practical pet foods are by definition manufactured cereals and various rendered animal byproducts
they are then supplemented with synthetic vitamin and mineral mixes to make up for the deficiencies
due to poor ingredients and processing.
their shelf life and appearance are maintained with additives and preservatives.
based on evidence from the wider nutritional literature the raw
feeding veterinary society difines the gold standard diet for pets as
the gold standard diet is as close to the
evolutionary diet of dogs and cats as practically possible.
is made from fresh frozen raw meaty bones, meats, organ meats, fruits, and vegetables.
minimally processed by mincing and freezing.
the diet contains no added synthetic supplements, additives, or preservatives.
hey friends it's jess and jericho.
i think the biggest problem that i have with pet food is
that nutritional guidelines haven't been addressed in over a decade.
for example the national research council's book was published in 2006.
and the world small animal veterinary association published nutritional guidelines in 2011.
today it's 2021 and thankfully the raw feeding
veterinary society has published a new gold standard diet for cats and dogs.
so today we're going to take a look at their position statement on
why raw diets are the gold standard for cats and dogs.
so here's the introductory statement
benefits, bugs, balance, and bones these are the four major
criticisms of feeding a raw meaty bones diet rmbd to cats and dogs.
as stated by the world small animal veterinary association in 2011.
claiming harm to pets and pet owners.
we the raw feeding veterinary society strongly contest these criticisms.
namely that there is a lack of evidence for the proposed benefit of raw food
that there is threat of foodborne infection,
that it does not offer dogs and cats a complete and balanced diet,
and that there is a risk associated with feeding raw bony materials to pets.
we shall fully counter each of these four criticisms with current and referenced argument.
lastly we will define a gold standard for the whole pet food industry.
so the world small animal veterinary association problem one the lack
of documentary evidence of health benefits of raw meaty bones diet.
veterinary professionals and owners alike who are experienced raw feeders will
anecdotally and consistently report that feeding a raw meaty bones diet
to both cats and dogs will improve their energy, bring a sheen to their coat,
clear scruff, lessen unwanted odors, improve stool quality,
make weight loss easy, and thrill fussy eaters.
we all know how picky cats are.
this is to be expected of a diet that is species appropriate,
easily digested, and eaten enthusiastically.
as raw feeding vets we observe clinical improvement in our
caseload with a simple change to feeding a raw meaty bones diet.
it is not only that the diet is raw but by definition a species appropriate raw
diet changes the macronutrient profile of the food being fed.
practical pet foods are carbohydrate rich, raw pet foods are protein rich and low in carbohydrates.
I talk about this a lot on my channel.
but processed pet foods especially dry food is full of starchy ingredients,
full of carbohydrates.
and those starchy ingredients are required for kibble because
that's what holds the ingredients together.
that's what holds the kibble shape.
so even if it says grain free that does not mean that it's carb free.
i analyzed 80 different dry cat food brands and the
average approximate carb amount on a dry matter basis was 33%.
with the highest being 49%.
but a balanced raw meaty bones diet is generally less than 5% carbs.
in cats we observed that the alarming array of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases
clinically improve in response to a raw meaty bones diet.
feline lower urinary tract disease can be addressed long term with a
raw meaty bones diet in conjunction with short-term medical management.
in both cats and dogs diabetes can be reversed if caught early.
weight loss is easy.
anecdotally it appears that effective preventive strategies
to reduce the epidemic pet obesity are in our hands when we recommend a raw meaty bones diet.
most people that oppose raw diets will say that the benefits are purely anecdotal.
but these are way too impressive to ignore.
feline lower urinary tract disease is very common among cats,
utis, crystals, urinary blockages which is a life-threatening emergency.
and most doctors believe that diabetes is incurable.
but these vets that recommend raw are seeing that it's being reversed, if it's caught early enough.
additionally dr elizabeth hodgkins owns a patent in which she treats diabetic cats
by switching them from a dry processed pet food to a high moisture, high protein, moderate fat,
low or no carb fresh food diet.
and of course the raw feeding veterinary society
has a lot of references and resources on this one page.
there are 62.
so i highly recommend checking it out.
this video is not sponsored but i am actually a
supporting member of the raw feeding veterinary society.
i'm so grateful for what they're doing.
and it's really nice to have veterinarians that are
taking a closer look at species appropriate diets.
but let's move on to the next issue that they address.
so the second problem is the perceived high risk contamination from a raw meaty bones diet.
within the veterinary profession there is
a very vocal lobby opposing the feeding of raw meaty bones diet.
the anti-raw food lobby is keen to point out that raw meaty bones
are laden with bacteria and pose a risk for both the pet owner and the pet.
in other words of one corporate director how many more innocent children will have to be
harmed before the veterinary profession will unite to condemn the practice of feeding raw foods pets.
this same corporate chain retails raw pet foods from a number of their veterinary clinics.
this highlights the current chaotic approach of the profession to feeding pets a raw food diet.
a lot of you have left comments saying that you
explain to your vet that you're feeding a raw diet.
and they say what is what's the matter with you.
you know or you're gonna kill your cat.
