Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet Review:

Overview

The BARF Diet really will gross most people out when they learn what it is. “BARF” is an acronym for “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet.” This is a raw food diet for dogs and cats that consists primarily of feeding your pet not exactly what comes to most people’s minds when they hear “raw food diet.” Unlike the raw food diet for humans, which includes a lot of carrots, spinach and juice, the raw food diet for our four-legged friends involves raw meat. Upon first impression, this doesn't seem like it would be very appealing. The basic premise behind the diet is that our feline and canine friends are adapted genetically to get much of the nutrients that they need through raw food. The type of food that cats and dogs eat in the wild is what their bodies are adapted to getting. Obviously, animals don’t cook their food before eating it. Through feeding our animals cooked and processed foods we are doing them a disservice. Raw foods are believed to heal many health problems that pets have and restore natural vitality.

What to Eat

So what exactly do animals eat on the BARF diet? The food is raw meat, finely ground bones, offal and vegetables. If you decide to feed your pet the BARF diet, you can either prepare the food yourself or buy frozen raw food at the natural pet store and let it defrost in your refrigerator. Finely ground bones and organs are sold in dried form and pet owners can sprinkle it on food. Some vegetable consumption is also added into the suggested mix for the BARF diet.

The Good

Pet owners all over the world have reported vast increases in health and vitality when they feed their pets raw food. In fact, most animals live to older ages, and don’t get sick from many common pet illnesses. The philosophy behind this raw food diet makes perfect sense when you think about it. Additionally, there have been various pet food scares in recent years and by incorporating this raw food diet, pet owners circumvent this potential danger.

The Bad

The bad side of this diet is primarily the factor that most people will find feeding this kind of food to their pet to be disgusting. Also the kibble that is found in the grocery store is a lot less expensive than preparing fresh meat for your pet. The price hike of the BARF diet may be too extreme for many pet owners. On the other hand, if veterinarian bills are reduced, these costs might even out more than one would think. For example, pets on the BARF diet do not need to go through the expensive process of getting their teeth cleaned. The bones provide a natural cleansing process for teeth. Pet owners must always ensure that bone fragments are completely ground.