We are looking at raw food diet companies right now. One thing I’m a bit unclear about.....isn’t a raw fed diet grain free? Do people add grains to the raw diet? If so, what grains and how do I know how much?
I don't think you are going to find any hard and fast rules, mostly what you can expect is guidance. I would strongly recommend that you work with a holistic vet if you are interested in feeding something besides commercial kibble. If you intend to use a company, they are most likely balancing their food. But a holistic vet would look at the food and against your dog's health and situation and give you feedback.
Whether or not dogs should eat grain is a subject for debate, and things like life stage and individual situation matter too. Is your dog active all day or a couch potato? How old? Any food sensitivities?
I feed my puppy a combination of home cooked that includes fresh meat, vegetables and about 25% grain. He needs the carbs from starchy veggies and grains because he is very busy and growing. This wouldn't necessarily apply to a senior golden that might just need protein and fat and it wouldn't apply to every puppy either. My puppy also gets freeze dried raw patties - they contain no grain but some types of fruits and veggies.
The current warning to not feed grain-free is mostly aimed at not feeding a grain-free KIBBLE diet. The issue is that there has been a recent rise in incidents of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs fed a grain-free kibble. The current theory (and it's only a theory) is leaning not to the lack of grains being a problem, so much as that the grains are being replaced with legumes and potatoes (there needs to be a carbohydrate in the mix or the ingredients will gum up the kibble extruders). The thought is that there is something about the legumes/potatoes that is blocking or somehow reducing the amount of taurine available in the food.
So, that said, "grain free" should not be an issue with a raw diet. Dogs get most of their taurine through animal products (meat mostly) which is in much higher proportion in a raw diet. If you stick with a commercial raw product that is AAFCO certified for all life stages, it shouldn't matter whether there are grains in the food or not.
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