August is RAWgust - a month to celebrate raw food! Raw frozen pet food can be especially helpful for pets with allergies, digestive problems and young, active pets. Raw frozen diets are the gold standard in pet food containing real meat, fresh vegetables, omega oils and nutrients. These high moisture, low carbohydrate diets can be included in your pet’s daily regimen in a variety of ways. Raw food doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing diet. Many people mix it with canned food, give it as treats or feed it for just one of their pet’s meals. This August, we encourage you to consider adding raw frozen or raw freeze-dried food to your pet's diet for superior nutrition and health benefits. There are so many great brands of raw frozen and raw freeze-dried to choose from like Vital Essentials, Small Batch, Instinct, Stella & Chewy’s and Primal. Not only do they make great food, but terrific raw freeze-dried treats. For step by step help on how to introduce raw food and transition your pet’s diet please click here.
The first week of April is National Raw Feeding Week. It’s the perfect time to celebrate raw food! Raw frozen pet food is the gold standard in pet nutrition as it contains real meat, vegetables and omega 3s. Raw frozen diets are especially helpful for pets with allergies, digestive problems and chronic infections. Raw freeze-dried diets are a great option for treats and for pets that don’t like raw frozen. Feeding your pet a raw diet doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Try mixing a small patty or raw freeze-dried pieces into your pet’s regular diet. Since raw food is more expensive due to the higher meat and vegetable content, many pet owners incorporate these diets with canned food and homemade vegetables. This coming week, we encourage you to consider adding raw food to your pet's diet for superior nutrition and health benefits.
Raw Frozen Diets
Raw frozen diets are expensive and some cats won't eat them. Raw frozen diets don't have to be an all or nothing part of the pet's diet. Mixing a portion of raw frozen diets into your pet's food is a great option and is far better than not mixing in any at all. Many brands have tasty raw "mixers" and freeze dried raw options that pets will eat readily.
Pets that eat a raw frozen diet are getting a high moisture content which promotes overall health. This is why pets that eat raw frozen diets drink less water. The food is highly digestible so the stool size is often much smaller especially when compared to dry kibble. Since raw frozen diets are low in carbohydrates, they are an excellent choice for pets with allergies and/or yeast.
Dry kibble is affordable and processed with preservatives to ensure a long shelf-life. Pets eating dry kibble often have large stools since many of the ingredients are not well digested. Cats are carnivores and have no need for dry kibble and yet, most cat foods are made with them. If you do choose to feed your pet dry kibble, please consider adding some raw frozen, canned or homemade food to their diet (NOT tablescraps!). Including lean protein, crumbled raw freeze dried or some raw frozen nuggets will add to their overall nutrition and good health. At the very least, consider adding green beans and other fresh vegetables to a dog's dry kibble to add enzymes and fresh nutrients to the diet.
When You Have To Leave Food Out
Finally, dehydrated food is made to appear as a "homemade alternative" and is also made with carbohydrates but these diets generally contain more nutritious ingredients and can be mixed with raw frozen diets. Due to the carbohydrates in most dehydrated food, these diets are not nearly as beneficial as raw frozen diets, but their convenience makes them a healthier option than over processed dry kibble.
Why Are Too Many Carbohydrates A Problem?
In summary, finding the right balance that works for your lifestyle, budget and your pet's well being can be accomplished by choosing different forms of food. If at all possible, try to incorporate something fresh (vegetables or lean protein) into your pet's diet.
Raw Frozen Diets Contain Food In Its Natural State |
If your pet is finicky or very sensitive, you can slowly introduce a raw frozen diet by starting with a companion product from the same brand in freeze dried form. Examples: Instinct and Stella and Chewys offer the same ingredients in their raw vs freeze dried diets. Most pets love the taste of the freeze dried so you can start with small pieces and then include both raw and freeze dried in their bowl.
In summary, raw frozen diets offer the following benefits to pets:
1) contain fresh real ingredients
2) easily digestible so your pet absorbs more of the nutrients
3) reduced poop
4) low in carbohydrates so reduces yeast and allergy symptoms
5) healthier gums and teeth
6) improved digestive health