🥩 Raw Diets: Nutrient Variability + Safety Concerns

Raw diets are often perceived as “complete” because they mimic ancestral feeding but modern feeding practices don’t always match wild nutrient intake.

Key Gaps & Risks in Raw Diets

1. Calcium (Highly Variable)

• Depends entirely on bone inclusion
• Too little → deficiency
• Too much → skeletal issues (especially in puppies)

2. Vitamin A (If Liver Is Missing or Inconsistent)

• Liver is the primary source
• Without it → deficiency risk
• Too much liver → toxicity risk

👉 Raw feeding often swings between too little and too much, not “just right.”

⸻

3. Vitamin D (Still a Common Gap)

• Not reliably present unless:

• Fatty fish or specific sources are included

• Many raw diets underestimate this need

⸻

4. Iodine

• Frequently missing unless kelp/seaweed is added

• Essential for thyroid regulation

⸻

5. Vitamin E

• Low in raw diets without supplementation

• Especially important when feeding higher-fat diets

⸻

6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Context Matters)

• Not classified as required by AAFCO

• But functionally important for:

• Inflammation balance

• Skin, coat, and cellular health

👉 Most raw diets are omega-6 heavy, lacking EPA/DHA balance.

⸻

⚠️ Food Safety: A Real Consideration

Raw feeding has also drawn scrutiny from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to:

• Documented contamination with:

• Salmonella

• Listeria

• Risk to:

• Dogs

• Humans handling the food

This doesn’t make raw feeding “bad” but it does mean:

👉 Handling, sourcing, and hygiene are non-negotiable.