Hi I’m new to this forum and loving the info. I have a 5 month lab and we feed him a raw diet ‘Nutriment’. the vet isn’t happy but most people I speak with can’t recommend highly enough. Just wondering what your thoughts are and if many of you feed raw. thank you in anticipation of any replies.
Hi Jackie, Is your vet concerned about raw feeding in general, or about the Nutriment brand specifically? There are advantages and disadvantages to both raw and kibble feeding of course - and some vets do have strong opinions on the topic! My own dogs have always been raw fed (honestly for me the deciding factor is how much less unpleasant it makes their poop to clear up ) and Pippa, the founder of this forum, feeds raw too - you can read her summary of the pros and cons, and why she chooses to raw feed, here: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/raw-feeding-for-dogs/ - I hope it's reassuring! Sammie
Hi My dog has been on Nutriment for about 3 years and I chose that brand as the distribution depot is fairly close and it saves on postage and all the packaging. Away on holiday in Wales at the moment without a freezer. ( I usually bring it with me) The one in the local pet shop is cheaper but there appears to be a lot besides meat in it. At least with Nutriment the ingredients seem very standard. I add raw broccoli, sometimes blueberries. He gets carrots as treats and a big marrow bone every couple of weeks. I know others who feed a less “convenient” raw diet but this suits me. Toby has been very healthy on it. His oncologist at 18 months wasn’t keen but the dermatologist said to treat it with the same care as you would your own raw food and it would be fine. I agree the output is so much easier to pick up!
Thank you for your replies, they are reassuring. My vet is concerned from a hygiene perspective, the dog licking etc and he said the food isn’t regulated. I spoke with a dog nutritionalist who not only thought that raw is best but she had visited various raw food factories, including the Nutriement factory, and said it is rigorously tested. I’m going to stick with it becasue so far, I can only see the benefits. AT the end of the day, all raw food should be treated carefully. One huge benefit of raw diet is that it’s not too easy to unwittingly overfeed our dog. The portion size is deduced by a calculator on their website and as I don’t give him any ‘human’ food or snacks’ only carrots and broccoli so I hope he will stay a healthy weight. Thank you again for your supportive replies.
Glad to help! It sounds like you've really thought this through and are confident it's the right fit for you and your dog. Hopefully your vet will be able to respect that, and work with you to support your dietary choices for your pup.
