Elemental Pet Nutrition

I get it… organ meats are kinda gross. Not many people want to cut them up and feed them to their dogs. But as a raw feeder you can’t forget the importance of organ meats in a raw diet when building your dog’s bowl.

Organ meats are the most nutrient dense part of the prey animal. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, important amino acids, and healthy fats. Organs essentially act as a natural multi-vitamin for your dog.

Offal is another term for organ meats. It’s considered a more tasteful term but when it comes down to it, it means the edible organs of an animal.

When feeding raw, organs should account for about 10% of the diet. A basic guideline is to aim for 5% liver and 5% other secreting organs. Due to a high concentration of vitamin A in liver, it is recommended liver does not exceed 5% of the diet. You can have too much of a good thing.

There are many organs that are a good choice for dogs. The liver, kidneys, and heart can all play a nutritional role in the raw diet. Try rotating organ meats so your dog gets a variety of nutrients and a variety of flavors and textures.

Basic Organ Meats in a Raw Diet

• Liver is the most commonly fed organ meat among raw fed dogs. It’s easy to come by and highly palatable. Liver provides all of the important fat-soluble vitamins which are A,D,E, and K. With a particularly high concentration of vitamin A. Liver also contains the B vitamins, iron, and copper. Many of these important nutrients are affected by heat so it’s best to feed it raw. Try beef, chicken, lamb, and pork liver.
• Kidney is high in folate, the B vitamins, and selenium. Selenium is an important trace mineral for dogs. Check out the many benefits here. Liver from grass-fed animals contains heart healthy omega 3’s. And good news… beef and pork kidneys are fairly easy to source for your dog. Just check your local ethnic market.
• Heart is the best whole food source of CoQ10, an enzyme that helps fight oxidative stress. Try beef, venison, and bison hearts for an excellent source of CoQ10. Heart is also a strong source of an amino acid called taurine. Taurine is vital for proper heart function but is destroyed by heat. Once again, raw is the way to go when feeding heart.
• Spleen is abundant in iron and tryptophan. The high iron content in spleen makes it a great option for growing puppies. You’ll have to try the ethnic markets or a raw food co-op to source spleen.
• Green Tripe is the lining of a ruminant animals stomach. Green tripe is not like the tripe in grocery stores that is cleaned and bleached. It still has some partially digested vegetation in it. So… it’s super stinky but loaded with gut healthy probiotics.

Ways to Feed Organs in a Raw Diet

To maintain the integrity of the nutrients in organs it’s best to feed them RAW. But if you just can’t bring yourself to buy, cut up, or even touch them for that matter, there are other options.

Premade raw is a convenient way to give your dog a balanced raw diet without having to “build” their bowl. Brands like Darwin’s has everything your dog needs in a ground up formula. It includes muscle meat, organ meats, edible bones, and vegetables.

There’s no guessing and no need for additional supplements. But…that also means it comes with a price tag of convenience.

Then you have the freeze dried option. Freeze drying raw meats and organs maintains all the nutrients in the raw food but without the mess. The balanced meal option, like those from Primal Pet Foods, is conveniently reconstituted with warm water. But you can also easily just add freeze dried organs to your dog’s bowl.

Because of the importance of organ meats in a raw diet make sure you find a way of feeding that is easy for you. Something you will be able to stick with in the long term. The benefits will speak for themselves when you see your dog thriving.

Wag on my friends!