeding but stressed only if done properly. We had a lengthy chat about my feeding regime recently and he was impressed with my knowledge of the subject, the variety in my dogs' diet and the condition of the dog that he had in front of him at the time.

As I said, the nutrition side of things will be tied into the other areas of study...the gastro stuff (as an example) was in the third year of study that I had a quick look at....

If you google feeding raw bones you will get the usual BARF types sites...but the same number of sites with info about dogs that have had bones splinter or become impacted.

Dogs are not wolves...so why feed them like they are?

As I say I am not anti raw....but I truly, hand on heart can't see the need to risk it.

Brilliant!

My vet's sell royal canin and hills. But they have never tried the hard sell with it (at least on me). When I adopted Willow from them I asked what kind of food they recommened. They told me that tins of pedigree was as good as any of the foods out there....

Since starting raw and taking Willow there they always comment on how great her condition is etc. One vet asked a few questions on raw feeding etc since (in her own words) she knew nothing about it. She said that I seemed to have done my research and knew what I was doing. The dogs condition and health spoke for itself.

Personally I don't want to take the risk with my dogs in continually feeding commercial feeds, I feel their health and well being is better being fed raw. But each owner must do what works best for them and their dogs. C'est la vie.

[QUOTE=Evie;1644723] Brilliant!

My vet's sell royal canin and hills. But they have never tried the hard sell with it (at least on me). When I adopted Willow from them I asked what kind of food they recommened. They told me that tins of pedigree was as good as any of the foods out there....

Since starting raw and taking Willow there they always comment on how great her condition is etc. One vet asked a few questions on raw feeding etc since (in her own words) she knew nothing about it. She said that I seemed to have done my research and knew what I was doing. The dogs condition and health spoke for itself.

Personally I don't want to take the risk with my dogs in continually feeding commercial feeds, I feel their health and well being is better being fed raw. But each owner must do what works best for them and their dogs. C'est la vie. [/QUOTE]


Couldn't agree with this bit more.
It also sounds like your vet is very like mine. I suspect mine wouldn't lecture me if i did opt to feed raw.

I don't know if Cosmo is in great shape because of his diet (Burns/Naturediet and bits and bobs of our stuff...) or because of the mud, or, as I said to another owner who nearly vomited when he saw Cosmo do it today...because of eating his own poop. He is (touch wood) the right weight, has the right amount of energy and has a coat that is fantastic and shiny and glossy...and well you know....
His breed DO suffer from cancers so inevitably I am always on the look out for things that would perhaps, lessen his chances, so of course I always am questioning his diet (his breed also has a tendency to bloat, his mum actually died from a torsion twice on the operating table when she was pregnant with him and was brought around...thank heavens for vets huh?) Inevitably diet and feeding are high on my list of interests and priorities as a result of his breed and family history...BUT as I say, he isn't a wolf so I see no need to risk feeding him like he is one. I can,on the other hand, see the benefit of perhaps introducing more of a cooked diet for him...but we'll see.

He is divine (even covered in his own personal version of the all body facepack ). I have had many dogs stay with us here that look and do really well on (imo) some of the better kibbles, I can't deny that.

I just know how much better my own have been since changing over to raw and how much more they enjoy their food. For us it works so well on all levels. Anyone wanting to learn more about raw feeding I'm happy to sing it's praises. But I do know that it's not for everyone, and respect people's choices.

You know your stuff when it comes to dogs Ailsa. You do the very best for yours and it shows.