‌So long as people purchase food for any member of their family, fads will exist. That goes for humans and canines. Pet parents with dogs want to do their best to ensure their four-legged companions get the best nutrition possible. The rise in popularity of grain-free and raw food diets has increased significantly. Despite their popularity, these diets may not necessarily be the best. In fact, most vets don’t recommend these diets at all. Here’s what pet parents need to know. 

‌

The Issues with Raw Food - Pet Food Diet Fads

There are numerous articles from average consumers touting the benefits of a raw food diet for their dogs. While these articles sound great and can provide a convincing argument for others to follow suit, they don’t often touch on the possible risks. ‌ Licensed Veterinarians don’t recommend raw food diets for dogs for many reasons. For one, there’s a in raw food than with conventional dog foods. A dog that ingests the bacteria might not necessarily get sick, but he can pass it to another animal or his pet parents, too.   ‌ Second, raw food diets often leave out essential micronutrients, which can result in poor dog nutrition. A lack of vital nutrients for long durations may lead to serious health complications, affecting a dog’s long-term health. Puppies fed a raw food diet may not get the nutrients they need for proper growth and development. Poor nutrition can present itself in the form of poor coat health, hair loss, and lethargy.  ‌‌ A third reason why raw food diets can be problematic for dogs is due to the possible presence of bones. Ingesting a bone fragment could result in choking or a damaged digestive tract.   ‌

What Pet Parents Should Do If They Want to Feed Their Dogs Raw Food

While most vets don’t recommend a raw food diet for dogs, some pet parents may still decide to do so. It may be possible for a dog to thrive on such a diet but pet parents have to be willing to make an effort to ensure their canine companions get everything they need.  ‌ Here are a few tips that can help pet parents along the journey of feeding their dog a raw food diet: ‌

• Include various wet and dry textures

• Solve for macronutrient and micronutrient needs

• Consult with a primary vet or online vet for recommendations on how to meet specific dietary needs such as food allergies 

• Build a custom dog nutrition plan

• Include probiotics or digestive supplements for dogs

• Incorporate joint supplements for dogs

• Test the dog for worms of other gut parasites every one to two months 

Daily probiotic for dogs

Healthy joint chews for small and medium dogs 

Healthy joint chews for large dogs 

‌

Maintain Optimal Dog Health with a Well-Balanced Diet‌

Pet parents want what’s best for their four-legged companions. With the rise of the internet, they can come across a wide range of articles from people claiming that a raw foods diet turned their canine companion’s quality of life around. While that may sound great on paper, raw food diets can leave out vital nutrients and put a dog at risk for serious health complications. If a pet parent decides to feed such a diet to their canine, they should work closely with their vet to ensure that they meet their dog’s nutritional needs for optimal health. Fuzzy members can always contact a Fuzzy veterinarian via in-app to ask about pet health or nutritional questions. 

‌