11/13/2022
I wanted to share a few things in regards to raw diets for pets as I get a lot of questions on the subject.
Now remember I am not your veterinarian. I am a veterinary technician. You must discuss any diet changes or modifications with your veterinarian.
I simply wanted to mention the benefits of of raw diets as a whole or as a supplement to your pets current healthy food.
Creating your own raw diet can be simple however you must realize you need to balance proteins with fats as well as providing the proper vitamins your pets need.
I am currently in the process of switching my dog and cat over as I am not pleased with the nutrition they receive from pet food products. I have a 2 year old GSD/Malinois with a cardiac condition and a soon to be 15 year old feline who suffers from renal insufficiency. I had to make a change to keep them healthy. I don’t want to experience the sudden loss of either of them as I still mourn the loss of my beloved Chewie from almost 3 years ago.
There are some good products out there but after losing my dog 2 years ago suddenly to cancer, I’d really started scrutinizing available pet foods and they don’t stack up. They’re full of carbohydrates that are not healthy for your pet. Corn, oatmeal, barley are all highly used fillers that will contribute to poor gut health which leads to inflammation which leads to cancer in pets.
In the wild, animals typically go for the organs first, that is because the organs are nutrient rich. Dogs and cats do not eat corn on the cob. Important nutrients from within the killed animals organs are ingested. The liver, the heart, the bones, all provide nutrients for animals in the wild.
The correct vegetation is healthy. Carrots, flax , brown rice, olive oil and ginger are all good options which benefit your pets. Please bear in mind I am not advocating for grain free diets. Flax and brown rice are effective, healthy and do not have the high levels of gluten.
I am urging you to have a conversation with your veterinarian, really dig deep and ask questions. We as techs and doctors were not educated as to where proper nutrition would come from, only which balance of fats and proteins. Only in recent years have doctors started paying attention to the link between diets and rising cancer rates. 20 years ago we would maybe see 1 in 10 cases of cancer and it was mainly older pets. The doctor I worked for back then really delved into diet and how to improve your pets life and how to combat cancer early on. Many veterinarians simply endorse whatever food comes along. Car in point, Look at the rates of cardiomyopathy due to grain free diets.
Adapting diet changes under the advise of your veterinarian can greatly improve your chances of lowering cancer risk. The human dietitian will also tell you that adapting a similar structure will lower your risk as well. It all comes down to proper proteins, fats and nutrients and less carbohydrates. Carbs are sugars which only fuel cancer cells. I continue to talk to my pets doctor and we are evolving my
pets diets.
I urge you all to really think about what you put into your bodies, as well as your pets.
