Raw Diets: Precautions, Do’s and Don’ts in pets
Aditya Sharma1, Sheikh Uzma Farooq2, Prince Chauhan3
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar
2Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar
3Department of Animal Nutrition, Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar
The raw diet also known as Rawism or Raw Feeding is a practice of feeding domesticanimals primarily with a diet consisting of uncooked meat, edible bones, and organs. A rawdiet can range from a meal with a wide selection of animal-safe fruits, vegetables, grains, anddairy products such as yogurt while others may be as simple as meat, bones, and organ meat.The BARF diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) advocates feeding 60% raw meaty bones and the rest of the diet should be of a wide variety of foods like vegetables, grains, andlegumes. Raw food diets have shown the benefits of shinier coats, healthier skin, improved dental health, increased energy, and smaller stool.
Feeding a raw food diet comes with a certain level of risk. It is very important to fullyunderstand the risks of raw food diets.According to some veterinarians, raw food diets compromise the immune system of animals. The main concern when feeding a raw diet isfood safety. The potential risks include possible contamination of meat with high levels ofdisease-causing bacteria, an unbalanced diet, and breakage of teeth that may cause an internalpuncture or a whole bone that might choke the pet. While the nutritional adequacy of Rawfood diets is controversial, it has become an increasingly popular trend among pet owners. Many pet owners are giving up on veterinary-recommended commercial pet foods and arechoosing raw diets based on online myths and scare tactics about commercial pet food.
Pets are considered prominent additions to the family. Owners seek emotional connections to it. Their approach to feeding their pets is much like the approach to their babies. This approach is followed for food selection and feeding practices as well. Feeding pets is a means by which they can ply some degree of control in impacting the health andwell-being of a loved companion.As pets become more closely associated with the family unit, their desire to prepare and vary their diet becomes greater. Items frequently included in pet food are by-products of human food. Although these by-products are of high nutritional value, owners would not choose to consume these foods themselves. Logically, some would also question feeding these to their pets. The amount of misinformation about pet foods and sorting out facts from fabrication is one major challenge that veterinarians face today. These misconceptions make pet owners overly concerned about their pets’ dietary needs andunintentionally expose them to nutritional deficiencies. They approach veterinarians for alternative diets for commercial pet foods. The majority of pet owners fail to realize the nutritional adequacy of alternative dietary options.
Pet owners need to realize that commercial foods would produce the same effect as raw diets, without the risk of an unbalanced diet. Whatever may be the reason to switch to a rawdiet for a pet, it is crucial to approach this decision cautiously so you make the wise choice for your pet. Owners who choose to switch must educate themselves on proper feeding schedules, and meat sources, and craft a balanced nutritional plan for their pets.
Some important things to keep in mind while considering raw food diets are:-
- Adequate Nutritional Values:-The main problem is whether the commercial feed or raw diets may fail in fulfilling a pet’s nutritional requirements. Ignoring important nutrient ratios your pet needs to maintain optimal health is not great. Homemade raw diets may lack enough calcium and phosphorus causing osteoporosis, osteomalacia, bone fracture, and other dental problems.
- Insuring Quality over Quantity:- The amount of feed fed should be according to the body weight and age of the animal. It should not be stale or contaminated, should have adequate moisture content, and should be palatable enough.
- Raw feeding is an art:- Just like humans get bored of monotonous routines, our pets too can. Feeding the same components can get boring for pets as well. Owners must try to keep building and experimenting with different food elements that fulfil the nutritional value but at the same time are not boring for our companion. Variety is key for creating both an appetizing meal and for ensuring your dog gets adequate nutrition.
- Including Bones or Not:- Feeding Bones to your pet can give extra nutritional benefits like calcium and phosphorus. If they are chewed properly and digested, they are good for dental health also. Whereas, these bones if not pliable or are not chewed properly, can cause obstruction in the oesophagus, choking the trachea ,and constipation.
- Preventing any contamination:-It is most important to maintain the hygiene of the food served to your pets as contamination by any bacteria or parasite (which is most common in the raw food), can cause serious diseases. Contamination can be prevented by storing the meat in deep freezers below -5°C.
- Utensil hygiene:-Utensils should be cleaned and sun-dried properly. It should be free from any contamination as it may lead to serious diseases. After feeding the utensil should be washed. The same utensil should not be used as it is the whole day. Left overfood should be discarded properly after each meal and not be left unattended.
- Proper washing of the meal before feeding:- The raw meat contains various bacteria like Salmonella, and E. Coli., which could be injurious to your pet. Therefore, raw meat should be washed properly under running water and any blood clots, mud, or stains, should be removed properly.
These few simple practices can make feeding raw foods safe for your pets as well as you. Proper storage and preparation can prove the raw diet to be a great alternative to commercial diets. Raw diets are easier to serve than commercial diets and some of them are age-specific, nutrient specific, and may have effects on a targeted organ. It is the owner’s discretion whether to feed a commercial diet or raw diet, it should fulfil the nutritional requirement of the pet.
