Gracie, our rescued mongrel, joined our family in 2018 at just 2 years old. Having briefly experienced the benefits of a raw diet with our previous dog — who lived to the age of 16, I made the decision to transition Gracie to BARF from the outset.

The diet is comprehensively nutritious and has done wonders for her coat, digestion, and overall constitution. This was crucially evident during her bout of critical illness back in June 2024.

Gracie experienced an Addisonian crisis over the course of just four days. Despite medication — her diarrhoea, vomiting, food and eventual water refusal did not abate. When we admitted her to the ICU, her sodium levels were the lowest the hospital had ever recorded — any later, and we would have lost her. Due to her now-compromised immune system, complications followed: Dry Eye (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca), Babesia Gibsoni, Vasculitis, and Osmotic Demyelination. After a harrowing 30 days in the ICU, along with the disappointing realisation that some of these conditions were likely contracted during her time previously in foster care, she was finally stable enough to come home.

In hindsight, I believe her early adoption of the BARF diet played a major role in her survivability. Gracie had been living with these unknown dormant conditions from 2 to 6 years of age (4 years) as a healthy pup.

During post-discharge recovery, she was placed on a prescription diet, but struggled to regain weight. Once she was stable enough to return to BARF, her health visibly rebounded — regaining weight, energy, and her character.

While her neuro complication will take time to resolve, or never fully so, BARF has proven to serve her well. I remain a steadfast advocate for this diet, and Gracie — who has endured one of the worst medical emergencies any dog could face, stands as a 7-year-old living testament to its long-term benefits.

Owner: Addy

Furkid: Gracie, 7 y/o mongrel

Years on BARF: 5