Raw vs Kibble

Have you been thinking about feeding a raw diet because you know it makes sense?  Have you hesitated because of the cost of raw high quality human grade meat?  We hear quite often from people that they believe feeding a raw diet is expensive and can be a burden on their budget.  It can appear this way initially, especially when looking at commercially available raw diets in pet stores, but compare below and you will see that you can save quite a bit by feeding your pets Furball’s Choice’s natural raw diet.

Feeding A Kibble Diet		Feeding A Raw Diet
Cost of Food	Varies - $.40 to $5.00+ per day (Depends on weight, age, health issues, etc.)	Our blend is balanced and all meats are sourced from government inspected, human grade, meat production facilities so additions are not required, however, we do recommend some additives for further benefits and health of your animals. Whole raw meats (with bone in) can be added as well for strong jaws and scrubbing of the teeth but is not required.	$.25 per day and up (Depending on weight and age of the pet as well as what supplements you choose to add).
Dental Health	Treatment $95.00 - $330.00+ without pain control, fluid & exam; chew toys, Nylabones, rawhide, pigs ears (which can trigger pancreatitis), tooth brush and toothpaste $40.00+	Chewing raw meaty bones exercises the jaw for strong jaw and neck muscles and scrub the teeth to a gleaming white. The Furball's Choice blend does contain bone and provides a gentler scrubbing action.	Included, but can be up to a few dollars a week if adding additional Raw Meaty Bones.
Flea and Tick Treatments (Advantage, Frontline, etc.)	$10.00-$14.00 tube. $47-$60 per 6 month pack.	Infestations are inhibited due to a huge reduction in sugars in the diet (fleas and ticks love sugar). The addition of apple cider vinegar (a natural biting insect repellent) will greatly reduce the chances of these pests staying on your pet.	Included, ACV about $8.00 a month
Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Rimadyl etc. (for Joint Health)	$70.00 for 1 month of Rimadyl $70.00 for 1 month of Synovicre	Cartilage - Our blend has bone and cartilage added but we do recommend occasionally offering other items containing cartilage to buffer this. Chicken/turkey feet, trachea, or any other source of cartilage is good. An improvement in mobility and joint condition is usually noticeable in as little as one week.	Included. If more is desired - chicken feet are $2.50 per pound but price may vary seasonally
EpiOtic, ProOtic, Otomax, ear exams & cleaning (for ear problems)	$30.00+ exam to $150.00 for sedation & cleaning. $30 for your own bottle of "Otic" solution.	Elimination of yeast from diet. Yeast is used in kibble as a cheap source of vitamin B. Raw diets contain natural sources of healthy yeasts. Yeast can cause ear, skin and many other problems.	Included
Proin or DES (for Urinary Incontinence/Potty Accidents)	$54.00 per month	Elimination of grains – A raw diet contains no grains, which can cause problems in the urinary tract. A healthy urinary tract is less prone to leaking and accidents.	Included
Antibiotics	Prices vary. Often, misuse of antibiotics can cause much more powerful and difficult to treat infections. Overuse can also cause other problems as antibiotics will kill even the good bacterias in your pet's gut which are essential to proper digestion and immune function.	Turmeric, coconut oil, and a few other supplements are naturally antibiotic.	Approximately $8 for organic turmeric and $15 for 960ml of virgin, cold pressed coconut oil.
Worming Medications	$25.00 and stress on the kidneys & liver of a healthy pet never mind a pet with kidney or liver problems.	Turmeric and a few other supplements are naturally anti-parasitic.	Approximately $8 for organic turmeric.
Nausea, Flatulence, IBD	Flagyl, Special prescription diet	Raw meat is the most digestible food for cats and dogs. Therefore feeding raw meat is easier on the digestive tract. Turmeric, kefir, and some other supplements also have digestive support properties to help with this.	Included. Approximately $8 for organic turmeric. A few dollars or more for kefir.
Thyroid	Soloxine or Methimazole	Raw diets naturally support the immune system by not burdening it with additives and other ingredients which are difficult for the body to cope with. Other supplements can be added for further support.	Included
Allergies	One of the most costly problems we see. Miscellaneous medications, exams, itching, runny eyes, late nights listening to your pet chewing, hot spots, vomiting, ear infections - the list goes on.	Elimination of grain, yeast dairy, additives, preservatives and cooked products clears up the huge majority of these issues. Eliminating all of the bad stuff will help you easier pinpoint the cause of other allergies.	Included
BNPH (for eye infections)	$16.00 per tube. Contains steroids.	A natural diet provides natural immune support by eliminating undue stress on the system. For more serious infections, Eyebright tea works well as a compress a few times a day.	Included. Eye Bright Herbal Tea costs $5.00 for 24 bags.
Body Odor	Grooming & toxic perfume products. Cleaning your clothing, upholstery, carpets & general household odors from a smelly pet.	Elimination of grain, yeast dairy, additives, preservatives and cooked products.	Included.
Exposure to Toxins (antifreeze, high levels of pollution, weed killer, rat poison, chocolate, overdose medications)	Emergency care, Intensive care, hospitalization, in many cases euthanization - $100.00 minimum	A natural diet is free from toxins and supports the body's ability to cope with any type of exposure. Milk Thistle is a great liver support supplement and, when coupled with a clean diet, has been known to completely reverse liver damage and expedite recovery. For any poisoning case always consult with your veterinarian!	Included
Puppy Growth	Special high protein pet food. Visits to vet for growing pains, worming (hard on kidneys and liver). Vaccinations etc. Potbellied look, stool eating.	Multiple benefits. Easily digestible so discourages "poop snacking" Turmeric is naturally anti-parasitic so kills and discourages worms. High QUALITY protein promotes optimal slow growth preventing dysplasia & pano. Cartilage provides natural glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support and eliminating pano. Milk thistle cleanses the liver after vaccinations. Natural calcium for healthy teeth & bones, which also reduces excess growth. Stool & urine odor are reduced to make cleaning accidents more bearable. Stools are smaller and firmer, also making accidents must more manageable. An elimination of many skin, ear, eye, and digestive issues which result in a much happier, less stressed, pet.	Included. Supplements have an additional cost.
Stools (Odor, Longevity and Size	Smelly, large, gooey, all sorts of fluorescent colors depending on your kibble brand. Kibble poop can last for weeks, even months due to the high levels of preservatives.	Bone content produces firmer stools which turn chalky and blow away with the wind in a few days. Stools are also much, much smaller due to an absence of fillers and indigestible ingredients. The smaller size is also due to the fact that most of the nutrients are digested and absorbed in a natural raw diet.	Included
Laxatone (Petroleum product for hairballs)	$10.00 per tube	Naturally occurring enzymes in raw food can break down and/or move miscellaneous items found in hairballs.	Included

Credit goes to “Feed This, Inc!” – Sonoma County, California, for the inspiration and some of the content of the table above.   All pricing is approximated.  Costs may vary from retailer to retailer and from vet to vet.

More questions?  Feel free to Contact Us at any time.  For more information on the Furball’s Choice raw feed product, visit our Raw Feed page.

Visit the Leerburg’s Q&A on Feeding a Raw Diet. for some very detailed information, including information on raw feeding myths, directly from world known champion bloodlines breeder and trainer, Ed Frawley of Leerburg.