Investing time and energy in caring for a dog implies supplying fresh water and good healthy food, so would a raw diet for dachshunds be good for them? Everyone wants the best for their pets, and this could mean using a raw diet.
A dog’s digestive system is different than that of a person and dogs are capable of digesting more raw foods. Since dogs hail from domesticated wolves, their digestive tract has not changed all that much. Thankfully, many options for raw diets are already designed specifically for dogs, to make everything easier.
Raw Diet For Dachshunds – What Is It?
As the name implies, a raw diet is made up of food that is not cooked but served raw. What this diet involves is another matter, as not every kind of food is good for a dog. Types of food included in this diet consist of raw bone, meat, vegetables, and fruits.
They are also referred to as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst was the one to propose this kind of diet. It has positive results in greyhounds and sleigh dogs. Dachshunds themselves are hounds and many may wonder if a raw diet is good for dachshunds?
Benefits and Potential Risks Of A Raw Diet For Dachshunds
Choosing what raw foods can dachshunds eat depends on the preference of both the owners and the dog. There are studies that attest to the benefits of raw meat-based diets, but there is also a need for caution.
Raw Diet For Dachshunds – Benefits
As hunting dogs, they too can benefit from this diet. Some of these benefits can include an improved shinier coat or healthier skin. A dog’s teeth might be cleaner and provide more energy overall. Raw food can help with gut health and improve a dog’s bowel movement.
Digesting crude protein increases digestibility over dry food for dogs or cooked meat. It can also ensure a higher absorbancy of nutrients and produce less fecal matter. Providing enough nutrients that can make their way into the dog’s system is important to create a balanced immune system.
Learn more about: How To Introduce New Dog Food Quickly And Smoothly
Raw Diet for Dachshunds – Risks
Some store-bought raw pet food might not meet nutritional standards. The idea is to provide a dog with whatever a wolf might consume in the wild. But this leaves out much of the diet a wolf would actually have access to. Wolves don’t just stop at a few pieces of fibrous meat but consume stomachs as well, gathering rich minerals.
Dogs have been human companions for eons, and even with all the human interfaces in their breeding, they still evolved. This means that dogs do have the capacity to digest starchy foods like grains which are not available to wolves.
There are the potential risks of bacterial ingestion, as dogs also lost the ability to fight foodborne pathogens. Raw meat could present with the potential of E.coli or salmonella infection. Raw bones too can bring a series of complications related to bowel perforation and even constipation.
Portioning Raw food or Meals
When it comes to feeding a dog the question of how much raw food should I feed my Dachshund comes up. In general, the rule for portioning food for a dog involves calculating 2 or 5 percent of their body weight. The resulting potioning is the amount of raw food per day.
Raw Food For Dachshund Puppies
Puppy food is usually wet which is slowly transitioned to more slid foods. Baring this in mind, dachshund puppy food might not include raw options. Switching to a raw diet might require a puppy to grow a little so that they are more tolerant.
What Can Be Included In A Raw Diet?
Raw meat is the most common food that comes to mind when considering raw dog diets. But it’s not the only option to be included and even the meat variety is something to look into.
Raw meat does not only include raw fillet but also organ meat, or ground bones. Additionally, there are raw fruits and vegetables and even dairy products like yogurt. All these types of raw food are meant to offer a wide range of nutrients and minerals complementing each other.
Raw fruits and vegetables can even be used as treats. Warmer months would be a perfect time to freeze some raspberries and offer them as a cool treat. This in turn can help deal with overheating.
It is also highly advised to check every type of fruit or vegetable to make sure a dog can eat them. There are some that can be quite toxic to dogs, such as onions, grapes, avocados, and others.
Conclusion
Finding the best diet for any dog takes some time, and a raw diet for dachshunds might be the choice. There are many options to choose from and a possible vet consultation may be required to assess what would fit best. Any diet should be approached with caution, especially when first introducing it.
It’s important to keep in mind potential allergy and pathogen risks with raw diets. Start with some advice from a vet and a base knowledge about what would be included in a diet like this.
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