Just starting to feed raw
food?
Transition Period
As with any dietary change,
start gradually. Every animal is different, and some can make dietary
changes faster while others require more time to adapt comfortably.
Allow anywhere between one to four weeks for your pet to adjust. Start
with 1/4 portion raw to 3/4 portion of your pet's current food,
and gradually increase the amount of raw food while decreasing the current
food until you are only feeding raw. (See raw food portioning calculator
below). Monitor stools as you change over. If during the transition
your pet experiences softer or looser stools, diarrhea or vomiting,
introduce the new food more slowly. Eventually on a raw diet stools
should become firmer, odorless and compact.
Consider Enzymes
Like humans, dogs and cats
have enzymes in their digestive tract that help them process food. Supplementing
with a good enzyme product can help rebuild a strong digestive system
that may have been compromised by lesser quality foods. When moving
to a raw diet, adding enzymes the first few weeks help the animal better
assimilate the new food.
Preparing and Serving the
Meal
Thaw food in refrigerator.
Keep unused portion airtight. To avoid unwanted bacteria growth, please
only use glass, lead-free ceramic (replacing cracked dishes) or stainless
steel bowls for your pet's food and water. Because cold foods can cause
stomach discomfort and take longer to digest, either add a little pure,
warm water on the side of the raw food and mix together, or put
a portion of food in a sealed plastic bag and set it in a bowl of warm
water to heat it. Do not microwave or use hot water; these methods
could deplete enzymes and nutrients.
Portions
Raw foods are more completely
assimilated by your pet's digestive system, and therefore you can feed
less food daily compared to processed foods. Generally, two
to three percent of your pet's body weight is enough raw food each
day (see below). Of course, you may need to adjust the amount you feed
your pet based on many considerations such as level of activity, health,
metabolism, breed and to a lesser extent, age.
|
General
Daily Raw Food Portion Guidelines
|
|
2.0%
|
Overweight
or non-active pet
|
|
2.5%
|
Maintain
Weight
|
|
3.0%
|
Slight
Weight Gain
|
|
3.5%
|
Significant
Weight Gain
|
|
4.0%
|
Puppies/Kittens
(8 wks - 1 yr)
|
|
4.5
to 8.0 %
|
Puppies/Kittens
(4-8 wks)
|
