Cooked Vs Raw Meat

[ElectraWoman]

I took my puppy Abel to the vet last Wednesday, and as a passing question he asked me what Abel was fed. I said he was currently on Innova, and I am also giving him some raw mince and vegetables. In response, he said something I found quite interesting - that we should feed Abel cooked meat for the "same reason humans cook our meat", that is, to kill off any harmful bacteria.

From the responses I have read regarding Abel and elsewhere on the forum, it seems most on here advocate a raw meat diet. My question is...which is better, cooked or raw meat, and why? I did an Internet search on the issue and there seems to be conflicting advice about both. I am becoming confused

Thanks for the replies, and apologies if this issue has been addressed elsewhere.

[aatainc]

raw.

Your vet is unlikely to have actually had any experience with a raw food diet because most vets believe the pet food company hype - and just feed that.

Dogs are much more resistant to the bacteria in raw meat than humans are.

Read the thread "salmonella poisoning" further down in this forum.

[Alison]

Perhaps you would be better feeding larger pieces of meat rather than mince. Mince contains more bacteria than larger pieces as there is more surface area for the bacteria to multiply. This is why humans must cook their mince to well done. Just a thought.

[Rebanne]

Raw. Dogs in the wild don't cook their meat, they eat it as they find/catch it. Their insides are designed to cope with raw meat, humans aren't. Comparing dogs to humans is just plain stupid. Two different species.

[persephone]

Raw.preferably on the bone..less handling/exposure to bacteria,that way!

[ElectraWoman]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm interested in what some may have to say about this article:

http://secondchanceranch.org/wolfdogdiet.html

and its other pages concerning the practice of feeding raw meat - this page is against raw meat, and advocates cooked meat instead.

Not trying to stir anything up, but I thought it was quite an articulate site

Edited January 2, 2005 by ElectraWoman

[Alison]

Thanks Rebanne, but I wasn't actually comparing dogs to humans, just stating that mince contains more bacteria than larger pieces of meat, and I certainly didn't say there was anything wrong with raw.

*Edited for poor typing

Edited January 2, 2005 by Alison

[Rebanne]

Thanks Rebanne, but I wasn't actually comparing dogs to humans, just stating that mince contains more bacteria than larger pieces of meat, and I certainly didn't say there was anything wrong with raw.

*Edited for poor typing

I wasn't actually refering to you but the stupid vet! I agree 100% with what you said, bigger pieces are better. I don't know why you thought I was refering to your reply but I wasn't

[Fin]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm interested in what some may have to say about this article:

http://secondchanceranch.org/wolfdogdiet.html

and its other pages concerning the practice of feeding raw meat - this page is against raw meat, and advocates cooked meat instead.

Not trying to stir anything up, but I thought it was quite an articulate site

Dr Billinghurst does a rebuttal to this website somewhere. Do an internet seach or a search on this site. The lady that wrote that seems quite articulate at first, but most of her points are invalid or easily addressed by Dr Billinghurst.

[aatainc]

Hi electrawoman. I have written a very long and protracted reply to this in the past. click on my username - then on find all posts by this user and go back to June last year. (early june.) it's a very long post you shouldn't have trouble finding it. Let me know if you do and I can email it to you.

[aatainc]

don't worry, I found it for you - man that was hard!

Here is the link to the topic:

http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?...topic=10304&hl=

[Mystiqview]

If dogs were meant to eat cooked meat.. they would have learnt to sit over a fire and cook it.

Then why do the Japanese and other asian cultures eat Raw meat??? Gee I wonder why they are not all dead from eating all that live bacteria.

True cooking food takes out the bacteria that live in that medium.. it also takes out a certain amount of vitamins,minerals etc... If overcooked, food as the same nutritional value of eating cardboard..

Edited January 3, 2005 by Skyes Dalimit

[Darkrai]

Hi Electrawoman

I am interested that nobody has mentioned bones here as, if you cook any type of bone they become brittle and can harm the dog internally, as with feeding raw meat, raw is the better as once you cook the meat it starts to break down the protein and vitamins that are in meat - cooked meat has low protien and vitamins.

Some of the best meat to give dogs are raw chicken necks, and wings.

T

he only problerm with mince is that you sould NEVER cook chicken mince as it may contain small pieces of bone, which when beome cooked becomes deadly to you dog.

