Feeding a raw food diet is the single healthiest choice you can make for your dog. The vast majority of dogs eating a raw food diet are the picture of health, with healthy skin and coats, sparkling white teeth and healthy digestive systems.
However, feeding your dog raw also means that you need to be conscious of the warnings that come alone with a raw diet. When precautions are taken your dog will be far less likely to suffer the consequences of mishaps some uneducated pet owners have come across in the past.
Here are things you need to keep in mind when feeding your dog raw:
Choking: Eating too quickly and/or eating odd shaped pieces of bone-in meats can cause choking. Some dogs will try to swallow things like turkey necks and chicken necks whole without first breaking down the bones with their teeth. There have been instances of dogs dying from choking on big, tough pieces like this.
Smaller pieces can also pose the same risk. If your dog gulps pieces like chicken wings without chewing them first this can also cause choking. You can either avoid feeding pieces like this or you can take a hammer to them (breaking up the bone) or freeze them with other pieces of meats before feeding. Freezing your dog’s meals in bigger chunks slows them down and makes it more difficult for them to eat without chewing.
Remember to never leave your dog alone while he/she is eating. If your dog just so happens to choke on a piece of bone, meat or organ you need to be there to help. While choking is a very rare occurrence, it’s still a concern.
Weight Bearing Bones: Weight bearing bones can cause serious and expensive dental problems. Don’t feed weight-bearing bones of large animals like cows, pigs, sheep, moose, elk, deer, etc. These bones are hard enough to break your dog’s teeth no matter how big your dog is. All weight baring bones should be avoided completely.
Machine Cut Bones: Avoid machine cut bones like T-bones, pork chops and lamb chops, which are unnaturally sharp and can cause damage to your dog’s mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestines. You can either cut the meat off of these bones or file sharp edges down before feeding.
Wild Meats: Wild meat animals can carry diseases and parasites so it’s important that you know where the meat you’re feeding your raw fed dog is coming from. Fresh fish and wild game should be frozen for 1-2 months to kill parasites. Wild boar can carry parasites that can’t be killed by freezing their meat.
Follow these precautions and you’re raw fed dog will be that much safer and healthier.