Raw and dry combinations

[Split from another thread because we're naughty and went off topic]

Be careful if you decide to put raw food in with dry food - they have different digestion times and may upset the stomach.

yeah have read that but mine dont seem to have any adverse reactions to it. The only sensible reason I was able to find was that a dogs digestive system for raw meat is fast so less chance from harmfull bacteria. yet it is thought that kibble may slow digestion of raw food to a point that a dog may become ill if raw meat is in the gut to long.
Now, as its fresh human grade minced beef and not a long dead festering deer (yup they have tucked into one before ) the risk seems minimal. It's been a sat/sun night treat for a while now but I guess as always it depends on the dog

Yes, it's because the dry food takes longer to digest, and therefore slows down the rate of digestion and leaves the meat there to sit. Some dogs may not show discomfort afterwards, but it isn't very good for the stomach and intestines. It's a big reason why a lot of people prefer to jump straight into raw feeding, rather than gradually changing foods.

It depends on whats being fed raw from what I have read. Ecoli and salmonella are the biggest concerns but even then according to the barf community its more of a risk to the human feeders than the dogs themselves. Poultry products need to be frozen or washed and even then the toxic by products of bacteria living on food can prove more troublesome than the bacteria itself as it can't be frozen off. Ive seen alot of people try to explain why raw and kibble shouldn't be fed together but also as many in those that advocate raw saying its okay to feed raw and kibble to get a dog onto raw. On a side note I know at least three mushers used raw + stew + kibble on iditarod this year so eating then running it off

Very often, bacteria get broken down by the stomach acids anyway. Aside from potential food poisoning, too much stress on the digestive tract is a concern. While some dogs may be able to handle it, others can't, so caution should always be used. A fit, healthy dog in its prime may not suffer any negative effects, but the strain could potentially weaken the system in later years. Unfortunately though, not many conclusive studies have been done on the effects of dry and raw combinations, so no definitive statistics have been made.

And just realised we've gone completely off topic! Sorry for that! Might want to carry on in a different thread.

Eleanor wrote:Very often, bacteria get broken down by the stomach acids anyway. Aside from potential food poisoning, too much stress on the digestive tract is a concern. While some dogs may be able to handle it, others can't, so caution should always be used. A fit, healthy dog in its prime may not suffer any negative effects, but the strain could potentially weaken the system in later years. Unfortunately though, not many conclusive studies have been done on the effects of dry and raw combinations, so no definitive statistics have been made.

Despite being our closest animal friends it amazing at the lack of research on even the most basic of things which im sure you know. We know more about alot of the other animal species than we do dogs and even alpha myth is only just being dispelled. Even simple things like a dog flu jab are only in infancy... sometimes I think we as humans go of on a tangent and ignore the things around us that matter

I wouldn't feed them together but then i wouldn't feed kibble

Definitely. Medical research has done wonders, particularly with things like vaccines, but nutrition is a particular subject with very selective research.

My main beef (pardon the pun ) with raw and dry combinations is the carbohydrate intake. Dry food is often loaded with carbohydrates, while dogs mainly need things like fat and protein. When the two foods are mixed, the high carbohydrate level can affect nutrient absorption, so the full nutritional benefits of the meat may not be experienced.

There's also the dietary nature of dogs; they're obligate carnivores. So meat directly affects the acidity of the digestive juices in the stomach, creating the right pH to digest the meat properly. The trouble with many dry foods is that they lower the acidity of the juices, making it a lot more difficult to digest the meat, particularly as their digestive enzymes need an acidic environment to function correctly. This could lead to vitamin deficiencies due to malabsorption.

Although I do think that it depends on the type of foods they're given. For instance, a dry food with a lower carbohydrate content wouldn't have such a drastic effect on the pH. As you said earlier, it might also depend on the meat type and how easily digested it is.

But again, sadly, not enough research to say definitively.