i've also heard people say that their vets will say oh my gosh
your cat looks great what are you feeding the cat?
and then they say a raw diet.
and then it completely changes and the vet says you're gonna kill your cat.
it's like well a second ago you just said that she was doing great but now all of a sudden she's not?
pets are potential sorts of zoonic infection no matter what they are fed.
this is so true people don't realize that
all types of cat food are at risk for bacteria contamination.
just this year alone in 2021 a company called midwestern
pet foods recalled over 100 dry cat and dog foods
due to a potential salmonella contamination risk.
a more recent recall in the uk involving some dry cat foods has left
hundreds of cats dying from a rare condition called pancytopenia.
and on the rvc's page they have information about mycotoxins.
again this is a mold that forms on starchy foods like cereals and grains and corn.
all of which are not found in a raw meaty bones diet.
even the cdc says that dry and wet canned foods can contain germs
on the same page that they say they advise against raw feeding for the same germs.
the problem here is that a lot of cat parents that feed
dry cat food at least in my experience as a cat sitter
they'll tell me just top off the bowl when it gets low.
but that's a big problem because you should be tossing uneaten food and washing the bowl
and putting fresh food in the bowl every single time you feed your cat.
otherwise you're going to have days old food sitting in the bottom of the bowl
that's been mixed with your cat's saliva.
and that's just going to create a breeding ground for bacteria and mold.
additionally polyunsaturated fats oxidize and turn rancid very quickly.
so again there are a lot more risks with
contamination when it comes to dry foods than with raw foods.
when a disease is transmitted from animal to human involving any type of pet food
the cause is likely to be poor hygiene resulting from failing
to appreciate just how dangerous pefus can be.
again i just mentioned that some people don't even wash the bowl in between feedings.
i've come across really really slimy bowls.
and another thing is with water bowl a lot of people
search what is this pink and orange biofilm slime.
that's bacteria!
illness among infants is significantly associated
with feeding practical pet foods to pets in the kitchen.
this study in the journal pediatrics concludes that dry dog foods were linked to
human cases of salmonella over a three-year period.
toddlers are frequently infected by handling dry kibble left out in the kitchen.
this paper highlights the importance of the proper handling
and storage of dry pathways in the home to prevent illness
especially among young children.
pathogenic species of bacteria including e coli,
clostridium perfringens, and salmonella are regularly identified in healthy dogs intestines.
all dogs lick their anal genital area, lick other dogs orifices,
eat feces, eat dead animals, and drink from contaminated puddles and waterways.
equally all cats will lick their anal and genital area and many cats will hunt prey.
basic hygiene precautions ensure that we humans can all safely coexist with our pets.
exactly so wash your hands before and after handling food.
and before and after handling litter box or cleaning up after your dog.
common sense.
when i prep jericho's raw food i put down a food grade silicone mat to keep the area sanitary.
and i wear gloves and i still sanitize the whole area after i clean up.
i also use separate washcloths for his dishes. very easy.
by default it is often thought that feeding a practical pet food must be safe.
an increasingly global and complex pet food supply chain
complicates the already substantial challenge of assuring pet food safety and nutritional adequacy.
common sourcing of ingredients from a global supply chain and
increased size of production lots leads to escalating problems.
pet owners who choose to raw feed are often suspicious of large pet food companies.
freeman at all in their 2013 review of the risks and benefits of raw meat paste diets state
that recalls of commercial pet foods for bacterial contamination, mycotoxins,
thiamin deficiency, vitamin d toxicosis
are evidence that feeding commercial dry extruded and moist pet food is not completely without risk.
i had a comment once somebody said that their concern with the
smaller pet food companies is that they're usually the ones that are recalled.
and this person said larger companies like meow mix are never recalled.
but meow mix actually had a recall this year
2021 for the potential risk of salmonella contamination.
so again this risk is a risk with all types of pet food.
but the benefits of a properly balanced raw diet far outweigh the risks.
the third problem that wsava has with raw meaty bones diet is nutritional deficiency and excess.
a recently published study from the university of nottingham highlights
the non-compliance of a range of popular pet foods sold in the uk under fediaf guidelines.
94% of wet foods and 61% of dry foods were non-compliant with eu guidelines.
the study concludes that if fed exclusively and over an extended period of time
a number of these foods could impact negatively the health of companion animals.
back in the 80s thousands of cats were dying from taurine deficiency because
the dry food that was fed was too low in taurine.
in 2018 the fda warned about a
possible relationship between dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs
and the consumption of dog food formulated with potatoes and pulse ingredients.
the journal of animal science recently published a review article saying that
adequate supply of taurine and or precursors for taurine synthesis
play an important role in preventing dcm.
the review states that bioavailability
and digestibility are important considerations when formulating pet foods.
the review concludes that dog food formulators should have a deep knowledge of processing
methodologies and nutrient interactions beyond meeting aafco nutrient profiles
and should not carelessly follow unsubstantiated market trends.
so a lot of people think that the whole dcm dilated cardiomyopathy is because it's grain free.
the issue isn't that there are no grains in the food.
