Q: I am worry that there are bacterias if I were to feed raw, is it safe?
A: We do not see lions barbecue, grill or smoke its prey. Wolfs do not walk to the local supermarket to buy dry food either. Even stray dogs and cats, we see them munching on rotten food, they do not fall sick and die. UNLIKE human, dog and cat digestive systems have evolved over millions of years to consume a raw diet, and they can tolerate foods containing a wide range of naturally occurring bacteria. We should be more worried if we are not feeding them raw diets to our dogs and cats which their systems are meant to digests raw diets. Refer to the FACTs sheet posted on this first post to know more.

Reference: Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, 2nd edition, by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, D.V.M.

DIGESTION TIME

According to a Swedish study, different types of dog food require the following digestion times.

Raw foods are the most easily digested by a dog. They pass through a dog's stomach and into the intestinal tract in 4 n half hours. So, after that time span, dogs are already receiving the energy from that food.

Dry food takes up to 16 hours. So if you choose to feed your dog any kind of dry processed dog food, it will be in his stomach morning, noon and night.

ENZYMES & ENZYME ROBBING

Enzymes make the body tick. They are either already contained in the body, or made through what we feed our dogs. When dry food sits in the stomach of a dog, it does so because there are not enough enzymes in the stomach to break it down. Remember, a dog's stomach is designed to deal with raw foods. So the stomach sends a message to the bran, "Hey, brain, we need some more enzymes down here." And the brain comes back, "Okay, okay, but I need some time." It then gathers enzymes from the heart, the liver, the kidneys and other parts of the body to be transported to the stomach. In the meantime, the food sits there until enough enzymes are collected for digestion. This process is called enzyme robbing.

Robbing various organs of the body of the enzymes that they themselves need to function correctly can have a detrimental effect on those organs. This situation can give a dog a predisposition for problems in those organs, can hasten disease and reduce the life span of the dog.

NOT ALL FATS ARE CREATED EQUAL

Fat is either saturated or polyunsaturated and your dog needs both. Together these fats supply the essential fatty acids (EFAs) necessary to maintain a dog's good health. Saturated fat comes from animal sources; Polysaturated fat comes from vegetable sources.

Not enough animal fat in the diet can create:

Lack of energy
Heart problems
Growth deficits
Dry skin
Cell damage

Lack of polyunsaturated fat can cause:

Coarse dry hair coat
Improper growth
Skin lesions on belly, inside the back legs, and between the shoulder blades
Thickened areas of skin
Horny skin growths
Skin ulcerations and infections
Poor blood clotting
Extreme itching and scratching

Some owners do remove the fat from the meat source, but I would say that's a big NO cause these animal fats are important for your pet! Dogs do not suffer from heart disease caused by higher levels of animal fat, or from fatty deposits in blood vessels. However, moderation is the key.

I would suggests owners to grab a bottle of safflower oil to adds into the diet. Safflower oil is one of the least allergic oil and it contains Vitamin E (At least the bottle I gotten has it) which helps to preserve the diet naturally besides providing polyunsaturated fat.

Reference: Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, 2nd edition, by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, D.V.M.

Raw Chicken Meaty Bone

Raw Bones are equally important as meat if not more so in BARF diet. Raw bones are the storehouse for majority of the minerals needed by a growing healthy dogs in the right proportion as well as state. Due to it’s importance we will always stress that we should not feed our dogs with meat alone, that is why we grinds the bones along with the meat when we prepare Furkids Kitchen BARF for dogs.

Safflower Oil

Safflower oil contains the correct nutritional amount of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) necessary for your dog’s proper skin and coat. Safflower oil contains 95% linoleum acid to corn’s 10% and is least likely to cause an allergic reaction when compared to any other oil. Safflower oil is highly palatable and is usually used in its cold-pressed form (sometimes called expelled). It is readily available in supermarkets and health food stores.

Eggs

Complete in protein, they contain lecithin, choline and many of the B Complex vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium (which is a very important mineral that is usually left out in dog kibbles). Egg yolk is high in vitamin A. Lecithin and choline help to break down low-density lipoproteins--- the ‘bad’ part of cholesterol, and help clean out the arteries. Eggs contain the sulfur amino acids cysteine, and methionine, which is needed for cell and tissue regeneration.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” seems to have some validity. In their vinegar form, apples contain a large amount of potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, fluorine, silicon, and many trace minerals. In long-term feeding studies in which apple cider vinegar (ACV) was added to the feed of cows, fewer incidences occurred of mastitis, itchy skin, influenza, respiratory diseases, eclampsia and cramping after delivery, and easier freshening (To calve and therefore begin to produce milk). Horses with ACV in their feed raced better and never came down with distemper, even when exposed. ACV is credited with killing bacteria outright, and at one time was used to prevent food poisoning.

