The BARF diet for dogs basically consists of offering the animal raw and good quality food. BARF is an abbreviation that comes to mean: raw food and of which it is biologically considered appropriate.
Veterinarian I. Billinghurst is attributed as the creator of this way of feeding canids in a natural way, making himself known, but less widely, back in the eighties. At present it has been well accepted by its defenders, although it is necessary to bear in mind its advantages and disadvantages.
This way of feeding, through a BARF diet for dogs, reminds their ancestors that they lead a wild life, that is, they feed naturally, therefore, industrially manufactured food would not be suitable for domestic dogs, which They should continue, from a nutritional point of view, with foods similar to those consumed by wild canids , if they are in good shape and health, the domestic ones could also match them. Of course, such a conception is not universally accepted.
What kind of food does a BARF diet offer for dogs?
In general, the BARF diet for dogs supports a wide range of edible products: raw meats, organ meats, bones, vegetables, fruits, derivatives of milk, vitamin supplements, etc.
Advantage
It can be an important addition to your diet, but for many experts it should not replace that of industrial manufacture, given the difficulty of keeping track of nutrients.
It is a more palatable food, so the animal usually eats better.
In stages of decline, it offers an extra important contribution, given its protein content (fresh meat, eggs …), provided it is supervised by an expert nutritionist.
Other advantages have been mentioned, although these also exist in a food of industrial manufacture , for example, improvement of the coat, better intestinal transit, reinforcement of the immune system …
Drawbacks
It is more difficult to carry out a nutritional control of the dog, unlike the commercial balanced ones , which are already prepared to offer the canine the nutritional contributions it needs at all times.
A BARF diet for dogs not done correctly can put their health at risk.
On many occasions it is made with poor quality food or ignoring what is most appropriate for the animal, again its health can be put at risk.
It deteriorates quickly, which is why it can lead to bacterial infections.
On many occasions (dogs with health problems) they do not cover all the needs, since special feed is required, even medicated for this purpose.
Who is the right person to advise on the BARF diet for dogs
The most indicated is a veterinarian expert in animal nutrition, he is the person we should go to if we are really interested in this type of diet. Among its tasks is the exploration of the canid to inquire about its deficiencies and, in general, about its state of health.
In short, he is the most suitable person to advise whether or not the dog should continue with a certain nutritional diet. The recipes published in many media are not the safest if they are not supervised, nor if the nutritional parameters required by the dog are unknown, that is, the contributions required in each portion, which are specified in the balanced foods provided by The manufacturers.
