There's been some discussion surrounding 'Raw Food' for dogs on the local expatriate website here in Southern France. It arose because a 12 year old pointer developed some issues around eating. The dog had always been fed 'dry food' .... which I call ' Doof'. ( As you'll see that's the word 'Food' in reverse.)
In my distant youth.... some centuries ago now.... our dogs were always fed raw meat, cottage cheese, occasional egg, etc., and they mostly lived to ripe old ages. BUT there may be more to it than that. For example, in those days cars were fewer ( Yes I really am that old!!!!) and people plus their dogs walked a great deal......in fact we walked everywhere!! and our dogs lived a very outdoor life. They would often disappear to the woods for an adventure on their own and it was much safer to allow them this licence at that time.
Today, dogs do not generally get exercised as freely as that plus they have been fed ( in general ) Doof. I hear so often of dogs fed dry food, who one day just won't eat it any more and of course, if they have been fed in this manner all their lives, meat will seem alien to them and impaired digestion will be an additional problem. Dogs in my youth were able to eat a whole chicken raw, we never thought about bones being harmful ( raw ) and they never were. In all those years, visits to the vet were extremely rare events and in most cases non existent.
Then in the 1950's dry food was introduced. It didn't take on at first, then a massive publicity campaign set a multi million pound business rolling. It wasn't long before lazy humanity saw the advantage....suddenly words like ...'easy, practical, better, cleaner!! etc., were on the lips of thousands of dog owners. So...we have inherited a new set of problems and we may only just have seen the tip of the proverbial iceberg so far!!!
Unfortunately I don't feel we can suddenly alter feeding habits like that over night. I am a great advocate of natural food but a little discrimination is required. Given that our animals today have restricted life styles, exercise habits ( in general ) are less than ideal as well as the afore-mentioned eating habits, we have to think wisely before swapping to a raw or 'natural' diet. I was faced with a serious problem in this arena with both Nanette and Bertie. Both had clearly been fed the cheapest dry food!! They are also aged 9 years. Now they both eat cooked meat plus some raw, veg, yoghurt, garlic!!!!! and the occasional egg. Nanette has raw marrow bone...and as soon as she's eaten the marrow I whip it off her!! Bertie was given marrow bones but he has too few teeth to really manage it...(another little legacy from his insane past!!) I don't feel I can give him bones with safety.
I am sure owners who love their dogs are wanting only the best for their canine companions but do you see what we are doing? We are so easily manipulated by enterprises who see a way to make a fortune out of a gullible stupid public!! Yes we are!!! According to the laws of cause and effect we will now have to take responsibility for the problems that are arising as a result....why don't we use our own neglected intuition when it comes to the issues around our dogs and in our lives? It's FEAR!! ...and so we externalise our responsibility and give it to the biggest most powerful authority in the vicinity! Hey presto!! another Dictator gains a throne!!
So, to come back to basics, if we want to give a raw diet, let's not listen to fanatics of raw food feeding or 'Doof fanatics' either. Let's just try to asses our unique dog in its unique situation and see the wisest way forward ...if in doubt, consult someone experienced and wise....maybe your vet fits that description? like mine!!!........xx