Wilmington Animal Hospital
828 Philadelphia Pike
Wilmington, DE 19809
302-762-2694

Wilmington Animal Hospital, its owner, assigns, heirs, and employees shall not have liability or responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained on this webpage.
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 Introduction:

For thousands of millenniums, our canine and feline companions have subsisted on diets of raw meats and human dinner scraps. Around 60 years ago, pet foods began growing in popularity, supplanting the more natural diets of our dogs and cats. The past 10 years, however, have seen a rise in the raw food diets, often called "BARF" diets for bones and raw foods, or biologically appropriate raw foods.
Feeding these diets is relatively simple. Most pet owners notice improvements in one or more qualities of their companions.
These include shinier hair coat, better body muscle to fat ratios, cleaner teeth and breath, decreased itching, normalized energy levels, improved urinary tract health, better resistance to infections, increased mobility with a decrease in arthritis pain, decreased Allergy symptoms, and little to no hairballs in cats.  (top) 

Concerns

Regarding choking on bones and perforation of the stomach and small intestines, while these events are rare, they are still possible. Most dogs and cats "know" what to do with chicken and other meats containing bones. However, some dogs and cats still manage to eat raw bones and choke on them, usually by eating them too quickly. To circumvent this concern, the owner may first elect to chop up the bones into small pieces. Likewise, numerous commercial raw diets are now available that contain the bones in chopped up form. When cats are fed raw meat with bones, the food should always be chopped up into very small pieces, one-quarter inch or smaller. Never feed cats whole chicken necks.

 

If your pet is sick or debilitated, we advise you to first have one of our doctors examine your pet before you embark on feeding it a raw diet. In actuality, feeding raw diets can be one of the best ways to rebuild the health of some pets. Contrary to popular medical opinion, cats in kidney failure, cats suffering from Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, and dogs with many conditions such as "food allergies" can improve markedly while on raw food diets.    (Top)

Converting Dogs to Raw Diets

If the dog has a history of a sensitive stomach, then gradual conversion might be in order. Begin with a small portion of the diet. If feeding actual chicken with bones, chop up a small portion containing both meat and bones (50/50) and feed it.

If using a commercial diet, simply offer a small portion of the defrosted diet. Then, if your dog shows no reaction, (diarrhea, vomiting), continue to introduce a higher volume each day until you have reach the intended amount.

Some dogs will never be able to change their diets to raw. Quite often, these are dogs that have historically shown a sensitivity to any changes in diet, even from one brand of commercial dog food to another.

Other dogs might show an initial aversion to raw foods. You might have to make them hungry first. Then, lightly braze the food in a frying pan (no or little oil, then heat) to stimulate their appetites by making the food smell a bit more like table foods. Always feed the raw meat meal separately from the dry or canned food meal.  (top)

Converting Cats to Raw Diets

By 6-12 months of age, cats become fixated on whatever foods they have eaten to date. This means that if a cat has been eating only dry food, it will continue to eat only dry food. If a cat has been eating only canned fish varieties of cat food, it will continue to eat only canned fish varieties of cat food. In other words, adult cats that have not been introduced to raw foods as kittens might present a challenge!

The easiest way to circumvent this problem is to introduce your cat to raw foods when it is a kitten. Most kittens will eat any food placed in front of them, as they still maintain their instinct for raw foods. This is the time to begin feeding chopped up chicken (buffalo wings are easiest; chicken backs and thighs are cheapest) using a large knife and a kitchen scissors.

Wysong makes a commercial dehydrated raw diet, Archetype, that is 100% nutritionally complete, balanced, and exceeds all of AAFCO's requirements. This diet is also free of harmful bacteria. The first five ingredients are beef and chicken, beef and chicken liver, and ground bone. The diet also contains fish oil, probiotics, and a host of other nutritious natural ingredients. Rehydrating this diet and offering it as a meal is inexpensive and extremely healthy!

For adult cats who have never been introduced to raw foods, hiding the raw meat in canned food often is the easiest option. Simply mix a tiny amount of commercial raw patties (Nature's Variety raw medallions, Bravo! burgers, etc.) or your own turkey burger or hamburger in with the canned food and don't tell your cat. Then, each day, gradually increase the amount of raw in the diet. If you are using your turkey burger or hamburger and the amount exceeds 50%, you will need to contact us for supplements to balance out the diet. You can also mix Wysong's Archetype in with the canned food, either by rehydrating it first and then mixing it in, or by crumbling a few small pieces and mixing them in while adding a small amount of water to the food. (Archetype is a dehydrated diet and requires the addition of water.) 

Some cats will constantly reject any attempts to add raw foods to their canned foods. In these cases, even though we advise against feeding dry foods to cats, you can try to add a small amount of crumbled Archetype onto the dry foods. If you are lucky, at a later date your cat will allow you to rehydrate the Archetype a little bit before adding it to the dry foods.

