Raw food and how it can benefit your furbabies – Ballito

While some people might cringe at the thought of serving their furries raw food, the trend of going the natural route is growing – and for good reason.

Johannesburg-based Pawsome Raw owner Retha van der Walt has extended her business to Ballito and delivers the raw food to your home in her mission to start a movement.

“People are becoming increasingly aware of their well-being, impact on the environment and what they put into their bodies. We want to get people on board to be ethical, social and environmentally conscious in their pet nutrition choices too,” said Van der Walt.

She said one of the main concerns pet owners have about switching to raw food is that their dog or cat would not get a balanced diet.

“The reality is dogs and cats are carnivores. Feeding a balanced diet with a variety of meat-based protein sources will cover the essential nutrients required in their diet.”

Van der Walt said raw food could improve the following issues:

1. Digestion

If your dog suffers from common issues such as bloating, colitis, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, raw food will ease their digestion thanks to the high quality proteins which is the easiest food to digest.

Dry food or kibble contains high quantities of starch that changes the pH of the dog’s digestive tract which makes it more difficult to digest.

Raw food also contains added fermented vegetables which increase the natural pro-biotic and good bacteria in the gut.

2. Skin

If your dog is prone to hot spots, itchy skin and ear infections, Van der Walt said raw food would make a major difference.

“A big difference between a natural raw diet and a heat processed kibble diet is the abundance of living enzymes and phyto nutrients found in the fruit, vegetables and raw meat.

These properties are mostly destroyed in processed food during the heating process. In raw food however they stay intact.”

She said a raw diet naturally strengthens the immune system and reduces inflammatory conditions such as ear infections.

“The strengthened immune system also increases resistance to fleas and internal parasites.”

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