Is it ok to feed my10week old doberman ***** raw meat once a day, the vet advises not to but my dog loves it?

Question

I feed her a mix of lambs hearts, braising beef and lambs livers, once a day (evening meal), her coat is gleaming and her general health is excellant.. The vet has advised me not to due to the risk of salmonella and e.coli poisoning.. Not sure what to do.. Dogs used to be fed raw meat!!??

Answer 1

Bacteria will not affect your dog! They have short guts (inside) and their stomach is full of very strong acid.

How did dogs survive before tinned or dried dog food? my Mum had dogs as a child and they never got sick. My riding instructor also was a trained Butcher and worked as one for over 30 years. She and her family have always had dogs, and her latest, a Dalmatian, is now 16 years old!

People get so used to opening a packet to feed their dogs, they forget where they came from. Google BARF - you will find so much information on feeding raw food.

Good luck with your dog and don't worry about people's opinions too much - if your dog is healthy, you must be doing something right :D

Answer 2

Of course the Vet advised against it! The always do unless like mine they are extremely honest or have educated themselves like holistic Vets do!!
Do you know that Vets dont have to take nutrition as part of their courses and what lectures they do attend are given by Pet food manufacturers!
My dog and my two cats are fed on the Barf diet and I'd never go back to the rubbish my old vet allowed me to feed my cat for five years. It was a well known dry food and it gave him Kidney disease.
I changed to wet feeding then a friend introduced me to the Barf diet! I now have one very fit and healthy 15 yr old cat who hasn't been on medication for 5 years!
I know lots of people who are now feeding this way including my current Vet (5 Flat-coated Retrievers with the sikiest Black coats I've ever seen and the eldest is a very fit 12 year old) They are all exceptional dogs for their breeds and several have surpassed the average life expectancy too!
The only thing that concerns me is the type of meat you are feeding, too much liver and heart can cause problems! I also feed chicken and turkey and my dog and cats love the wings and raw bone is fine for dogs. I usually give her a fresh meaty bone once a week and I get all my supplies from a good butcher! It's actually costing less to feed my German Shepherd this way!
Look up the Barf web site for more ideas on what to feed and how to feed!
Do what's right for your dog not what is right for your Vet!

Answer 3

Yes you can feed raw meat. Dogs digestive systems are totally different from ours. They are shorter and food rushes through there so they are not succeptable to the bacteria like humans are. Vets will definately not support raw (unless it's a holistic vet or a very liberal vet) because they are not taught much about nutrition in school and what they are taught is SPONSORED by the dog food companies. Of course they are going to push what they've heard to be the most wonderful kibble on the planet. Just because a company says it's good doesnt mean you shouldnt research it to find out for yourself. I have been feeding raw to my 5 mutts for over a year now and they are completely healthy and happy. They have gleaming white teeth, gleaming coats, no body fat whatsoever, fantastic muscle tone, high energy, bright eyes, etc. I rescued one dog who had chronic ear infections. He was always on meds for this. Once I put him on raw the ear infections went away completely. My friends come over and comment that my house doesnt smell like dog and my dogs dont stink. That's kinda funny because I live on a horse farm (these are farm dogs who are majorly spoiled and sleep with me) and the dogs run around outside all day. They have also not had a bath in about a year. They still feel great to the touch and do not smell!!! I think that's a pretty good advertisement for the raw diet. In case you need more, here's a story. My roomate adopted an english bulldog. She is 6 years old. She got here and did nothing but lay around and snore. We switched her to raw (no solid bones except marrow bones because of her flat face) and she has a lot of energy, she barks, she runs, she wags, her eyes are bright, and her nose (which was extremely dry when she got here) is nice and smooth now. She's happier and healthier. Good luck with your Dobi, just please do your research before making a decision based on what your vet says.

Answer 4

This is a divided topic among vets. Most traditional vets do not approve but holistic vets do. I feed my Dobe a RAW diet w/ some kibble. He loves it and I take the precautions I can to minimize the risks of bacteria, I clean the dog bowl after EVERY Meal and make sure to sanitize all prep areas. But dogs GI tracts will acclimate to this RAW diet just as nature intended. I feed the Whole Food model, that is I switch proteins from Lamb, to chicken, to venison. That way ensuring my Dobe gets different proteins. Plus most vets are not given ample training in Med school about the Raw diet, but are marketed highly by Dog food companies. You take the pros and the risks, personally the benefits outweigh the risks: less stool to clean up, firmer stool, shiny coat, better dog breath, and my Dobe is eager for meal times !

Answer 5

organ meats are rich.. they should only make up about 10% of her diet. I do believe hearts are considered muscle meat, as the heart is a muscle.. you may want to watch how much liver you give tho, its very rich. Very good for her, but you dont want to over do it.

Dogs digestive system is different than ours. They were designed to eat raw meat. Teir digestive juices are designed to break down the raw meat, and any bacteria that is typically found in raw meat. A dog's digestive tract is also much shorter than ours. What may sit in our gut and rot for a few days, is digested in a dog within a few hours.


There are people who feed nothing but raw meat, no kibble! You may want to check out some of the raw feeding groups on yahoo. You will get alot of people here in answers who will agree with your vet, just because people are so freaked out about those diseases. I have yet to hear of a dog getting salmonella or E. Coli.. if any did it was probably a dog with a compromised immune system!


There is a higher risk of YOU contracting those diseases from handling the raw meat. Make sure you wash your hands well and clean all food preparation and feeding surfaces. A solution of bleach will do the trick.. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. (mix up only what you need for the day to clean, as bleach breaks down within 24 hours)

Answer 6

feed my10week doberman raw meat day vet advises dog loves

Answer 7

I am surprised the vet has advised against this, it is the most natural food for a dog, don't overdo the liver as it can have a laxative effect, my dogs all began with raw tripe beef etc, and have come to no harm whatsoever, are you buying human meat or pet meat? it might be an idea to stick to good quality human stuff for now, but if she is thriving on this food, why stop.?

Answer 8

Raw is fine. Just don't mix it with kibble during a meal.Raw and kibble digest at a different rate.It does look like you may be feeding too much offal(organ meat) though. These are very rich and may cause problesm down the road. I would cut the organ meats back to once or twice a week.

Answer 9

my pups were weaned onto raw minced steak!!! it contains iron so is good for growing pups and their hearts. my pups were CKC spaniels tho, I'm not sure on the feeding requirements of larger breeds so much. your vet is right that some meats contain dangerous bacteria. i only buy meet fit for human consumption. green tripe is good to feed dogs but it stinks, so i never use it. i would contact a doberman breeder and ask their advice on feeding her!!! x

Answer 10

Like anything else....Moderation! I feed raw steak when my girls are whelping and for a week after, then they stop wanting it. Kibble is not toxic to dogs, just digests differently. Watch the liver...oooh poooh! Causes the runs. Don't feed meat that is tainted, has hung around a while or is warm(room temp) Vets are a conservative bunch, but e coli s a problem....lost a whole litter of pups to it bar one. was heartbroken. Lucky Doby!