As a canine nutritionist I find that a great deal of dogs, normally smaller breeds struggle with 10% bone, which seems to be the recommended amount to feed.
So where does 80/10/10 guideline come from?
We are led to believe that we should be feeding our dogs and cats approximately 80% meat, 10% offal and 10% bone.
I believe this information comes from people who feed whole prey diets to their dogs and has been around since about 1989 and I am sure longer.
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80% of the animal would be muscle meat
10% would be bone
5% would be liver
5% would be other offal or secreting organs
BUT if you look at some of the references (taken from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database), it states that muscle accounts for 50% of most wild animals and that the bone content is 12% and the skin 16%. This also means that most animals are about 22% organ meat.
Most complete commercial raw diets are made using the 80/10/10 guide and of course no-one really wants to use a great deal of the offal as it is slimy and I would imagine hard to put through commercial grinders – I have experience of this as I use a quite a bit of lung for my dogs due to its fantastic nutritional value, also it does not look good in a tub and you wouldn’t be saying “wow – what a great looking meal for my dog”!!
Have a look at a few of the things we could be using and may be missing out on!
Skin 16%
Intestines 10%
Lungs 3%
Brain 2%
Pancreas 0.5%
Eyes 0.5%
Clearly, there are not many commercial companies who are going to start adding these delicious things into our dogs diet, but some do sell them individually which is fantastic if you are treating specific problems with diet.
So how do we make sure that our dogs and cats are getting the correct nutrients in their diets?
It is hard enough to encourage most new raw feeders to give their dogs tripe, which in my opinion is one of the most nutritional foods a dog can have and is perfectly balanced in calcium/phosphorous.
Raw green tripe is lower in fat, is an excellent source of protein and has a calcium to phosphorous ratio of 1:1, which is perfect for dogs! Raw green tripe is full of living digestive enzymes and healthy pre and probiotics, too! White tripe has little nutritional value to a dog as it has been bleached! Raw green tripe is full of:
Calcium that is essential for bone structure and controls muscle and nerve function.
Phosphorous - helps form bones and teeth, helps muscles, kidney and heart to function correctly.
Amino acids - 70% in green tripe which are not available in muscle meat, these include:
Leucine which promotes muscle recovery and repair after activity
Proline which support the production of cartilage and heals wounds.
Aspartic acid which boosts antibody production.
It also contains all the fatty acids needed in the diet - omega 3 and 6.
Raw green tripe is full of lactobactillis acidophilus which keeps the gut healthy and is naturally full of probiotics, it is also packed with digestive enzymes - dogs do not produce the enzyme needed to break down cellulose - these nutrients are found in tripe.
A quick breakdown of vitamins and minerals in tripe based on 100 g serving:
Calcium 69.0mg
Iron 0.6mg
Magnesium 13 mg
Phosphorous 64 mg
Potassium 67.0mg
Zinc 1.4 mg
Copper 0,1mg
Manganese 0.1mg
Selenium 12.5 mcg
Green tripe also helps to heal the gut flora if a dog has been taking regular antibiotics and of course I would always try to find organic lamb tripe as it is more likely to have been fed correctly and lived in a field, rather than beef which may have been fed antibiotics, grain and lived in a barn and is often a great deal higher in fat – lamb tripe is approximately 6.1% but some commercial company’s produce beef tripe that is 18.84% - so always check the fat content.
To sum up I believe that there is no perfect diet for any dog, but based on the dogs I have been involved with, adding more tripe to their diet works absolute wonders for me and takes down the bone content for dogs who do not cope with 10% bone, but does not take out the much needed calcium. It does not smell great I admit, but if it is fresh, it makes a huge difference and should only smell like a farmyard!
Spirulina
This algae is 60% protein. It is high in GLA (Gamma Linolenic acid), which is an essential fatty acid. GLA is an anti-inflammatory and can inhibit the growth of certain cancers.
It contains vitamin C, B complex, and E, carotenoids, chlorophyll (which helps purify the blood), and phycocyanin. It is a highly digestible food and nutrient dense.
A powerful antioxidant that supports the immune system. It is especially beneficial for older dogs – it can help slow down aging and prevent cancer.
Has strong anti-inflammatory properties; therefore, it is good for different kinds of inflammations that frequently occur in dogs, such as skin problems (e.g. atopic dermatitis, eczema, etc.), arthritis, colitis, IBD, etc.
A rich source of essential fatty acids, it promotes healthy skin and coat. Since the protein source from spirulina can be easily and readily absorbed into the blood stream without the body having to work too hard, spirulina is perfect for sick dogs and dogs who are suffering from appetite loss.
Feeding older dogs spirulina can also help support their aging eyes and lowers their chances of developing cataracts and glaucoma.
Psyllium Husk
A natural soluble dietary fibre and aids in supporting the function of a dog’s digestion and bowels.
Helps with both diarrhoea and constipation.
Slippery Elm
The soft and stringy part of a slippery elm tree, safe and non toxic and helps settle, soothe and lubricate the stomach lining and ideal for dogs who suffer from ulcers, colitis and inflammatory bowel problems.
Also helps with urinary pH and bacterial infections.
Nuts and seeds
Hemp seed hearts - very nutritious for dogs and packed with essential fatty acids, GLA and ALA (Gamma Linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acid) High is good fats and protein.
Sunflower seeds – full of vitamin E, plus B6 and B9.
Pumpkin seeds – different to hemp as provide a different fatty acid profile. Full of magnesium, manganese and tryptophan.
Almonds – high in vitamin E, magnesium and manganese
Seeds and pips from apples, avocados, cherries, peaches and plums can be toxic and cause intestinal blockage and are NOT to be added, although some companies do add apples! Macadamia and black walnuts are also toxic to dogs.
Dogs do not have the ability to breakdown and digest plant matter like an omnivore can. They don’t have the salivary enzymes for carbohydrate digestion and their jaws are not designed for grinding plant ingredients, so nuts and seeds need to be milled or ground.
Soaking seeds and nuts reduces the phytic acid levels for optimum absorption. Phytates are substances that carnivores cannot break down because they lack phytase, the enzyme necessary to process phytic acid. They also bind minerals, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium – so if used, it is essential that they are milled or ground. If fed whole they will come out whole! Also not good coming out whole as look like a worm (sesame in particular) If used, nothing with seasoning, salt or roasted – only RAW!
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