Another trick is to mush some raw chicken liver into the canned foods. It is safe to feed a small amount of raw liver every day to your cat. Often the cat that will reject burger meat in its food will accept raw chicken liver in its food. (top)

Raw Diets for Dogs

First of all, keep it simple. If you want to get complicated, surf the Web!

There are many commercial diets out there now. Since most are not tested for nutritional "completeness," we recommend using many different brands and varieties for your pets. It is very economical to exclusively feed these diets to small dogs.

For larger breeds of dogs, these diets can be fed as one meal a day, or even just a few times a week. Brands are available that are made from uncommon meat sources, such as rabbit, venison, buffalo, emu, kangaroo, and others. Most companies use beef, turkey, and chicken and many use organic and/or grass-fed meat sources. These diets tend to contain ground bones, organ meats, and other ingredients like yogurt, beets, vegetables, fish rich in omega 3 fish oils, and many other food items, varying from brand to brand, in addition to the principle meat source(s).  Concord Pet Supply and Trolley Square Pet Store in Delaware, as well as Four Paws in Media, PA, carry many high quality brands of commercial raw diets.  Nature's Variety has recently introduced high pressure pasteurization, a processing step that selectively kills pathogens such as salmonella while preserving the beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and other nutrietns found in raw foods.

Wysong's Archetype is a dehydrated raw food that has been tested and exceeds AAFCO's standards for pet foods. This is an excellent diet for periodic feeding or supplementing your pet's current diet. It is very affordable for cats and small dogs, and for use as treats for adult dogs. The first five ingredients are: beef and chicken, beef and chicken liver, and ground bone. This diet also contains barley grass and wheat grass powders, fish oil, and probiotics, in addition to many other nutritious ingredients. Archetype is also free of harmful bacteria.

If you are going to prepare raw food on your own, simply make sure you feed from four principle "food groups": 

  Meat 
  Bones 
  Organ meats 
  Fruits and vegetables 

It is easiest to feed chicken as the meat and bone source if you are preparing the meat fresh. Chicken backs and thighs are cheapest. As discussed in the "Concerns" section, you can chop up the chicken before feeding it to your dog. After purchasing the chicken, wrap each piece individually and freeze it. Defrost it overnight, and then chop it up in the morning. Defrosting the chicken for approximately 9 hours allows it to become slightly soft, but not rubbery, and therefore easiest to chop.

Varying the meat sources from time to time is a healthy, natural way to provide a variety of nutrients to your dog. The easiest way to do this is to purchase commercial raw diets and feed these from time to time. These generally cost about 2-3 times as much as your home-prepared chicken, but they contain the chopped up meats, bones, organs, vegetables, and other ingredients- in other words, you're paying for someone else to do all the work!

Once a week, a meal of organ meats can be fed. Organ meats include chicken livers, beef hearts, kidneys, and chicken hearts and gizzards (usually packaged together). You can, of course, feed a small amount of organ meats daily; but, we are trying to keep this simple! Feeding chicken livers alone can cause the runs in some dogs, so consider offering a variety of organ meats at one time. Buy a few types of organs, and package a mix in freezer baggies.

10-20% of the diet can come from fruits and vegetables. These can be anything your dog will eat. Some dogs will eat raw carrots; others will only eat broccoli if it is steamed. Grating vegetables or putting them in a blender works for some dogs, but this is getting away from the simple concept. Frozen vegetables work. Avoid canned vegetables and fruits. Fruits should be very ripe- in the wild, the dog is most likely to eat the rotting apple that has fallen from the tree. Variety is also important for some fruits and vegetables. This is because certain fruits, like grapefruit, and certain vegetables, like spinach, can cause bladder stones in dogs that are predisposed to this problem. It is not harmful to feed these foods in small quantities from time to time. Avoid onions, leeks, grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts which have all been associated with toxicities in dogs and cats.

Some dogs will decide to eat from only certain food groups above. If this is the case, contact us so that we can determine what supplements your dog will need to make up for the deficiencies in diet. (Top)

Raw Diets for Cats

In the wild, cats eat mice, moles, and baby birds. Feeding raw diets at home does not have to be more complicated!

The easiest diet to feed is Wysong's Archetype. (see information under Converting Cats to Raw Diets). If your cat likes this diet, simply pour
the entire bag in the blender, fill it at least half-way with spring water, and blend. This mix can then be frozen in ice cubes trays or placed as large meatball-volume glops in individual freezer bags. Just defrost overnight before feeding!

To stretch this diet further, you can add a pound of burger meat (hamburger, turkey burger) to the Archetype/water mix. One to two raw organic eggs can also be added. Freeze as above. Then, before feeding, add a sprinkling of Wysong's Call of the Wild to balance out the diet. Once reconstituted, either with or without the added meat, a serving costs less than a can of high quality cat food.

