Why are veterinarians against feeding raw foods?

The practice of feeding raw dog and cat food, be it a preformed commercial product or cuts of meat and vegetables prepared by the owner, is gaining popularity, but is still controversial among many veterinarians and pet owners.

Food and nutrition is one of the most fundamental aspects of animal husbandry and is essential for longevity, disease prevention and can even cure ailments by strengthening the immune system and maintaining the vitality of bodily functions.

We constantly make jokes about our companions who crave a juicy steak or a raw fish, but for some reason, some do not see the need to feed the pets with whole natural foods. The logic behind raw feeding is simple: dogs evolved from wolves, and wolves, like all other animals, including humans, are designed to consume food in all its forms.

It is true, however, that dogs are not wolves, and are closer to omnivores than their wild counterparts. However, I find an indisputable thing; Dogs have not evolved to eat pellets of commercially processed foods.

• Food options for free range and human pets

Now there is a demand for a more ethical and sustainable agriculture, and pet foods are among the products that you should consider improving to promote healthier pets and human treatment of livestock. There are some commercially available options for

• It has even been shown that the consumption of processed foods is detrimental to people who have not evolved to consume it, and has paid less attention to natural scapegoats that are animal fats and foods with high cholesterol levels .

• Not everything that is "natural" is automatically good, but some elements of food processing, such as heating and processing, alter the essential components of food at a chemical level, including enzymes and imperative proteins.

• These predetermined cooking techniques exist clearly for the comfort of people and are economically viable, but are not for the benefit of health.

Humans and animals may seem tolerant to processed foods, but it is still essentially an experiment and may contribute to problems in the future.

• Why do veterinarians hesitate with raw materials?

• For most advocates of raw food, the diet seems obvious and logical. However, newcomers to the diet may be surprised when they mention to their pet's doctor that they are pursuing this "radical" change. Many veterinarians do not recommend it, and may even discourage their clients from feeding this diet. Many veterinarians also recommend not only croquettes, but also brands such as Science Diet, Beneful and Eukanuba, which are known among many circles focused on pet nutrition for questionable filler ingredients such as corn and low-quality by-products. This is even more worrying now that in terms of prepared diets, there are much healthier alternatives available.

• In many cases, these pet food brands sponsor veterinary schools and even have a great influence on what is taught in the classroom. It is a good guess that these classes do not teach or recommend unprocessed food, which does not generate any economic benefit for these companies.

While I find that the lack of focus on nutrition with many veterinarians is disappointing, there are more reasonable reasons for veterinarians to hesitate to support or recommend raw diets. Feeding raw requires research and is more complicated than filling your pet's plate with minced meat twice a day.

Commitment to this diet requires that the owner educate himself on what, how much and how often to feed certain types of food so that the diet stays balanced. For example, when it comes to meat, all parts of the animal do not have the same nutritional content. Feeding mainly muscular meat can cause vitamin deficiencies in pets and could be very harmful.

Most brands of dry kibble are more likely to be "balanced", and it is a safe route for veterinarians to take when they suggest food.

Many veterinarians also worry about the possibility that animals consuming raw meat will be negatively affected by bacterial contamination, however, like their wild ancestors, dogs tend to have a sufficient immune system to resist the damage potential. Animals