Pregnancy and raw food
Congratulations, you’re pregnant! You must be so excited! Good for you. Your life is about to change dramatically. But should it change your pet’s diet?
You have been feeding your pet a raw diet for some time. His fur is shiny, his teeth are clean, his eyes are bright and even his poop shows health. Now your doctor or naturopath is telling you to stop. He says feeding your dog or cat a raw diet puts the health of your fetus or baby at risk.
Hmmm, how can doctors think a raw diet is unsafe for a fetus when they don’t know how a fresh food diet works? Most traditional vets don’t know how a diet is appropriate for a species, even though it’s gaining tremendous popularity.
Raw diet is a holistic return to natural pet nutrition.
This means a variety of fresh raw meat and bones. Just like you take meat out of your freezer, thaw it and cook it for dinner, you take your dog’s meat out of the freezer, thaw it and give it to him for dinner. What is the doctor worried about? Salmonella.
Has the doctor advised you to avoid having meat and eggs in your home for your own consumption? Probably not. Ask yourself. “What’s the difference between cutting up a piece of chicken for yourself and cutting it up for your pet?” What does it matter who eats the meat in the end? You still have to touch the raw meat. The key is to handle meat, knives and surfaces properly and to clean them thoroughly. When you use fresh ingredients and keep your area clean, there is no danger of salmonella.
What about salmonella risks in granulated food? The same doctors who are not informed about the raw diet also do not know what the ingredients of the pellets are. The regulations are shockingly weak governing what manufacturers are allowed to put in kibble.
Do you know what chemicals, additives and bacteria you are exposed to with the pellets? No, you can’t. Manufacturers are allowed to add ingredients known to cause cancer in humans. And they don’t have to claim them on the bag. Do your own research on the inedible and even sickening contents of many pellets. There is absolutely no way to know what is in the pellets and what damage they may cause to your pet, or more importantly, how they affect your baby. Make sure not to touch or inhale the granules during pregnancy. Let your husband take care of the meals.
If your doctor feeds his pets a raw diet and has good reason to believe that raw is unhealthy in your particular situation, then you may want to listen to him.
Otherwise, stick to a fresh raw diet for your pet. Properly processed raw meat and bones are safer for your whole family than pelleted food. Your dog or cat will shed less, have fresher breath, and need fewer chemical medications and antibiotics from the vet. Your children will enjoy a healthy, active pet. A raw diet is the way to go.
#Pregnancy #raw #food
