Veggies in a Raw Diet?

[iheartsammy]

This person on another forum keeps arguing with me on this. She stated that dogs NEED veggies in their diet for 10-15% of wolves and wild dogs diet is veggies. I told her I disagree and that I don't feel that veggies are nessecery in a proper diet of RMB and occasional organ meat during the week. I'm not a mastermind on the subject, but I do think I know a bit from researching for so long.

I think the only thing that brings wolves and wild dogs to eat vegtable matter in the wild is lack of a prey source. Our pets of course wont be going through times where prey is scarse(sp?) so veggies don't really serve a purpose. But I'm still learning, so I might be wrong..

I'm just curious as to what you guys think, and why?

[SisMorphine]

Frankly, I'm not sure. I CAN tell you that dogs can't break down the cell walls that are in fruits and vegetables. There are people out there who say that wild dogs/wolves don't eat the stomach and it's contents, and there are people who say that they do.

Because I can't decide one way or the other, I err on the side of caution and I feed vegetables. The veggies I feed have been broken down first, usually by liquefying them in a food processor when I make my own (though lately I've been using Bravo since I haven't had much time).

When I make my own I use about 10% veggies. Bravo blends use 20% I believe.

I just figure, it can't hurt!!

[SisMorphine]

Something to think about, though: Eating Grass.

Now years ago they always said that when dogs ate grass it made them vomit. Then it was that dogs ate grass TO make themselves vomit. More recently we have learned that dogs eat grass to aid in digestion, and the vomiting occurs because the dog already felt sick and was trying to stop it and/or the grass got caught in their throat.

So perhaps they do need the fiber in certain veggies to help with proper digestion, but maybe they don't need it as often as many people think they do. Just something to ponder regarding veggies in a raw diet . . .

[a.baker]

I would say it adds to the vitamins and a dogs stomach can break them down. My dogs like some veggies and their stools look normal and things like carrots have loads of vitamins. But I'm not an expert either.

[Dekka]

Most dogs (and I assume from the people I know in wolf research) love tripe. Tripe is the intestines and stomach of herbivours. It is full of partially digested plant matter (and smells 'wonderfully' of poo). I think this is where most wild canines get their veggie matter.

I do find it interesting that some people will swear dogs don't need ANY veggie matter and say they follow the whole prey model. There are lots of parts of animals we dont' feed too.

My guys get tripe once ever couple of weeks or so, and once a week or so get a table spoon (the whippets slightly more) of kelp.

[a.baker]

We have grass that grows over our drain field. It is super green and thick bladed type. No where else in our yard is our grass like this. Every time we go outside my dogs head right for that certain type of grass to eat it. They have never gotten sick from it. I have never seen them have interest in eating grass any where else. Interesting enough. Something about this certain type of grass they crave.

[SisMorphine]

Originally Posted by a.baker

We have grass that grows over our drain field. It is super green and thick bladed type. No where else in our yard is our grass like this. Every time we go outside my dogs head right for that certain type of grass to eat it. They have never gotten sick from it. I have never seen them have interest in eating grass any where else. Interesting enough. Something about this certain type of grass they crave.

Drain field meaning your leach field?

[iheartsammy]

Originally Posted by Dekka

Most dogs (and I assume from the people I know in wolf research) love tripe. Tripe is the intestines and stomach of herbivours. It is full of partially digested plant matter (and smells 'wonderfully' of poo). I think this is where most wild canines get their veggie matter.

I do find it interesting that some people will swear dogs don't need ANY veggie matter and say they follow the whole prey model. There are lots of parts of animals we dont' feed too.

My guys get tripe once ever couple of weeks or so, and once a week or so get a table spoon (the whippets slightly more) of kelp.

I'm not yet feeding a raw diet, but when I do I was planning on feeding tripe if I could.

lol..guess that mean I do believe they need some veggies, but I don't know about 10 or 15%..that just seems like a lot to me, but then again, I was never good in math

[Dekka]

That does seem like a lot. At MOST I would say 2-5%

[noludoru]

Originally Posted by a.baker

We have grass that grows over our drain field. It is super green and thick bladed type. No where else in our yard is our grass like this. Every time we go outside my dogs head right for that certain type of grass to eat it. They have never gotten sick from it. I have never seen them have interest in eating grass any where else. Interesting enough. Something about this certain type of grass they crave.

You.. let them eat.. grass.. off your drain field?