Organ Meats in Raw Food for Dogs
When transitioning your dog to raw food, it’s easy to focus mostly on muscle meat and bone. However, organ meats are another important component commonly included in prey model raw feeding.
Organs such as the liver, kidney, heart, and spleen contain naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and are typically included in smaller portions within raw feeding routines.
Understanding how these organs fit into a prey model raw structure can help make the feeding approach easier to understand.
Why Organ Meats Are Included in Raw Feeding
Prey model raw feeding is typically built around three core components:
• Muscle meat
• Edible bone
• Organ meat
Muscle meat usually makes up the majority of a raw meal, while organ meats contribute a variety of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals that differ from those found in muscle meat.
Because organs contain concentrated nutrients, they are generally included in smaller amounts within prey model raw feeding structures.
Liver in Raw Dog Food
The liver is one of the most commonly included organs in raw feeding routines. In prey model raw feeding, liver is typically part of the organ portion of the formula and is included in smaller quantities due to its concentrated nutrient content.
Liver naturally contains nutrients such as:
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B12
• Iron
• Copper
• Zinc
Because these nutrients occur in concentrated amounts, liver is generally included in controlled portions within raw feeding formulas.
Liver also has a strong aroma and flavor that many dogs quickly recognize. For some dogs, liver becomes one of the more noticeable ingredients in a raw meal.
Kidney in Raw Feeding
The kidney is another organ sometimes included in raw feeding routines. Like the liver, the kidney contains a variety of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals.
The kidney naturally contains:
• B vitamins
• Iron
• Zinc
In prey model raw feeding, the kidney is often included alongside the liver to complete the organ portion of the feeding structure.
Kidney has a softer texture than muscle meat, which adds variety to the texture of a raw meal.
Heart in Raw Dog Food
The heart is often discussed slightly differently than other organs in raw feeding conversations. While it is technically an organ, the heart is usually categorized as muscle meat within prey-model raw feeding structures.
The heart naturally contains:
• Protein
• Taurine
• B vitamins
Because of its texture and composition, the heart is commonly included as part of the muscle meat portion of raw feeding routines rather than the secreting organ portion.
Heart also has a firm texture that many dogs enjoy, which makes it a commonly used ingredient in raw feeding formulas.
Spleen in Raw Feeding
The spleen is another organ that may appear in prey model raw feeding routines. It is often used as a second secreting organ alongside the liver within the organ portion of the feeding structure.
Spleen naturally contains nutrients such as:
• Iron
• B vitamins
• Zinc
Like other organs, the spleen is generally included in smaller portions due to its concentrated nutrient profile.
Including the spleen alongside other organs introduces additional nutrient variety within the organ portion of a raw feeding structure.
What Are the Secreting Organs in Raw Feeding?
When discussing organs in prey model raw feeding, you may hear the term “secreting organs.” This phrase refers to organs that perform secretory roles in the body and are typically included in the organ portion of raw feeding structures.
Common examples of secreting organs include:
• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidney
• Pancreas
• Brain
In many prey model raw feeding routines, liver is one of the primary organs included, and it is often paired with another secreting organ, such as spleen or kidney.
Because secreting organs contain concentrated levels of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, they are usually included in smaller portions compared to muscle meat.
Many raw feeders learn about secreting organs when exploring prey model raw feeding or learning more about raw food for dogs, since organs are one of the core components of this feeding structure.
Common Organs in Raw Feeding
| Organ | Raw Feeding Role | Typical Use |
| Liver | Primary secreting organ | Part of the organ portion |
| Kidney | Secondary secreting organ | Often used alongside liver |
| Spleen | Secondary secreting organ | Alternative secreting organ |
| Heart | Muscle meat category | Often included with muscle meats |
Organ Portions in Prey Model Raw Feeding
In prey model raw feeding, organs are only one part of the overall feeding structure. A commonly referenced guideline is the 80/10/10 framework, which generally includes:
• 80% muscle meat
• 10% edible bone
• 10% organ meat
Within that organ portion, the liver is typically included along with another secreting organ, such as the spleen or kidney.
This structure helps maintain consistency when preparing raw meals.
How RawFedK9 Includes Organs
At RawFedK9, our formulas follow a prey model raw structure that includes muscle meat, bone, and organ meat.
These ingredients are combined in consistent ratios and portioned into formats designed to make feeding convenient, including:
• 8 oz patties
• 3 oz medallions
• 5 lb chubs
These formats allow owners to portion meals easily depending on their dog’s size and feeding routine.
Protein Rotation When Feeding Raw Food for Dogs
When feeding raw food for dogs, protein rotation is an important part of many feeding routines.
At RawFedK9, we generally suggest feeding 3–4 different proteins each month and rotating proteins regularly rather than feeding the same protein continuously.
Rotation can be done in several simple ways:
• Feeding two proteins in one meal
• Rotating proteins between meals
• Rotating proteins every few days
• Rotating proteins when opening a new box
Because RawFedK9 offers a wide variety of proteins, many owners simply select several proteins each month and rotate them throughout their dog’s meals.
Learning More About Raw Feeding
For owners interested in learning more about raw food for dogs, RawFedK9 provides resources designed to help explain prey model raw feeding and protein rotation.
Our Raw Feeding Guide and Transition Packs provide step-by-step information for owners exploring raw feeding.
Individual dogs may respond differently to dietary changes. If your dog has ongoing health concerns, consult your veterinarian.
