Followers of the B.A.R.F.
ideology believe that raw meat on the bone, as well as raw
vegetables, are preferable to processed foods because cooked
items lose nutrient and enzyme content. In addition, they
want to avoid feeding additives, preservatives, and other ‘unnatural’ chemicals
to pets. Some B.A.R.F.-based diets advocate the use
of supplements to round out pets’ nutrition, while
others shun supplemental foods or product altogether, maintaining
that a proper B.A.R.F. diet should be nutritionally complete
on its own merits.
What do most B.A.R.F. diets entail?
Protein figures prominently into these diets, in the form
of raw meat (chicken, beef, pork, or lamb), preferably still
on the bone. Therefore, owners feed their dogs either patties
of meat or carcass-like parts such a chicken necks. Organ
meat may also be included in these diets. Liver, kidneys,
stomach, intestines, and intestinal contents are mentioned
in many B.A.R.F. diets, since they as thought to simulate
the diet of wild dogs and cats, adapted to feed on entire
carcasses of their prey. Whole vegetables and even fruits
are part of these diets as well, often in the form of a mash
or pulp to increase digestibility. A notable exclusion from
the B.A.R.F. regime is grain and grain products. Most followers
see grain as a modern, and therefore biologically inappropriate
addition to pets’ diets. The mantra is clear throughout:
if their wild ancestors didn’t eat it and yet managed
to survive for thousands of years, modern pets shouldn’t
it eat either.
What are the benefits of feeding my pet based on the
B.A.R.F. philosophy?
There is a lot of work that has yet to be done on the efficacy
of B.A.R.F. diets versus commercially made, nutritionally
manipulated but complete, pet foods. Scientific evidence
that B.A.R.F. diets lead to significantly healthier pets
is still in its infancy, and at present, clinical trials
with repeatable results are lacking for the most part. This
is not to say in any way that B.A.R.F.ers’ claims are
invalid; in time, evidence-based medicine may prove very
much the opposite. For the time being, however, the benefits
are largely anecdotal and theoretical.
According to B.A.R.F. followers, a diet for pets that closely
mirrors their natural feeding habits leads to dramatic improvements
in dental and gastrointestinal health, immune functioning,
muscle condition, and growth and corresponding decreases
in degenerative and other diseases. Advocates of B.A.R.F.
praise its emphasis on variety, rather than the traditional
repetitive bowl of pet chow. Chewing on bones, B.A.R.F.ers
say, not only mimics natural behaviour but is a highly effective
means of cleaning teeth and stimulating gums.
What are the downsides of feeding my pet a B.A.R.F. diet?
Detractors of B.A.R.F. diets take issue with
a number of different facets of the program.
Firstly, there is the issue of meal preparation. Aside from
the fact that raw carcass products may be more difficult
to procure than a prepackaged bag of kibble, B.A.R.F. meals
have the potential to take longer to prepare. Ingredients
need to be mixed and menus should ideally be well thought
out ahead of time. Raw foods, particularly meats and meat
products, cannot be kept for longer than a day or two, and
they always have to be refrigerated. Food safety is also
a very important concern here. Raw chicken and beef carry
an almost inherent risk of Salmonella or E.coli contamination.
Handwashing before and after preparing B.A.R.F. meals is
of the utmost importance in keeping the human members of
your family free of food-poisoning bugs. Questions have been
raised as to the wisdom of feeding pets raw foods for the
same reasons. Cooking may destroy some of the nutrient content
of certain foods, but it also kills of potentially harmful
bacterial loads. This trade-off needs to be considered by
pet owners.
Another concern with B.A.R.F. diets centers on the fact
that carcass-based meals may be more likely to physically
damage the gastrointestinal tract than traditional pet chow.
Bones, especially chicken bones, have the potential to sliver
and poke through the esophagus, stomach, or intestines, causing
serious problems, often requiring hospitalization and surgery
to fix. Choking may also be encountered if bones become lodged
in the throat.
Yet another issue with B.A.R.F. has to do with its emphasis
on variety and its avoidance of commercially made foods.
Whereas pet foods’ nutritional content is increasingly
well-characterized and therefore consistent if fed on a daily
basis, B.A.R.F. diets trade consistency for variety. B.A.R.F.
diets feature different arrays of nutrients, vitamins, and
mineral with each meal, which on the surface seems like a
good idea. However, without a way of being able to quantify
the nutritional content of each B.A.R.F. meal (particularly
if it is homemade), it becomes difficult to say for certain
that the dietary requirements of the pets are being met.
Dogs and cats do not have uniform dietary requirements throughout
their lives. Young puppies have different needs than pregnant
bitches, and diabetic cats have different needs than otherwise
healthy, middle-aged ones. Knowing a food’s specific
nutritional make-up is often an important first step in matching
it to a pet’s particular needs. Otherwise, disastrous
effects can result. For example, many pet owners are surprised
to hear than excess calcium and vitamin C given to puppies
can cause serious growth defects, especially in large breed
dogs. Until chicken necks come with the same nutritional
details as commercial kibble, this concern is likely to persist.
So what’s the verdict?
What you choose to feed your pet is becoming as personal
a decision as what you choose to feed yourself. Pet owners
intrigued by the B.A.R.F. philosophy are encouraged to seek
out more information from other pet owners, as well as from
their veterinarian. The B.A.R.F. diet may not be appropriate
for all ages of animals, and certain disease conditions,
such as kidney problems, make B.A.R.F. a less than ideal
choice for your pet. If preservatives and additives are your
primary concern, check with your local pet food supplier
or vet about your options. Whatever you decide, commend yourself
on taking a proactive, thoughtful approach to caring for
your pet…your pet would thank you if he could!
There is a lot more information available
on this topic located in the Dog and cat food forum on Pets.ca
http://www.pets.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=53
One thread (of many) on that topic from that forum is located
here:
http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27080
A recipe on how to make your own dog food is located here:
http://www.pets.ca/recipes/recipe3.htm
An article on dog bones is located here:
http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dogbones.htm
By Rebecca Greenstein - Pets.ca writer
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