The current raw dog food movement has many pet owners asking queries like, “What’s the ideal method of storing raw dog food?” and “Can fidos eat raw chicken?”
It’s good that pet owners care so much about their companions’ diet. Dog diets, especially the consumption of raw foods, have been discussed for the past few years. The first raw dog food movement wave was about discovering a possibly healthier diet than the regular store-purchased dry food. Currently, we’re heading into a more mindful territory to ensure that the options available are safe for man’s furry friend.
There’s plenty of information to comb through, but don’t fret because this article breaks down the science into tiny chunks. You’ll gain helpful information to help you determine if a raw chicken diet is suitable for your dog. This post also outlines a few safety tips, such as minimising infection risk and keeping your pet sitter apprised.
Can Pooches Eat Raw Chicken?
To tackle this question, we must go through the interesting world of carnivore digestion. In the long run, this isn’t a query about whether a fido will eat raw chicken since any knowledgeable pooch owner can quickly agree that the answer is yes — but if eating raw chicken can harm and make them sick. According to the biology of dogs, the answer is no.
A section pertains to your furry friend’s digestive tract. A dog’s digestive system is shorter. There are no additional rumens/stomachs or extended, winding alimentary tracts or other anatomical elements required to break down plant substances. Instead, your canine consumes a meal and shows signs that they are ready for a potty break.
A potential advantage of this fast digestive process is that there’s limited time for harmful bacteria to multiply inside your dog, just like the adage that states that a rolling stone gathers no moss.
The digestive tract structure is not the only helpful element here. Your dog also has an extremely acidic sterilising chamber in the stomach, several gut bacteria, and powerful enzymes to fight against foreign bacteria. Although humans have the same setup, we’re not as potently armoured as our carnivorous furry friends.
Therefore, hounds can eat raw meat and other debatable items without fuss in the wild.
But, to what extent can you push your fido’s digestive system before its stomach wishes that you’d just maintained its original dry kibble? We’ll look to professionals to answer this question.
Veterinarians Say on: Can Fidos Consume Raw Chicken?
Vets are the first people to say that just because your fido would consume something to live on in the wild doesn’t mean they should eat all sorts of things at home. This is specifically true for canines of a particular age. Therefore, if you inquire from your veterinarian whether your dog can eat raw chicken, you may get a reply like, “how old is your dog?”
The main issue is that it’s challenging to control the growth of bacteria with raw chicken. Even though uncooked chicken doesn’t affect pooches in their prime, pups are at high risk.
Past that, Melbourne University has questioned dogs’ consumption of raw chicken due to a possible connection to polyradiculoneuritis (APN). This is an autoimmune disease that may result from exposure to a bacteria type mostly found on chicken flesh. However, the science is a bit shaky, and like others have mentioned, many more fidos suffer from adverse health consequences linked to poor diet compared to APNs connected to raw chicken.
Polyradiculoneuritis aside, raw chicken may not suit pups or canines with fussy digestion or compromised immune systems. As a good and responsible pet owner, it’s advisable to keep especially vulnerable pooches safe from harmful bacteria exposure.
Ensuring Your House Is A Raw Chicken Safe Space
Up to this point, you may be feeling confused about the raw chicken discourse. Pooches can technically consume it, but veterinarians suggest you may want to do it cautiously.
Throughout this debate, raw chicken diet advocates make some excellent points. Raw chicken is an excellent source of protein for carnivores, and it reduces your fido’s obesity risk by eliminating carbohydrates from its diet.
Additionally, it can get rid of chemicals and preservatives in the food equation. As a result, several affectionate pet owners still prefer a raw chicken diet, despite the risks outlined by vets.
The decision is ultimately yours as the pet owner.
Therefore, if you prefer feeding your raw canine chicken, how can you ensure you’re doing it correctly?
Below are some tips:
- Stick to organic chicken if you can afford it
- Ensure that you refrigerate all raw chicken and never leave them out in the open at room temperature
- Sanitise and clean all the surfaces in your house and areas around your fido’s bowl
- Never give your pooch chicken with bones (like chicken wings or neck) since the bones may splinter and injure them
- Keep in mind that you must serve raw chicken plain (don’t add any seasonings)
- Monitor your fido keenly after feeding to check for distress signs
- Ensure that your pet sitter has detailed instructions on proper feeding whenever you leave them with your dog
Wrap Up
Ensure you purchase raw chicken from a trusted supplier if you want your pooch to reap its benefit without the risks.