Benefits of Raw Diet

White, white teeth and no more doggie breath

Here is one source of bacteria you should worry about-the ones that make their home in the tartar on your dogs teeth that is caused by soluble carbohydrates in a kibble diet. These bacteria and the toxins they produce, can spread throughout the body, invading organs, specifically the heart and kidneys. BARF fed pets have beautiful teeth and breath possibly due to the enzymes in raw food and/or the lack of carbohydrates in the diet. Many people believe it is the chewing action that produces white teeth, but you can get this same benefit when feeding your pet raw meaty bones that have been ground.

Since raw fed dogs do not have tartar, they are not plagued with these bacteria and toxins. And, dogs that were previously fed a kibble diet, can have clean, white teeth sometimes in as little as 2-4 weeks! (This is an observation from people, on the e-lists I belong to, that have taken in rescue dogs and switched them to a raw diet.) I may never have to take Roxy in for a teeth cleaning!

Warning

If your dog suddenly develops bad breath be sure to check the dog's mouth to determine whether a bone has been lodged between his/her teeth. If not, a blood test may be in order to determine if there are any kidney malfunctions. Bad breath is one of the outward signs of kidney or heart disease.

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Poop patrol becomes an adventure!

This subject comes up frequently. A dog on a raw diet has fewer and smaller stools. It also has very little smell. Within a few hours, in most cases, the stool will turn white and eventually turn to powder (if you leave it there!) The whiteness is from excess natural calcium. What isn't needed is simply flushed out. Smaller stools indicate the dog is using the food efficiently.

Stools are a good indication of what is going on in your dogs' body. If it's too soft-add more raw meaty bones. Too hard-add more veggies. Most BARFers watch for undigested material in order to determine if probiotics should be added to the diet. When too much vitamin C has been given, diarrhea occurs. Just back off slowly until the stool becomes firm again. The dog itself seems to know best.

Stools are harder which helps the anal glands express as they should. I should never have to take Roxy to the vet to have her anal glands expressed! I am very grateful for that one!

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Yard stains

Raw fed dogs produce fewer yard stains. A dog being fed a poor quality kibble can have highly concentrated urine that burns the lawn. My yard has some, but not near the amount that my kibble fed (previous) dogs produced. Adding alfalfa to the dog's diet may decrease yard stains even further.

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Hot spots

If your dog suffers from hot spots, a raw diet may be the answer. It may be best to eliminate the hot spots by proper nutrition, rather than pouring on (or in) more medications.

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Water consumption

This is not really a benefit, but I just wanted to mention that a raw fed dog does not consume much water! The dog is provided with so much moisture via the raw diet, the need to drink copious amounts of water is eliminated. My kibble fed dogs had an almost unquenchable thirst and drank a lot of water. Roxy drinks approximately one cup of filtered water per day.

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Doggie gas (the quickest way to clear a room!)

The odorous gas that some dogs have may be caused by a digestive system that is not functioning properly. When starting your dog on a raw diet, the gas problem can escalate to the point that you want to give up! But, when the flora of the intestines adjusts to the new diet, it virtually goes away. Roxy can be stinky occasionally, but not very often.

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Bloat Prevention? Possibly! Bloat seems to be less common in raw fed dogs. Please read up on PREVENTION OF BLOAT AND TORSION IN DOGS. Also, here's some extensive information on bloat: Purdue University

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Great Health

I did not save this one for the end because it is less important or not proven. It is the most important, but only proven by us that feed a raw diet. We see the difference but don't have scientific evidence to prove it. Food trials have not been performed because there is no (monetary) benefit in it for anyone. If dog food companies were to provide the food trials, it would result in lower sales for their product. If veterinarians were to provide the food trials, it would result in fewer sick dogs and less money for the doctor. So, for this reason, most will not even suggest you feed your pet a healthy, natural, raw diet.

Those of us that feed a raw, natural diet could not possibly put dogs through a trial of our own. This would mean that we would have to feed some dogs a very poor diet and we would not want to put ANY dog through that!

Dog food companies have gone to great lengths to convince humans that it is right to feed our dogs a food that consists of cooked cereal and rendered meat meals. We, ourselves, are told to eat many raw fruits and vegetables every day. Raw being the key to good health because vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes are present in their natural form. Why would it be different for our dogs? Their bodies were designed to eat and thrive on raw food. Cereal and cooking have no place in a dog's diet.

Bone appetit!