Is The Raw Diet Organic?

[Shmurps]

Hi all,

A newby here. Just reading over the raw diet posts. Debating over it in my head over the last couple of years.

A couple of questions. Are "all " the ingredients that you use organic? Considering all the inbreeding these days and dogs are so removed

from the wolf what are the major benefits? Do you guys use natural products for flea treatments? if so would love a reciepe.

What do you use for worming? Do you vaccinate? And what were reasons for changing.

I have been using Eagle Pack and Nutro for the last 2 years. In 40 years of owning dogs we have never had an illness and they have lived to great years.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Jen.

[puggy_puggy]

Would love to use all organic but cost and availability are the draw backs.

Benefits - If you feed any living animal, including humans, processed food you get skin, behaviour and many other problems problems. Cut out the processed food and remove the problems. My experience is that raw has made a major difference in one of my pugs yeast infection problems. The difference in coat softness is also major.

I only worm when necessary but am yet to trust a natural product.

I have decided not to vaccinate from now on.

[Sandra777]

Hi all,

A couple of questions. Are "all " the ingredients that you use organic?

No. I don't source organic products for myself or the dogs

Considering all the inbreeding these days and dogs are so removed

from the wolf what are the major benefits?

Dog DNA is 99.9% identical to Grey Wolf DNA I am told. Closer related than us and Chimps but not by much.

Benefits - the dogs enjoy their meal times, the dogs enjoy the "challenge" of eating - environment enrichment, I know what the dogs are eating (be it beef, lamb, whatever) and what the food looked like before they ate it. When we had our own cattle & sheep I also knew how the animal had lived before it became dog food. The dogs have clean teeth. The dogs have small crumbly non-smelly poops that don't require a backhoe to remove them from the lawn

Do you guys use natural products for flea treatments?

I have used dicotameous (sp!!!) earth and neem oil. I don't any longer and don't use flea treatments unless there is actually a flea siting - but do use tick control as I don't want my dogs to die....

What do you use for worming?

Puppies are wormed with veterinary products. Bitches prior to mating same. Everyone else doesn't get wormed unless there is actual proof of worms (faecal count). Bitches with a litter get wormed with pumpkin garlic & ginger.

Do you vaccinate?

Puppy shots x 1 or x 2 depending on the time of year and other circumstances, 1 x booster at 12-14 months. Minimum vaccination used - Parvo, Distemper, Hepatitis. Lepto vaccination doesn't work well enough to bother with (I have had a vaccinated dog die of Lepto & another die within 5 minutes of being vaccinated), KC not an issue except with the very young or very frail and vaccination doesn't work well enough to bother with. Would like the option of vaccinating for coronavirus without the added extras.

And what were reasons for changing.

It made sense to me that dogs would get more enjoyment out of eating real food than pelletised rubbish. The dogs of my youth lived to a good age on butcher off cuts and table scraps.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Sandra777

[Diva]

Why feed a raw meat diet? For me it seems odd to feed highly processed and often imported kibbles where I am just taking on faith the quality of the ingredients used, in preference to locally sourced meat/bones/offal where I have a more direct knowledge of what they are really getting. I try not to to eat huge amounts of highly processed foods myself, so it's all really a related perspective. I'm not fanactial about their diet or mine, but some things just make sense. I love the energy levels, coat quality, muscle tone, small non-smelly stools and general health they show on the raw diet, if they didn't do well on it I wouldn't persist.

I don't really buy the 'feed them like wolves' argument, but I do think dogs are primarily carnivores, not obligate carnivores like cats but primarily designed for a meat diet all the same. I'll feed grains, vegies etc, and premium kibble, but they are minor parts of the diet.

I often, but not always, get their offal and game meats from organic butchers - the offal because I tend to think the liver and kidneys would be where pestcides etc would be concentrated so if there is any benefit to buying organic it would be for those cuts, and the game meats just because they carry them. The offal at the organic butchers is much the same price as elsewhere so it's no sacrifice.

I still use normal worming preparations because I don't know of a really effective alternative. I have only had fleas here once, when a new puppy arrived with them, and I used a chemical product to eliminate them. I use the three yearly protocol for vaccinations, and as long as I continue to participate in dog sports where vaccination is a requirement I'll continue to do so.

[Red Fox]

I source organic product where I can, but it would be near impossible to use 100% organic due to the cost and lack of availability in most areas.

