Wild ancestors of domestic dogs, living in conditions of natural habitat, fought on the flesh of animals, birds, oceanic fish and amphibians. After a person tamed a wild animal and domesticated him, the dog’s diet has changed, but any dog still needs animal proteins entering his body along with natural meat.
The anatomical structure of the teeth and the digestive system of the dog contributes to the digestion and absorption of muscle fibers, so dogs are considered predatory carnivorous mammals. According to physiological norms, in the daily diet of any PSA, at least 30-50% of natural meat ingredients should be contained.
Benefits and harm
Raw meat is not only a nutrient product, but also contains vitamin and mineral components vital for dogs. Only meat fibers are considered useful for nutrition, fat does not apply to this category, since it requires enhanced liver function and is not completely absorbed by the animal’s body.
In order for the dog to have the correct metabolism and in order to ensure the coordinated work of its internal organs, the animal must be eaten raw meat, which contains the whole complex of essential amino acids that he needs.
If we compare the dog and a person, then it is worth noting the fact that the need for protein of animal origin in the dog is several times higher than that of humans, and this factor cannot be underestimated, making up the menu for its pet.
But not every meat is intended for feeding the dog, which is explained by the enzyme composition of gastric juice. The meat and offal of poultry, rabbit, beef, lamb or horses are best suited for dogs. The dog can eat meat of large marine animals, rodents and even amphibians.
Veterinarians believe that the most useful and nutritious for dogs is a scar (upper part of the stomach) of cattle. This meat product contains sufficient for the dog the number of trace elements such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, sodium, potassium.
To improve the dog’s digestive processes, the rumen contains cellulose and digestive enzymes produced by the microflora of the cow’s stomach – they help the dog digest plant foods, such as vegetables supplemented by his diet. The scar contains a large amount of vitamins belonging to group B – they contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous and muscular systems, improve the external condition and regenerative ability of the skin and mucous membranes of the dog.
Eating raw meat, the dog increases the level of hemoglobin in his body and stimulates the formation of red blood cells, which is the prevention of anemia and enhances the overall endurance of the body.
Being a source of natural protein, meat gives the dog vital energy and increases its motor activity, strengthens the immune system, and also improves the appearance of the coat. An additional source of iron for a dog can be raw animal liver. In addition to this trace element, the offal also contains a large amount of folic acid, which is responsible for the normal ability of the animal to reproduce.
If we consider raw meat from the point of view of possible harm to the health of the dog, then such a danger does exist.
Meat can be a source of infectious diseases if it belonged to animals that died as a result of diseases or the carcasses of healthy animals were stored without observing optimal temperature conditions and underwent a rotting process.
There are varieties of meat that are unsuitable for use as food for a dog:
- Pork – meat, due to its high fat content, is poorly digested and absorbed in the dog’s body;
- Veal – contributes to the development of diarrhea in dogs;
- Chicken meat – can be filled with antibiotics and growth hormones, and also often infected with bacteria called salmonella;
- Meat of wild animals and rodents is dangerous for the development of helminthic invasion;
- Duck or goose – meat is considered fatty and can be given in very small quantities;
- River fish – completely contraindicated due to the danger of helminthic invasion and perforation of the digestive tract with sharp small bones.
Some dog breeds are predisposed to developing meat allergies. Most often, allergic reactions occur on chicken meat, and sometimes on rabbit meat, beef and veal. For such pets, the choice of raw meat is made very carefully, giving the dog a small piece and observing the reaction of his body.
Dogs are contraindicated in bird meat, in which there are small tubular bones, as well as their heads and neckch meat is a source of danger to the digestive tract of your pet, since sharp edges of the bones can perfume walls of the stomach or intestines.
What to choose?
Putting raw meat to the dog, take into account the features of each type of such product in order to correctly compose a diet depending on the needs of the animal’s body.
Can Dogs Eat Steak? (Raw or Cooked)
- Beef – is considered the best for feeding the dog, as this meat does not have excess fat in its composition. Food will not overload the liver and pancreas of the dog and will not cause it to develop atherosclerosis of blood vessels due to an increased level of cholesterol. Beef is safe from the point of view of infection with helminths, and when processing meat with low temperatures, all pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated in it. For dogs, it is better to choose the meat of an adult animal, since veal is inferior to it in its properties.
- The offal – these include liver, kidneys, heart, lung, stomachs and the like. Their nutritional value is considered lower than that of raw meat. It is impossible to completely replace the meat in the dog’s diet by offal-they are given 1-2 times a week.
- The beef scar – this product can be given a dog in raw form, since after cooking it will lose all its valuable components and lose its nutritious attractiveness.
- Baranina is useful for the dog’s body, as it contains a large number of B vitamins and iron ions.
- Chicken, turkey – the meat of these birds should be given to the dog in boiled form, but before that, the skin must be completely removed from the product, since it contains concentrated form contains substances harmful to the dog.
- Rabbit – is a dietary product that is well absorbed in the dog’s body and has a low degree of allergic.
