Meat for dogs

The wild ancestors of domestic dogs, living in their natural habitat, fed on the flesh of animals, birds, ocean fish and amphibians. After a man tamed a wild animal and domesticated him, the dog's diet changed, but any dog ​​still needs animal proteins that enter his body along with natural meat.

Raw meat is not only a nutritious product, but also contains in its composition vitally important minerals for the dog. Only meat fibers are considered useful for nutrition, fat is not included in this category., as it requires intensive work of the liver and is not fully absorbed by the body of the animal.

In order for the dog to have the correct metabolism and in order to ensure the harmonious work of its internal organs, the animal must eat raw meat, which contains the whole complex of essential amino acids that it needs.

But not every meat is intended for feeding the dog, which is explained by the enzymatic composition of the gastric juice. Meat and offal of poultry, rabbit, beef, lamb or horse meat are best for dogs. The dog can eat meat of large sea animals, rodents and even amphibious frogs.

To improve digestion, the dog contains rumen cellulose and digestive enzymes produced by the microflora of the cow's stomach - they help the dog to digest vegetable food, for example, vegetables supplemented by its diet. In the rumen there is a large amount of vitamins belonging to group B - they contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous and muscular systems, improve the external condition and regenerative ability of the skin and mucous membranes of the dog.

Being a source of natural protein, meat gives the dog vital energy and increases its physical activity, strengthens the immune system, and also improves the appearance of wool. An additional source of iron for dogs can be raw liver of animals. In addition to this trace element, the by-product also contains a large amount of folic acid, which is responsible for the normal ability of the animal to reproduce.

If we consider raw meat in terms of possible harm to the health of the dog, then such a danger does exist.

There are varieties of meat that are unsuitable for use in the food dog:

• pork - meat because of its high fat content is poorly digested and absorbed in the dog's body;
• veal - contributes to the development of diarrhea in dogs;
• chicken meat - it is filled with antibiotics and growth hormones, and is also often infected with bacteria called Salmonella;
• meat of wild animals and rodents - dangerous development of helminthic invasion;
• duck or goose - meat is considered fat and can be given in very small quantities;
• River fish - completely contraindicated because of the danger of helminthic invasion and perforation of the digestive tract with sharp small bones.

Some dog breeds have a predisposition to develop an allergy to meat. Most often, allergic reactions are to chicken meat, and sometimes - to rabbit, beef and veal. So pets choose raw meat very carefully, giving the dog a small piece and watching the reaction of his body.

Poultry meat is contraindicated in which there are small tubular bones, as well as their heads and necks. Such meat is a source of danger to your pet's digestive tract, since the sharp edges of the bones can perforate the walls of the stomach or intestines.

Introducing raw meat to a dog takes into account the characteristics of each type of such product, to make a proper diet, depending on the needs of the animal.

• Beef - It is considered the best for feeding the dog, as this meat does not have excess fat in its composition. Food will not overload the liver and pancreas of a dog and will not cause the development of atherosclerosis in its vessels due to elevated cholesterol levels. Beef is safe from the point of view of helminth contamination, and when meat is treated with low temperatures, all pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated. For dogs, it is better to choose the meat of an adult animal, since veal is inferior in its properties.
• Offal - these include the liver, kidneys, heart, lung, stomachs, and the like. Their nutritional value is considered lower than that of raw meat. Fully replace meat in the dog's diet with offal is impossible - they are given 1-2 times a week.
• Beef tripe - this product can be given to the dog raw, because after boiling it will lose all its valuable components and lose its nutritional appeal.
• Mutton - useful for the body of the dog, as it contains a large amount of vitamins of group B and iron ions.
• Chicken, Turkey - The meat of these birds should be given to the dog in boiled form, but before that the skin must be completely removed from the product, as it contains substances that are harmful to the dog in a concentrated form.
• Rabbit meat - is a dietary product that is well absorbed in the body of the dog and has a low degree of allergy.
• Ocean fish - a source of omega-3 fatty acids, it can be given to a dog in small quantities to saturate its body with essential amino acids.
• horsemeat - is an uncommon, but useful product for dogs.

