I do not often blog about feeding raw food to the dogs because I’ve been feeding that way for several years. I only think about it occasionally. I think about it when I go to my vet for an annual health visit (I have to do that to maintain our Therapy Dog registration). Inevitably, he looks at 6-1/2 year old Inca’s mouth and then looks back at her chart. “How old is she?” Her gleaming teeth, clean breath, sparkling eyes, wonderful red coat make her look half her age. We then have our annual discussion on feeding raw. That discussion always ends with him saying “I really can’t argue with success.” You see, he has a lot of clients who feed raw.
I thought about it today when I saw on Garrett Ramsay’s blog http://ramsayfarms.blogspot.com/ that he is coming over to the light. I thought about it today when I saw the photo of turkey necks in bowls lined up on the counter in Carolyn’s blog http://C-Myste.blogspot.com That made me look at Chase who is from Carolyn’s first raw fed litter. She says she’ll never go back. I know I’ll never go back. All our dogs thank us for that. Probably the most important thing to remember about feeding raw is that it’s more than just tossing the dog a meaty bone. It’s maintaining balance with vegetables and dairy, and being sure the dogs are getting Omega, Vitamin C, fatty acids (I use Missing Link Plus to also get Glucosomine). In the wild, our dogs’ foreparents ate berries, roots as well as whatever they could chase down. They are not strangers to eating this way — we’re just strangers to feeding them like this.
By the way, my vet has only one raw-feeding client who ever had a problem. He’s a surgeon and he came down with Salmonella — now that’s ironic! So, scrub the counter well, do not use a wooden cutting board, wash your hands before and after handling the raw meat.
Good morning, Bright Eyes
The most I could muster was adding raw meat, but it got to the point where I couldn’t afford that… 🙁 So back to kibble my dogs went… they look great and are healthy on it, so I guess it’s ok… Feeding raw takes a lot of time and forethought… not to mention MONEY! 🙁 I wish it were easier. it’s nice to hear tho, that your vet asks about Inca-doodles age…. 🙂 That’s a great sign that whatever you’re doing is GOOD for your dog! 🙂 Hats off to you folks who can feed raw….! 🙂
I forwarded this post along to my non-blog-reading wife as she’s always interest in the topic of raw food. We’ve been feeding raw for a while; we started moving that way after the melamine nonsense in 2007. (See “Dawn of the Turkee Neks” for some lovely video.)
Hey Traci, I have found that feeding raw generally costs me less than the high-quality kibble. Well, except rabbit (pretty pricey for me), and that’s a treat around here.Are you anywhere near Tucson? Sorry if you are not, since I don’t really know much about AZ. BUT, if you are near Tucson, I can put you in touch with a friend who ran the raw co-op in town for years. If you are interested, that is. 🙂
Sarah