Should I switch my Jack Russell and my Russian Blue to a raw meat and bones diet?

Question

After all of the concern over the pet food recall, I am seriousley considering switching my beloved pets to a raw meat and bones diet. Have any of you done this? Is it better? How can I be sure that my pets are getting the nutrition they need from raw meat and bones? Could the bones harm them? What about bacteria from raw meat? Any advise or even opinions will be much appreciated. I have been feeding my pets Nutro, but only the dry stuff. Thanks!

Answer 1

I have fed raw to my dogs for over 15 years. That's how old my golden is right now, and he's still very happy and healthy. All of my dogs have lived to a ripe old age- never had to have their teeth cleaned and no doggy breath or body odor. Don't let the pet food company propaganda fool you. In 15 years NONE of my dogs ever got sick on raw food, never choked on a bone or anything like that. My dogs have competed in agility, flyball, obedience and conformation. They have always perfomed better on raw food. It's a little more difficult to feed raw, and it's takes a lot more prep time and planning. But in the end it's worth it. Here's more info for you- the yahoo groups are helpful, because they can give you a lot of personal info on how to start and how to maintain. Best of luck to you. I wasn't sure when I started doing it- but I wouldn't change back to dry stuff for anything now.
By the way- they have prepackaged raw food available now. I keep that in stock for when I don't want to prepare something. There's some good web info available in the links below.

Answer 2

Not without doing a lot of research first. There's much you have to learn before you can go completely raw.
A raw diet is deficient in several things one of them being vitamins, so you would have to supplement. Carnivores in nature eat the WHOLE animal, that includes, cartilage, bones, some organs and stomach contents. Not a pleasant idea, but that's life.
Google B.A.R.F. = Biologically Appropriate Raw Food

Here's a couple of sites.
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm
www.barfworld.com
Most commercial pet foods are not perfect, but there's some pretty good stuff out there. Stop panicking!

Answer 3

No, for all the reasons you have mentioned, and you certainly don't want to give either of them raw pork because of trichnosis. If you are concerned about the canned foods discovery, your terrier and cat both could eat cooked (broiled or stewed in a soup with vegetables) meats in perfect safety. Use Mrs. Dash as a seasoning as you don't want to oversalt.

Answer 4

No. For the reasons you mentioned, dangerous bacteria. Bones can also splinter and stick in the dogs throat. PS. All bones splinter! Cooked or not.

Answer 5

Heres a great site for you:
http://www.healthy-paws.ca/

And one more..
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

By the way...cooked bones splinter and are dangerous not raw bones.

Answer 6

the dry stuff is always the best don't switch now