Hi Green Spotters, it's August.. er... "RAWGUST"! Maybe you've heard us or a friend talk about raw food. We've done blogs about feeding raw food before and will link those at the bottom. For this year's RAWGUST blog, we want to discuss how to get started with raw food for your dog or cat. We also hope to address common concerns and "roadblocks" that may stop you or other friends from trying raw food for their beloved pet.                        

Some of the Benefits of Feeding Raw Food                       

  • Raw foods are nutrient-rich.
  • Intracellular moisture from raw food means your pet receives moisture through their FOOD! This is the most useable type of moisture for their bodies. Intracellular moisture is essential for cats, who are very inefficient drinkers. Moisture in food helps support all of the body's organs and processes, including the kidneys and urinary tract system.
  • Because raw food contains more protein, your pet eats less! Your pet's body uses more raw food (vs. kibble) and wastes less, which means...
  • Reduced stool size (and less gas!)
  • Cleaner teeth, and helps keep teeth clean.
  • The healthy, safe bacteria, nutrients, and probiotics/prebiotics in raw food help build a strong and diverse gut microbiome, which in turn helps build your pet's healthy, strong immune system.

Downsides of Feeding Raw Food
Really, the only downside to feeding raw food we see is needing to remember to thaw frozen raw. Running hot water over frozen raw food can warm it more quickly if you forget to thaw it. Or keep a small bag of freeze-dried raw food in the pantry for those days when we forget to thaw in advance. Most people will thaw enough raw food in the fridge for 3-4 days of feeding. Never microwave raw food or cook it through. (more about thawing raw food below)       

The Raw Food Concern   
One of the most common concerns we hear from dog and cat parents (and their health care providers) is that raw food is... well... raw - and raw meat is dangerous to feed. We hear you, so we want to dedicate time and space to this blog discussing this concern. Raw food being dangerous to feed isn't the case, especially in commercially prepared raw food for pets. In the United States, raw pet food legally has a zero-tolerance stipulation regarding Salmonella contamination. Raw pet food also historically has fewer Salmonella recalls than dry kibble does. In addition, dogs' and cats' stomachs and digestive tracts are built to process bacteria different from those our human digestive systems can handle.       

As an extra precaution, many commercially prepared raw pet foods are put through a process called HPP, or "High Pressure Processing." This USDA-recognized process helps eliminate harmful bacteria that could have made it through the food handling and preparation stages. If you are concerned about harmful bacteria in raw pet food, choosing a food that has undergone HPP is a great option. Many raw food brands we carry use HPP, including Steve's, Stella & Chewy's, OC Raw, Northwest Naturals, Small Batch, Tucker's (specific formulas only), and others.            

A bit more about "HPP" or high-pressure processing: HPP is a natural way to ensure food safety by killing pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, E. Coli, and Listeria without using chemical preservatives or heat to craft safe raw pet food. See the steps of HPP below. If you want to dig in and geek out on the effects of HPP on raw pet food and its nutrients, check out THIS article by Steve's Real Food.

 

Wait... so what does that mean about the raw foods that do not use HPP?? The raw food brands that The Green Spot carries that do not use HPP are also safe to feed! Some people prefer feeding non-HPP raw foods to ensure all the healthy bacteria remain. Our TGS team feeds both HPP and non-HPP raw foods to our own pets, and we absolutely trust the safety of the foods we carry in our store. We carefully observe and scrutinize all the brands in the store of all types of foods for formula changes, process changes, possible issues, company organization changes, and recalls. If you are uneasy about feeding raw food because it is raw meat, choosing a brand (or brands) that utilize HPP is a great option.           

Which Pets Perhaps Shouldn't Eat Raw Food?         

  • Immune-compromised animals, like those undergoing cancer treatments, should be fed food containing raw meat with caution. Gently cooked foods can be a better fit for these pets and still have several of the benefits of raw food. However, raw food supplements (not containing raw meat) like Green Juju's greens blends or raw goat's milk can be a WONDERFUL addition to an immune-compromised dog or cat's diet. 
  • Some therapy dog organizations do not allow the dogs that belong to their organization to eat raw. This is because these dogs may enter hospitals with immune system-compromised children or adults. Gently cooked foods are an excellent alternative for these therapy dogs.
  • Some dogs and cats (despite their owners' best efforts!) don't prefer raw food. Again, gently cooked food is an excellent choice for these pets. 

It's Not "All or Nothing"
This is the best thing to remember when adding raw or other fresh foods to your dog or cat's meals. Truly, any amount of raw or fresh food can help your pet lead a more vibrant life. Start small with one of the options below, adding a small amount of the new raw food at a time. (Just as you would when introducing any new food) If you can go all-in on raw, that's great! If you can do part raw in their diet, it will still boost their health!                      

Options on How & When to Feed Raw
Here are some options for adding raw to your pet's daily food intake.                       

  • Feed raw and kibble together. While kibble and raw food DO digest at different rates, feeding them together in the same meal is safe. If you have a super sensitive pet, you may feed one meal raw and a second meal as kibble if you feed both.
  • Top any meal with raw. Are you feeding kibble, canned, air-dried, or gently cooked? You can top any of these foods with raw food. Pick a frozen raw or dehydrated raw food (be sure to rehydrate with water) and add it to your dog or cat's kibble meal. Remove 5% to 50% of your pet's kibble and replace it with a completely raw diet.
  • Commercial raw diets come in a few different forms, including nuggets, sliders, patties, and chubs.
  • If feeding freeze-dried raw food, always rehydrate it before feeding it as a meal. Freeze-dried raw can also be fed as a treat without rehydrating (provide a water bowl as usual), which is another great way to introduce raw food to your dog or cat's diet.
  • How to measure raw food: Raw food can be measured by nugget count or patty. If your dog or cat benefits from eating a very exact amount of food every day, we recommend grabbing a $15 kitchen scale online and weighing raw food by ounce. (This makes portioning even easier than counting nuggets!) 
  • Rotating proteins and brands. We nearly always recommend rotating proteins when feeding any food (kibble, canned, dehydrated, etc.), including raw! Rotating proteins within the same brand, and even rotating between different brands, helps build a healthy, nutrient-diverse gut biome for your dog or cat. Rotating proteins/brands also has the added benefit of taking advantage of sales and buying that bag of food that is on sale, then adding it to your pet's food rotation. Always start with one brand and protein, and slowly add a second protein from the same brand. Then try a protein your pet does well on from a different brand.... and onwards!

Preparing Raw Food and Handling Care                     

  • Thawing frozen raw: we usually let frozen raw nuggets thaw in the fridge overnight. (but they also warm up pretty quickly on the countertop!) For patties, we find it easiest to let them thaw in a container on the counter and then place them in the fridge when thawed. Most people feeding raw will thaw enough raw food in the refrigerator for 3-4 days of feeding. (so you don't have to remember to thaw every day)
  • Thawed raw food is safe in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • We treat all frozen raw and freeze-dried raw as what it is: raw meat and veggies. We always recommend washing hands, dishes, and surfaces that come into contact with raw food. 

Read Our Past RAWGUST Blogs Here:                    

Thanks for reading along! We hope this blog has answered some questions you might have had about how to safely incorporate raw food into your pet's diet. Do you have questions about starting raw food with your dog or cat? Schedule an in-depth one-on-one nutrition consultation, or stop by the store anytime to speak with an experienced team member. If email is your preference, you can reach us at info@greenspotomaha.com. See you soon at our SPOT!