[westielover]

Hi Electrawoman,

It's difficult to decide what to do when vets always advocate commercial pet food! I have never come across a vet who will enthusiastically tell you to feed your dog raw meat & veggies (except Dr Ian Billinghurst of course!!)

I have been feeding my west highland white terriers raw meat/veggies/bones etc since they were puppies and they have been very healthy becuase of that. No skin problems, healthy, shiny coats & bright, bright eyes. Occasionally I throw some kibble into a treat ball & they look at me as if to say 'what the hell are you thinking"!!!!! Their treats also consist of dried liver, dried kangaroo meat, non oily pigs ears, dried tune meat, lamb & cow ears & the occasional dentabone (but never too much!) I try to stay away from processed foods.

I find by feeding them this type of diet their motions are always solid. If I veer away from that diet and give then cooked meat or processed food of any type - their motions are very, very sloppy and their stomachs makes all sort of funny noises AND they do the smelliest farts!!!!

I must say though - that I don't make a habit of giving them a lot of beef on its own - my local butcher makes pet mince for me with his left over meat - which is pretty good - bit of chicken, veal, pork & beef. They do eat a lot of chicken (wings, necks, carcasses), I have also introduced turkey mince when I can get it, sardines are good occasionally too. Always mixed with raw, blender mashed vegetables (mostly green leafy types - chinese veg's are excellent). Sometimes if I give them miced meat & veggies - I throw in a handful of chicken wing tips (from chicken shop at about $1.50/kg) for a bit of crunch - rather than kibble. I also add vitamins & oils.

Might be handy to get yourself a "BARF Diet' book.

Good luck with your decision.

[katetk]

It's difficult to decide what to do when vets always advocate commercial pet food! I have never come across a vet who will enthusiastically tell you to feed your dog raw meat & veggies (except Dr Ian Billinghurst of course!!)

And Mine ! LOL! She absolutely swears by it, raw meat and vege plus bones of course :D I remember saying to her when i first got harvey that it all looks so complicated, she explained that it doesn't have to be just add an egg every now and then, some fish here and there , its cheaper to feed, better for them, - i mean the list could go on and on.

[gizmo2]

ok no expert but my dogs bery their bones for a week sometimes with bits of raw meat on them then dig them up ahhh yuck , and have a good chew on them no the bactiria has tobe ripe , never had a sick dog over a raw old bone , maybe the dirt cooks it :rolleyes:

[Mystiqview]

Westilover,

Do not know what your butcher is like, but there is one near me who also puts the left over sausage meat into the pet mince.. including the additives which go into sausages..

Not very nice.. bought some once... absolutely disgusting. If I have to buy meat from the butcher I ask for the offcuts.. it still can be beef, lamb or pork, but it is the meat itself and you cut it.. Some can be rather fatty... but when I have seen the pet minces...

If it is only the scraps which is put through the mincer, maybe ok.. but if they put in the waste from their other stock....like maybe the crumbed stuff which also has additives in it (they buy it premixed in 20 kg buckets) I would be careful.

[westielover]

Hi skyes dalimit,

He's a small local butcher and he knows how much I love my boys and that I wouldn't feed them rubbish. I used to buy regular mince from him and then one day he told me he could make mince for me with his off cuts - no sausage mince - so he does that for me and now some of the other doggy parents in the area. At least that way he gets some money for it and doesn't just have to throw it away. So it's worked out well for us & for him.

He's a good guy - I trust him. He always says hello to the dogs when we walk past his shop and always asks about the latest foster dog we have!!

[ElectraWoman]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the advice...it's been an interesting read!

Firstly, just to clear things up: my vet didn't actually tell me to feed my dog a commercial product, even though his place stocks Eukanuba. He merely told me that if I was to feed meat to my dog, it should be cooked :p

I am interested in feeding raw meat now...it would be interesting to see its effect :D

[maxi]

Is there an age where dogs tolerance for raw meat gets better - I started on small pieces a little bit when my pup was 3 months but every time she ate it - she threw it up and had the runs ... so I've been on cooked ever since.

I've never really liked the fact I'm potentially reducing my dogs resilience to bacteria by cooking her meat ... but would hate to have her throwing up all over again...

I'd love some advice!?