Is dehydrated raw food less likely to have parasites in it as normal fresh raw meat?
Q. I am starting to feed my dog raw, but got a little worried when I started reading about parasites in raw food. So I wonder, if instead of fresh raw I decide to feed dehydrated raw, will it eliminate the chance of my dog getting parasites? Laura A. I never said I'm feeding meat with parasites!!! Any raw meat can have parasites. Yes even the meat that you eat! That is why we are told to cook our meat up to a certain temperature to kill parasites and bacteria.
Asked by Show Breed Standards Must Change - Mon May 11 23:51:14 2009 - - 3 Answers - 3 Comments

A. Yup, you freeze it. I would not feed wild swine or bear or beaver... wild game like this can carry a species of trichinella which is NOT killed by freezing... everything else, a week or so at zero degrees or colder and you're good to go. A lot of folks are worried about this and that initially. When they see the overall improvements in their dog and the enjoyment the dog gets from eating a species-appropriate diet, the worries kinda fade away.
Answered by Dogzzz - Tue May 12 00:23:12 2009

Raw food diet: Do food enzymes get broken down in the stomach?
Q. I've read that raw food diets are soo benifical for inflammtroy disorders and such because of their food enzymes that they restore the body with... But I read an article saying how that the stomach acid destorys the enzymes in your stomach and so none gets absorbed, and they had a reasrch study done saying a very tiny minute amount gets reaborbed... Can someone clarify this for me?
Asked by Slick 50 - Sat Nov 8 20:29:32 2008 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Raw foods have digestive enzyme. The enzyme structure starts to change with temperature. At 116 deg Fahreheit, the enzymes become non-functional. Your body also creates digestvie enzymes starting with saliva in your mouth all through the digestive tract. When raw foods are eaten, 40% of the enzymes are used up in digesting the food itself. 60% of the enzymes remain that can be used by your body in addition to what it produces. If your hypothesis was true, then the stomach wil also denature the enzymes produced by your body. We know it is not true otherwise the people who do not eat raw produce would be in bigger problem than what they have now. The internal body temperature does not kill the enzymes in the food, nor does the acid… [cont.]
Answered by Yogesh G - Sun Nov 9 01:37:31 2008

Is it really true that dehydrated raw food is actually cooked and not really raw?
Q. I just read some info on a popular dehydrated raw pet food maker that says their meat is actually dehydrated at a high enough temperature that it is cooked, yet they call their food "raw". Is this true with all dehydrated raw pet foods?
Asked by Show Breed Standards Must Change - Sun May 31 03:56:53 2009 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Yes it's true. It's not really raw... at least not all of it. The fruits and veggies are raw but the eggs and meat are actually cooked. It is said to be still better than kibble because supposedly dehydrating the food preserves much more nutrients than fully cooked kibble. It's annoying finding this out after spending so much money on dehydrated "raw" food. It's not really a raw food diet, in the sense of meat being raw. Very very misleading of these companies to be allowed to call it raw when it's not.
Answered by Love's Excelling Way - Mon Jun 1 02:00:41 2009

What can you eat on a raw food diet?
Q. Someone else mentioned raw food in relation to another question earlier and I just wondered what people on a diet like that eat? Obviously raw food, but what sorts of meals do they have? Is it filling? I think I'd struggle on a diet when I didn't cook anything. I'm not personally going to start this diet but I was just interested in what was eaten. It's not really for me but just curious what people eat. Thanks for the info and links.
Asked by starby78 - Sun Oct 29 17:16:48 2006 - - 8 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Hello, I have "teetered" with raw vegan food for about 3 years now and here's what I know so far. Raw foods will include: - Raw fruits and veggies that are in season and/or organic. - Nuts and legumes. Both will need to be soaked overnight for easier digestion. - Plenty of leafy greens. You can juice these (i know, yuck! but greens are so good for you!!!) and incorporate these in salads. - You can make milk using raw nuts such as almonds and sesame seeds by soaking these overnight and blending them. - Some raw foodists will eat mono meals. Meaning for the entire day, one will eat all meals of bananas, or greens..etc.. Sometimes, its easy to eat like this, like just pick up a piece of fruit and eat. No more wondering if your food has… [cont.]
Answered by Tammy R - Sun Oct 29 18:00:52 2006

