We asked Dr. Tammie Pearce, Director of Veterinary Science for AskVet, to weigh on the pros and cons of kibble vs raw or fresh diets for dogs.
As a veterinarian, I am often asked to compare raw or frozen diets to kibble diets. Well, I’ve got great news for busy parents, kibble diets can actually offer several advantages over raw diets. Some dogs do not do well on fresh diets or raw diets because they can be time consuming to prepare and difficult to balance.
And then there’s the price tag. While all pet parents want the best for their pups, more expensive doesn’t always mean better. Raw and fresh diets can be more costly than kibble diets in both time and the expense of obtaining the ingredients. Raw diets can also spoil quickly if not maintained at the proper temperature when thawing and serving.
Got a finicky bud that doesn’t always eat right away? If your pup doesn’t come running to eat on the regular, a raw diet can be challenging. Food left out should be discarded since leaving it out at room temperatures for prolonged periods can cause the growth of dangerous bacteria like salmonella.
