Raw Diets for Dogs Have Health Benefits

There’s a never-ending debate about the nutritional benefits and dangers of raw food for dogs, but a new study has finally added another point of contention.

Should dogs be fed a raw diet? This topic always sparks a debate among dog owners. While some say you’re better off giving home-prepared raw food to your dogs, a new study showed that commercially available raw food has health benefits as well. These are the ones sold at the frozen section of a supermarket.

“As far as diet format and market segment is concerned, it ultimately comes down to consumer preference and philosophy. As long as a diet is shown to be safe and meets the nutritional needs of the pet in question, it is an acceptable option to me,” says lead researcher.

Researchers from the University of Illinois conducted a test on three kinds of commercially sold raw diet options pet owners can usually buy at large superstore chains. They tested these foods for its taste and digestibility and then compared its quality to regular kibbles.

So, What’s For Dinner?

The researchers treated the raw diets with natural chemicals, such as an acidifying bacterium, to preserve and protect it from microbe formation. But the beagles were also given other food selections aside from the raw diet and kibbles.

More Digestible Than Kibble

After 14 days of eating different foods in the experiment, the experts learned that the roasted and lightly cooked meals were more digestible among the diet choices.

Warning From Other Experts

Before this new study was published, experts from the Utrecht University also came out with a scientific report that confirmed bacteria from a raw food diet is harmful to pets.  Researchers tested 35 commercially available dog foods in stores in the Netherlands and 15 brands had 43 percent Listeria present. The other brands also had traces of E.coli, salmonella and Sarcocystis cruzi.