A bloat question - Page 1

I was just wondering if any study has been done comparing the incidence of bloat between dry dog food  eaters and raw diet eaters. Does anyone have any comments?

sarah

 There is only a single study that I know of done by Purdue University. I think you can find it on the web, but if not, I may have a copy. I do not believe they specifically compared raw vs kibble, rather than other factors. However, from personal experience, I will tell you that I believe there is no difference.

I have heard of several Raw fed dogs that have suffered from bloat.

I don't know of any accurate studies specifically limited to raw vs. commercial/kibble and bloat, but I know I've been feeding raw for more than 20 years without ever an incidence of bloat.

There are none of the grains in a raw diet that are present in commercial/kibble diets.  Simply put, all grains will swell, ferment, produce gas which can result in bloat.  (In the interest of accuracy there are many who don't believe in that theory either, but it's information that you can use to your research as you see fit.)

The raw diet contains it's own correct percentage of moisture going in.  Commercial/kibble does not. 

I've been feeding kibble (to many many dogs as I have my own dogs, kennel dogs, boarding dogs, training and rescue dogs here) for more than 20 years without ever an incident of bloat.

molly

Based on experiences of people I know who feed a raw diet to GSD's, those dogs seem to be subject to bloat at about the same rate as those that are fed a commercial food. Having said that, most I know have fed a raw diet for  less than 10 years, most for only 5 or 6 years. I've never met anyone who has fed raw for 20 years like Fiona. She must have a good handle on the good and the bad of that diet. 20 years respresents around 10 generations in the dog world so assuming she has fed GSD's raw for 20 years  never having a case of bloat would speak volumes. If her experience applies to other breeds or GSD's from lines not prone to bloat, then it might not be significant to the GSD.

I would say you are quite fortunate and should count your blessings.

With rare exception commercial kibble has been the mainstay of the dog's diet for many, many years and the commercial dog food industry has gone to great lengths to insure that it remains so.  No new information there.  Business is business.

Incidents of bloat have been rampant for years, too, and cannot conclusively be tied to either genetics or diet - yet.  Either, or, or both is about the most accurate information available.

There is risk in every feeding choice.  I chose to eliminate the risk of gas-producing grains and fillers by feeding raw and have reaped the benefits in many other ways ever since. 

Now, if you were to tell me that you'd been feeding the same brand and formula of commercial/kibble for that same period (more than 20 years) of time with no incidents of bloat I might be impressed.  That particular company might be on to something that could be useful in helping determine what causes - or helps eliminate - incidents of bloat.

It doesn't matter what brand of kibble it is.  Add moisture, it swells and will take longer to digest.  Time = fermentation and gasses.  Take the same quantity of raw diet components and add the same amount of water and you'll see no swelling.  The moisture is self-contained.

JMO.

Sorry, Blitzen.  Your post got in before mine was complete.  I wasn't speaking to your post there.

Most of the dogs I owned during that time were GSD's.  The litters (2) that I bred at that time were AmBred (before I knew better) but I also had several German working line dogs as well.  I had no issue with the pups that I kept.  I also had two Aussie's.  The rescues, other than two, were also GSD's.. All in all, 16-20 dogs total not including those who were "fosters" and of various breeds.  Not astronomical numbers by any stretch of the imagination, and certainly no where near the numbers that some commercial breeders keep or pump out annually.  So the results weren't "specific" to the GSD only as there were other medium and large breed dogs. 

Now, during that time I would estimate that I spent less than $5000.00 on emergency care for the dogs (those incidents were not feed or health related, but injury related), and with only two exceptions (both skin issues until the diet kicked in for them) my routine vet care consisted of vacccinations and annual baseline check up and bloodwork.  That was about it.  I didn't have ear issues, skin issues (unless, like the two, they came to me in that condition), digestive issues, or anything else.  Neither the vet (who later became a very good friend of mine) nor the dog food industry made money off of me or mine.  Although very open-minded and all then, my vet did not approve of my diet, but she, like all others since then, could never argue with the results - the health, vigor and condition of the dogs.

I see people constantly post about how they've spent $1000.00 here for this and $3000.00 here for that and the problem with the dog's health still isn't solved.  What are you feeding?  Kibble. 

I'm not saying the raw diet is the final word.  Clearly others need to make that determination for themselves and their dogs and no two dogs are the same.  It's what's worked for me for many, many years.

That many years ago I was laughed at.  At the time I considered producing the raw diet commercially.  It was so laughed at, and so frowned upon, that I was sure it would never fly.  But it worked for me and my dogs.  Still does.  Today, I can honestly say that failing to expand on what I learned was a grave error in judgement (in more ways than one) on my part.

I think the biggest mistake people make is trying to "overthink" the diet.  When I started, there was no information.  Now, everyone has their own opinions and are addiing this and that supplement, vitamin, etc. and many others are making a fortune off claiming to be the alleged "authority". 

Even with the trial and error that my poor dogs and I were subjected to, the diet has worked great for them on so many levels that I wouldn't consider going back to commercial/kibble.

But regardless of the "lines", or the breed, I've never had incidents of EPI, Mega-E, pancreatitis (allegedly from the diet), bloat, etc.  or any of the other disorders/diseases/conditions that so many seem to be plauged with and post constantly about now.

Again, just my experience.  The individual dog owner needs to research and decide what's best for them and their dog.  I do what's best for me and mine.

I beileve that a dog on the Raw Diet would have a less chance of getting bloat. Dogs in the wild ate raw, and they have a lot less problems than our dogs do today. They didn't have to have shots, ect. and they lived long than our dogs do now. Dogs were given what they were meant to eat-raw. There's always exceptions to the rule, and every dog is different.

I would venture a guess that in the HUNDREDS of dogs I've fed for the past 20 years (all kibble, many different brand names, some corn ingredient, some not) the FACT that there have been NO incidents of bloat EVER, is far more than just luck.  I don't feel that raw is the answer to better health, longer lives, less cancer, better coat, or anything else.  It is a choice of feeding some people make.  But not the end-all answer.  I'll put my kibble-fed dogs up next to a raw-fed dog any day, and compare health, longevity, energy level, coat/skin and incidence of bloat, etc. any day.   To each their own.

molly