PFMA's fact sheet (and the information below) will give you lots more information on responsible raw feeding. We have also published new sector guidelines for the manufacture of commercial raw pet food. The guidelines, which promote best practice in the sector have been developed in conjunction with Defra, the Animal Health & Protection Agency (APHA), the Health & Protection Agency (HPA) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
What is raw feeding?
Providing a diet of raw food for cats and dogs made up of raw meat, offal and raw bone, along with other ingredients such as fruit, vegetables, oils, nuts and seeds. Some proponents of raw feeding also advise that dietary supplements are added to ensure all the essential vitamin and mineral requirements are met. There are two types of raw feeding; homemade raw diets and commercially prepared raw diets.
What are the concerns with a homemade raw diet?
A fundamental concern, as with any homemade diet, is whether all the right nutrients are provided in the right proportions for healthy bodily function. There is a concern amongst some veterinary professionals that many homemade diets do not provide adequate nutrition.
In one study, 95 samples of raw food rations were analysed; 60% of the rations were found to have significant dietary imbalances and the remaining 40% were reported to have minor imbalances or were found to be balanced. Whilst homemade diets provide more flexibility for pets with very specific nutritional needs, they are challenging and require significant research and expert guidance to undertake with any success.
Commercially prepared raw foods
Some members of the PFMA produce frozen and freeze-dried raw foods for cats and dogs with both ‘complete’ and ‘complementary’ varieties available in a range of convenient formats. These products help owners to feed their pet raw diets responsibly. The ‘complete’ pet foods have been specially formulated to provide the nutritional balance a cat or dog needs in their daily diet, whilst a ‘complementary’ pet food will need to be fed alongside another food source. The pet food label will tell you whether it’s ‘complete’ or ‘complementary’ along with directions for feeding and feeding guidelines. Owners feeding ‘complete’ commercially prepared pet foods (in line with the feeding guidelines on the packet) can have confidence they are addressing all their pet’s nutritional needs. PFMA raw pet food manufacturers are always happy to provide further help and advice with their products.
Think about food safety
As with all commercially prepared pet foods, commercially prepared raw foods are subject to stringent legislation and require various tests to ensure they are safe. This therefore minimises the risk of food-borne contamination to both owner and the pet. When preparing a homemade raw diet, pet owners must always source ingredients from safe and reliable sources to ensure food safety.
Good hygiene practice is always important and even more so when handling fresh, frozen or freeze-dried raw food, here is your guide:
When buying prepared raw foods you can find the storage instructions on each package.
DEFROSTING RAW PET FOOD TIPS:
INDUSTRY GUIDANCE AND CODES OF PRACTICE
Considering a change in diet for your pet?
If you are considering a change in diet for your cat or dog, there is a range of reliable sources of advice from your vet to PFMA raw manufacturers and nutritionists. They’ll be able to discuss your pet’s needs, make suitable recommendations and give guidance on how to transition from one food to another.
Further scientific references (raw feeding and homemade diets):
• Hielm-Bjorkman A. & Virtanen J. Exploratory study: 632 shared experiences from dog owners changing their dogs’ food to a raw food diet. University of Helsinki: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• Marx et al 2016 – Raw beef bones as chewing items to reduce dental calculus in beagle dogs in Australian Veterinary Journal.
• Pottenger’s Cats: A Study in Nutrition
• Dr Ian Billinghurst – Give Your Dog a Bone
• Dr Claire Middle – Real Food for Dogs and Cats
• Dr Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs
DEFROSTING RAW PET FOOD TIPS:
• Defrost in a sealed container or your pets bowl and cover it
• Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature for an appropriate time
• Never refreeze
• Never discard the thaw juice as this can contain essential nutrients for your pet
Consult the manufacturer for further information on preparation and storage.
Here you can see an alphabetical list of PFMA member companies that produce/supply frozen products. All these manufacturers adhere to strict guidelines. Please refer to their individual websites for more details.