lmoran wrote:QUOTE:
We had both our Golden Retrievers on raw and for quite sometime they did extremely well. Early on though I did notice both of them being a little lethargic and having shorter attention spans. I resolved that problem quickly by adding more fruits and vegetables into the diet. If you\'re feeding a raw diet based only on meat proteins your dog won\'t be getting any carbohydrates and this could be causing the change in behavior. It certainly was the case with mine. And be aware that some dogs after a lengthy period of time on raw will just quick eating it. My male did that after a couple of years and I haven\'t been able to get him to return to a raw diet.
Good Luck!
That\'s NOT TRUE at all.
This is a portion of text taken from
http://rawfed.com/myths/carbs.htmlto read the entire text, please see:
http://rawfed.com/myths/carbs.htmlCarbohydrates do provide quick and easy energy. However, it is not \'carbs\' that maintain the health of the organs listed in the quotes above, but glucose. Glucose can be obtained from protein through a process known as gluconeogenesis, where amino acids (not fatty acids; those use a different cycle) are \"converted\" to glucose. Fat can also be used for energy; fats are broken down into Acetyl CoA and are fed directly into the Citric Acid Cycle, bypassing the process of glycolysis (the first stage of carbohydrate metabolism). Thus, glucose and energy can be obtained from other sources. However, if carbs are present they will be converted to energy first before protein and fats because they are easier to use. This is the reason that carbs regulate how much starch and fat will be broken down and utilized. If there is a plethora of carbohydrates, fat will be stored instead of used. If there are not enough carbs to fulfill energy needs, then fat will be converted to Acetyl CoA and used. If no carbs are present, then fat and protein are used to fill energy needs.
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Dogs are CARNIVORES. They do not need/digest fruits and veggies.
With a raw prey-model diet, you want to feed as many different parts from as many different animals as possible, including organs and muscle meat to create the balance over time.
This also is taken from:
http://rawfed.com/mythsMyth: DOGS ARE OMNIVORES.
This is false. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores. Dogs ARE very adaptable, but just because they can survive on an omnivorous diet does not mean it is the best diet for them. The assumption that dogs are natural omnivores remains to be proven, whereas the truth about dogs being natural carnivores is very well-supported by the evidence available to us.
1.) Dentition
Look into your dog or cat\\\'s mouth. Those huge impressive teeth (or tiny needle sharp teeth) are designed for grabbing, ripping, tearing, shredding, and shearing meat (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 258.). They are not equipped with large flat molars for grinding up plant matter. Their molars are pointed and situated in a scissors bite (along with the rest of their teeth) that powerfully disposes of meat, bone, and hide. Carnivores are equipped with a peculiar set of teeth that includes the presence of carnassial teeth: the fourth upper premolar and first lower molar.
Contrast this with your own teeth or the teeth of a black bear. A black bear is a true omnivore, as are we. We have nice, large, flat molars that can grind up veggies. Black bears, while having impressive canine teeth, also have large flat molars in the back of their mouth to assist in grinding up plant matter. Dogs and most canids lack these kinds of molars. Why? Because they don\\\'t eat plant matter. Teeth are highly specialized and are structured specifically for the diet the animal eats, and the difference between a bear\\\'s teeth and a dog\\\'s teeth (both species are in Order Carnivora) demonstrates how this can be (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pgs 260.). To see a visual comparison of the teeth of a dog to the teeth of a black bear, please click here. One can logically ask: If a dog (or cat or ferret) has the dentition of a carnivorous animal, why do we feed it pelleted, grain-based food?
For a picture, and to read the rest of this section, I gleaned this info from:
http://rawfed.com/myths/omnivores.html***
I have NEVER heard of a dog just give up eating raw. Perhaps your dog was not eating properly or getting enough nutrients.
What kind of \"raw\" were you feeding? Were you doing the BARF diet (which promotes way too much bone and not enough meat and also encourages supplements?)
Preacher Poulin
Forums
That explains everything, very helpful Thanks!
