[cassiek]

Originally Posted by Rgeurts

One thing people get very hung up on is that dogs in the wild will not forage for vegetables, grains, fruits etc., they are carnivores. While that is mostly true (wild dogs will forage for whatever they can, including gardens!), dogs have been domesticated for decades, and as such, their immune systems and digestion have adjusted as well.

The research I have done has concluded that while dogs have been domesticated, their digestive system remains largely the same as that of their ancestors. While a dog can certainly eat kibble, their digestive system is actually more suited towards eating raw meat and can handle the bacteria that are naturally found in it.

Below are just a couple of links. If you search the internet and speak with an animal nutritionist (not just a vet, most aren't nearly as versed in animal nutrition as they would like people to believe), you will be given a lot of good information. Some will be biased, some not. It's up to you to make the decision. As I said, some dogs do great on raw, some do not. Most raw feeders will have you believe that all dogs benefit from it, which is just not true. Also, a lot of very prominent veterinarians and nutritionists call raw feeding a "fad" diet as there are no substantiated clinical trials to prove good or bad.

Alot of veterinarians call it a "fad" diet as they are trying to push their own products. They want as many pet owners to be feeding vet food as possible as they receive a cut of the profit. IMO, the "best" proof or as you call it "substantiated clinical trial" of raw is your dog's health. My dog's THRIVE, not just SURVIVE, on a raw diet and to me that's proof enough For every trial or research that discredits a raw diet, there is one (or more...) that discredit feeding kibble. IMO, a raw diet makes the most sense. That being said, I still like to feed 1/2 kibble for the conveinance when we go camping, etc.

http://www.workingdogs.com/vcbarf.htm

http://dogtime.com/raw-food-diet-dangers-dogs-aaha.html

Good luck

I think the main dangers of feeding a raw diet comes with how the humans prepare it (same can be said for our own meat we consume). Raw meat should be treated as such and adequate handling and clean-up procedures should be followed.

I agree that not all dogs do well on a raw diet, but I also think many people give up on it after only trying it for a short time. It can take time (along with runny poops etc.) before a raw feeder figures out what works for their dog, as every dog is different and some simply do not tolerates certain types of raw meat. It doesn't mean they can not eat raw period, it simply means that some meats need to be avoided.

Some good sites:

http://www.barfworld.com/

http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/he...narticle14.htm

http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/ExpDiet.html