生食餵養：優點、缺點與不那麼美好的一面

June 23, 2014 • jaime

生食餵養：優點、缺點與不那麼美好的一面
21 世紀的狗主人對於餵食愛犬的食物變得非常重視。數十年來，狗狗一直食用全國各地雜貨店、便利商店及寵物店貨架上的乾飼料。近年來，人類的飲食習慣改變，更著重於健康食材；人類最好的朋友的飲食也同樣隨之改變。
 
以生食為主的飲食在狗主人之間日益盛行，他們認為乾飼料的營養價值完全不足。然而，生食風潮也在狗主人間引發激烈辯論。缺乏關於生食飲食的可靠資訊，加上圍繞健康與安全的疑問，讓這個議題更加複雜。以下將為您介紹生食飲食的優點、缺點與潛在風險。
 
優點
生食飲食的支持者在從乾狗糧轉換時，經常指出其健康益處。生食飲食能為狗狗提供更高的營養價值，因為牠們吃的是未經改造、也未添加大量防腐劑的食物。許多乾狗糧以動物副產品、米及其他幾乎沒有營養價值的穀物製成。
 
生食飲食不含防腐劑，並含有更多狗狗正常成長與發育所需的營養素。目前飲食中有食物過敏或營養不足問題的狗狗，可受益於生食飲食所提供的更大掌控性。生食餵養讓您身為飼主，能為狗狗規劃符合其特定營養需求的餐點（若有營養缺乏的情況），並避開會引起狗狗過敏反應的食材。
 
也有一些軼事證據顯示，生食飲食能為狗狗整體的心理與身體健康帶來其他益處。骨頭是某些生食餐單的一部分。有些飼主發現，飲食中的骨頭有助於舒緩狗狗天生的啃咬傾向，進而改善整體行為。
 
缺點
許多生食餵養的支持者指出，狗狗數百年來都以生食為主；但反對者很快便指出，過去的犬種種類比現今少得多。如今犬種如此繁多，很難找出一種適合所有狗狗的生食飲食。不同犬種有不同需求，有些犬種也可能有天生的營養缺乏問題，令生食飲食變得困難。
 
生食飲食在便利性與成本方面的因素，經常被用作反對這股風潮的理由。市面上有販售商業生食，但必須冷凍保存，並在餵食前預留時間解凍。自行為狗狗準備生食也很耗時，因為您除了要為自己料理餐點，還要每天準備狗狗的食物。
 
此外，要確保您為狗狗準備的生食飲食能滿足牠所有營養需求，也可能相當困難。生食飲食需要營養均衡，才能持續有益於狗狗的健康。
 
潛在風險
許多人最擔心生食飲食會對狗狗造成健康風險。雖然乾狗糧的製造過程會破壞食材中的許多營養素與維生素，但同時也會消滅食材中許多潛在的危險因子。研究發現，生食飲食可能含有沙門氏菌、大腸桿菌及金黃色葡萄球菌等危險細菌。
 
狗狗可能會在糞便中排出許多這類細菌，但也可能由狗狗將細菌痕跡帶到家中的地毯與家具上。家中年幼兒童及年長者都有感染這些細菌並嚴重生病的風險。
 
此外，生肉中還含有其他可能使狗狗重病、甚至危及生命的病原體，例如 Neospora caninum、Nanophyetus salmincola 與 Trichinella spiralis。
 
最後但同樣重要的是，骨頭也會對狗狗造成健康風險。啃咬生骨頭可能導致腸道阻塞、胃部及腸道穿孔，以及牙齒缺角或斷裂。
 
總而言之，只有在研究過您的犬種所需營養後，才應決定將狗狗改為生食飲食。在決定採用生食飲食時，與狗狗的獸醫討論此計畫也會有所幫助。

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評論(3)

  1. Sandra Scarr

    It is idiotic to suggest that different breeds of dogs have different nutritional needs, just as suggesting that different races of people need different diets. All dogs are wolves -- a sub-species of grey wolf, regardless of size or conformation. For 12 years, I have been feeding the raw-meaty-bones diet (raw muscle and organ meats and meaty bones for minerals and to keep dogs' teeth clean). I breed Labrador retrievers and standard Poodles. At all ages, they all thrive on raw meats and meaty bones, beef and chicken primarily, but many kinds of meats are just fine. Bacteria are handled nicely by dogs' very acidic digestive system. No bacterial illnesses in 12 years. Have a look at Dr. Tom Lonsdale's web site, rawmeatybones,com for further information.

  2. AbbyandSadiesMom

    I tried feeding raw food to my two cats. Although very expensive, they turned their noses up at it. Can't say I blamed them; that stuff stunk! They're very happy with a high-quality wet food and a few kernels of kibble. A strictly dry diet, be it dog or cat, is not healthy for the respective animal. Many sources on the 'net' explain why.

  3. Rachel

    I've been feeding my cats a raw diet for a year and a half. Yes it took time to convert my biscuit eating cats to raw food, it takes time and manipulation. They are very happy with it now and their coats are gloriously thick and soft with shiny teeth. The only warning I'd add is that for cats make sure you do the research, they need beef heart regularly (for taurine which is vital) and they need bone (mine eat raw chicken wings and rabbit) to meet their calcium requirements in addition to raw meat. And before anyone quotes feeding chicken bones to cats, raw is fine and natural it's when they are cooked they are dangerously brittle. Oh and as a side benefit to those housebound kitties you'll find that without all the bulking ingredients their litter deposits are a lot smaller and barely smell! I actually have to check the litter box regularly as there's no stench to warn me!

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