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Animal products which are unfit for human consumption are allowed to be sold as pet food. Low quality sources of meat (animal by-products) and spoiled or contaminated meats which are rejected by government inspectors are sold to pet food companies at bargain prices. To further reduce costs, the bulk of dry kibble is made using grains, including the sweepings off mill floors. Many grains are difficult for our dogs to digest resulting in excessive gas and poor stools.
The dog food companies use a cheap manufacturing process called extrusion, a technique which forces the food through a region of high-temperature and/or pressure to liquefy it, force air into it to puff it up like popcorn, and then through a die to form the desired shape, in order to produce the kibble. This results in an over-processed, over-cooked food that further reduces its digestibility and palatability.
The meat in dog food may also be fed cooked or raw. While raw meat diets are presently a successful marketing strategy from the point of view of the companies promoting them, there are risks to your companion animal's health (and your health!) from such a diet. Also, studies show that most dogs prefer cooked meat.
It is clear that meat should not be fed raw because of the danger of transmitting parasites (e.g. Toxoplasmosis) and harmful bacteria (e.g. Salmonella, E.coli, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, etc.). Because it's impossible to know the level of cleanliness in slaughterhouses, we must be concerned about bacteria and other disease-causing organisms not only as a health risk to our pets but also to our families, as these bacteria can easily contaminate our homes and make us ill as well.
Recent studies show that dogs fed raw poultry can have significant amounts of Salmonella bacteria in the hair around the mouth and anus, as well as in the stool. Households with small children or people with compromised immune function should not feed raw food, as the risk of Salmonella and E. coli poisoning is significant.
Some people advocate feeding raw, meaty bones to their dogs in order to provide calcium, but calcium supplements are far safer sources of this important mineral than feeding your dog an actual bone. Bones are dangerous as they can cause lacerations, fractured teeth, intestinal blockages, puncturing of the stomach or intestines, or choking.
Recent US Food and Drug Administration concerns regarding problems with raw meat diets can be found in their Guidance for Industry.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and the Public Health Agency of Canada also object to the feeding of raw meat, and their concerns can be reviewed at the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Website.
If you know how to eat a healthy, well balanced diet you can apply that same principle to feeding your dog. Only the ratio of meat to carbohydrates and size proportions will change. The problem is in thinking that dogs need to eat differently than we do and that all their nutritional needs can be scientifically formulated and packaged into neat little bags. No freshness, no variety and no taste. Does that sound like good nutrition? Worse yet is that pet food manufacturers are allowed to buy meat and grains that are rejected by the government for human consumption. Our government protects us from eating harmful foodstuffs, but not our pets! In simple terms, if we would not eat that food then why are we feeding it to our pets?
The FDA advises that they have not seen any objective evidence to suggest that raw meat diets are better than other kinds of diets. Advocates of a raw meat and bone diet make a giant leap in comparing low quality dry kibble or canned foods to a raw meat diet, ignoring a more common sense solution of a diet with high quality cooked meats, grains and vegetables. Any initial results they might see in changing to a raw diet are more likely the result of the removal of highly processed foods from the diet rather than the inclusion of raw meat. We know that raw meat has bacteria and parasites that can be harmful. We also know that raw meat is high in phosphorous and the raw diet can be extremely imbalanced with calcium and phosphorus. The high fat content can cause many dogs to die of pancreatitis. And it is very clear that raw bones kill dogs and have caused great harm to their teeth, gums, jaws, throat and stomach. This often happens to wild dogs. The most compelling evidence is simply from the records of many dogs dying or being injured from raw meat and bones. And it's not only the "raw" factor, but the fact that it's completely imbalanced.
It is a well known fact in the veterinary industry that before commercial kibble was widely available dogs were often fed raw meaty bones or raw cutoffs of meat and there were many deaths and a shortened lifespan because of it. This is the reason why everyone switched to kibble when it was available. We don't advocate commercial kibble - we just don't believe that millions of people all switched to kibble because they were lazy or had little regard for their dog's health. Wild dogs are known to have severe dental problems as well as kidney, liver and pancreatic problems from their diet. Wild dogs typically suffer from malnutrition. Do we want this for our best friends?
People have adopted a fast food culture for feeding their dogs. "Dog food" is cheap to buy, requires no preparation and is sold everywhere. Glorified ad campaigns and endorsements by the pet food industry help to make it an easy sell. Unknowingly, we have sacrificed our pets' good heath for convenience and low cost.
Problems can and do occur if raw meats are fed. Unfortunately, raw meat diets are more about marketing strategy than good science or healthy nutrition. In addition, studies show that most dogs prefer cooked meat over raw.
At Koko's, we know that the best diets for our dogs are safe and healthy human grade foods that have been carefully cooked and lovingly prepared, and that we would feel comfortable eating ourselves, but that have been carefully designed and balanced to completely satisfy the nutritional needs of dogs. We strive to provide both the best nutrition and flavour in order to prepare premium dog foods that provide the healthiest, tastiest and most satisfying meal for your pet. We've found that even dogs who are reluctant to eat processed foods or raw foods greatly enjoy our real food alternative.