I use free range eggs (MIL has chickens), organic natural yogurt (either Jalna or B&D Farm), fresh Roo meat and bones which are all free range and home grown vegies/herbs where I can. I also use orgainic ACV

The rest is made up of normal supermarket stuff which is either too expensive to buy organic or just not available in that option. So things like vegies (that I don't have growing in the yard), chicken necks/wing/frames, canned fish, offal etc.

Raw makes more sense to me. I know what's in it and my dog enjoys and thrives on his diet. I think of it this way- Humans can also live on a processed balanced diet of the same meal every single day, not really knowing whats in it but trusting that it really is the best thing for us because someone in a lab said so.. (meal replacement shakes anyone??!)... but would you really want to? :D

[Staranais]

I don't use organic products for my animals' diets (or my diet) due to the cost. I do use free range eggs. I'd feed free range chicken before I'd feed organic chicken since that is more of a priority for me, but currently can't afford either.

The dog isn't exactly the same as the wolf, but these benefits remain constant:

* Raw is better for dental health than canned food or most kibbles

* I know exactly what goes into a home made raw diet, unlike a commercial product - I can see the quality of the meat and vegetables I'm feeding, and not just have to take the kibble manufacturer's word that they are good quality

* I think fresh produce is generally more healthy than highly processed food, for people and for dogs (and wolves!)

* Raw is far more fun for the dog, it provides a good work out for the jaws and environmental enrichment

* I can source all of my raw food from within this county, unlike kibble which often comes from overseas. To me, that's a bonus because a) I know food processing standards are high here compared to many other countries, and b) I know food animals are treated (relatively) well over here, compared to how they live in many other countries. That's important to me, not my dog, but since I'm the one with the credit card my opinion matters as much as hers.

Unlike many posters, I don't find raw cheaper than kibble, the reverse in fact, which is one of the reasons why I just feed semi-raw instead of all raw.

I vaccinate C3 2 - 3 times as a puppy, a one year booster, then every 3 years. I will give a kennel cough vacc if she needs to go to the kennel, as they require this.

I deflea and deworm using commerical veterinary products, but only when required.

[Shmurps]

Thanks all.

I guess it's a personal thing. I hope that the brands I have chosen to use are ethical, unlike some that are not.

I believe that my dogs have good coats, good teeth and are of a healthy weight. Can't say that I will convert to the wolf diet or raw diet.

However they do get their bones and a home cooked reciepe once a week.

I think I have done my head in over this issue and now it's time to let it go.

[Diva]

I think I have done my head in over this issue and now it's time to let it go.

The only real bottom line is that the diet works for you and your dogs.

[Ravyk]

I think I have done my head in over this issue and now it's time to let it go.

The only real bottom line is that the diet works for you and your dogs.

Exactly. Some dogs thrive on Raw, other do not. Mine thrive on it, and that's why I feed it. Although I am planning on starting them on a dry kibble for breakfast for my own reasons, as well as their raw for dinner.

[~Anne~]

A couple of questions. Are "all " the ingredients that you use organic?

No, just raw and natural as much as possible.

Considering all the inbreeding these days and dogs are so removed from the wolf what

are the major benefits?

I am not sure how the 'inbreeding comment' is relevant to this, however, I agree

that my breed in particular is far removed from the wolf but the basis that I feed them on

is raw and natural is better than preservative and chemical filled products. I also feed my

human family on a simialr philosophy ... just not so much is raw.

Do you guys use natural products for flea treatments? if so would love a

reciepe.

As I run a rescue, I don't have the luxury of relying on natural products that may or

may not be as effective as others.

What do you use for worming?

I use a product called Sentinel Spectrum. It covers them for fleas, worms and heartworm.

Do you vaccinate? And what were reasons for changing.

Not my own adult dogs. I still vaccinate rescues as more often than not their history is

unknown. I do not vaccinate my own dogs as I do not believe it is warranted. I believe

they have ample immunity and are healthy. I may reconsider when they become geriatric or if

their circumstances change enough to warrant re-vaccination.

[Shmurps]

Considering all the inbreeding these days and dogs are so removed from the wolf what

are the major benefits?

I am not sure how the 'inbreeding comment' is relevant to this, however, I agree

that my breed in particular is far removed from the wolf but the basis that I feed them on

is raw and natural is better than preservative and chemical filled products. I also feed my

human family on a simialr philosophy ... just not so much is raw.

I think I put that in because dogs just don't seem like dogs anymore, or resemble the wolf so to speak.

Obviously another topic all together.

Not going there.