the issue is that there are way too low amounts of meat based protein in the food.
pet food manufacturers use grains and potatoes and all of these other
starchy carbohydrate-rich foods to bump up the protein content.
when actually they should be adding more meat to the product.
a raw food manufacturer in the uk has recently invested
in a research project to demonstrate that it is possible
to formulate a species-appropriate raw food diet for dogs without the
need for additional synthetic supplementation.
a study raw proof enrolled 26 dogs over a two year period and fed them a range of raw meaty bones.
so a lot of people think that aafco approves pet food but they don't.
they set rules and guidelines for
food manufacturers to follow when they create and label their products.
aafco does not test food either.
it is the pet food manufacturer that carries out the feeding trials based on aafco's guidelines.
aafco's feeding trials only last 26 weeks which is just about six months.
and they only require six out of eight animals to pass the feeding trial.
but here we have a two-year feeding period of raw diets to 26 dogs.
the study has been peer reviewed by a number of veterinary professionals
and concludes that a properly formulated raw
food diet will meet and adult dogs nutritional requirements
with no adverse health effects.
in the context of nutritional excess
companion animal obesity has been identified as a challenge for the veterinary profession.
obesity is seen as a multi-factorial problem including excessive consumption of food,
genetics, sex status, exercise, and behavior around food.
anecdotally raw feeding vets can easily manage overweight pets.
cats are obligate carnivores with no requirement for carbohydrates.
as obligate carnivores they are metabolically
programmed to utilize amino acids in fat rather than starch to produce energy.
additional starch in a cat's diet is stored as fat.
and this is how they become overweight and obese.
we knew this in 2002.
16 years later we are facing an obesity epidemic.
the current obesity issue has led to an awareness of the need
for further understanding of the energy available from practical pet foods.
the association for pet obesity prevention
found in 2019 that more than half the cats in the u.s are overweight.
and 82% of us are feeding dry food either exclusively or most of the time.
so it's pretty obvious what the problem is.
and yes raw diets can be unbalanced.
that's why it's important to educate yourself.
do not attempt a homemade diet until you're fully prepared and knowledgeable
about what cats and dogs need.
the fourth problem that they address is the risk from ingested bones.
the raw feeding veterinary society acknowledges that the feeding of
inappropriately chosen raw meaty bones can be dangerous to dogs and cats.
the raw feeding veterinary society is committed
to educating owners about the safe feeding of raw meaty bones
to improve dental health and mental health.
the raw feeding veterinary society believes that the benefits
of feeding appropriate sized raw meaty bones to dogs and cats outweigh the risks.
raw feeding veterinarian does not advocate the feeding of cooked bones.
so obviously we need to use a little common sense here.
feeding a very small cat a very large turkey neck doesn't make sense.
this bone is way too big for cats.
small cats eat small prey.
and a turkey neck is like five times the size of a mouse.
the masticatory apparatus of carnivores has evolved to chew raw meaty bones.
raw meaty bones are a natural component of the diet of our pet carnivores.
and pets show a strong desire to chew on raw meaty bones when offered to them.
long periods and feeding and exercising the jaw neck and shoulder muscles
leads to psychological contentment.
consumption of whole prey or raw meaty bones provides
a relatively high intake of raw animal derived
fermentative substances such as minerals, cartilage, and tendons
which enhance blood health, simulate microbial commensals,
and optimize immune function as discussed in the dog risk studies.
raw feeding veterinary society does not advocate the chewing of large limb bones
pulling to the development of massive shearing forces and the possibility of slab fractures.
in cats has studied comparing the dental calculus
scores of domestic cats eating canned and dry foods
with feral cats eating small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects
found that the dental calculus scores were
significantly higher in domestic cats than in feral cats.
so here we touch on the myth that dry cat food cleans teeth because it's crunchy.
but as i mentioned before dry cat foods are full of starchy ingredients and carbohydrates.
cats lack the enzyme amylase in their saliva.
and amylase is responsible for breaking down carbohydrates.
so if cats can't break down carbohydrates properly in their mouth
a high carbohydrate food cannot possibly be good for their teeth.
we the raw feeding veterinary society refute the four major wsava criticisms.
we challenge the supposed lack of evidence of the health benefits of raw food feeding,
the apparent risk of infection posed by feeding cats and dogs a raw meaty bone diet,
the lack of evidence of the nutritional
adequacy of feeding cats and dogs a complete and balanced raw diet,
and the suggestion of the relative risk of feeding raw bony materials to pets.
as practicing veterinary professionals the rfvs insists it is important we give
pet owners clear practical feeding strategies that can be easily followed.
in a biologically ideal world every captive carnivore would be fed on live prey.
clearly this is socially unacceptable, morally questionable, and impractical.
it is however the gold standard diet to which all manufactured foods must be compared.
pet foods have only been around for about 100 years.
apparently wet dog food was invented in 1922.
and dry food came about in 1956.
but wild cats and dogs have been eating whole prey in its entirety and raw for thousands of years.
so we need to take a step back and rethink how we feed our cats and dogs.
if you're ready for raw check out this playlist right over meow.
thanks for watching!