Feeding Raw Hamburger

[Rottnlove]

I'm just curious. I think I have the answer to what I'm about to post, but thought I would post anyway.

Xena had her vaccinations done today and I told the vet what she's been eating and I mentioned she gets a little raw hamburger mixed in with her Canidae.

When I told her this she was shocked. She couldn't believe I was giving her raw hamburger. She claimed that dogs can get salmonella very easily with giving raw meat, just like humans. She said to boil it before serving it and I'll be fine. But NEVER raw!!!

She then exlained that dogs in the wild eat raw meat obviously, but that they will also eat the lungs, digestive system, fur and all from the animal, so it's different. I don't quite understand what she meant by that...raw is raw to me, no matter what parts of the animal they eat. She was surprised she hasn't had any diarhea with this diet.

I think I have to disagree with her. I think the raw has been beneficial.

Have any of your dogs ever had salmonella due to feeding raw meats?

[angrygenius]

I had problems with tainted meat, and decided that the vomiting and diarhea was'nt worth the possible gain, so I don't feed raw.
There was a long thread on this subject a couple months ago, so you might want to search it. JG

[Rottnlove]

Yeah, I need to read that thread.

I was just wondering what most thought about what she said. I didn't agree with it.

I also thought it was odd that she didn't know what Canidae was!

But I like her. She's been a friend of ours for several years now. She's been a vet tech since 1984!

I've not had any problems with diarhea with this diet. I don't know what to do. She said just to feed dry food, unless it's with boiled hamburger. I don't know if I should take that advice or not.

[wizzard]

When food enters a dogs system, it is hit with a very potent mixture of digestive enzymes, which do a very good job of breaking down fats, carbohydrates and protein. The time from eating on one end to expelling on the other is hours. The combination of speed and strong enzymes enables dogs to eat things that would, at the very least, make us very ill.

The dog’s stomach is designed for meat. Anything else they would eat in the wild, like plant material and such, would be obtained from another animals stomach and already broken down.



I would not mix the raw meat with the kibble though. When you mix raw meat and kibble, harmful bacteria can enter the kibble, and because the kibble takes longer to digest, there is the chance of the dog getting sick because it will stay in the stomach longer. So your dog stands a better chance of getting sick by mixing rather than the raw by itself.

[rottnkidd]

Firstly, there is no problem with mixing fresh,raw meat with kibble! I'd like to know where this rumor came from! This was just discussed last wk in another thread. If one is feeding raw, meaty bones, the bones have a slower digestion rate,compared to say a meat meal, and so does kibble, therefore feeding bones and kibble together, 'may' cause a digestive upset in 'some' dogs. As for salmonella? I've been feeding raw exclusively for close to 3 yrs now, without a single incident of illness. I feed a wide variety of meats and bones, from chicken to pork to lamb, beef, elk and
bison, and just recently, rabbit. This includes alot of different organ meats, too. I think it's very important to read as much as you can about feeding a natural diet, (or part natural :-),and arm yourself with information.
Many allopathic vets are unfamiliar, or uninterested in the raw diet, or anything that isn't conventional,;therefore once you tell them you're feeding raw, they'll blame everything on the diet! The first incidence of diarrhea or vomiting will be blamed on the diet! No testing or cultures done, but the 'diet' is to blame!
Dog's are notorious for getting in the trash, eating dirt, drinking from ponds or puddles, unearthing an old bone, eating a dead bird, or stool, as well as licking their private areas, and smelling the butts of other dog's. So, considering all of these things, I don't worry about feeding fresh, human-grade meat; and my girl is thriving beautifully!
kathy

[Carina43]

Many allopathic vets are unfamiliar, or uninterested in the raw diet, or anything that isn't conventional,;therefore once you tell them you're feeding raw, they'll blame everything on the diet!"

This is often true! Though I have to say I've found vets in Michigan, and in Colorado, who had no problem with my dogs' diet, even though they are pretty conventional veterinarians. Probably a lot of excellent vets who are pretty inculcated by the Science Diet myth, though...