I want to start my cat on a raw food diet, does anyone have any suggestions and or recipes?
Q. I recently discovered how awful processed food is to feed to a cat. I am interested in starting my cat on a raw food diet. I need some suggestions and or recipes to get started. I live in an urban environment and I am personally opposed to grinding meat. Can anyone help?
Asked by BriteEyedLibra - Mon Dec 31 18:41:33 2007 - - 18 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Hi there...here are some websites to help get you started on raw feeding for cats: extra info:
Answered by Seattle - Mon Dec 31 18:52:02 2007

What is the best/easiest way to have raw food for lunch at work?
Q. Obviously I can eat fruit but the problem with bringing soups frozen from home is that I would have to heat them in the microwave and that's no good of course. I could bring some dips and raw veges but that wouldn't be much of a lunch. I'm very new to raw food/cooking and wondering how I can incorporate it more into my life. I take a train to work so can only carry things in a backpack.
Asked by anon_guy_anon - Mon Nov 2 02:56:25 2009 - - 8 Answers - 0 Comments

A. salads wraps - romaine lettuce, avocado, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, cress (can also include alfalfa or other sprouted things) topped with another leaf or lettuce wrap with pate filling brownies - walnuts, fresh dates and cacao powder ground up in a food processor, mold into a dish then cut into squares ravioli mock tuna salad storms tabouleh - sounds like boring rabbit food but is actually delicious Storm's Raw Tabouli! (Our special staple "green stuff" recipe): * one bunch cilantro * one bunch parsley * one bunch green onions * two tomatoes * one avocado * half a cup of raw almonds * cold-pressed olive oil * unrefined sea salt * raw honey * half a lemon Chop up cilantro, parsley, green onions,… [cont.]
Answered by Melissa Swan - Mon Nov 2 11:32:58 2009

What should i start eating for the raw food diet?
Q. Ok so today was my 4th day of liquid fasting. I decided im done with the liquid fast and wanted to go onto doing the raw food diet. I want to start today, what should i start out by eating?
Asked by BCLaynee - Mon Nov 30 08:58:44 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. lettuces salad with oil n vinegar little veggie soup fruits bananas apples go also with avocados for healthy proteins Make sure every day you eat a nice soup onions cabbage celery potatoes.
Answered by Lucia K - Mon Nov 30 09:05:53 2009

What exactly is the raw food allergy called?
Q. My boyfriend cant eat raw fruits or veggies. What exactly is that food allergy called is it common. He gets really sick within 30 min of eating them.
Asked by allyson s - Wed Apr 16 04:19:28 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. oral allergy syndrome. It is cross reactivity to pollens. good info is available at: and
Answered by busybee2 - Wed Apr 16 09:19:03 2008

How can i eat eggplant on a raw food diet?
Q. This is my favorite vegetable. I use to bake it in the oven, but now i'm on a raw food diet and i can eat only raw vegetables. What should i do? Raw eggplant tastes like noting.
Asked by Carrie B - Thu Feb 26 22:51:55 2009 - - 3 Answers - 1 Comments

A. Sounds like you need to buy yourself a cookbook on this type of diet. If it really taste like nothing to you than why could you just not add it to your other dishes; like salad?
Answered by msjantastic - Thu Feb 26 23:23:36 2009

We want to start a raw food diet for our french bulldog boston terrier but we don't know where to start?
Q. We are feeding him royal canine brand of food and we have heard good things about the raw food diet, but we have NO idea where to start? What can you feed them? Does it have to specially prepared for dogs? Can you feed kibble for one meal and raw meat for the next like breakfast & dinner? Our dog is almost 8months old, is this a safe age to start raw meat or does he have to be older? basically any info you can give us will help! THANKS!
Asked by Steve o - Tue Jun 16 23:25:12 2009 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I wouldn't recommend it at all. Though dogs are carnivores, they still need other nutrients that a meat-only diet can't provide. This will not make your dog healthier, and it's both time consuming and expensive. And though someone else claimed that kibble is just sugar, that's not true at all. Some kibble is like that, but if you're smart and do the research, you can find a hard food that's completely healthy.
Answered by venus_smrf - Wed Jun 17 03:38:23 2009

