Ever see a coyote roast a rabbit over a fire before eating it? How about your barn cat who is such a good mouser? Why doesn’t she bring that mousie in for you to roast well before serving?

The reason is that for many millennia wild canids (dogs) and felids (cats) have received their daily sustenance from eating uncooked animals: Meat, bones, hair, guts and all! From observations of wild animals by naturalists, modern day wild dogs and cats have not changed.

I am a veterinarian who has been practicing since 1982. My small animal practice is in Boulder, Colorado where I have integrated conventional veterinary medicine with scientifically proven alternative therapies. This is called “Integrative” veterinary medicine because it combines the best of both disciplines using evidence-based medicine.

Twenty years ago I became frustrated with some of my patients who just weren’t getting better from conventional approaches: Pharmaceuticals, surgery and prescription diets. Many patients were helped by these therapies, but some patients seemed to “slip through the cracks” of these conventional medical therapies and just did not improve. These poor responders were the source of my frustration with conventional approaches. I had heard about some veterinarians who were recommending feeding raw meat diets that were high in protein and low in carbohydrates, and were seeing amazing results in their patients. So I decided I would give it a try.

The fact is that our domesticated dogs and cats began to be fed cooked and processed pet diets only in the last century and a half. Prior to that they had to fend for themselves, or feast off the leftovers of their human companions. As the mass production of meat and poultry cuts that appeal to the tastes of consumers in Western cultures expanded with the industrial revolution of the mid 1800’s, the products that were nutritious, but unappealing or indigestible to humans were incorporated into commercially manufactured pet foods.

The results from feeding these raw meat diets were fantastic! Patients that just did not get better began to improve. Dogs and cats with allergies, in many cases, would improve on these diets. Some pets with chronic GI problems finally were able to produce a normal stool, or would quit vomiting. Patients who were apparently healthy actually got even healthier, with soft and shiney haircoats, improved breath and reduced dental disease, and the volume of poop was less and not as stinky as before.

I instructed the pet’s “parents” how to prepare home made raw meat diets for their pets in a nutritious and hygienic fashion. Many pet guardians were thrilled at the idea of preparing food in their kitchen for their pets….Others were less enthusiastic!

Fortunately for this latter group, in the last 5 years or so, the consumer demand for these raw meat pet diets had grown sufficiently that several start-up companies began preparing healthy, nutritious frozen raw meat diets for dogs and cats. In fact, one company, the largest of the manufacturers in North America, last year sold millions of pounds of frozen raw meat diets!

Raw meat diets aren’t for everyone. Although the diets don’t take any preparation, as with any raw food material the raw meat needs to be handled in a hygienic fashion and served immediately after defrosting. Most companies are producing very clean diets with very low amounts of food borne pathogens in them.

By freshly defrosting and serving immediately, the low bacterial counts found in these foods are very well handled by the digestive systems of dogs and cats. Their digestive systems have developed over many many millennia eating raw meats. Dogs and cats have a number of protective mechanisms in their digestive tracts that help to protect them from pathogens in food.

Humans do not have these same protective mechanisms, so it is important for the person defrosting and serving these diets to thoroughly wash their hands before and after serving, and also to thoroughly wash kitchenware, surfaces that come into contact with the food and food bowls with hot soapy water immediately after use.

In the past 20 years of recommending these diets I have seen no issues with dogs or cats getting sick from bacteria in the food, nor have I seen any evidence that their people have been adversely affected. As a veterinarian, it’s not good for my medical practice to recommend something that creates problems for pets and their people. With the introduction of raw food diets into my practice, I have only seen beneficial results. We sell these frozen raw diets in my office, as well as counsel clients who may want to prepare their own at home.

The only problems I have seen with these raw diets, is that for some animals, a too-rapid transition to the new diet could cause digestive upsets. But you know, that’s also true for switching to a different kibble. So, take it slow and easy if you are interested in trying these foods out for your pets, and sit back and watch your pet blossom!