[Carly H]

Dream bones are made of plastic like the kind they use for dog bowls, melamine. Plastic! Dogs have died from obstructions and cancer and more! Don’t give your dog anything from china ! Covid , dog treats nothing from china !

[Steven C]

Our dog, a Havanese, loved Dream Bones, particularly the sticks wrapped in chicken strips. She was eating these nearly exclusively for the past few years. She died recently of cancer and had just turned ten.
I did notice these treats were made in China and I noticed also that sorbitol was an ingredient. At times, she did get loose stools, and maybe they occurred when she ate a lot of them?
Not sure if the cancer (which showed up as a mass on her liver in the X-ray we had taken) was a direct result of her eating Dream Bones.
I sincerely hope not – in any case, I think when we get another dog eventually, we will not buy any food products from China or outside the US.

[Bob J]

expensive dog food always available. not purina(corn) $0.70 , raw chicken drumsticks $1 , raw hamburg $4 , top/bottom broiler $4 , many dogs fussy about eggs , no cooked bones.

[mattunderwater]

Hello!

We have an 11-month-old yellow lab (male) who currently weighs approximately 27kg. After recommendations from our pet store and dog trainer, we switched the little guy to Dr. Clauder’s Hyposensitive Duck & Potatoes at around 5-6 months as we were told that the Junior food is packed with a lot of calories that usually contribute to accelerated weight gain and that might cause problems with the developing joints and bones.

Furthermore, we also add supplemental Norwegian salmon oil (two pumps) in the morning and FITMIN DOG PURITY JOINTS & PREVENTION with his evening meal.

During our regular vet check-ups, we were told that he is very healthy and is in a great weight range.

The reason for this post: I’ve read so much conflicting information out there regarding when to switch junior dogs to adult food; some say earlier, some say later, and that it is better to keep junior dogs on junior food for longer rather than not enough.

I’ve now got a lot of questions and am very concerned as I love this guy more than life itself… Is what we did wrong? How did we affect our dog? Should we switch back to junior food? If yes, until what age?

[Chris S]

My dog Gracie has 2 favorite treats that I would like to share & hope that Dog Food Adviser would check into whats good or bad about them:

Blue Buffalo True Chews Natural Dog Treats, Chicken Bacon Recipe

SmartBones Mini Bones with Real Chicken Rawhide-Free Chews

She loves both of these. The Smart Bones really smell good enough that I havev been tempted to eat them also.

Thanks!

[Mutts and Cats]

Thanks Aimee for the link and additional info on meat. I guess I didn’t read far enough to learn that the meat vs. bone rules are different for poultry.

It’s still bugging me that the 3.15% figure for phosphorous seems too high if they are using just meat, organs, and bones for the ingredients. It seems like the phosphorous can’t be that high without the calcium being even higher than 3.91%.
From my research on the calcium and phosphorous content of meats and bones, the duck meat should have a phosphorous content of only about 0.6% (dry matter) and the organs a little higher, but still barely over 1%. And of course very little Ca for the meat and organs. The Ca:P ratio of bone is generally between 2.0 and 2.5. So when I crunch numbers I just can’t figure out how they could have gotten to 3.91% and 3.15%. If they are using bone to get the P that high then the Ca should be much higher, yet they have conveniently ended up with a 1.2:1 Ca:P ratio. But, I’m probably missing something, and my comps are fairly crude, especially for the organs. So . . . it’s probably possible with the listed ingredients, but I have a nagging feeling that things don’t add up. Please speak up if you see any flaws in my numbers/logic.

Even if the 3.91% and 3.15% figures are possible with the listed ingredients, they are still high enough to possibly be a health concern in my mind, even though they have kept the Ca:P ratio at 1.2:1. They are way over the AAFCO maximums of 1.8% and 1.6%. Welcome your thoughts. M&C

[Patricia A]

My three small dogs’ have been on grain free kibble as a base with various freeze dried and home cooked as toppers. I’m really confused as to what camp to be in. Whether grain free was a marketing gimmick vs dogs’ are carnivores and don’t receive any benefits from grains. Even though the fed grain free has taurine added, I’m still not liking the ingredient splitting with the legumes. How much protein coming from animal protein vs the peas etc. Based on the first few ingredients would like to know opinions on one brand is possibly superior to the other. I won’t give name as to prejudice . If that makes sense. I’m concerned about the type of grain and digestibility. Aimee and Crazy for cats would love your opinions and reasoning also.. Just want to transition slowly and give the grain inclusive a try.
One brand has ALL source origins on their website. The other I emailed and they were transparent and sent me their sources INCLUDING their supplements/vitamins and supplement pack sources. None from China.
Cage-Free Chicken Chicken Meal Oatmeal Pearled Barley Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols) Pumpkin Quinoa Chicken Liver Natural Chicken Flavor Chicken Gizzard Flaxseed Salmon Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols) Coconut Flour Salt Pumpkin Seeds Organic Cranberries Organic Spinach Organic Beets Organic Carrots Organic Squash Organic Blueberries Inulin (from Chicory Root) Thyme Sage Rosemary Extract Mixed Tocopherols (preservative) Dried Kelp Potassium Chloride Dicalcium Phosphate Taurine Choline Chloride Zinc Proteinate Iron Proteinate Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate Sodium Selenite Vitamin E Supplement Calcium Iodate Thiamine Mononitrate Niacin Supplement D-calcium Pantothenate Riboflavin Supplement Vitamin A Supplement Vitamin D3 Supplement Vitamin B12 Supplement Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Folic Acid Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici fermentation product Dried Lactobacillus