When choosing raw meat for feeding dogs, veterinarians are advised to use beef and beef tripe, as these two products are the most beneficial and safe for your pet's body.

It is proved that the health of a dog is more valuable in eating raw meat, as its nutritional value is higher than that of cooked products. However, if you want to feed your pet offal, some of them need necessarily boil - for example, the kidneys.

To feed a dog with cookies, you need to know that beef offal can be given raw, because beef does not carry the danger of helminthiasis, and pork liver is only boiled, as helminth cysts may be contained in the raw offal.

A chicken from a household farms, grown without the use of antibiotics and hormonal supplements, can be given to the dog raw, and if you bought poultry meat from the poultry farm, you must boil it before giving the product to your pet.

Beef ribs or cartilage can be given to the dog raw, and if they belonged to wild animals, then they must be boiled so as not to infect the dog with infectious diseases. Products from beef, lamb, and horse meat are considered safe, as they undergo strict veterinary control, while meat of wild animals carries the threat of diseases.

In order for the meat to be safe for the dog to eat, it is boiled. For this process, you can not use salt and any kind of spices. Any extraneous additives and flavor enhancers adversely affect the quality of the finished product, eating which, the dog suffers not only the liver and stomach, but also the smell.

During cooking, a piece of meat is reduced in size by about three times, becoming more dense. In this case, a very large part of the protein goes from meat to broth, and all valuable amino acids and vitamins are destroyed in the product.

The duration of cooking should be such that the piece of meat is completely cooked outside and inside. Cooking time depends on the type of meat and the size of the piece and is usually at least 20-30 minutes. The finished broth is usually not given to the dog, as the concentration of substances in it, boiled from meat during cooking, is quite high.

Dried meat can be used only if animal carcasses have passed veterinary examination. Otherwise, the risk of contaminating the dog with helminthic invasion or infectious diseases remains high. The bones that you are going to give to the dog are not recommended for boiling, as they do not provide any nutritional value for the animal when cooked.

Boiled or raw meat can be given to a pet as a separate dish, and as part of other nutritional components, which may well be pasta or cereal porridge. Meat products can be combined with vegetables, giving both of these products, both together and separately.

It is worth noting that the dog eats more quickly with raw meat, so this should be taken into account when preparing the combined ration so as not to overfeed the dog. Raw meat is best given to the pet in large chunks so that he has the opportunity to train his gums and teeth, tearing the fibers of the meat apart.

However, it is best for dogs of miniature breeds to give meat in the form of meat shavings or trimmings - it will be more convenient for them to eat it.

If the dog does not have a stable physical load, then it is enough for a pet to eat 15-20 g of meat per kilogram of his weight per day. A hunting dog or a temperamental active dog at a young age needs to eat at least 30-35 grams of meat per day for each kilogram of its weight.

For active pets, the formula will be somewhat different: the weight of the dog is multiplied by the number 3, and the result is divided by the number 100. For example, for the same dog weighing 25 kg with an active lifestyle, we get the following calculation: (25x3): 100 = 0.75 kg of meat per day. Such a calculation of the daily need for meat by dog’s weight is suitable only for adult individuals. Growing puppies determine the amount of meat ration produced differently.

Puppies aged from 6 to 12 months in the period of rapid growth of meat give on the basis of their weight and breed. Miniature dogs, whose weight in adulthood will be no more than 10 kg, per day give from 0.75 to 1 kg of meat. Medium-sized breeds, which, growing, reach a weight of 10 to 25 kg, can be given from 1 to 2 kg of meat per day. Large dogs, whose weight at a mature age will reach more than 25 kg, give from 2 to 2.5 kg of meat.

In the next video you will learn how to make a dog treat.