HEALTHY DIETS FOR CATS AND DOGS continued on a high carbohydrate food which depletes the to be crushed up and introduced to the diet helps to maintain dental health. Occasionally some gradually. 2. Bugs like E.coli and Salmonella, which are not a problem if the meat is fresh or frozen. Cats and dogs also have a greater tolerance for these organisms than us humans. Keep your utensils dogs don’t tolerate bones (they can vomit or get a separate from your pets’ for your safety. to digest bones. In these cases, bones may need 3. Parasites such as hydatids are killed after freezing sore tummy), this is often because they have been Hydrochloric Acid in their stomach that’s essential raw meat for 3 days at –20 degrees Celsius or - level and health of the animal but is usually 2 - 3% Tips: evolved to digest them, thus requiring more of the minerals (especially calcium) and vitamins as well feeding chicken which don’t harbour hydatids. get 100-150g per day. Watch your animals’ in raw food, which are very important for good otherwise. Hydatids can be avoided altogether by l RAW bones are very important to provide important 10°C for 7 days. It is illegal to feed raw offal to dogs acids in raw food, which can be transformed into animal's energy. In most cases dogs and cats do l The amount to feed varies according to the activity of bodyweight per day i.e. a 5kg cat or dog should page for more info and risks associated with as keep animals’ teeth clean. ***See previous l Cooked foods take longer to digest as they're not they’re losing condition. best on uncooked food but there are exceptions. Points to bear in mind: wherever possible. the natural way their gastro-intestinal tract has substances that can damage the body. condition and adjust the amount accordingly i.e. bones. health. Heating may also damage essential fatty feed less if they’re gaining weight and more if l Heat destroys vitamins, and antioxidants contained l Organic and Free-Range products are best l Egg yolk should ideally be fed raw to preserve supermarkets and stocked at Holistic Vets www.rawessentials.co.nz provide free, l K9 Naturals and Feline Naturals www.k9natural.co.nz are available at some l Raw Essentials – 525 Maunganui Rd support (stores across NZ) Tauranga, Tel. 07 541 1536 l Out of the Wild Pet Food – In Katikati personalised advice and veterinary nutritional www.outofthewild.co.nz For further information on the great benets of wellbalanced raw food diets have a look at: www.drianbillinghurst.com and www.rawmeatybones.com or read “Give Your Dog a Bone” by Dr. Ian Billinghurst. www.rawpawz.com l Raw Pawz – at Tauranga’s Farmer’s Market l Pet Essentials - 1343 Cameron Rd, Greerton, especially for cats as it contains high amounts of supply valuable minerals and phytonutrients. taurine (essential for cats) as well as other valuable vitamins and important fatty acids, but eggs in any form are a valuable asset to an animal’s diet. l As part of a balanced diet, organ meats such as liver and kidney should be fed as about 1/5 of the meat component. Heart mince is very important, nutrients. l High quality vitamin, mineral and essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements are usually recommended for optimal health. Whole green foods such as Spirulina, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass and Chlorella l Other supplements can be very valuable aids in arthritis, co-enzyme Q10 for heart conditions, etc. l Red meats (beef, venison and lamb) muscle meat associated with allergies and other health problems. l Foods to avoid that are potentially toxic include: raisins, grapes, onions, macadamia nuts and chocolate. many health conditions eg. Glucosamine for Nature knows best and balance is important! may need to be avoided, as they are often Raw Food Stockists: Not all meat available for animals is of good quality. It’s important to buy high quality and reputable products.