Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Single Protein diet?
Single Protein Diet is a single source of protein or meat type eg. Chicken, Crocodile, Kangaroo, Lamb, Turkey etc. blended with probiotics, Omega 3 and 6, vitamins, minerals, natural ingredients including fresh fruits and vegetables, to create a totally balanced, complete and healthy diet for your pet dogs & cats as well as easy identification and isolation of the allergenic protein for pets with allergies. When a pet is fed with a mixture of protein types, it presents a challenge in identification and elimination of the allergen protein. It would be much easier to treat the allergic pet if they were put on SPD as it would then be obvious which protein is causing the allergies. 

 

What is BARF?

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) is made from all natural ingredients including a single meat protein source, bone, offal, selected fruits and vegetables, natural Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and essential nutrients for muscular development. BARF has no added preservatives, and no artificial colours and flavours.

 

Is BARF a complete meal?

Yes, BARF is a complete and balanced meal for dogs & cats of all ages. the diet complies with AAFCO requirements for the maintenance of pets of all ages. However, the Kangaroo products only comply for adult pets due to the low-fat levels which may not be sufficient to meet the dietary needs of young puppies and kittens.

 

What is a Novel Protein?

A Novel Protein is a protein type which the pet has never or not been frequently fed with and is used to stabilise its digestive system as part of an allergy elimination diet. Pets tend to develop food-related allergies when they are fed frequently for long periods of time with the same type of protein. Prime100 therefore recommends that pet owners rotate the protein type on a fortnightly basis as it may be difficult to identify the allergen protein when the diet is rotated daily.

 

Why is Crocodile considered to be an Advanced Novel Protein?

Crocodile is a lean and healthy protein type that most dogs are not fed with as part of their daily meal. It is the most adaptable diet; puppies, underweight dogs, overweight dogs, older dogs, active dogs and dogs with low to acute food allergies can have this protein.

 

When should Crocodile be fed to a pet?

Crocodile is classed as an “Advanced Novel Protein” which veterinary specialists prefer to use on pets with food based allergies. The more common Crocodile becomes in the diet for your dogs, the less novel it will be over time. Therefore, in order not to “overexpose” your pet to Crocodile, it should really be used if and when the dog really needs to be on it for allergy treatment purposes.

 

Do I need to add supplements to my pet’s diet when it is on BARF?

BARF contains all the health supplements which your pets need and additional feeding will not be required. The pet owner will enjoy financial savings in the long term.

 

Why is BARF the ideal diet for my pet and not kibble?

Our pet dogs are descendants of wolves, which are primarily carnivores or raw meat eaters. The real meat content in BARF is much higher than that of kibble or dry pet food. A dry kibble diet consists of at least 60% carbohydrate, very little moisture and minimal, low quality protein, much of which is also plant based. 

 

Can I feed my pet kibble when it is on BARF?

This will not be ideal but for some customers who still wish to do so, the short answer is “yes”. Most dry foods include multiple proteins. We would recommend you feed our food in one part of the day and dry food later in the day. This will allow the dog to digest the proteins served.

 

Which product should I feed my pet when it is suffering from allergies?

Pets with allergies should be fed Novel Proteins such as Kangaroo and Crocodile, depending on the severity of the allergic reaction, for about 6 to 8 weeks to stabilise and “detoxify” their digestive system.

 

Why shouldn’t I feed my pet a mixed protein diet?

The more familiar a pet is to a protein or meat type when it is fed on it for a very long time, it tends to develop allergies to that protein or meat. When it is fed a mixed protein diet with the allergen is present as one of the protein types, not only will the allergy persist, it will also be very difficult to identify and isolate the culprit allergen.

 

Can I feed my pet your diet together with Common Proteins?

If the pet has reactions to Common Proteins and you feed a Common Protein at the same time as a Novel Protein, recent studies have shown that the pet may develop food sensitivities to the Novel Protein. We recommend feeding the Novel Single Protein Diet alone.

 

How are BARF and Rolls used in Allergy Elimination Diets?

When a dog is suffering from allergies, it is fed the Novel Protein for a period of about 6 to 8 weeks to “detoxify” and stabilize the pet’s digestive system. Once the allergy has stopped, specific single meat protein should be introduced one at a time to determine if it is the culprit allergen. When no allergic reaction occurs after about a week, that protein type is deemed “safe” for the pet. This is repeated until the allergen protein is identified.

 

How is BARF compared to other home-processed raw meat diets?

BARF has been specifically designed to provide a complete and balanced diet for pets, focusing on all natural ingredients, the freshest premium human consumption grade meat cuts with essential health supplements including vitamins, Omega 3 and 6, minerals and probiotics to target specific areas including skin and coat nourishment, gastrointestinal health improvement, bone health, and overall animal well-being based on AAFCO standards resulting in a totally balanced and healthy diet for your dog, which is likely to be missing in home processed diets.

 

How is the quality of meat used in your products?

We only uses 100% premium human consumption grade meats in our products.

 

How much complete meal products should I serve my pet?

The feeding guide is between 3% to 6% for every 10kg of the pet's weight daily. This depends on the brand of the food and the lifestyle of the pets whether they are sedentary, moderately active or very active.

Puppies will need bigger feeds (6-8%) until they are at least 12 months old whilst mature dogs require smaller feeds (3-4%)

 

Do I need to cook the BARF?

There is no need to cook BARF, it is meant to be eaten raw by your dog which is a descendent of the wolf, as naturally eaten in the wild. However, do ensure that the BARF thaws to room temperature before feeding to your pet as they may not enjoy their meal in a chilled or semi-frozen state.

 

What if my pet does not like the BARF?

Try smearing some BARF on your finger and gently rub it onto the teeth and tongue of your pet. They will usually start eating when they discover that the taste is actually quite good. Another alternative is to try pan-frying it for a short while to bring out its aroma before presenting it to your pet. They will usually start eating and once they do, you do not need to pan-fry them anymore. If all else fails, then our Fresh Rolls would be great options for them as it is extremely rare that a pet does not like them.

 

What are Fresh Rolls?

Fresh Rolls are made by steam cooking the freshest single source meat protein which contain amino acids, essential nutrients for muscular development, added probiotics, vitamins, minerals, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help nourish your dog’s skin and coat to offer an all-natural, healthy and well-balanced diet. Fresh Rolls are specifically made for dogs with suspected food sensitivities, skin allergies or digestive problems.

 

 

Can I add fruits and vegetables to Fresh Rolls?

Yes, use novel vegetables like whole pumpkin, celery, spinach or apples. Novel vegetables can assist with urinary health and digestion.

 

How do I ensure clean teeth for my pets?

The most common myth is that dry food can clean all the teeth! Dry food will never clean the front teeth. The front teeth can only be cleaned naturally by feeding meat or a bone (raw or dehydrated). Deer antlers and goat horns are touted to remove 70% of plague in dogs but are not suitable for puppies.

The front teeth are designed for eating and ripping meat from a bone.  The teeth down the side to the back are best cleaned naturally by a bone or chew treat. Wolves and other wild animals similar to the dog never had dry food to maintain teeth. The African wild dog is renowned for having very healthy teeth and gums.

For overall dental and oral health, use supplements like dental chew and powder 

 

How old does my pet have to be before it can go on a BARF diet?

Once the pets are weaned, they can start going on a BARF diet. However, younger pets may require more frequent feeding than older ones. The suggested serving per day is 4% of the pet’s weight. It is also recommended that Kangaroo BARF needs to be supplemented with a protein of higher fat content such as Lamb, especially for younger pets and pups.