ACV is used in the Furkids Diet not only for its mineral contents, but also its ability to kill bacteria in the meat, chicken or fish. It also preserves the meat meal when it is stored in the refrigerator.

Kelp

Kelp provides iodine to the body for correct functioning of the thyroid gland, which influences overall health, metabolism, skin and coat. Kelp also contributes to good pigmentation. Kelp contains some protein, is rich in iodine, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, sodium and potassium as well as vitamins A, B, E, and D.

Kelp also contains something called mannitol, a gentle purgative and bile stimulant, small amounts of lecithin, a phosphorus compound thought to be of great importance in the knitting of broken bones, especially in the older dog, and some carotin, a precursor to vitamin A production.

Wheat Germ

Used primarily for its vitamin E content, raw wheat germ also contains high concentrations of vitamin B and many minerals including iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, phosphorus and potassium. Used also for improvement of oxygen utilization and thereby performance, especially when under stress, wheat germ improves endurance and vitality.

Flaxseed

Flax seed meal is the richest plant source of antioxidant lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids that both help support an active immune system. The high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in flax seed meal also help promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. Flax seed meal also has a very high level of highly digestible protein and essential amino acids needed to keep dogs fit and healthy. In addition, flax seed meal contains high amounts of fiber (aids in digestion), Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and is extremely high in the minerals Potassium, Calcium and Phosphorus.

Rosemary

Many commercial pet food manufacturers uses potentially cancer-causing agents such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin to preserve the pet food. The use of these chemicals in pet foods has not been thoroughly studied, and long term build-up of these agents may ultimately be harmful.

Furkids Kitchen responded to consumer concern, and are now using "natural" preservatives such as rosemary to preserve the fats in their products.

Liver

In this one product is a vast range of important nutrition. Liver is the most concentrated source of vitamin A and should be fed in small amounts on a regular basis. It also contains vitamins D, E, and K in substantial quantities. Liver is an excellent source of the minerals zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. It also contains all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts and is a good source of vitamin C. Liver provides a source of good quality protein and the essential fatty acids, both the omega-3 and omega-6 type. It's a fantastic food for your dog!

Heart

Like liver and kidneys, heart as dog food is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins and iron. They do contain some essential fatty acids and a little vitamin A. Heart contains appreciable levels of taurine which is important food... for the heart!

Kangkung (Water Spinach)

Green leafy vegetables occupy an important place among food crops as these provide adequate amounts of crude fiber, carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, folic acid and mineral salts like calcium, iron, phosphorus etc. They are also fair sources of proteins, containing about 2-7% and they are equal to legumes, soybeans or whole egg (Aletor et al, 2002; Rao et al, 1990).

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, possessing a very high nutritional density. As a member of the brassica family, cauliflower shares with broccoli and cabbage several phytochemicals which are beneficial to human health, including sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed. In addition, the compound indole-3-carbinol, which appears to work as an anti-estrogen, appears to slow or prevent the growth of tumors of the breast and prostate. Cauliflower also contains other glucosinolates besides sulfurophane, substances which may improve the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogenic substances. A high intake of cauliflower has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Carrot

The carrot gets its characteristic and bright orange colour from β-carotene, which is metabolised into vitamin A.

Cucumber

Although less nutritious than most fruit and vegetables, the fresh cucumber is still a very good source of the vitamin C and the mineral molybdenum. It is also a good source of vitamin A, potassium, manganese, folate, dietary fiber and magnesium. What you may not know is that this crisp, refreshing fruit also contains compounds called sterols, which have been shown to lower cholesterol in animals. The heaviest concentration of sterols is in the skin of the cucumber, so you shouldn't remove the peel before eating.

Garlic

According to the Whole Dog Journal, small amounts of garlic not only act as a natural flea repellant, but garlic can be used for its wonderful antifungal and antibacterial properties. It also promotes the production of white blood cells thereby acting as an immune booster for dogs with low or compromised immunity and may benefit dogs with diabetes by helping reduce blood-sugar levels.
Guava

Guavas are often considered superfruits, being rich in vitamins A and C. A single guava contains over four times the amount of vitamin C as a single orange (228 mg per 100 g serving), and also has good levels of the dietary minerals, potassium, magnesium, and an otherwise broad, low-calorie profile of essential nutrients. Guavas contain both major classes of antioxidant pigments -- carotenoids and polyphenols, giving them relatively high dietary antioxidant value among plant foods.