You may have noticed that dog foods can contain a variety of different kinds of meats and seafood. Meat and seafood provide valuable protein that your dog needs to live. One of these protein sources is rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is a good source of protein for dogs, but can they live on just rabbit meat alone?
The answer is no. Dogs need more than just meat to stay healthy. Fruits, vegetables, and other protein sources provide vitamins and minerals that your dog can’t get through eating rabbit alone. While some people are moving their dogs onto raw rabbit diets, it may not be the best option for your pooch.
Rabbit is a great source of protein and vitamins! Rabbit has a higher protein content than other common meats found in pet treats: higher than chicken, pork, veal, duck, or lamb! Rabbit’s high protein and B12 content will keep your dog energized, and the amino acids present in rabbit meat will help repair muscles.
Science Behind a Dog’s Diet
Dogs have specific nutritional needs—just like humans. When it comes to what your dog needs to eat, you probably know that they need meat, but does the kind of meat matter?
If you are feeding your dog a commercial dog food, the answer is no. Dog foods contain all kinds of additional vitamins and minerals that help support your dog’s health. These foods contain meat, but they also have fruits, vegetables, and grains in them. These other foods contain things that can’t be found in just meat, but are vital to your dog’s health.
If you are feeding a homemade or raw diet, the kind of meat should change from time-to-time to provide different nutrients. You should also include fruits and vegetables in these diets.
Signs Dogs Can’t Live Off Only Rabbit Meat
Rabbit meat is a healthy protein choice for dogs, but even the healthiest food can’t be the only sustenance that your dog consumes. Even though rabbit is low in sodium and has a low caloric content when compared to other proteins, it isn’t the best way to feed your dog. Rabbit contains a number of different vitamins and minerals, but it doesn’t contain everything your dog needs.
For example, dogs need omega fatty acids to keep their coats and skin healthy, but rabbit doesn’t contain these fatty acids. That means that your dog needs to get those nutrients from another source. Whether you feed your dog fish, supplements, or a dog food that contains omega fatty acids, you need to find a way to get your dog those vital nutrients.
If your dog isn’t having its nutritional needs met, you may notice that it has gastrointestinal problems. Dogs who are malnourished can also be weak and lethargic. You may notice that your dog is no longer interested in food and water. All of these signs require a trip to the veterinarian to see what the problem is. If you discover that your dog is malnourished, work with your vet to come up with a better diet for your pooch.
If your dog isnt having its nutritional needs met, you may notice some of the following body language cues:
- Whining
- Weakness
- Low Tail Carriage
- Drooling
- Sweaty Paws
Other signs that your pooch isnt getting the food they need include:
- Weight Loss
- Poor Coat Quality
- Digestion Issues
Raising RABBITS to feed my DOGS – NRC Balanced dog food – Feeding dogs naturally
FAQ
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