Raw Chicken Diet for a Dog
As organic foods become more popular for humans, pet owners are also searching for more natural diets for their dogs. In the wild, your dog would eat animal carcasses, obtaining nutrients from a balance of muscle and organ meat. He wouldn't have access to cooked foods with grains. However, many veterinarians still contend that raw diets don't provide the balanced nutrients domestic dogs require.
Raw Chicken Diet
Natural diets consist of raw meats and bones and, in some cases, fruits and vegetables. The most common base for this diet is chicken because it is easily obtained and relatively cheap. Owners can also choose turkey, fish, beef, lamb or venison. Feed one pound of meat per 50 pounds weight of your dog, decreasing portions for smaller dogs. It's important to feed both muscle and organ meat to provide your dog with all the nutrients it needs. Some raw diets are commercially available, reducing preparation time, but be sure you are getting your meat from an organic source as dogs can't process many of the chemicals used in human-prepared meat.
Balanced Diet
Since dogs are, in fact, omnivores, they require nutrients from fruits and vegetables as well. Good vegetables are carrots, broccoli, zucchini, peas, cauliflower and green beans. Be sure to cook the vegetables and grind them up with a food processor or blender as dogs often don't chew vegetables and thus can't get the nutrients. Dogs will also eat some fruits such as apples. Raw eggs can also round out a balanced diet. If you are not feeding raw bones, provide a calcium supplement for your dog as well.
Advantages
Owners and veterinarians who prefer raw diets contend that their dogs have healthier coats, more energy and fewer veterinary bills because they are generally healthier. Allergies are often greatly reduced because many dogs have grain allergies, which are eliminated from the raw chicken diet. There are no preservatives or dyes, which can be harmful for dogs or cause additional allergies. In addition, dogs love the raw meat diet and are always excited for mealtime.
Criticisms
While raw chicken bones are perfectly palatable for dogs. never feed them cooked chicken bones because they can splinter. Many veterinarians also contend that raw diets are bad because of all the bacteria in raw meat. This may be true, but dogs are used to digesting bacteria and can do so more easily than humans. There are very few cases of dogs getting sick from raw food diets.
Warning
The most important thing to remember when preparing a raw diet for your dog is to protect your own health. Raw chicken contains salmonella, which can lead to severe food poisoning, so wash your hands with hot water after preparing your dog's meal. Be sure to clean up all preparation areas and wash bowls after meals. Keep raw food away from young children who might accidentally touch it and put their hands in their mouths.
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