As Raw August has come to a close we want to share our raw feeding experience with you about our own dog. Flash back to 2013; the height of our distress trying to figure out what was wrong with our dog Osiris. He was underweight and had lots digestive distress. After countless vet visits and trying just about every type of special food available; nothing seemed to sit with Osiris’ well.
Until we tried raw. Back in 2013 there was only Instinct Raw so that’s what we tried. Fast forward to 2021, Osiris is at a healthy weight and living his most comfortable life eating Instinct Raw. In conjunction with regular visits to the vet he is definitely living his best life.
Today, feeding raw is quite the food trend in the pet food industry and it’s hard to decipher between what is a real pet food game changer from pet food market trends. So here’s some things we’ve learned along the way.
- Most veterinarians aren’t too fond of raw. Mainly because they are concerned with contamination. Pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, and E coli can be found and spread in contaminated uncooked meat. Try not to try to prepare your dog’s raw diet yourself and always handle raw meat safely by washing your hands thoroughly before and after. It’s also good practice to never leave unfinished food out to spoil. Chances of food contamination increase when it is not handled properly.
- Try commercially prepared raw food. Specifically companies that utilize high pressure processing to destroy harmful pathogens without lowering the nutritional value. This is the same process they use for cold pressed juices.
- A pet food brand may have varying recipes depending on where you buy it. For example, the Instinct Raw Longevity frozen bites sold at Pet Food Express have a different recipe than the Instinct Frozen Raw bites sold at PetSmart. Check the ingredient list to make sure you are repurchasing the same recipe. Or if you purchase a different recipe try transitioning them to the new recipe.
We always like to recommend a well balanced diet as the best ‘product‘ you can buy to achieve a healthy coat for your dog.
Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash