Anti-barf Article

[huski]

I was talking to someone about BARF earlier today and they linked me to this article.

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/b...t/dogdiets.html

Which refutes the benefits of a raw/BARF diet.

I was just curious what every else thought about the article? I am only new to feeding raw and was unaware that vets etc were so divided on the issue.

[poodlefan]

Pretty standard anti-BARF stuff Huski. The diet is not uncontroversial. Done badly its everything its detractors say it is.

There are zealots in the BARF world and the yanks feed a lot more supplements than your average Aussie BARFer does.

Mind you, at least I know what's in my dog's food.

The only dog I know with pancreatitis is not raw fed.

Edited December 4, 2008 by poodlefan

[Nekhbet]

gee someone loves Eukanuba dont they

what a crackpot. No edible bones only thick ones they cannot eat uhh ok

remember BARF in the USA can mean bones and meat only, not a meat/vege/mineral mix like we have here in australia. Literally they throw sides of animals to the dogs and THATS IT so no I do not agree with that either.

[huski]

Thanks guys. Its an issue I only know a little bit about - and all I really know is that my dogs are doing well on it (so far) and that I am doing all I can to make it a balanced diet.

[poodlefan]

Spot the conflict between statements:

One additional problem for the pet owner here is that dog food bags that say to feed their dogs way more than is sensible.

and

These home-made diets may follow a recipe in a book. And of course, if it's printed in a book it's automatically true, correct, authentic, well researched and intelligent - isn't it?

But if its on the side of a pet food packet, that's not quite as bad, even if it makes you pet obese? Because pet food companies care about your dogs folks.

Then there is this pearl:

I've always contended that the larger the pet food manufacturer, the better and more frequent quality control and more research they will run, eventually benefiting you and your dog.

One wonders how these might be explained:

Franklin, Tennessee (November 25, 2008) —Today, Mars Petcare US announced an extension of a previously announced voluntary recall of dry cat and dog food products manufactured at its Allentown, Pennsylvania facility with “Best By” dates between August 11, 2009 – October 3, 2009. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella. This voluntary recall affects product sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club, ShopRite Supermarkets, and Wal-mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.

:rolleyes: Salmonella.. isn't that what the dreaded raw diets are supposed to infect our pooches with?

And this:

After the death of 15 cats and one dog in the US, 60 million units of pet food manufactured by Menu Foods, Canada have been recalled. One Australian product - Hill's Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food is included in the recall.

and this:

Skip Dickstein/Albany Times Union, via Associated Press

Rat poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of 14 animals, federal and New York State officials said yesterday, but they said they were unsure how it had gotten there. The poison, aminopterin, a rodenticide that has not been approved for use in the United States or in Canada, was found in wet food manufactured by Menu Foods of Ontario and distributed under more than 90 brands, including Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Diet and Nutro Natural Choice, and under store brands including Hannaford, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie. (A complete list can be found at menufoods.com/recall.)

Never forget that pet food manufacturers are responsible to their shareholders for profits, not dog welfare.

The USA would have more dogs on straight pet food diets than anywhere else I reckon. I don't think its coincidence that canine dentistry is the fastest growing area of veterinary practice in the country.

[leopuppy04]

Along with other problems we've discussed, there's one more big problem from consuming bones. We gave a knuckle bone to our first born, a superior mutt named Dudley. He consumed some of the trabecular bone, and several days later, after being constipated for some time, he produced a stool that was pure white and hard as concrete. With the stool he also produced a scream such as I haven't heard since. I'm one of those people that doesn't need to be shown twice. I would never again do something to cause such agony to one of my dogs.

Never had this problem except when I fed my dog a marrow bone cut lengthwise Feed them on raw now and havent' had that since....

Of course eating a bone that big is not good for the dog

[Dory the Doted One]

Thanks guys. Its an issue I only know a little bit about - and all I really know is that my dogs are doing well on it (so far) and that I am doing all I can to make it a balanced diet.

Hi Huski, Remember it is balance over time. Not balance in every meal.

[Pixie's mum]

I actually find the controversy with barf diets really interesting. I agree barf can be done badly if people are ill informed however humans don't need to eat pre packaged food to ensure we get a balanced diet - so why do vets assume barf supporters are not intelligent enough to balance our dogs diets as we manage our own.

[westiemum]

Well said PM - one suspects said article writer is in the pay of a petfood company...

Cheers,

Weestiemum

I actually find the controversy with barf diets really interesting. I agree barf can be done badly if people are ill informed however humans don't need to eat pre packaged food to ensure we get a balanced diet - so why do vets assume barf supporters are not intelligent enough to balance our dogs diets as we manage our own.

[stormie]

I think people often forget that dogs are essentially scavengers, and can survive (and often quite well) on foods many people would frown upon.

I knew someone who pretty much fed their newfoundland dogs nothing but roo meat for most of it's life, with a bone or two every couple of days and dinner left overs. The dogs lived into their teens and suffered no ill effects.

I'm not saying that that I recommend this diet, but i don't think an adult dog would necessarily get sick from it. Obviously puppies have more specific needs than that, though...

[Just Midol]

gee someone loves Eukanuba dont they

what a crackpot. No edible bones only thick ones they cannot eat uhh ok

remember BARF in the USA can mean bones and meat only, not a meat/vege/mineral mix like we have here in australia. Literally they throw sides of animals to the dogs and THATS IT so no I do not agree with that either.

No scientific evidence concluding that dogs need veges.

[poodlefan]

gee someone loves Eukanuba dont they

what a crackpot. No edible bones only thick ones they cannot eat uhh ok

remember BARF in the USA can mean bones and meat only, not a meat/vege/mineral mix like we have here in australia. Literally they throw sides of animals to the dogs and THATS IT so no I do not agree with that either.

No scientific evidence concluding that dogs need veges.

And even less to prove that they need cooked grains.

[Just Midol]

gee someone loves Eukanuba dont they

what a crackpot. No edible bones only thick ones they cannot eat uhh ok

remember BARF in the USA can mean bones and meat only, not a meat/vege/mineral mix like we have here in australia. Literally they throw sides of animals to the dogs and THATS IT so no I do not agree with that either.

No scientific evidence concluding that dogs need veges.

And even less to prove that they need cooked grains.

Lmao, there is probably evidence they don't need it?

Can never understand the grains side of it. Completely useless fillers.

[WoofnHoof]

I'd be interested to know more about the nutritonal aspects of kibble, my job is analysing stock feed at the moment and primarily the digestibility of various formulations.

[huski]

Thanks guys. Its an issue I only know a little bit about - and all I really know is that my dogs are doing well on it (so far) and that I am doing all I can to make it a balanced diet.

Hi Huski, Remember it is balance over time. Not balance in every meal.

Yep! I'm getting there slowly

Thanks for all the info everyone.... I can go back to this person with a clearer idea of how to approach the article