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Raw feeding pro and
con...
 Agility dogs are
considered intermediate athletes and, as such, have special
nutritional needs. They are required to jump, climb, stop, start and change direction at the
drop of a hat. Whether you do agility for fun or compete seriously, the nutrition of your
agility dog plays an important role in his performance. While it is not a
substitute for training understanding what we feed our dogs can only benefit
their performance. Dr Marge Chandler was commissioned by Purina ProPlan to look into the matter.
When in training or
competing agility dogs require two to three times the calories of most pet house dogs. Most of
the calories used for exercise should come from carbohydrates and fat. Agility dogs need a
moderate amount of high quality carbohydrates in their diet for the energy needed for the start
of an exercise session, and the right kind and amount of fats for endurance. Many diets
designed for non-working pet dogs are not high enough in calories or protein for active agility
dogs.
Protein is needed
for muscle development and maintenance. Hard work or exercise increases the protein requirement
of dogs by 5 to 15% due to the increased needs of the muscles. Protein should provide at least
24% or more of the daily calories. This will likely to be listed as 30 to 32% protein on the
typical analysis on the bag label of an energy rich dry dog food. This amount of protein has
been shown to improve performance and decrease injuries in working sled dogs.
A good quality
protein also supports making red blood cells which are required to carry oxygen to the muscles
and other organs. Protein has not been shown to cause behavioural changes in dogs, and too
little will effect performance.
Why feeding raw meat
is not recommended
The feeding of raw meat based diets to dogs has received
increasing attention in recent years. They can be divided into two main
categories:-
-
Commercial
-
Home-prepared
Proponents of feeding
raw meat based diets claim health benefits for the diets, which are so far
largely unproven and not based on scientific research, but seem plausible to
well-intending pet owners who want to feed a diet that will optimise health and
wellness for their pets. The vast majority of homemade diets, including raw
diets, are not complete and balanced, and do not meet AAFCO, NRC or FEDIAF
standards;
A raw
diet may not be as energy dense as a good performance diet as it contains a
lot of water, and may decrease the dog's energy intake. It can also spoil causing food
poisoning. Uncooked meat may contain bacteria that can cause illness to the dog or to the
humans handling it. Adding meat to the diet may also result in the diet becoming incomplete and
unbalanced with nutrient deficiencies. When extra meat is fed, calcium can be deficient, which
can cause weak bones. Further, feeding bones does not usually provide adequate dietary calcium
when excess meat is fed.
Similarly, homemade
diets are also rarely complete and balanced, and even those published in books have been found
to be insufficient when checked by qualified veterinary nutritionists. As with diets over
supplemented with meat, calcium is often deficient. Vitamins are also often deficient in
homemade diets, which can cause poor health and decreased immune function.
The best diets for
sports and agility dogs are those formulated to meet the dog's needs as determined by European
and American panels of expert nutritionists. Premium canine diets are also tested by feeding
them to dogs in well regulated feeding trials.
A premium diet for
performance dogs may contain Omega 3 fatty acids like those found in fish oils. These lessen
the inflammation that may occur in hard working joints, and may protect the heart and kidneys
as well. Exercise is known to increase oxidation, and anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E may be
added to decrease tissue damage.
About the author...
Dr. Marge Chandler DVM MS MACVSc DipACVN DipACVIM DipECVIM.is a Senior
Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at the Royal Dick School of
Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She has special interests in clinical
nutrition and small animal internal medicine.
Marge qualified from Colorado State University with a DVM,
and also completed a Master of Science in Animal Nutrition. After 6 years in private practice,
she returned to university for a dual residency programme in small animal internal medicine and
veterinary clinical nutrition at Colorado State University in the USA and Massey University in
New Zealand. She is a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, and a
diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, the American College of Veterinary
Internal Medicine, and the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Companion Animal.
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