BARFing for Health
by Lesli Richardson, Editor
Sounds gross, doesn't it? But according to thousands of pet owners, with their numbers growing every day, it's the best way to feed your dog.
BARF stands for Bones and Raw Foods, or Biologically Appropriate Foods, depending on your preference. (It's also often referred to as an "evolutionary diet.") The diet is based largely on several books including "Give Your Dog a Bone" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, "Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats: The Ultimate Diet" by Kymythy Schultze, and "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats" by Richard Pitcairn, DVM, and Susan Pitcairn.
Practitioners of a BARF diet feed a combination of raw, meaty bones, raw meats, vegetables, and other uncooked items such as fish, tripe and liver along with dietary supplements such as essential vitamins and minerals. A majority of pet owners feeding their dogs a BARF diet claim to have had astounding results with their animals, resulting in anything from lower quantities and less obnoxious stools to reversals in medical conditions such as allergies and arthritis.
Unfortunately, no major studies have been done by a reputable university or other organization to give solid numbers to the claims, but there are vets who have researched the diet and support their clients' decision to use it for their pets.
Detractors of the diet (which include many vets and pet food companies) claim that the diet can sicken pets in a best-case scenario, or even kill due to problems with bacterial infections from improperly handled raw foods and splintering bones.
People who practice the BARF diet say that these are rare occurrences, and can happen with dogs that are fed commercially prepared foods. Many BARFers (as they call themselves) grind meat with smaller bones, such as chicken and ribs, to prevent problems from splintering. The ones that don't usually don't have problems, since raw bones don't splinter like cooked bones do. They say that it's a small price to pay to have a healthier pet.
Pros to the BARF diet include:
- guaranteed better quality of food
- more natural diet
- food allergy relief
- possible health benefits (there is plentiful anecdotal evidence, but unfortunately no scientific data)
Cons to the BARF diet include:
- increased cost and preparation time
- risk of serious illness/death if the diet isn't followed properly
- possible risk of bacterial infection from improperly handled foods
- possible risk of internal injury from bones that aren't ground
Until the diet is scrutinized in an academic study, the debate will rage on between the factions who claim their side is right. There is, however, a disturbing trend that many of the more vocal dissenters are ones who, upon further examination, either haven't studied the diet or profit in some way from sales of commercial food. This would give a careful pet owner cause to independently research both methods of feeding, talk to their vet as well as others, talk to people who have been using the BARF diet for their pets, and make their own decision based on research and not hyped-up hysteria. There are many websites and e-mail list available to people wanting to learn more about this diet.
Bone appetite!