I've heard of dogs having problems with bones, but honestly haven't heard of any bacterial problems due to a raw diet. Some people feel it's better to feed unground raw meat because there's less chance surface contaminants can get ground in....cooking doesn't necessarily destroy harmful bacteria either. There's been plenty of recalls of tainted cooked meat products, and remember the deaths in the PNW from tainted fast food hamburgers?

[Anubis's Parent]

If your Rottweiler is eating a stable healthy diet and is gaining weight and having regular bowel movements that are easy to pick up and throw out, then why would it be necessary to add raw meat to their meals? I just don't understand where this practice has come from. I would never even consider doing something like this so that is why I was wondering why some of you guys are doing this?

Thanks.

James

[Carina43]

Hi james...if someone is feeding a good commercial diet, they are happy with it & their dog is healthy, I think that is fine. Some people (like me & Kathy) don't feed commercial food at all, though.
Just another feeding paradigm. :)
If you are curious do a search here (or on the net) on BARF or "raw feeding." For some reason this issue really polarizes people, but really it needn't ~ I just think people should be open minded & do what makes sense to them. JMHO.

[lblax]

Originally posted by Anubis's Parent
If your Rottweiler is eating a stable healthy diet and is gaining weight and having regular bowel movements that are easy to pick up and throw out, then why would it be necessary to add raw meat to their meals? I just don't understand where this practice has come from. I would never even consider doing something like this so that is why I was wondering why some of you guys are doing this?

Thanks.

James

i agree with you totally if your feeding premium food why add to it although raw food wont hurt your dog ,face it they will eat road kill -garbage -horse and sheep droppings. there is absolutly no reason to feed barf the only reason is that its the trendy fad going around. and if you feed only barf i'd say most dogs arent getting the proper amount and ratios of vitamins and minerals. how many of us are actuall dieticions????

[Teena]

Humans feed themselves..how do we make sure get all the vitamins and minerals we need? Same for dogs, I give them a doggie vitamins every couple days.
Feeding dogs raw is how it used to be done. Commerical dogfood make it quick and easy. ;)

[Rottnlove]

Wow, it's so interesting to see all your opinions.

I think I'm going to wean her off the raw hamburger, except for special occasions! ;)

She's getting Canidae, and that's probably the best dry food for her. Besides, she seems to really love it!

Thanks for your ideas and thoughts! :)

Lisa

[Judy Chrusch]

Well some of you know how sick Czar was with the lyme disease and he was put on a prescription diet and nothing else, but recently we were allowed to mix raw hamburg, yes raw, with his kibble and this was told to me by my vet who practices holistic and conventional plus I highly respect her. Czar has been on raw hamburg for months now and he has no problem what so ever, none. He use to be on the barf diet and I am told that he will never be allowed to go back on that. I don't know for sure but I don't think she's big on the bones and she definately is not for raw chicken, mainly bc it's one of the biggest allery foods. As for you mixing the hamburg with Canidae, I wouldn't bc it is a very well balanced food. If you want to give the hamburg, give it for a special treat every so often.

Judy

[Rottnlove]

Judy, I agree 100% with your post.

From now on it's Canidae and an occasional raw hamburger treat! :D

[CarolineS]

Originally posted by lblax
if you feed only barf i'd say most dogs arent getting the proper amount and ratios of vitamins and minerals. how many of us are actuall dieticions????

There is no reason a raw diet can't be as nutritionally complete as a commercial food. The problem behind inadequate homemade diets, be they cooked or raw, is people who don't do their homework.

You don't need to be a dietician to do it right. All you need is a couple of really good reference books, the NRC canine daily minimum requirements and the USDA food nutrient charts. These tools will allow you to figure out exactly what your dog needs and what your dog is getting, be it cooked or raw or a combination of both.

If you don't want to do that much research, at least do enough reading from reputable sources, to recognize when something you're told doesn't sound right. There are many books that will lay out a diet plan for you, just be sure to check the credentials of the author.

[chivas]

I lost my dog to osteo and in researching this horrible disease, i am convinced that diet has something to do with some of the cancers our dogs and us humans can get.
With my next dog, i will fed a super premium food (canidae) and will give raw foods also, either mixed in with the kibble or as an appetizer before the kibble. We all agree that we all disagree on how to feed but with what ive learned about cancers, this is the diet i am going to go with.
Kim