What Is a Raw Food Diet for Dogs?
Before we dive into the pros and cons, let’s cover what exactly a raw diet is.
Raw food diets for dogs are nothing new. Originally, they were reserved for sled dogs and racing greyhounds. The idea to bring the raw food diet home was first proposed in 1993 by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst. Termed the BARF diet, or “Bones and Raw Food” diet, Billinghurst argued that dogs would benefit from a diet based on the eating habits of their evolutionary ancestors. He suggested that raw, meaty bones and vegetables were the natural foodstuffs of canines, while grain-based commercial foods were insufficient and actively harmful.
The raw food diet has its supporters and its detractors. Advocates say it has the potential to greatly improve your dog’s health, but critics argue that without proper guidance, a raw food diet could easily become harmful.
What Are Raw Diets for Dogs?
Raw diets for dogs have been around for years, and theyre somewhat controversial. On the one hand, you have pet parents who believe feeding their dogs raw food is beneficial for their health. On the other hand, dog owners and vets agree that raw food can be dangerous and even fatal to dogs.
But can dogs eat raw meat? Ultimately, many different types of dogs have been fed raw food, including sled dogs. However, that doesnt mean that this diet is suitable for all pets. The idea behind the raw diet is that dogs can benefit from the same diet their ancestors ate in the wild. Foods incorporated in this diet typically include uncooked animal products, including muscles, internal organs, and bones.1
There are also two options for feeding dogs a raw diet, including home-prepared and commercial raw meat for dogs.1 Commercial raw diets for dogs are frozen or freeze-dried to keep the meat fresh, but you may also be able to get refrigerated products at a pet store.2 Meanwhile, the home-prepared raw diet involves the pet parent preparing every meal for the dog from scratch, which means handling raw meat before feeding it to the dog.
Even though many people believe the raw food diet is ideal for dogs, minimal studies demonstrate the benefits of feeding a domesticated dog raw food. Moreover, no studies show an increase in health benefits when on a raw diet.2
Several pet parents have anecdotal evidence of the raw dog diet benefitting their pets. Individuals who feed their dogs raw diets believe that they offer nutritional superiority.1 However, their claims are unproven, and there is no scientific evidence to back them up. Of course, very few pet parents would willingly feed their dogs diets that would hurt them, so those feeding their dogs the raw diet truly believe its the best thing for the health and wellness of their animals.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that feeding your dog a raw food diet offers cleaner teeth from chewing bones and a shinier coat due to the nutrients in raw meat.1 Additionally, many people believe the raw dog diet has improved their dogs food allergies. Unfortunately, with a lack of scientific evidence to back these claims up, theres no reason for any dog to start eating a raw diet if theyre already getting the necessary nutrients through their current diet.
Humans already know the risks of touching and eating raw meat, which is why you always wash your hands while preparing dinner and ensure you cook your meat thoroughly before feeding it to your family. Uncooked meat can affect your dog the same way it affects you because it contains bacteria and other pathogens that can harm their health.
Ultimately pets can develop infections due to the pathogens in raw beef, pork, poultry, and fish. Those infections can then be passed on to humans.3 Raw dog food contains many pathogens that are a risk to the health and safety of your pet and your family.
Unlike the benefits of raw dog diets, the risks have been proven by science. In one study, pathogens in frozen raw dog food lead to bacterial infections in animals, which could be transmitted to humans.4
The raw dog diet poses many threats to your dogs overall health and wellness. It can also affect your health if youre preparing the food at home or your dog transmits a pathogen to you. Additional risks include:
When changing your dogs diet, always be careful. While the raw dog diet can be dangerous, introducing your dogs system to any new food can cause dog diarrhea until their body adjusts. However, if your dog continues to have diarrhea, it can indicate your dog contracted an illness from raw food.
Risk of bones
With a raw diet, there’s the potential that your dog might be injured by bone fragments in the meat. Bones can pose a choking hazard, break your dog’s teeth, or cause an internal puncture. Cooked bones are especially susceptible to splintering and should only be fed to your dog under supervision.
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You may be considering a raw food diet for your dog for a variety of reasons.
Whatever the reason may be to switch to a raw diet for dogs, it is important to approach this decision cautiously so you can make the most educated choice for your dog. Your pet is relying on you to provide a diet that is complete and balanced and appropriate to optimize their long-term health.