RAW fed opinion, Fruits and Veggies or no?

[DMikeM]

Really seeing lots of people on FB saying that dogs NEED veggies and can digest, and absorb nutrients from fruits and veggies. I have learned the opposite, in that dogs can't even break the cellular wall in fruits and vegetables.
What is your opinion on this?

 

[ruthcatrin]

Already stated elsewhere, while I don't know that dogs don't get ANYTHING from fruits/vegi's its definetly harder on their system to break them down, and alot of time they don't even get them broken down at all. How many of us have fed carrots to our pups and seen the shredded carrot bits coming out the other end?

While some dogs do enjoy fruits and vegis, and some dogs may do well with them as part of their diet, its definetly not true of all dogs.

 

[DMikeM]

I replied to one person that I think it is probably ok and dogs eat them because it either tastes good or it has sugar in it. But like you said it comes out the same as it goes in.

 

[Sadies Mom]

I personally do not see a nutritional value in it. I use it as a treat or a low calorie filler. Sadie does get horrible gas on it, so I do not feed it as a regular part of her diet. She does love it though.

 

[Hank DDB]

I give hank slices of apple as a treat at home, and I use dried apple for training at the park. FYI he would be lucky to get equal to 1/2 an apple a week. He also gets approx 1% of (carrots/green bean mix) to mimic a wolf/dingo/coyote diet.

 

[slim12]

There is some nutritional value but it is minimal and they do make a pretty good filler. One ways to make it easier to assimialte is to juice the veggies. You drink the juice and the dog gets the pulp. Doubles the benefits. Mix the pulp with green tripe. The tripe has the enzymes to break the walls and allow the dog to assimilate a better percentage of the veggie mix. Years ago I was pretty much straight meat then evolved to the BARF recommended 60/40 split but now it is way more meat and bone than veggie. But people have had success both ways. S

 

[Elsa22813]

I puree my veggies when I add them. Mine actually love fruit. They get berries every other day and sometimes for snacks I'll freeze a couple apples or some banana chunks. Its great for when they're teething.

 

[DMikeM]

I have read that pulping and grinding is not as effective as freezing the veggies or fruit. Freezing bursts the cell walls and releases the nutrients.

 

[DennasMom]

I've also read that - freezing definitely changes the texture.
Denna loves getting frozen berries with her meals. I hope she gets some benefits... but I don't bank on it.

I also let her have some of the pulp when I juice... I have to be careful to juice things in order, so I can pull her pulp before stuff she doesn't get (like lemon or ginger) goes in. Not that she wouldn't eat it...
I hadn't heard about the benefits of mixing it with green tripe... I'll have to do that. Denna does love her tripe, too.

I also read an article a while back (sorry, can't find the link) that suggested dogs that had some veggies in their diet had lower instances of cancer... not sure if there was any statistical significance or scientific basis to the study... but I figure, she likes them, so why not? It does add bulk to the poop... so, maybe it helps de-tox the system just by pushing residues through?? Just a theory.

 

[DMikeM]

Maybe it helps the colon for dogs like it does for humans?

 

[DennasMom]

That could be?
But then... going back to the whole-prey model - wolves don't seem to need to 'de-tox' with veggies...
But... domestic dogs do get different diets now - and unless you're feeding free-range/organic (wish I could), the meat supposedly isn't as 'clean' as wild game.
Their short intestines might make it less necessary, though, anyway.
Basically... I have no clue.

 

[DMikeM]

That could be?
But then... going back to the whole-prey model - wolves don't seem to need to 'de-tox' with veggies...
But... domestic dogs do get different diets now - and unless you're feeding free-range/organic (wish I could), the meat supposedly isn't as 'clean' as wild game.
Their short intestines might make it less necessary, though, anyway.
Basically... I have no clue.

Me too.

