This page has several excellent and amazing testimonies from people who switched their pets to a raw diet. These people and these testimonies can be found on the Yahoo! Rawfeeding group, which is where I first learned of them. They have been reprinted with the permission of the original posters. While the success stories here are awesome and awe-inspiring, I also want to note that a raw diet is not a fix-all, cure-all. Feeding an appropriate, healthy diet will always be a tremendous step toward a better, healthier lifestyle, but diet cannot fix all problems.
My 15-month-old Dobie pup is 4th generation raw fed,
with grandparents and great-grands that achieved Longevity Certified
status with the DPCA. Not to mention lots of working and show titles.
:) He is an amazing pup, and I can't take him out in public without at
least one person telling me how beautiful he is.
My Bostons are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-generation raw fed. So far, the elders
that were started on kibble and switched to raw (also minimally
vaccinated) have exceeded the average lifespan for their breed. The
youngest generation will be the last, as I retired from breeding and
showing 6 years ago, but they are doing beautifully at 6 and almost 8
years old. They and their almost 11 year old mother have pearly white
teeth and have never had a dental cleaning! (No, I don't brush their
teeth.)
The above-mentioned mother, raw fed since I got her back at 14 months
old, had a mastectomy 3 years ago, when she was almost 8. The pathology
report described a malignant tumor completely surrounded by lymph (?)
cells. Although the oncologist said it wasn't possible, it appeared
that her (raw-fed) body was actually fighting the cancer and had it
contained.
Her 12.5 year-old brother (she was from a repeated breeding) started
out life with an infected belly button, and was pu/pd until I switched
him from kibble to raw when he was 6 months old. He has survived cancer
(MCT) twice, surgically removed. Two months before his 12th birthday,
he was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. Six months later, he is
eating well (modified raw diet to control phosphorus) and keeping the
Dobie in line.
This is enough for me.
Scottee Meade
Burke, VA
My neighbor to the left of me switched her Labs to raw
a few months ago. My neighbor on the right was visiting the other day
and "had to look twice" at Alex, the neighbor dog on the left, because
she "wasn't sure who he was". She couldn't believe what she saw - Alex
has been the size and shape of a boxcar since he moved in five years
ago. We had nicknamed him (lovingly) "Pigbear" because that's what he
looked like. Poor Alex's mom has been trying for years to get his
weight down and following her vet's advice to feed him Iams Weightloss
Formula because it's a "good food". He managed to stop gaining weight
on it, but could not lose it (and was always hungry, poor coat, etc.)
on the Iams. Then we switched Alex and his brother to raw.
Alex looks like a dog, again! We didn't even know that he could, but he
does! His whole body shape has changed. So much so that the other
neighbor didn't recognize him, at first. So much so that my neighbor's
aunt saw him and said, "Hey! I want to feed my dog good food, too!"
(she was impressed)
There is no question that raw has improved the quality of his life.
Whether he will live longer, I cannot say.
I had a sheltie mix who lived to almost 19 on grocery store dog food,
back when I was a kid. This fact does NOT make me think that grocery
store food is the way to go - actually, it makes me cringe to think how
long she might have lived on raw - like that rawfed dog in Australia,
might she have lived well into her 20's? Maybe.
Casey
I have fed raw for going on 5 years to 26 rescue dogs, some with
significant health issues. I am going to post some of the health issues
I have dealt below:
Frost 10yr old Samoyed: cause of death terminal bladder
cancer—metastasized due to improper diagnosis--so too late for
treatment and I euthanized her in 3/03. Frost also has Spondylosis,
Hypothyroid, Chronic Pancreatitis, Enzyme Pancreatic Insufficiency, and
last but not least Diabetes. When I euthanized Frost, her anti-raw vet
admitted to me that Frost was the best regulated Diabetic she had ever
treated and if the cancer had not taken her, would be here today.
Diabetes is disease LINKED to diet. The terminal bladder cancer Frost
had is LINKED to flea/tick/heartworm treatments. All I stupidly used to
give Frost. Frost was fed by the prey model—nothing different than I
fed any of my other dogs.
Angel, 8.5 yr old black GSD. Angel has Plasmoma, a rare form of Pannus.
When Angel was seen by the specialist in July he was amazed at her eyes
and does not want to see her for a year. She is given minimal supps
(fish oil only), wears her doggles. She used the meds maybe once every
4-5 days as opposed to twice daily. Pannus/Plasmoms is immune related,
there is nothing that strengthens the immune system better than proper
diet.
Samantha, 10yr old Samoyed; hypothyroid. When Sam came to me over a
year ago, she had basically no hair and very fat. Vet check and of
course hypothyroid. Vet tells me not expect her coat back. Lo and
behold, it has all come in- in fact her coat is gorgeous now. What is
different than the other dogs my vet sees? Diet.