If your cat will eat raw meats, the simplest food to feed is chopped up chicken. One buffalo wing, chopped up, is one meal! You can feed this as one meal of the day, and the Archetype as the other meal of the day. (Top)

Determining Quantities of Food to Feed Dogs 

There is no formula for this! As general guidelines, you can feed one pound of meat per 50 pounds of dog. Rapidly growing dogs and active dogs tend to need more; older dogs and inactive dogs tend to need less. If your dog gains weight on this amount, then decrease it; if your dog loses weight on this amount, then increase it!

Meats that are lower in fat include: turkey, buffalo, ostrich, venison, and rabbit. Meats that are higher in fat and help put weight on include: beef, lamb, duck, and pork. (Top)

Read More!

We highly recommend reading Raw Dog Food: Make it Easy for You and Your Dog by Carina Beth MacDonald. This short, concise book gives a humorous and thorough description of feeding raw foods to your dog. It answers EVERY possible question! This book is available at Wilmington Animal Hospital for $12.95

To learn more about what pet foods are made of, read Ann Martin's landmark book Food Pets Die For , available from all major booksellers.

For more information on feline nutrition, including how to read a pet food label, visit:  http://catinfo.org and   (Top)

Cooking a Stew for Your Dog

For one reason or another, you may elect to cook for your dog, rather than offer raw food. The good news is that dogs are not very discerning restaurant patrons. In other words, they'll eat just about anything you put in front of them! As long as you get the basic ingredients and approximate ratios, your dog will appreciate the finished product!
 
Here are suggested ingredients for a stew: 

• 40-50% of any or all of these boneless meats: chicken, turkey, beef, pork, venison
• 20% organ meats: chicken or beef hearts, chicken or beef/calf liver, gizzards
• 15-20% vegetables: anything except onions and leeks. Safe bets are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squashes. Occasional spinach and other dark green leafy lettuces. Try to rotate veggies. Use fresh or frozen, never canned.
• 5-10% grain if your dog can't hold its weight: oats, barley, quinoa
• Garlic cloves
• Parsley
• Spring or filtered water

Cook in a stew pot or crock pot. Then place feeding portions in freezer bags or containers and freeze. Defrost portion in refrigerator overnight.

This is not a 100% nutritionally complete diet. You will need to add the supplement Call of the Wild (available at Wilmington Animal Hospital) to each portion before feeding. You can also add the supplement directly to the entire stew mix after it has cooled down.  (Top)

Foods and Supplements Available at
Wilmington Animal Hospital

Nature's Variety Instinct canned and dry foods for dogs and cats.  Top of line processed foods that are among the lowest in carbohydrate and filler content in the industry.  Contain montmorillonite clay which binds toxins in the gut, helps to transition from the current diet, and supplies trace minerals in the diet.  Because you will end up feeding much less (in some cases, 50% or less!) than the current diet, this food is very economical.  Ingredients in the varieties we carry do not come from China.

Archetype by Wysong, a 100% nutritionally complete dehydrated raw diet rich in protein and other whole foods. For small dogs and cats or for between-meal treats. The company adds their patented natural product to stymie the growth of pathogens in the diet.

Call of the Wild by Wysong. A powder that provides natural sources of calcium for diets that are too rich in muscle meats and too lacking in bones. This supplement also contains whole foods rich in antioxidants as well as probiotics.

Missing Link A granular supplement that provides numerous nutrients in whole food form. This supplement is great for dogs and cats that do not get much variety in their diets, or who tend to eat over 50% commercial dog and cat foods. It also has proven to be a great supplement for animals with itchy skin and dull or flakey haircoats.

Prozyme An enzyme supplement for animals with a variety of digestive problems. By assisting in digesting nutrients, this diet has helped dogs and cats with diarrhea, flatulence, grass-eating, stool-eating, haircoat problems, and hairballs. Some pets converting to raw diets need this supplement if experiencing digestive upset (diarrhea).

FortiFlora A tasty probiotic supplement for dogs and cats, available in boxes of 30 individual packets. This supplement has 8 years of research behind it and has been shown to enable the growth of the healthy bacteria in the intestines. Very effective in dogs with diarrhea (chronic or acute), skin allergies, respiratory infections, to combat the side-effects of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications, and to rebalance the intestinal bacteria if being treated for intestinal parasites.

Canine Plus, Canine Plus Senior, Nu Cat Senior Chewable vitamin, Nu Cat Soft Chews, enzyme, and nutrient tablets for all life stages.

Glycoflex products for dogs and cats. Chewable tablets that are natural sources of joint-protective agents, which offer a safe and highly effective method of pain reduction in arthritic pets.