 

[slim12]

The wolves or wild animals get it as well. It is just predigested for them by eating the intestines and guts of things they kill. Sort of like juicing them and adding the tripe. The dog/wolf does not necessarily have the enzymes to digest the food but if it is predigested by the prey item they get a benefit. As far as how much the dog/wolf assimilates of the veggies I have no idea. S

 

[ruthcatrin]

Honestly the more I read about wolves supposedly eating the stomach contents of their prey the more I doubt it. Consider that the stomach contains some fairly signifigant acid. Anything thats been in the stomach for any period of time is going to be really nasty tasting and do nasty things to the mouth of the creature trying to eat it.

 

[slim12]

Its quite the opposite. We have to remember not to associate what we think about taste with what they do. I was once told a dog can eat the ass out of a dead skunk. RAW tripe is just about the nastiest (for me) I have ever tried to handle. I bought chubs from a BARF distributor once and thought I would blow chunks trying ot feed it. The there is a local butcher here and he gave me some right off the cow, same day fresh. They would gag a maggott. Dogs ripped thru them like nothing I have seen. I get intestines and stomachs from cows and pigs. It is all I can do to get it in the plastic storage buckets. The dogs have no issues. S

 

[DMikeM]

Honestly the more I read about wolves supposedly eating the stomach contents of their prey the more I doubt it. Consider that the stomach contains some fairly signifigant acid. Anything thats been in the stomach for any period of time is going to be really nasty tasting and do nasty things to the mouth of the creature trying to eat it.

Actually Ruth is correct. Wolves are not interested in the contents of the stomach as the acids in the stomach are strong enough to cause damage to the mouth and teeth of the wolf. Studies were cunducted with both captive wolves and wold wolves and they ate the larger organs and when they got to the stomach and intestines they pulled them out of the cavity and shook out the contents and ate some small portions of the organ matter not the contents.
Also have a look at this link.
Myths About Raw: Do wolves eat stomach contents of prey?

 

[ruthcatrin]

Its quite the opposite. We have to remember not to associate what we think about taste with what they do. I was once told a dog can eat the ass out of a dead skunk. RAW tripe is just about the nastiest (for me) I have ever tried to handle. I bought chubs from a BARF distributor once and thought I would blow chunks trying ot feed it. The there is a local butcher here and he gave me some right off the cow, same day fresh. They would gag a maggott. Dogs ripped thru them like nothing I have seen. I get intestines and stomachs from cows and pigs. It is all I can do to get it in the plastic storage buckets. The dogs have no issues. S

I don't mean taste nasty like rotten meat nasty. Acids taste sour. The more acid something is the more sour it tastes. Sour isn't a flavor dogs or wolves go for, and thats without the damage the acids would cause to the teeth and mouth in general. Every dog I've ever seen given intact stomach rips it open and shakes out the insides before actually trying to eat the stomach. And only later after the stomach contents have sat do they go back and consider them.

 

[DMikeM]

I don't mean taste nasty like rotten meat nasty. Acids taste sour. The more acid something is the more sour it tastes. Sour isn't a flavor dogs or wolves go for, and thats without the damage the acids would cause to the teeth and mouth in general. Every dog I've ever seen given intact stomach rips it open and shakes out the insides before actually trying to eat the stomach. And only later after the stomach contents have sat do they go back and consider them.

^^^ Yup. But especially after rolling around on it and getting a good coat of it in the fur.

 

[PrycelessDexter]

Dexter loves his frozen kong stuffed with a wee bit of his kibble, mashed banana and peanut butter. That being said, I am not aware of any nutritional value it may have to him... he just seems to like the cold right now at 10 weeks and usually passes out after holding it like a bottle and licking it for about 10-15 minutes.

We'll definitely avoid feeding him chunks of veggies at this point, obviously more for the choking hazard, but we'd like to see if his taste will incorporate some fruits and veggies into his diet as he grows, to help those monster poops along!

 

[DMikeM]

Canned pumpkin can help with poopin problems. Not the pie filling but just canned pumpkin. Couple tablespoons with a morning meal then another later in the day and the pup should be a poopin machine.