Pandora, 7 yr old Rottie/LabX, confirmed diagnosis of Discoid Lupus—
through biopsy at Texas A&M. The only traditional known treatment
is steroids, vit E, zinc, keep out of sun. Before Panny went raw she
had lost all black pigment on her nose, eyes, and muzzle. She also had
little sores, like boils all over these areas and those areas were
always swollen. Panny could not go in the sun at all. Vet wants to put
her on steroids, I take a leap of faith and switch to raw. Six months
later (4.5 years ago) Panny's Lupus is in remission--no drugs at all.
Only change: diet. I also do not limit her sun expsoure.
Bear, 10yr old Border/Collie/LabX. Idiopathic Epilepsy. Bear's seizures
were so bad her vet was afraid she would snap her neck and badly injure
herself. 5 years ago, I refuse drugs, instead giving acupuncture and
change to raw. 4-5 months into raw & continued acupuncture—no more
seizures. Bear has not had acupuncture for about 4 years and has
remained seizure free. Only change: diet.
Karen
I've been feeding raw for over four years, so don't
have a few generations of only raw fed dogs. I started because my 10
y/o Lab had hypercalcemia. Six weeks of vet testing and surgery
provided no answers. The dog was miserable. Would lie around and had no
energy. I was told that she would live out her life with high calcium
levels and constantly wanting water. Not good enough for me. Research
led me to raw and a different renewed quality of life for my dogs.
Calium levels dropped in less than three weeks and the dog lived a high
quality life until almost fourteen. She had more energy and better
health at 12 and 13, than she did at 10. Great teeth, breath, skin,
eyes.
My current 7 y/o Lab had nine pups a year ago. Easiest delivery I ever
witnessed. I didn't have to assist with getting pups to breathe or
getting them to nipples. They were strong and active. My bitch had more
milk than any of my previous related bitches. The pups were all raised
raw. Mom cleaned up and nursed until they left. I never saw that with a
kibble litter. Visitors constantly asked, "do these pups ever poop?" I
never once had to bathe the pups, as they weren't sliding in the
copious piles of mushy pooh that kibble pups have. The raw pups were
stronger and more athletic than previous litters. They didn't have that
doughy appearance.
I compete in field and obedience trials with my dogs. I am constantly
asked how old my dogs are because of their energy levels. I didn't
retire my last dog (the one that started raw at 10) until she was 12
years old. My seven y/o works like a three year old. I never push my
diet on anyone, though many ask "what are you feeding those dogs."
I was at the dental vet last week and he said he could see that I must
brush my dog's teeth every day. Never. They're beautiful teeth. When
the vet saw the teeth of my thirteen year old, he told me she had the
mouth of a two year old. He couldn't believe I had never had them
professionally cleaned.
I still consider myself a neophyte in the world of raw, but simply
observing the health benefits is enough for me. I love the smell and
touch of raw dogs. Sweet breath, no body odor.
Longevity isn't solely diet based, but diet certainly does play a role
in longevity and health.
Diane
I switched Ricco over to raw at about 5 months of age?
I remember finding this list & being the biggest neurotic
pest...this was 2 years ago now. It is so funny to think back to how
worried I was...how I feared he would choke...all the usual
fears...poop patrol....you know what I mean. All it took was one
person's statement in regards to raw to start my quest to ultimately,
this list, not to mention that my young pup already had tartar
developing.
It was an easy transition overall. A few bile bone bits...a few shards
in stools..but basically uneventful. He hasn't had a bath in two
years...his teeth are beautiful (except those darn canines that I
scrape with my fingernail)...he needs to go kill something instead of
play with it...my dog play bows to rabbits on his walks...the Vet??
who's that? no visits required...each & every person I meet
comments on his lean, muscular physique..his endless energy & pink
gums & tongue...his glossy black coat...a truly splendid animal to
see..looks like a stallion...all long legs, sinewy muscle.
So really, not a dramatic story like others may have but I feel so much
dismay out there seeing other dogs...doughy & overweight...gunky
eyes...dull, lifeless coats & eyes...breath like a dragon...such
short lives being wasted with inferior health when it doesn't have to
be that way. Truly a shame & mankind should be ashamed for what it
has done to our cats & dogs...& even the way mankind feeds
itself. It is a travesty & one that feeds the drug companies to
treat the symptoms & not the cause. It makes me sick....
Chia & Ricco
For more pictures of Ricco, please visit his photo album on RawFedDogs.net.
To read more testimonials about dogs and their raw diets, please click here.
