Is it safe to put my dog on a raw meat diet?

1. 60

   Rob Le Plastrierposted 13 years ago

   Is it safe to put my dog on a raw meat diet?
   
   My bichon frise dog has developed skin allergies and the vet has given us steroid treatment to clear it up.  However, they were not sure what is causing it. Other doggie friends of ours have told my wife and I that a raw meat diet will clear up the allergies and be better generally for our dog.  Is this true, or is it going to be dangerous?

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2. 70

   toknowinfoposted 13 years ago

   Dogs can digest raw meat safely because they have different saliva than we do. For sanitary purposes be mindful of keeping the food bowl and area well sanitized.

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3. 73

   Mel Jayposted 13 years ago

   There is a formula diet that is raw meat and it is great for dogs with health issues - it's called 'barf' - it is a complete and balanced diet, but it isn't cheap to buy.  If they have it where you are you should check it out, prevention in the long term might be cheaper than vet bills? Sometimes its about using a skin wash that helps too - my Dad had a dog he had to wash in lanolin for his allergy issues, messy but effective.  Good luck with your pooch

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4. 70

   TheEpicJourneyposted 13 years ago

   The raw diet question is a important and tricky one. When I was considering it I had to ask a lot of questions and do a lot of research. If your asking the question then that shows your ultimate goal is the best possible nutrition of your dog. What I found is that while the raw diet is indeed a very good diet and a very healthy one. It takes a lot of work, research, knowledge about both the dog and the foods you are giving her. If your feeding her raw YOU have to know how to balance what vitamins, protein, and other nutrients your dog gets per day and which foods in the proper amounts will give that required daily amount too her. Ultimately its about what your willing and capable of doing on a daily basis. I decided that I just didn't have the knowledge, time, and ability to do that for her properly on a daily basis. If i wanted to ensure she was fed a healthy balanced diet (which is the ultimate goal) I should use a kibble which has been balanced and researched properly by a reputable company. That just seemed the best way for me to ensure she had the proper balance of nutrients she required. I'm no scientist I dont know what the ultimate answer is, this is just the conclusion I came to when doing my own research . I use a brand called 4health. Tractor Supply is the only one that sells it. There are several other good brands that are just as good if not better that you can also consider. Again, I'm not saying raw is bad, its great. Its just not something everyone is willing to do properly and still give their dog the diet they deserve

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5. 71

   santos88posted 12 years ago

   Try grain free food. Corn and soy products can cause a lot of irritation of an animal is allergic to it.

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6. 90

   JKennyposted 12 years ago

   Dogs are natural carnivores, so giving them raw meat is perfectly safe for them, as they have specialised enzymes in their stomach that can break down raw meat, whereas we don't. Shouldn't be any problem at all.

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