Raw Diet Frequently Asked Questions

We have put together a list of some of the questions that our team get asked about raw diets for your pets. If you have other questions please feel free to contact us 

How much should I feed my pet daily?

The average amount to feed dogs daily is 20-30g for every kilo of weight. Pups and lactating dogs need more and should be fed 40-60g per kilo of body weight. For cats you should feed on average 30-40g per kilo of weight.
Please note that these are guidelines, and may vary depending on your animal’s activity levels and temperature exposure. Monitor your pet’s weight by ensuring their ribs can be easily felt but not visibly noticeable and adjust the amount you are feeding accordingly. If you are unsure then consult your vet or nutritionist.

What is a complete diet?

The term “complete” should be used for products which contain all the nutrients a dog or cat requires to live a healthy life. When you feed a complete product, it shouldn’t be necessary to add any other products to the diet of that animal. There are strict guidelines which say what a product should contain to meet the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats, and therefore be allowed to put the term ‘complete’ on the label. Please be aware some raw food companies don’t follow these guidelines when using the term “complete” on their products. To make an individual product complete on its own, we add vitamins and minerals, in combination with salmon oil to meet the fatty acid requirements. Therefore, our completes contain all the nutrients a dog or cat requires to live a healthy life.

It is also possible to create a complete diet using products which are not complete on their own. The products of KB Mixes, our meats and our organs are pure products of animal origin with no additives. If you feed a variety of these products in the right combination, you can make the diet complete by yourself. Please read our rawfeeding brochure in the advice section for more information.

My pet can’t or won’t eat a variety of meats, how can I ensure a complete diet?
If your pet’s diet is restricted, there a couple of options available to you to ensure that they are still getting a complete diet.

1.     There is our KB complete range which have had all the necessary nutrients included in the mince. This means you could feed the same complete sausage every day, and be at ease that they are receiving all the nutrients they require.

2.    The second option is to purchase one of our Raw Meat Supplements to add into their food to create a complete diet.

Do I need the Raw Meat Supplement with calcium (+Ca) or without calcium (-Ca)?
If you are feeding a diet which includes bone such as one of our KB Mixes, you need to use the supplement without Calcium (No Ca).

If you are feeding products which don’t contain any bone such pure meats or minced meats or organs, then you would need to add in the supplement with added calcium (+Ca).

How can I portion the sausages into smaller amounts?
We recommend that you allow the sausages to thaw slightly (perhaps on the day of arrival keep them out until they start to soften). Use a sharp serrated knife like a bread knife and saw the sausages into portions which can then be refrozen for later use. Do not fully defrost and refreeze.

How do I defrost the meat and how long will this take?
When defrosting your food, we recommend you do this in an airtight container in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours before feeding.

How long can I keep the defrosted meat in the fridge?
We recommend keeping the meat in an airtight container for no longer than 2 days once defrosted.

Can I cook the raw meats/minces before feeding?
Although we do have some customers that feed cooked meats, we would caution cooking our mixes which contain bones. This is because cooked bones can be dangerous to feed. They become brittle and shards can break off and cause internal damage. If you want to feed cooked meat we would recommend that you ensure you are only cooking the meat and organs. However, we do believe a raw diet is best if possible as your pet will be able to absorb more of the nutrients needed.

Is it safe to feed bone to my pet?
You are completely safe to feed raw uncooked bones to your pet without causing them any problems. It is cooked bones that can cause problems, as the bone becomes brittle and shards can break off and cause internal damage. Some of the bone in the meat will naturally be digested and some will simply pass through undigested – this is also completely normal. It is recommended for younger and smaller animals that you feed softer bones to start. As they become more accustomed to a raw diet you can progress to hard and larger bones.

What is the difference between the KB Mixes and Minces?
Our KB mixes contain the meat, bone and organs of the animal in the description (e.g. rabbit mix will contain the meat, bone and organs of rabbit only). Our minces (such as deer meat minced, beef minced, kangaroo minced, horse meat minced) contain only minced meat and no bone or organs. Please see individual product details for more information.

Do any of the mixes contain lead shot and is it dangerous if they do?
We pass all our minces through a metal detector to remove or notify us of any contamination. However, in the wild shot game species such as Pheasant and Hare there is always the chance that these products could contain lead or steel shot. We indicate this in the product description on our website.
There is very low risk to feeding a dog game meat which may contain traces of lead or steal shot due to the small quantity which may be present. Humans and dogs pass these items through their digestive systems relatively quickly and it will therefore not pose any risk of acute poisoning or toxicity. However, this isn't the case for reptiles and birds which have much greater risk from lead poisoning due to the way they digest food.

Is your horse meat drug free?
The horse meat we use comes from the European industry for human consumption and so is drug free.

Why is the delivery cost so high?
We try to price our products reasonably, but ask that customers pay for the delivery cost depending on the weight of their order. The delivery charge is only to cover some of our costs and not to make profit from. For example, the frozen food courier charge of £9.95+VAT for up to 20kg of frozen products covers the costs of packing the order in recyclable insulated packaging, ice packs and/or dry ice to keep the products frozen, as well as the next day courier delivery charge.

What is the minimum amount I can order for delivery?
For frozen food orders the minimum order size is 2kg in weight and it must also be over £10 (excluding delivery cost) in value. The smaller the order the harder it is to keep frozen in transit to the customer. There is no minimum order for our dry food products.