How can we start our dogs on a raw food diet?
Q. Hi, I would like to know more about feeding dogs raw food.
Asked by puppy_trainer65 - Thu Mar 19 12:19:51 2009 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Check out these sites: If you have a holistic vet in your area, I would also recommend visiting them to talk about raw diets. They generally are well-educated in the area and can be a source of support for you. Traditional vets receive generally one course in nutrition, sponsored by big dog food companies and using texts written by major dog food companies. So, they tend not to be well-educated on or supportive of the idea of raw feeding unless you're very lucky.
Answered by oregano13 - Thu Mar 19 12:30:31 2009

Is a raw food diet good for a dog with struvite crystals?
Q. My pug is prone to struvite crystals and I am curious about the benefits of a raw food diet for his condition. Does anyone have any information? I just want him to be healthy!
Asked by S Bear - Fri Nov 20 17:54:09 2009 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. A dog that develops struvite crystals should be on a food with a reasonable protein level (arounbd 18-25%) that promotes a healthy urine pH. I use California Natural for my own dogs (one also used to develop crystals). There are prescription diets available, as well, though they cost more, and often, there are healthier choices available. If the crystals continue to recur, a prescription diet may be the best choice. They haven't been back in my dog since I switched food.
Answered by Leigh - Fri Nov 20 23:52:34 2009

How much veggies should I give my dog with his raw food?
Q. I feed my dog raw food, and the one he is eating right now doesn't have the veggies mixed into it like some brands, like urban carnivore. I want to give him fresh veggies with his meal but not sure much to give him. Hes a 17lb French Bulldog X Boston Terrier and he is 11 months old.He eats a half pound patty a day. Yes they do need Veggies!
Asked by Steve o - Sun Oct 25 19:18:31 2009 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. No they don't!! While a dog may enjoy the odd carrot or piece or fruit, they have no nutritional need for them. They have no molars for grinding, amylase in their saliva or fermentation bacteria in their intestines - all proof that dogs do not need vegetables or have the ability to properly digest them.
Answered by Joh: think outside the bag - Sun Oct 25 19:41:51 2009

For those who feed raw food, how many chicken wings might a 20-pound dog eat in a day?
Q. If a person were feeding chicken wings and nothing else (which I know, shouldn't be the only food they eat, but I'm experimenting with food sensitivities, so at the moment they're getting one thing). I know it varies by dog, etc., but if you could guess, I'd be grateful. (I mean, people who have experience feeding raw food could guess...) Thanks Kate. I have a whole bunch of books and have read a lot. I'm not feeding ONLY chicken wings long term.
Asked by Cleoppa - Tue Jan 13 14:15:08 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Around 8 ounces. Or 0.5lbs. What you do is take the dogs weight, multiply it by 2 to 3 percent and then go from there. Sometimes the dogs looks a little chucky and you lower the amount, sometimes you raise the amount because the dog is getting skinny. It is kind of a guestimate. You really have to go off the dog after you start feeding raw. You want to feed chicken wings, but you will need to add a little organ in there as well. The dividing up is 80% muscle meat, 10% bone and 10% organ(half of which has to be liver, I just feed 10% liver). It is just a guide above, but it is the general balance you want to get with feeding raw prey model.
Answered by Kate C *Attackofthebear* - Tue Jan 13 14:27:55 2009

I need to find a scholarly book about the raw food diet?
Q. I am writing a paper about the health benefits of the raw food diet. One of my sources has to be a scholarly book/monoraph, but so far I can not find one. Any ideas would be highly appreciated!
Asked by Inquisitive - Sat Oct 25 18:51:56 2008 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Surely a large bookstore like Barnes and Nobel would have a number of books.
Answered by dadnbob - Sat Oct 25 19:02:01 2008

How can I gain body weight and mass on a as close to Vegetarian of raw food diet as possible?
Q. Hi everyone Been trying for ages to gain weight and mass. Other than weight training, what kind of food should I be consuming to gain weight (as close to vegetarian of raw food diet). How about frequency and quantity? Thank you!
Asked by zeitgeist - Sun Oct 21 19:47:53 2007 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Without weight training? Well, exercise of some kind will do the trick. You mean muscle weight, correct? There are raw bodybuilders out there. Vegan bodybuilders too. Basically, work your muscles and they will enlarge, no matter what your diet is. Look at the working class of some poorer nations. They are often ripped with large muscles from throwing 100lb bags of grain onto trucks all day or working in the fields. They don't eat a special diet for that. It's called work. Only rich countries have these things called gyms and weight rooms where people literally do not get enough exercise during the day that they need to go do some in their free time. Most of these guys are hooked on that stupid old protein myth, but take a look anyway: [cont.]
Answered by Scocasso ! - Mon Oct 22 15:15:17 2007

