Bella wrote:
I was quite enthusiastic to try actually, but then again I got doubtful and my mom is quite against it, because of splintering (just the thing AnneMarie mentioned)
Hi Bella, raw bones do not splinter because of the collagene. Only cooked bones can splinter.
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and also salmonella
As soon as carnivores are on their raw diet salmonella can not harm them anymore. It is when they are on kibble that all sorts of ilnesses such as salmonella can harm them because the stomach acid can not reach to the carnivor potentieal which is a reall health hazard and the source of all carnivore ilnesses that we have grown accustomed to as normal but certainly is not.
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and other pathogens, mainly concerning pork.
Indeed, that is why we advise not to feed pork. All the other preys are not a problem.
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Oh, and it's also that wolves will bury their meat often and eat it later on when it's rotten or just bones or whatever.
Indeed, which proves bacteria can not do any harm with carnivores who are on a raw diet.
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I think that my knowledge about all of that is really limited and since I heard of some cases where the dogs wouldn't bear raw flesh, I'm a bit worried.
You should indeed first read into it. That is why Ester has posted all the info to start with. When carnivores get kibble their stomach acid is not acid enough anymore. Therefore harmful bacteria, parasites and viruses can move thru the stomach into the body. First time a carnivore eats fresh meat he can go a bit ill. Therefore you need to take certain precautions such as making sure the stomach has been absolutely empty for at least 6 hours.
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So I need to get to understand it better myself, first and afterwards convince my mom, we may start with an egg I think, I'm not sure but I think we did that in former times, too
Just read up and see if you yourself are convinced of the benefits. Then you can explain to your mom why you think it will be of benefit.
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I cannot quite believe it how people could start to feed their dogs grains, it's all weird, but of course there are many things like this and we do so very much just because it's cheap and more comfortable and we use to forget about the most natural things...
Here here!
I do not mind when people are against something of course. But I ask everyone to first really look in to something before one sets his opinion.
Concerning the issue of feeding vegan food to carnivores is to me just as wrong as bio-industry, animal testing etc.
A carnivore is a carnivore. We have to accept that just as much as we have to accept the fact that a horse is a prey does not need to live in caves and needs grass/hay 24/24 etc.
It is anyone’s choice to care for their animals the way they think is best.
I can only inform about the natural needs of horses, cats and dogs. It’s up to anyone here to take advantage of the info given or not.
Whether we should keep carnivores because of the fact that they need to eat prey is a totally different subject. Whilst we do have them to care for now does mean to me we have to provide them with their basic needs.
If you care about animal welfare outside our horses, cats and dogs, then that is even more great. There are many ways to help with that too. Find leftover prey from animals who had a good life and are killed for human consumption anyway. (The prey we feed would else by burned!) And we decided to be vegetarians so there won’t be more meat eaten.
The choice is each alone, and of course we all can only do so much. We have to work with what we’ve got.
And last, if you really don’t think you can work with raw meat; it’s better to give cooked meat then kibble. As long as food is fresh, has variety and is based on what a carnivore should eat, your little carnivores health will improve.
It is better to eat cooked fruits and vegetables then no fruits and vegetables at all. For a carnivore, prey are his fruits and vegetables as is grassy plant for the horse.