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01-15-2018, 04:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-15-2018, 04:18 AM by Tobi.)
Yes there are bound to be health issues, especially for humans when dealing with raw meat. Some people don't know the basic hygiene rules. And even when they do, there are still risks from being distracted while preparing food...using a cloth to wipe hands....washing the meat.....not scrubbing a chopping board properly....etc.
Dogs are basically omnivores. That means they can eat, and really should eat, other things besides meat. Vegetables for instance, and some fruits in moderation.
Cats do not need all those extra things. They are "obligate carnivores", so adding carrots/greens etc to a cat's food is a waste of time and may upset digestion and take up space where the meat should be!t If a cat feels it needs extra fibre, it will chew on some grass, which won't harm it. The things put into kibble for both cats and dogs, but especially cats -are a lot of bulk which can't be properly assimilated.
I honestly don't see the harm in cooking meat for cats and dogs (and fish), and wonder if an exclusively raw diet is the best or not. I gave both Misty and my other dog Toby cooked meat and they both lived to 14 and 15 super-healthy until the last couple of weeks.
(By the way, offal -which humans shun nowadays, but which they used to eat happily -is perfectly alright for cats and dogs. That includes, liver, heart, kidneys, and especially things like tripe etc.)
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01-15-2018, 06:32 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-15-2018, 06:37 AM by LPC.)
Very good post, Tobi. I agree with what you have written, 100% (or 200% - but that's not possible logically - haha!)
Our dog, Forgy, joined us after three months in a dog refuge. We immediately noticed on his arrival that he had extremely irritated paws, which he would chew until they were red. He would whine sometimes out of frustration at the irritation in his paws. He also had very dark coloured hair where he used to lick and bite himself - which the vet said was caused by poor quality dry dog food (called "kibble" in the USA/Canada).
We experimented with different foods and eventually found out that he had an allergy to yeast. I then decided to cook him his own food myself, using human-grade beef (minced in a machine) mixed with a range of vegetables and a small amount of chopped fruit. He also has fish sometimes, too. The irritation stopped and he has never looked back.
I didn't even consider raw meat, as I was worried about worms and worm eggs (almost invisible to the naked eye). So the meat is always thoroughly cooked.
He was on a very good canned vegan dog food (with all the necessary vitamins, enzymes and minerals added), but sadly that did not work for him, as it had a yeast source of vitamin B12 and this caused his allergy to return. So the cooked beef and vegetables menu is now a standard feature for him. I "batch cook" it and then freeze it, just as Tobi did when she had dogs.
Some dog people do swear by raw meat, but I don't like the idea for three reasons:
The serious risk of parasites (worms and - even worse - fluke);
The risk of bacteria being in the raw meat, even prior to purchase,
The need for an omnivore diet, not a meat-only one.
"Just my two cents", as the Americans love to say.....
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I hope what I say isn't upsetting....but many a time I did stop to pick up road kill for Misty. There are many Rabbits, Hares and Pheasants where we live and miles around. They often meet their end on the road. I would always check to see it was fresh and healthy looking with no disease like Myxomatosis. If flies were already on it I would leave it.
But I never fed that raw (even though I am certain a dog's digestion could cope.) I always prepared it properly and cooked it with vegetables, then put into freezer bags for the week.
I would always say a thanks to the creature for helping my Misty to be strong for a few more days.
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I am thinking of our city road kill which is usually a raccoon or squirrel that was run over by several cars and a bus and is covered in city road dirt.
The fresh killed rabbits and pheasants that you would find would be alright. My mother ate a road killed pheasant during the war. It was hit on an English country road and it was more meat than they had seen in a long time. They weren't going to waste it.
You cooked the meat you brought home. That makes a big difference. Cooking up a hearty stew with meat and veggies is a healthy way to feed your dog. I am sure Misty loved it.
Catherine