Source: The Natural Dog Store

Many dog owners mix kibble with raw food for convenience while boosting nutrition. It's great for transitioning to a raw diet or when a fully raw diet isn't financially feasible.

But just because mixing raw food with kibble is common, that doesn't mean it's the best thing to do.

Adding raw food to your dog's diet can provide amazing nutrition with fresh, whole foods, often better than commercial kibble. But, mixing raw and kibble can be risky if not done right.

Before making any big changes to your pup's diet, let's explore the potential dangers of combining kibble and raw food. This way, you can ensure your dog gets all the benefits of raw nutrition safely and effectively.

 

How Dogs Digest Food

Before discussing ideal diets for dogs, it's important to understand how your dog's digestion works.

Your pup's digestive system is a finely tuned process that relies on enzymes and stomach acids. Enzymes are special proteins that help break down food into smaller, usable parts and are found in the stomach and pancreas. When your dog eats, enzymes in the stomach start breaking down the food.

The stomach lining produces hydrochloric acid, keeping the stomach very acidic, with a pH around 2, similar to vinegar. This acidity activates enzymes like pepsin, which breaks down proteins into amino acids, the building blocks for your dog's health.

The acidic environment also kills harmful bacteria and pathogens in the food, preventing them from causing illness as they move through the digestive tract.

After the stomach processes the food, it moves to the small intestine. Here, enzymes from the pancreas continue breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into nutrients the body can absorb. Maintaining this acidic environment is crucial for effective digestion and overall health. 

 

How Dogs Digest Bone

Acids are vital for breaking down bones, which are an important part of a raw diet for dogs because of their nutritional value. The high acidity in your dog's stomach helps dissolve bones, making it easier to absorb essential minerals.

You can try a simple experiment at home by placing a chicken bone in a bowl of vinegar. After a couple of days, the bone becomes soft and bendable because the acid breaks down the calcium and other minerals. This process mimics how stomach acid works in your dog's digestive system.

In your dog's stomach, the acidic environment breaks down the calcium in bones, making them softer and easier to digest. This allows dogs to safely consume bones and absorb vital minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. These nutrients are essential for healthy bones, enzyme function, and the structure of cells and tissues.

Maintaining a highly acidic stomach environment is crucial for dogs on a raw diet, as it helps maximize the nutritional benefits of bones.

This is where issues with kibble can arise...

 

Kibble Starch Alters Digestion

Kibble and raw food differ significantly in their carbohydrate content. Raw food typically contains between 0% and 15% carbohydrates, mostly non-starchy, while kibble often has at least 30% starch to hold its shape. Some kibbles can even contain up to 60% starch. This high starch content is necessary for making kibble but can affect your dog's digestion.

Starch in kibble raises the pH level in your dog's stomach, which impacts digestion. The enzyme pepsin, which breaks down proteins, only works well in highly acidic environments with a pH below 2. When the pH rises due to the starch in kibble, pepsin production decreases, hindering protein digestion.

This change in pH also disrupts the release of pancreatic enzymes, which are essential for breaking down food in the small intestine. As a result, undigested food particles can cause digestive issues.

 

Kibble Changes Gut pH

Remember how crucial stomach acid is for your dog's digestion? Feeding kibble can raise the stomach's pH level, making it less acidic.

When the stomach is less acidic, it can't break down food as effectively or neutralize harmful bacteria. This reduced acidity makes the digestive process less efficient and less protective against pathogens.

With a higher stomach pH, harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella are more likely to survive and multiply, which can lead to digestive issues and illness.

Additionally, a higher pH means that bones in raw food won't soften and break down properly, increasing the risk of blockages and reducing mineral absorption. This imbalance can cause digestive discomfort, yeast infections, and other health problems.

 

How To Mix Raw Meals And Kibble Safely

To safely mix raw food with kibble, it's important to maintain a healthy stomach pH.

Keeping your dog’s stomach pH low is crucial for effective digestion. This ensures that digestive enzymes work properly, harmful bacteria are controlled, and bones break down correctly.

There are strategies you can use to support an acidic stomach environment, helping to prevent health issues related to mixed diets. Dietary adjustments and supplements can be beneficial for maintaining the right pH balance in your dog’s digestive system.

 

Add Probiotics

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support a healthy gut flora. Adding probiotics to your dog's diet can enhance digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function.

They help balance the gut microbiome, reducing the risk of digestive issues. Probiotics compete with harmful bacteria for space and resources, effectively "crowding them out" to prevent problems.

Additionally, probiotics assist in producing digestive enzymes, boosting the digestive process and ensuring your dog gets the most from his/her food.

 

Add Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a natural way to help lower your dog's stomach pH, making it more acidic.

This increased acidity supports healthy digestion and may help kill harmful bacteria in raw meats. ACV helps mimic the natural acidic environment of a dog's stomach.

To add apple cider vinegar to your pup’s diet, mix one teaspoon to one tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight into their meals. This simple addition can help maintain an optimal pH level when mixing raw and kibble food.

 

Bones And Switching To Raw

Here's a final tip for transitioning your dog to a raw diet: start by gradually introducing raw meat and organs without bones. Give your dog's digestive system about a week to ten days to adjust to the new, protein-rich diet.

This gradual introduction helps prevent digestive upset and makes the transition to raw food smoother.

After a week to ten days, you can start adding bones to your dog's raw diet. This delay allows the stomach's pH to adjust, ensuring it can digest bones effectively. Adding bones too early can increase the risk of blockages and other digestive issues.

 

FAQ

Is it okay to feed kibble and raw together? Feeding kibble and raw together can lead to digestive issues due to the different digestion times and pH requirements. To maintain a healthy dog, pet parents should consider controlling the pH levels by adding apple cider vinegar or probiotics when mixing kibble and raw food.

Can I feed my dog half raw half kibble? Yes, you can feed your dog half raw and half kibble, but it’s important to manage the digestive process to avoid issues. Adding probiotics to a kibble diet can help digest raw meat better and reduce the risks associated with feeding kibble and raw together.

How much raw do you add to kibble? When mixing kibble with a raw meal, start with a small amount of raw food, like a quarter of the meal, and gradually increase to balance digestive health. Pet owners should ensure they maintain proper pH levels in the stomach to help digest raw foods effectively.

What raw food can you add to kibble? You can add fresh food such as raw meat, organs, and bones to dry food or kibble, ensuring it complements your dog’s diet. Most raw foods can provide additional health benefits when mixed with dry dog food, but it's essential to monitor digestion and adjust as needed.