Supplements and Treats with Raw

When raw feeding, especially if feeding a large variety, you really don't need to supplement much.  If you look at the nutrients in the raw foods, and then remember that raw means the food will also still contain all the natural enzymes for easy digestion, you're pretty set.  Homemade raw diets have to add far less supplements than homemade cooked diets due to the nutrient loss in the cooking, and commercial raw shouldn't have to add anything.

Raw feeders vary on what they like to supplement their diets with, sometimes it can depend on the diet or quality of diet they're feeding too.

As a Prey Model Raw Feeder I like to supplement with:

Natural Fish oil (Omega 3) and Natural Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol)

These are needed if you don't feed grass fed meats or enough oily fish (mackerel and sardines). I like human grade supplements because often times you can get better quality than pet ones, however a good pet/human brand is Nordic Naturals. The omega 3 helps to balance out all the omega 6 you feed in the meats, it's also good for joint heath, cell health, eyes, heart, skin/coat health. If the omega 3 you buy doesn't have Vitamin E with it, you should buy some, as Omega 3 depletes vitamin E in your body from the oxidation process.

Usually I give 1,000 mg of omega 3 per 20lbs and 200IU of natural vitamin E per 40lbs.  Fish oil is heat and light sensitive, so it's best to keep it in the fridge.

                                         Lola and Ronny taking their Fish oil and Vitamin E
                                                  (Lola score an extra one, it  happens).

 Another supplement I give occasionally is Organic, cold pressed, unrefined, Coconut oil
(not palm oil).  Coconut oil is great for their skin/coats, it also seems to help my dogs when they get a little bug as it has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.  I usually give one spoonful to each dog.

I occasionally like to add a kelp supplement because of the trace minerals it can add to the diet that may be lost in the farming soil.  I think it just enriches the diet, and is a good source of Iodine. That said, caution should be used with kelp type supplements, I would not advise giving a kelp supplement on a daily basis, as too much iodine can cause thyroid function issues like thyroid suppression.  Or sometimes I'll add Missing link, although neither supplement is really needed with the raw diet. 

For treats on the raw diet I like to dehydrate my own chicken (or you could do liver or other organs or meats) in the oven or with a food dehydrator.

How to make your own jerky treats in the oven or with a dehydrator