How To Save Money Keeping Your Pet Healthy - Refresh Financial

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How To Save Money Keeping Your Pet Healthy

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16 years ago I walked into a pet shelter and fell in love with my pup. The first few months with him weren’t the easiest as he was prone to ear infections and had multiple other medical complications, so his vet bills were getting out of hand. It was the dawn of the internet back then, but as I became more and more concerned about the furry fella’s health, I began to research his symptoms online. That’s when I came across a diet that was not only cheaper but was made from whole foods you and I eat and sounded a whole bunch healthier than the processed junk I brought home in a bag every month.

B.A.R.F. Diet

It's called the “B.A.R.F” diet and even though its name leaves something to be desired, it stands for Bones and Raw Food and seemed pretty reasonable.

You see, dogs descended from wolves, who are part scavengers and rarely eat processed or cooked foods. The majority of wolves diet is protein, mainly coming from bones and raw meat. As such, dogs require high levels of protein to maintain good health. I was shocked to find out most dog kibbles were low in protein, being mostly carbs from grain to hold the shape of each little morsel.

Health Benefits

I quickly switched my furry guy to raw chicken bones. While cooked bones should never be given to a dog, due to the risk of the bones splintering in their digestive system, raw bones are far softer. Not only did he love it, the health benefits were immediate.

My dog stopped getting ear infections. He stopped regurgitating his food. His stools were small, he was less thirsty, more energetic and his coat was thicker. From the point I switched him over, he didn’t have to visit the vet at all, save for shots and checkups and the old guy is still kicking along at my side as I type.

For his whole life, I have fed him the bones most butchers throw away. It’s cost me, at the most expensive times, mere pennies a day to fill his furry belly. Sometimes I would give him chicken backs and necks, other times I would give him turkey bones and sometimes he’d get hearts, livers, and gizzards. Anything that was cheap at the time was what he got and he has thrived, happily munching away at the food he loves.

If you feel like you’re spending too much on dog food, I urge you to look into this cheaper, healthier way to feed your animal. To start researching the B.A.R.F. diet, check out this resource:

BARF For Beginners

What do you feed your dogs? Let us know in the comments!

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