# The Raw Diet- Pros and Cons?



## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I feed raw because Molly is allergic to the starches in kibble. The worst part about it is the amount of work required. I prepare her meals for 2-3 weeks at a time. The cleanup is not very fun either. The two benefits I can physically see is that her teeth are clean now and she has more energy, aside from relief from her food allergies.


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## tdm1990 (Jan 8, 2013)

Good point! I meal-prep my own food, so I guess I could do the same for Harley. 
The only major concern I have is that it is recommended to feed them the bones as well as the raw meat and you have to make sure to keep the meals totally balanced. I wouldn't want to harm him at all due to my lack of knowledge. I was also reading somewhere that the people in our household could get sick from Harley's poop due to the raw food. I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it raised some concern. 
Thanks again!


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I think salmonella may be a concern if you have older people or young kids in the house. As a healthy adult, I don't have any worries about this.

I follow the Prey Model Raw of 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% liver and other organ. I use a food scale to weigh everything and balance her meals. It doesn't have to be balanced every day, but over time. I balance Molly's meals over one or two weeks. The consistency of the stool will tell you if you are feeding too much or too little bone.

Prepping weeks worth of meals of raw and bloody meats and organs will be much messier than prepping your own food.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Although it is more economical to prepare your own you can purchase a commercial raw diet to feed your dog. I have fed raw for 15+ years and have fed both my own preparation and now a commercial one (Oma's Pride). I feel the raw diet is a more appropriate diet for the dog but that is my opinion. Many feel it is not.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Here is what I do and have had some great results. In the morning I feed Grandma Lucy's. It is a freeze dried raw to which you add warm water. Complete everything needed. In the evening I use their pre-mix most days which has everything except the meat. I rotate protein sources and use meat that has the bone ground in. I also add tripe and with the beef and chicken I add organ meats. I also add an egg twice a week and sardines twice a week. I actually have a chart. My protein sources are quail, duck, venison, chicken, beef. Most of which I buy in 2 lb. rolls from a company called Blue Ridge Beef. Some people will tell you feeding raw is cheap. It isn't that cheap if you do it right. I can recommend Dr. Karen Becker's book to start you out. It has recipes and amounts, etc. The only thing I do different is I don't usually make my own veggie/fruit/supplement mix. Might be less expensive if I did, but I use Grandma Lucy's. My dogs look great and I add a raw knuckle bone for chewing a couple times a week and their teeth are great.


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## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

tdm1990 said:


> Good point! I meal-prep my own food, so I guess I could do the same for Harley.
> The only major concern I have is that it is recommended to feed them the bones as well as the raw meat and you have to make sure to keep the meals totally balanced. I wouldn't want to harm him at all due to my lack of knowledge. I was also reading somewhere that the people in our household could get sick from Harley's poop due to the raw food. I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it raised some concern.
> Thanks again!


There is a learning curve, but there are some great books and other resources out there. If you are feeding boneless meat, you need to add a calcium supplement to balance the phosphorous in the meat. This is what I do since the bones I feed are mainly recreational bones. I bought a bunch of chicken necks, but Kea just could not get the hang of chewing them thoroughly, and she would vomit the bones up several hours after eating. Now, I feed the chicken necks to my cat, who is doing fantastic with them. Kea has been on raw for about a year and her annual bloodwork just came back fine, so I'm feeling confident we're doing it correctly. 

I'd say the benefits are smaller poops, better breath, cleaner teeth. 

The drawbacks are cost and convenience.


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## Yunish (Nov 4, 2007)

My dog has been on raw since she was with her breeder. She is on Oma's Pride now. To keep the costs down, I buy the 10 lbs logs, cut them into a right portion and freeze them in freezer bags. She has a beautiful soft shiny coat and clean breath. I don't think feeding raw is more costly than feeding a quality kibble. It's just involved more prep work and cleaning. 


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