Anti raw vet visits with your dog(s) can be anything but fun!
From annoying to provoking, embarrassing and downright frustrating, I’ve personally experienced all of those feelings.
However, I’m happy to report that it doesn’t have to be that way!
Over the years, I found that anti raw vets are either:
- Concerned that raw-fed dogs aren’t fed a balanced diet or
- Don’t have the nutritional education that’s necessary to understand the concepts of raw feeding
Keep that background information in mind next time your vet tries to talk you out of raw feeding.
Now is the perfect time to reason with them from a position of knowledge.
Make them understand that you’re not just throwing your dog a raw steak and expect them to thrive.
Instead, tell them that you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into learning about raw dog food. Share your (re)sources with them! For instance:
- Blogs about raw dog food hosted by experienced raw feeders – like mine!
- YouTube channels and websites about dog health hosted by integrative and holistic veterinarians such as Dr. Karen Becker and Dr. Dee Blanco.
Also, let them know that you’re interested in a combination of conventional medicine and healthy raw dog food.
Because let’s face it, while raw dog food drastically improves your dog’s overall health, it won’t mend a broken bone caused by an accident. It also won’t treat a poisonous snake bite or a bite wound caused by a dog fight.
So with that in mind, read on for more detailed points to convince your anti raw vet that you’ve done your homework and have your dog’s best interest at heart!
How To Talk To Your Anti Raw Vet About Feeding Raw Dog Food
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Point out the positive side effects that raw dog food has on your dog:
- Cleaner teeth & ears
- Shinier coat
- Less/no more itching
- Control over ingredients
- Smaller poop
- Less dog smell
If your dog used to be bothered by itchy skin, a dull and greasy coat, yeasty ears and dirty teeth, explain that you found a solution in raw dog food.
It’s hard for vets to deny that what you’re feeding works once they see the great condition your dog is in. That’s particularly true if they saw your dog’s condition pre-raw feeding!
I remember hearing my anti raw vets say “oh wow, Wally’s coat looks and feels great and his ears are so clean – so what do you feed him?”
Emphasize to your anti raw vet what you don’t like about dry (kibble) and wet (canned) dog food
Let your anti raw vet know the specific reasons you’re not a fan of kibble and/or wet dog food. For example, you could point out the following:
- Highly processed dog food is cooked at very high temperatures that cause nutrient loss. These lost nutrients are added back into the food as synthetic nutrients. However, they can’t be absorbed as well as intact nutrients from real foods.
- There aren’t enough proteins and too many carbohydrates/empty fillers from plant sources without nutritional value (namely peas, potatoes and corn).
- There are too many grains (namely wheat, rice, corn, rye, oats and barley). Those have little nutritional value and are high in Omega-6 fatty acids that cause inflammation within the body.
Mention to your anti raw vet that you feed pre-made raw dog food from a reputable brand such as:
If you feed pre-made raw dog food from a reputable brand, encourage your vet to check out the brand’s website!
They’ll find a lot of information on the benefits of a species-appropriate, raw diet along with info on where the ingredients are sourced.
The four brands listed above are my personal favorites and I’ve fed them to my own dogs for many years.
Explain to your anti raw vet that you’re feeding homemade, balanced raw dog food that consists of:
- Macronutrients: Protein, fat, carbs
- Micronutrients: Vitamins, minerals, traceminerals
If you know how to make homemade raw dog food, explain that you understand what a balanced raw diet consists of.
Explain that raw feeders like yourself replicate what a prey animal in the wild would look like, and that’s why you feed (your adult dog) the following components:
- Muscle meat, 70% (including 10% fish)
- Secreting organs, 10%
- Veggies/fruit, 10%
- Raw meaty bones, 10%
Resources:
- Raw Feeding Miami Rabbit Grinds
- Fish from your local grocery store
- Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm Base Mix
Tip: Use my Raw Feeding Miami referral link to get 10% off.
Resources:
- Venison from a local hunter. Alternatively, boneless ground venison from Raw Feeding Miami
Lamb(no longer available) pork brains from Raw Feeding Miami- Beef green tripe from Raw Feeding Miami
- Herring from Raw Feeding Miami
- Duck wings from Raw Feeding Miami
- Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm base mix from Amazon
Tip: Use my Raw Feeding Miami referral link to get 10% off.
Let’s take a look at the topic of raw meaty bones!
That’s a topic that many anti raw vets like to use to scare raw feeders out of raw feeding. One of my vets has definitely used that card before, and from her perspective, she had a point.
She explained that she saw many doggie patients who got into the trash and ate chicken carcasses and other bones. Those ended up doing damage on the inside of the dog.
If you’re an experienced raw feeder, you know what the problem was. Of course there’s a huge difference between raw and cooked bones!!
Raw bones are soft and pliable. When bones are cooked, their density changes and they become brittle, can splinter and turn into very sharp objects.
So back then, I made sure to explain that difference to my vet. Along with the fact that a dog’s stomach environment is much more acidic than ours and can handle raw meat, including bones, no problem.
I also showed her a video of my dog eating a raw meaty bone. It features Wally eating a raw turkey neck, and it also shows me holding the turkey neck on one end while he’s eating the other end.
In the 8+ years that I’ve been feeding my pups a raw diet including raw meaty bones, they never choked on one or otherwise hurt themselves with it.
I’m not saying that technically, it couldn’t happen. A dog who gulps down a raw meaty bone can certainly choke on it.
But I attribute our great success with raw meaty bones to the fact that I always supervise(d) my guys at mealtime (RIP Missy girl).
I do that although I know their chewing style, which is really great/non-gulping!
That’s why I always recommend that people hold the raw meaty bones for dogs who are new to raw feeding.
It teaches them to eat without gulping along with polite manners towards humans who touch their (high value) food.
How To Talk To Your Anti-Raw Vet About Feeding Raw Dog Food: Bottom Line
At the end of the day, it’s your decision what you feed your dog(s).
The two vets I had raw dog food discussions with ended up accepting that they couldn’t change my decision. I guess it was more of an agree to disagree consensus, but they respected my choices and didn’t try to argue every time I came/come into their office.
However, if your anti raw vet keeps giving you a hard time even after you’ve:
- Laid out the reasons why raw dog food is important to your dog’s health
- Shared that you’ve done your research
- Explained that you’re ordering from a reputable raw dog food brand
- Are aware of what balanced, homemade raw dog food consists of
…then I suggest you find a new vet! You can find holistic, integrative vets here:
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
Content Related to Anti Raw Vet:
- Reasons & Solutions for Hunger Pukes in Raw-Fed Dogs
- Canine Cushing’s Disease: Can raw dog food help?
- What Does Balanced Raw Dog Food consist of?
- 24 Strong Vets Who Endorse Raw Dog Food
- What Are The Benefits of Raw Dog Food?
Raw Dog Food Game Changers
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK RAW DOG FOOD
Save 15% on anything at Raw Paws Pet Food with code K9Savings. They’re located in Indiana and ship nationwide within the US.
BEST VARIETY FOR INDIVIDUAL CUTS OF RAW MEAT
Save 10% on your first order of anything at Raw Feeding Miami with this referral link.
BEST SLOW FEEDER FOR RAW FED DOGS
Mighty Paw’s Slow Feed Insert combined with Yeti’s Boomer 4 Dog Bowl. Both are top rack dishwasher safe.
BEST FOUNDATION FOR BALANCED DIY RAW MEALS
Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm Base Mix. It’s low-carb which is particularly great for dogs on a keto diet and those with health issues like diabetes and cancer.
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