|
Raw
Feeding Basics
| |
|
| More
professionals in the world of dogs, cats and
ferrets, (breeders,
veterinarians,
etc.) |
| are
advocating a second look
at
what we feed our animals.
Why? Because there
is
a
|
|
growing understanding
that
dogs,
cats and ferrets need
a raw,
natural
diet in
order
|
|
to be healthy,
and
that
commercial
pet foods
cannot supply
the nutrients
|
|
necessary for good health and long
lives. |
| Back
to Top |
What
Should Carnivores Eat? |
| Proper
nutrition is vital to good health. In nature,
it is live foods that truly nourish
|
| both
people and animals. In
order to thrive, they
need live enzymes,
|
| phytochemicals,
antioxidants,
and unadulterated
amino acids,
vitamins and minerals |
| that
only raw food can provide. While commercial
pet foods are convenient, most |
| contain
sub-standard or condemned meats. They are
also highly processed at
|
| extreme
temperatures, which
destroys many of the building blocks of good
health, |
| and
often full of questionable
preservatives. So, commercial
pet foods may sustain life, |
| but
unlike raw diets, they do not
contain the life-enhancing
nutrition that promotes
health. |
| |
| Cats,
Dogs and Ferrets Are Carnivores, or
meat-eaters. |
| As
The Merck Veterinary
Manual (8th ed.,
pg.
1628) tells us, |
| dogs
and cats have "no dietary requirement
for carbohydrate." |
|
Yet
ALL dry
commercial pet
foods
are at least 60%
(or more) grain.
|
| Grains
are carbohydrates.
Feeding
Grains? |
| |
| Does
it make sense
to feed our carnivores
a diet that contains at least 60% of a |
| substance
they
don't even need?
Additionally,
carbohydrates are
metabolized by the
|
| body
to
glucose (sugar) which is
known to feed
cancers, diabetes
and many |
|
other disorders that
now plague our companion animals. |
| |
| Raw
diets simulate the carnivores natural diet.
|
| Think about
the fox or coyote. A natural diet of rabbits,
pheasants, mice, chickens... |
| whatever
they can find. When carnivores eat an herbivore
like a rabbit, they eat meat, |
| bone, organ
meats, (liver, heart, kidney, etc.), stomach,
(Green
Tripe) and some green |
| vegetation
contained in the herbivore's digestive system.
|
Nature's
perfect meal - the meal that raw diets replicate. |
| Back
to Top |
Are
Raw Diets Safe? |
| Dogs,
cats and ferrets are
NOT humans. Their
physical make-up is very different. |
| Compared
to us, our carnivorous pets
have a very short
digestive system, foods are |
|
processed quickly -- before harmful bacteria
can multiply and cause problems. Also, a |
|
carnivore's digestive system has a very high
level of acidity which breaks down |
|
the nutrients in raw meats and bones, and
is also hostile to bacteria. |
|
Remember the fox and coyote. They have no
problem digesting raw meat and bones. |
| Dogs,
foxes and coyotes are often scavengers, eating
rotten foods, decaying deer |
| carcasses,
etc., without any ill effects. We are not
suggesting you feed spoiled, |
| contaminated
foods. A healthy raw food diet should consist
of good quality, |
|
USDA-inspected and approved meats
and bones - the ingredients used by Bravo. |
| Back
to Top |
|
How
Do Raw Diets Protect My Pet's Health? |
|
| A carnivore's
digestive system was designed to digest raw
food. |
| A
high-quality, raw food diet provides the nutrients
that help insure that your |
| pets
lead a long healthy
life. Cooking destroys those nutrients. |
| *
When switched
to a raw diet,
animals with existing health problems often
experience
|
|
improvement
in their conditions.
|
|
* Healthy animals
on a raw diet are likely to avoid some illnesses
that are |
| becoming
common
in our companion animals. |
| *
Picky eaters may
suddenly turn into chow
hounds. |
|
* Raw diets for almost every
animal significantly
reduce, or
even eliminate |
|
the
need
for veterinary dental work.
While you are spared
the cost, |
|
your pet will be spared the
risks of the
associated anesthesia.
|
| |
|
| There
are many books
, online
resources and
Raw Feeding
Email Lists available |
| on
natural diets for pets.
Anything we learn that brings
us closer to our animal friends |
| and
enables them
to live an optimal quality of life contributes
to the well being of us all. |
Back
to Top
Books
The
Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat,
Juleitte de Bairacli Levy
The
BARF Diet Ian Billinghurst,
BV, Sc
The
Nature of Animal Healing: The Definitive Holistic
Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat,
Martin Goldstein D.V.M.
Homeopathic
Care for Cats & Dogs, Don
Hamilton, DVM
Switching
to Raw, Susan K. Johnson
Birchrun5@aol.com
Raw
Meaty Bones Promote Health , Tom
Lonsdale
Dr.
Pitcairn's Complete Guide To Natural Health for
Dogs & Cats,
Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn
Natural
Nutrition for Dogs and Cats; The Ultimate Diet,
Kymythy Schultze
K9Kitchen:
Your Dog's Diet, Monica
Segal
Online
Resources
Bravo Raw Meat
Diet
Anatomy
for the Pet Owner
Learn
More with Dr. Billinghurst's BARF Diet
Back
to Top
Why
Bravo recommends Fish body oil over Cod
Liver Oil? |
| Question
from a customer : |
| Why does
Bravo prefer not to use cod liver oil, while
my vet recommends it? |
| |
| Most studies
showing anti-inflammatory
effects in humans, lab animals, & particularly, |
| renal failure
in dogs, involve fish (body) oil standardized
to its DHA/EPA components. |
| |
| Salmon *body*
oil is high in DHA and EPA. |
| Cod *liver*
oil has lower DHA/EPA, and has high levels
of Vitamin A |
| (Vitamin
A can be toxic if it reaches certain levels
in the system). |
| In simple
terms - |
| Fish body
oil (from salmon, menhaden, whatever) is greatly
preferred. |
| |
| Melinda Miller |
|
