Raw

Photo By Abracadabra Grooming & Training

By Kimberly Jones

There have been varying opinions about whether or not a raw food diet is best for your pet. However, many pet owners are beginning to adopt the idea that it's better to feed pets a diet that evolves from what their ancestors ate in the wild before domestication. After all, meat is what they thrived on throughout their lifetime. Today's raw food diet can consist of not only feeding your furry loved one meat, but you can also feed him or her fruits and vegetables. Including fruits and vegetables in your pet's diet can help ensure they are getting the additional vitamins and minerals they need. Some other benefits of adding fruits and vegetables to your pet's diet that don't come from meat include prebiotics, flavonoids, carotenoids, lutein, and chlorophyll. It is even said that wild dogs and cats ate berries and grass in addition to eating meat. When it comes to feeding your pet raw meat, you want to be sure that you are giving your pet a variety of meats such as chicken, ground beef, duck, lamb, turkey, and fish to ensure that they are getting the proper amounts of protein and healthy fats. Giving your pet a raw food diet seems to be a healthier option that may provide benefits such as a shinier coat, stronger, healthier teeth, more energy, and improved stools due to better digestibility. Furthermore, a raw food diet can be more aligned with promoting metabolism in your pet as well as promoting a healthier gut. When your pet consumes dry food, it can cause constipation and harder stools. Kibble can also cause harm to the endocrine system, causing blood sugar levels to both spike and plunge. You will need to do your research to determine how often to feed your pet as well as how much to feed your pet. There are some precautions to keep in mind if you decide to give your pet a raw food diet. In order to minimize the potential spreading of bacteria, make sure you practice proper food safety handling just like you do when you prepare your food. It's a good idea to thoroughly clean any area including floors, food bowls, beds, toys, and any counter top surfaces where the uncooked meat has been placed. This will help to lessen the possibility of spreading diseases.