Why Your Dogs And Cats Can Eat Raw

A dog’s very acidic stomach is designed to exterminate most of the bacteria found in raw food. Their stomachs have a protective enzyme that allows a dog to gobble up some horrible things and not get sick.  Also this highly acidic situation is helpful to consuming and breaking down bone.

As opposed to humans, dogs have an entirely different digestive tract. Food when eaten by a dog remains in the stomach for a longer period of time. A dog’s stomach is a super-acidic environment, which is useful for opportunistic omnivores, helping them more easily digest things like bone; raw meat; and fats.  This is different than humans who have a pH between 4 and 5; a dog’s PH balance is only about 1, which produces an acidic gut.  Even when fed only once or twice a day, they feel fuller longer because their food remains in their stomach longer.

Dogs have bacteria fighting saliva. Most mammals produce amylase in the saliva, but dogs and cats do not. This reflects their normal diet of meat and organs from prey. Your dog’s saliva contains a different enzyme, known as lysozyme, which is imperative in killing any bacteria that may be existing in whatever your dog decides to eat. Humans, who usually cook their food before eating it, do not have this protective enzyme.