5 Questions about Raw Pet Food Logistics
August 25th, 2010
We’ve spent the month of August 2010 talking about various aspects of the raw pet food debate. Today, I’d like to address some of the questions and logistics that most often crop up.
A few weeks ago, I even put the question out on Twitter and asked for followers outside the intense dog world what questions they have about feeding pets a raw diet.
Question #1: How do you maintain food safety?
Other than the BIG question — Why feed raw? — I suspect this is the second-most asked question. And, that’s no surprise since it is a major concern for those who aren’t keen on feeding pets raw food.
So, I called a dog agility friend of mine here in Colorado who is an independent distributor of a frozen raw food, and I asked her how to keep things safe.
Essentially, she told me … you just have to treat raw pet food with the same kitchen safety practices as you would raw food you take out of the fridge or freezer for yourself and your human family. In many cases, the raw food is indeed “human grade.”
“Raw food is raw food,” she told me, “It’s all the same.”
So, what do raw food safety practices look like?
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and immediately after handling raw food.
- Immediately and thoroughly wash all plates, bowls, utensils used.
- Use an entirely separate set of kitchenware for your food and your pet’s food.
For tips on how long raw foods last in the fridge and other food safety matters, check out this food safety page from the USDA.
Question #2: Is it hard to switch a pet who has been fed raw food back to kibble or canned food, if that becomes necessarily for some reason?
The answer is that it really depends on the pet. Some make the shift no problem. Others become fussy about texture or develop some tummy troubles during the change-over.
Question #3: What about bones? Can pets really eat actual bones?
My pal explained that this is really a matter of personal preference. Her dogs (several Labs and an Australian Shepherd) do eat some non-weight-bearing bones — like necks, kneecaps, etc. But, she does not feed them things like thigh bones and other weight-bearing bones due to concerns over chipped teeth and intestinal blockages. (Her big male lab ended up with a blockage not long ago and needed emergency surgery.)
Other people, however, do feed their pets these bigger bones. (I’d love for some of our raw feeding readers to comment on this.)
Question #4: Can you feed both raw food and some sort of kibble?
Yes. And, many people do. The challenge is that dry pet foods and raw pet foods digest at different rates, so if you’re going to feed both, the recommendation is that you do NOT feed both at the same meal.
It’s common for people to feed kibble in the morning and raw in the evening.
Question $5: What else do pets on raw diets eat?
It is common for pets on raw diets to get a regular rotation of raw meats. We’re talking everything from chicken and beef to quail and rabbit. You can even find bison, llama, and ostrich meat, if you so choose.
In addition to the raw food, pets often get fruits and vegetables for variety. Just be sure to avoid things like avocado, grapes, and raisins … which are toxic to pets.
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Feel free to add any questions or answers. We’d love your participation in this discussion.
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Tags: food safety, pet nutrition, raw cat food, raw dog food, raw food safety, raw pet food, refridgeration
Posted in Dog Food Debates, K9 Nutrition | 4 Comments »
4 Responses to “5 Questions about Raw Pet Food Logistics”
A professional writer based in Colorado, Roxanne Hawn doesn't just love dogs. She deep-down requires them in life. Something inside her genes, perhaps? That's why it's such a joy to write about all things canine. Roxanne began writing about pets in 1995, when she worked for the American Animal Hospital Association and later for the American Humane Association. During this period in her career, Roxanne served on the board of directors for the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (a coalition of animal welfare groups). Roxanne also volunteered for many years at an animal shelter, where she witnessed firsthand what happens when the human-animal bond breaks or never forms.
Great post, Roxanne! Kitchen sanitation may seem like common sense, but it’s nice to be reminded about those habits that slip occasionally due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life… and the distraction of salivating dogs who saturate the carpet while staring you down.
What great posts Roxanne!
Regarding bigger bones, I just wanted to comment that size & density depend a lot on the dog as well. It is always a good idea to stay away from weight bearing bones in larger animals (pigs, goats, lamb, beef). And if you need higher bone content but have concerns, go for poultry bones, always soft!
My current puppy is very good at knowing which bones he can get through okay and which ones he can’t. He’s been on a prey model since the day he was weaned, so bones are no big deal to him. I’ll feed rump roasts with large bones in them & he does fine, but would I recommend that to someone else? Probably not. The longer your dog consumes the diet, the better judge you will become on what’s appropriate for them.
For now.. Pi says.. Bring on the big bones!
I never see any comparison between high quality canned food, like Nature’s Variety Grain free Instinct, and raw. The comparisons are always between kibbles, usually the very worst quality kibbles that are filled with grains, and raw food.
And there’s always info available on making sure that there is at least 4 to 6 hours between kibble meals and raw meals. But what about the time between an Instinct canned food meal and a Stella and Chewy’s freeze dried meal, for instance?
The two foods I use are Instinct canned food for the evening meal, and Stella and Chewy’s freeze dried for the morning meal.
Also some freeze dreid raw like Stella and Chewy’s is considered to be a complete balanced meal that can be the main daily diet long term for a dog. But other freeze dreid food ,like by Nature’s variety is only supplemental.
I wonder if Pathogen free raw needs the same time between canned or kibble meals as there would be for a grocery store Raw Meaty Bone meal that has not been subjected to the hydro high pressure techniques used by some companies.
Thanks, Greg, for your questions. I’ll look into it and write another post in the future.