by Some pet dogs are gaining attention on TikTok thanks to their owners feeding them a raw food diet.
Kayla Kowalski, a certified canine nutritionist (CertCN) in Phoenix, Arizona, has taken social media by storm with her unusual brand of dog diets that consist of raw meat and other nutritional additives.
Kowalski’s interest in pet health began after she and her boyfriend rescued their dog, Rudy, who battled a variety of health and mental issues once he joined the family, she told Fox News. Digital.
250-POUND ‘GENTLE GIANT’ DOG EATS A WHOLE CHICKEN DAILY WHILE OWNER SPENDS ALMOST 5KA A YEAR ON FOOD
“I didn’t know much about canine nutrition, [but] Kibble just didn’t help him,” she said. “We made a lot of his problems worse.”
“And then we came across the raw diet and that really transformed it.”
Kayla Kowalski became a certified canine nutritionist after rescuing her German Shepherd dog Rudy (left), and continued using the raw dog food diet on all of her pets, including Rylie, the husky mix shown at right. (Kayla Kowalski Nutrition)
After sharing her journey on social media, she began to gain a lot of interest from other pet owners who also wanted to try the raw dog food diet with their pets.
That’s when Kowalski decided to become a CertCN and create his own business.
Today, she creates personalized diets for her clients and shares exclusive recipes in her e-books.
BEFORE THANKSGIVING, A VET REVEALS A COMMON REASON WHY PETS END UP IN THE ER DURING THE HOLIDAYS
What started with the implementation of raw and cooked meats as a complement to their pets’ meals became something different. It slowly phased out the use of a popular consumer brand and began adding more raw bites, including turkey and chicken necks, duck legs, goose heads, beef kidneys, livers and more.
Kowalski’s three dogs, Rudy, Buddy and Rylie, eat a complete raw food diet.
“Just like humans, [dogs] They need certain vitamins and minerals to be as healthy as possible,” Kowalski said.
“If you look back at how dogs ate hundreds of years ago, how wolves eat, it’s really how they are biologically meant to eat.”
TIKTOK VET TELLS SOCIAL MEDIA USERS TO STOP GIVING CHICKEN WITH SPICY SAUCE TO DOGS
Kowalski sees pet store food as something made for “human convenience.”
But she said if that’s the preferred food for other pets based on veterinarians’ advice, she, along with her brother, Nick Kowalski, recommend hydrating the food with water or bone broth for better digestion.
Kowalski incorporates a primary source of crude protein into his pets’ food and includes additives such as livers or kidneys, chicken feet, and even the occasional goose head. (Kayla Kowalski Nutrition)
Additives don’t have to be complicated, he said. Steamed Brussels sprouts and most vegetables, a raw egg plus the membrane, ripe bananas or any fruit other than grapes can also be added to a dog’s food bowl, she said.
Now that the raw diet has more than 441.3 million hashtags on TikTok (and Kowalski has millions of views on her own videos), veterinarians are stepping in.
“Feeding dogs raw meat with so many different ingredients shown in these videos can be hard on the stomach, causing severe diarrhea and pancreatitis and making dogs sick,” Lindsay Butzer, a veterinarian in Boca Raton, Florida, told Fox. NewsDigital.
PET INSURANCE: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, DIFFERENT TYPES, IF IT’S WORTH GETTING IT FOR YOUR FURRY FRIEND
Butzer said he’s seen how some of these additions for a particular dog family can do more harm than good.
“As appealing as it is to watch these videos of creators building bowls and explaining why each ingredient is healthy, with all these unique meats and ingredients to feed a dog, as a veterinarian I don’t recommend feeding your dog this way,” Butzer added. . .
It’s not about following a trend; It’s about making an informed decision for the health and longevity of our pets.
She can see that adding a raw or plant-based protein source and grain may be better for a pet’s digestive system than a variety of “exotic ingredients” all at once, she said.
“As a veterinarian, I am an advocate for brands of kibble and freeze-dried raw pet foods that are studied, labeled and approved to be a complete and balanced diet for our pets,” Butzer said.
THE PET HEALTH BREAKTHROUGH APP CAN DETECT WHEN YOUR DOG OR CAT IS SICK
Kowalski, however, prefers the holistic approach when it comes to pet health and has spoken to a variety of veterinarians who have found her methods to be beneficial for dogs.
“As a holistic veterinarian, I would like to address the growing interest in raw food diets for pets, which, contrary to popular belief, is not just a trend but a health-conscious option for pet owners,” said Dr. Katie Woodley, a holistic veterinarian and founder of The Natural Pet Doctor in Colorado, said in a statement with Fox News Digital.
“Recent studies, including those found in PubMed, have provided compelling evidence supporting the myriad health benefits of raw food diets compared to traditional kibble and processed food diets.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Dr. Woodley has analyzed a variety of recent studies to support this diet and her research has shown that the raw dog food lifestyle can positively alter the overall health and well-being of pets, she said.
Kowalski adds a variety of foods to her dog meals, including fruits, pumpkin puree, vegetables, and animal liver or kidney. (Kayla Kowalski Nutrition)
She is an advocate of raw food diets for dogs due to their nutritional benefits; But this must be thought through carefully and managed well.
“When formulated and managed correctly, raw diets offer a natural, nutritious, species-appropriate option that aligns with the dietary needs of carnivorous pets,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
“It’s not about following a trend; it’s about making an informed decision for the health and longevity of our pets.”
The raw food diet for dogs has gone viral on TikTok, but appears to have created a debate among pet nutritionists and veterinarians. (Kayla Kowalski Nutrition)
She encourages her clients to note that the raw dog food diet is just as balanced and full of vitamins and nutrients as dry kibble.
Most importantly, Kowalski recommends that pet owners be informed when it comes to learning more about their pet’s health and the raw diet.
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