- The oceanic fish is the source of omega3-fat acids, its dog can be given in small quantities to saturate its body with the necessary amino acids.
- Konina – is a low, but useful for dogs with a product.
When choosing raw meat for feeding the dog, veterinarians advise using beef and beef scar, since these two products are the most useful and safe for the body of your pet.
Is it possible to give raw meat?
It has been proven that eating raw meat is more valuable for a dog’s health, as its nutritional value is higher than that of cooked foods. However, if you want to feed your pet with offal, then some of them must be boiled without fail – for example, kidneys.
Before being given to a dog, they are soaked for several hours in salted water, and then boiled. Beef lung can also be given raw to a dog.
To feed a dog with a liver, you need to know that beef offal can be given raw, since beef does not carry the risk of helminthiasis, and only boiled pork liver is given, since helminth cysts may be contained in raw offal.
Chicken from a homestead, grown without the use of antibiotics and hormonal supplements, can be given raw to a dog, and if you bought poultry meat from a poultry farm, then you must boil it before giving the product to your pet.
Chicken heads, necks and skin are not given to a dog either raw or boiled.
Beef ribs or cartilage can be given raw to the dog, and if they belonged to wild animals, then they must be boiled so as not to infect the dog with infectious diseases. Products from beef, lamb, horse meat are considered safe, as they undergo strict veterinary control, while the meat of wild animals carries the threat of disease.
How much to cook?
In order for the meat to be safe for the dog to eat, it is boiled. For this process, you can not use salt and any spices. Any extraneous additives and flavor enhancers adversely affect the quality of the finished product, eating which, the dog suffers not only the liver and stomach, but also the sense of smell.
During cooking, a piece of meat decreases in size by about a third, becoming more dense. At the same time, a very large part of the protein passes from meat to broth, and all valuable amino acids and vitamins are destroyed in the product.
When cooking, the nutritional value of the meat product is significantly reduced, which means that the portion of the finished boiled meat for the dog needs to be increased. As a rule, in order to provide the pet with full saturation, a piece of boiled meat should be 3 times larger than a piece of boiled meat.
The duration of cooking should be such that a piece of meat is completely cooked outside and inside. The cooking time directly depends on the type of meat and the size of the piece and usually is at least 20-30 minutes. The finished broth is usually not given to the dog, since the concentration of substances in it, boiled from meat during cooking, is quite large.
If the broth is diluted with water, then on its basis you can cook a porridge porridge or boil vegetables in it.
Wrinkled meat can only be used if the carcasses of animals have passed a veterinary examination. Otherwise, the risk of infection of the dog with helminthic invasion or infectious diseases remains great. The bones that you are going to give to the dog are not recommended, since in boiled form they do not represent any nutritional value for the animal.
What to give?
Boiled or raw meat can be given a pet both an independent dish and in other nutrient components, which may well be pasta or porridge from cereals. Meat products can be combined with vegetables, giving both of these products both jointly and separately.
If your pet is feeding with dry feeds, then in order to diversify its menu, you can introduce boiled or raw meat into the diet.
It is worth noting that the dog eats up with raw meat faster, so when compiling a combined diet, this circumstance should be taken into account so as not to overfeed the dog. Raw meat is best given to the pet in large pieces so that he has the opportunity to train his gums and teeth, tearing the fibers of meat into parts on his own.
However, it is best to give meat to dogs of miniature breeds in the form of meat chips or torn-offs – it will be more convenient for them to eat it.
Norms and rules of feeding
If the dog does not have stable physical activity, then a pet is enough to eat 15-20 g of meat for every kilogram of its weight. A hunting dog or a temperamental active dog at a young age needs to eat at least 30-35 g of meat per day at the rate of each kilogram of its weight.
The daily feeding rate can be calculated by the formula where the dog’s weight is multiplied by the number 2, and the result is divided by the number 100. For example, if your dog weighs 25 kg, then it will need (25×2): 100 = 0. 5 kg of meat per day.
For active pets, the formula will be slightly different: the dog’s weight is multiplied by the number 3, and the result is divided by the number 100. For example, for the same dog weighing 25 kg with an active lifestyle we get the following calculation: (25×3): 100 = 0. 75kg of meat per daych a calculation of the daily need for meat by weight of the dog is suitable only for adult individuals. Growing puppies determine the volume of the meat diet differently.
For raw meat, babies can be accustomed gradually, giving it in the form of minced meat 1-2 times a week at the rate of 30 g of the product per 1 kg of live weight of the puppy.
Puppies aged 6 to 12 months during their rapid growth are given on the basis of their weight and breed. Miniature dogs, whose weight in adulthood will be no more than 10 kg, give from 0. 75 to 1 kg of meat per day. The average largest rocks, which, growing, reach a weight of 10 to 25 kg, can be given from 1 to 2 kg of meat per day. Large dogs, the weight of which at sexual age will reach more than 25 kg, give from 2 to 2. 5 kg of meat.