How should I go about converting my cats to a raw food diet.?
Q. I have two wonderful cats, one is just over a year old, the other is seven years old. I am ready to start feeding them a raw food diet, but after having them both on strictly kibble diet all of their life, I am unsure as to what I should start them on. I have had people recommend chicken necks and wings, but I was wondering if anything else would be good. I would like to stay mostly in one protein source, at least at first. Any ideas? Lol! when I said I would like to stay in one protien source I ment until they had gotten the hang of a raw diet. So maybe for a week or two.
Asked by Eon - Wed Jan 28 20:26:26 2009 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments

A. That might be a good start. Since they are used to crunching on kibble - if you chop necks and wings into very small pieces they might try it. Those items are good and are NOT a properly balanced diet for cats so you have some things to learn there. You can try to see if they will eat a quality canned food such as Wellness. They may not recognise ANY meat as food. There is a Yahoo group called Whole Cat Health and I would suggest you join it. The members are feeding raw or converting their cats to raw. The list owner is very knowledgable about cat nutrition. I have been feeding a raw diet for eight years now. I use a supplement powder I get from Feline Instincts with ground chicken and ground turkey. Felice is the owner of the… [cont.]
Answered by old cat lady - Wed Jan 28 20:45:48 2009

How would you go about starting the Raw food Diet?
Q. I just watched a documentary on going on a raw food diet, and from what I saw it's supposed to make you feel a LOT better, but how would you go about starting this diet without spending TOO much money?
Asked by Racheal L - Tue Jan 26 17:37:03 2010 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Fresh produce can be costly, especially in winter when a lot of things are imported. You'll have to compare prices in the stores and markets in your area to find the best buys. Lots of help online, some may link to local groups:
Answered by Nekka - Tue Jan 26 17:51:05 2010

I want to switch my dog to a raw food diet?
Q. I've done research on this, I've joined several yahoo groups, etc. Since my dog has been on kibble for a little while(Blue Wilderness) everyone has suggested slowly started adding in raw foods and taking away kibble. Everyone has suggested starting off with a raw egg in the shell on top of a little kibble. However, I cannot find the answer to one question. Can my dog eat the shell as well? Is the shell a good part of the raw food diet?
Asked by Kayla[Mommy to Caroline] - Thu Apr 30 00:31:50 2009 - - 10 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I switched my dogs over cold turkey, pardon the pun! They also get organic whole eggs, shell and all. They love it and it is good for them.
Answered by Shannon B - Thu Apr 30 02:57:16 2009

What do you think of the raw food diet for dogs?
Q. I feed my dog a mix of a little kibble with a raw food diet which consists of venison, chicken and egg. I was just wondering what other people used for their dogs and what you thought about the diet. It works well with my dogs and I don't have any weight problems and they have great coats. They really love the raw over the kibble that is for sure. It is a little time consuming to get everything ready for them as I have 8 dogs but I think it is worth it in the long run.
Asked by Tracy - Tue Nov 24 09:09:49 2009 - - 8 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I feed raw. So I obviously like it. I would not suggest feeding kibble and raw together.as dogs digest each differently. if you want to do half raw half kibble. I would do one raw meal a day and 1 kibble a day. I keep Orijen dog kibble around in case I forget to thaw a frozen meal. Also use it for his treat ball. I use chicken (main meat source), Turkey(2-4 times a week) and some form of fish 2 times a week) every week. along With organs every few days, and eggs every FEW days. Dog kibble i only 60 or so years old. So technically raw it has been around much longer. My dog doesn't well on dog food. he gets loose runny stools (he has been on everything from 6 star gourmet food (orijen, taste of the wild welness ETC) to lowest junk… [cont.]
Answered by tankstar1985 - Tue Nov 24 09:16:22 2009