Raw Food Diet

Comment

Comment by Ann Rader on December 26, 2009 at 3:41pm

Adding more chicken to the formula adds more protein but it may well throw the entire balance to the food off and make the food less digestible. This has nothing to do with feeding or not feeding a dry food. Perhanps one of the nutritionists here on this forum will add some more to what I'm saying. Good luck.

Comment by Roya on December 26, 2009 at 9:46am

Primal is considered one of the top dog foods, and it is wonderful for their coat. However, I am having the exact opposite effects. Is anyone familiar with the raw food diet and/or Primal? I am curious to talk about ingredients and their effects to dog fur.
Ann- I don't understand how by adding more chicken breast does NOT add more protein to the dog food. Primal is one of hte best raw food diets I just don't think it has enough protein (muscle meat)..I understand what you said about the protein/fat ratio to raw food as to dry, but I am trying to avoid feeding my dogs dry or canned foods. and i have a holistic vet here in Manhattan, and he feeds his dogs Orijen, which I started but I am trying to avoid dry and canned foods.

Comment by Ann Rader on December 26, 2009 at 6:35am

Each formula is a careful balance of nutrients – a matrix where the balance allows the body to successfully use the foods. That balance is what makes ‘nutrition’. Simply adding more protein doesn’t mean that you dogs are going to receive all the nutrients they need to be healthy. Without the proper energy sources that make protein digestible, more protein isn’t going to be properly utilized by the body. Here’s a stark example: shoe leather is 100% protein – yet if offers zero nutritional value. By adding more and more to a product that isn’t working for your dogs you may succeed in altering the balance of the food, making things worse for your dogs. You are thinking in terms of ‘ingredients’ and 'natural' but what is essential to good nutrition is so much more.

If you want a home made diet I strongly suggest that you find a qualified veterinary nutritionist to formulate it for you.

Comment by Roya on December 25, 2009 at 6:50pm

Is it ok to add boiled chicken breast to the Primal prepackaged raw food if it the "chicken one" to increase the protein, or should I stick to raw chicken breast soaked in a little bit of apple cider? The food is so natural she should have amazing hair as well as my pomeranian, so I don't understand. I am going to increase their protein to see if that will help with nutrition.

Comment by Ann Rader on December 25, 2009 at 3:26pm

Roya, The amounts on an ingredient label read differently when the food is wet (canned or raw) than when it is a dry kibble. So the 14% protein in a raw food doesn't mean that the food is below the required protein necessary for maintenance as defined by AAFCO. Percentages are figured differently when the food is 80% water (canned and raw) and when it’s 10% water (kibble). However, ratios are important and the most digestible ratio for protein is that the fat is at least 50% of the amount of protein. So 14% protein requires at least 7% fat for optimal digestibility. As a footnote, there is absolutely nothing wrong or detrimental in feeding a quality kibble. Again, for optimal digestibility look for a protein/fat ratio of at least 50% fat to the protein amount and choose a quality chicken fat as the fat source (vs. a vegetable sourced fat as the primary fat).