SECOND BRAND

INGREDIENT

Salmon
United States, Alaska

Oats
United States, North Dakota / Canada, Saskatchewan

Whitefish Meal
United States, Alaska

Sorghum
United States, North Dakota

Quinoa
Canada, Saskatchewan

Coconut Oil
Indonesia / Philippines

Herring Meal
Canada, Newfoundland / Mexico
Wild Caught in the deep cold Atlantic Ocean, our Herring meal contains high amounts of high quality protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Natural Flavor
United States, Missouri / Canada, Quebec

Millet
United States, Colorado

Pumpkin
United States, Michigan, Missouri

Salmon Oil
Canada, New Brunswick

Apples
United States, Michigan

Chia Seed
Paraguay

Potassium Chloride
Canada, Saskatchewan

Salt
United States, Kansas

Chicory Root
Belgium

Choline Chloride
United States, Missouri

Vitamin E Supplement
Switzerland / United States

Calcium Pantothenate
Scotland

Niacin Supplement
Switzerland

Vitamin A Supplement
Switzerland / France

Riboflavin Supplement (B2)
Germany

Vitamin D3 Supplement
United States / France

Vitamin B12 Supplement
France

Thiamine Mononitrate (B1)
Germany

Folic Acid
France
Folic acid is essential for brain and nervous system function and is needed for protein utilisation and red blood cell formation.

Zinc Proteinate
United States

Calcium Carbonate
United States
Calcium carbonate is a supplement that contributes to the total calcium levels that are needed to maintain healthy bones and teeth.

Iron Proteinate
United States

Copper Proteinate
United States

Manganese Proteinate
United States

Calcium Iodate
United States / Canada

Selenium Yeast
United States

Taurine
Japan

Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative)
United States, Iowa

Cinnamon
Vietnam / Indonesia

Turmeric
India
Formulated to help pets thrive
Formulated to help pets thrive
OceanWise® approved wild caught salmon
A wholesome blend of ancient grains like millet, quinoa, sorghum and chia seeds
No peas, legumes and potatoes
No corn, wheat or soy
No artificial flavors or preservatives

• This topic was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[Jessica G]

My miniature schnauzer is 2 years and 4 months old. She has been having seizures and face/body tremors throughout the weekend. The only thing new to her diet is milk bones multi colored peanut butter flavored and bark’n bac’n lean by ol roy. I have been researching and see that both of them contain BHA and red dye 40. The only treats she has ever had before this was the American vetdogs peanut butter training treats. I now know that those treats, too, contain BHA but not red dye 40! The two days that she had multiple seizures and crazy body movements (that looked like paroxysmal dyskinesia) she was given both the milk bones and the bark’n bac’n lean treats. The following days she was given only the bark’n bac’n lean treats only bc they fit into the treat jar and the milk bone box was so big so I put it away for layer. She has gotten increasingly better but is still not 100%. I plan to not give her any of that and see how it goes. I’m not sure if it’s food related or if she has some neurological condition that I am still unaware of. We have an appt with her vet this Friday when I am off of work.

[lizzie R]

Hey, I just found this forum and am excited to hear anybody’s opinion.

I have a 6 year old GSD, 115 pounds, healthy weight. No illness or adverse conditions. I have been feeding him a home cooked diet going on three years. In the very beginning I briefly flirted with raw recommended by a vet, but it wasn’t for me. My current vet is afraid to give any nutritional advice and so sometimes I feel like Lewis and Clark here.

His daily diet:

whole wheat sourdough bread
(I make a 250g flour loaf every other day and split it in two)
14-16 oz beef scraps
(Relatively high fat in the 30-40% range depending on the cut)
8 oz chicken meat and bones
(I boil them into a stock for 24 hours so they mush in your hands, no sharp edges)
1.5 cups of said stock
(Seasoned with celery seed, thyme, parsley, rosemary, shitake)
.5 Tbsp butter
1 duck egg
Half a cup of vegetables of some kind (green beans right now)
A small handful of fruit
(Raspberries right now)
A small handful of leafy greens

At least once a month he will have fish of some kind. Mussels, shrimp or other shellfish

My current philosophy is:

I don’t do supplements because I don’t take supplements. If I can meet my own nutritional needs I should be able to meet my dog’s. My goal is for that not to change.

Just curious what fellow home-cookers think.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read!

[d W]

hello, i am about to make dr beckers raw food recipe for my dog and cat ( i have her book with all the homemade recipes in).
in the recipes it says to use salt but it does not say what type of salt.. i,m wondering if i can use celtic sea salt.
does anyone please know (without guessing- sorry i dont mean that to sound cheeky) if i can use any salt such as celtic sea salt etc….i dont want to use normal salt you buy from the shops as it is said to not be good for you at all.
i know this is a dog site but if anyone makes dr beckers recipe for their pets and for their cat as well can i also ask what mg taurine you use for the cat recipe as i notice that taurine is sold in 500mg and 1000mg capsules but the book just says to use a 1 gram capsule..it does not say the mg amount.
my dog has been eating raw meat-bones since a puppy .he is around 6 years old and my cat the same age has been eating cat food from tins…dog has perfect perfect white teeth and cat has grotty teeth so i really want to also make the recipe for cats as well ,not just to help his teeth but for his overall health.
i really want to try dr b,s raw recipes but am worried about the salt. if it is to you sea salt.
i hope someone can help (with out guessing;).
also does anyone know if dr beckers recipe has changed from whats in the book as the book was printed in 2011..i cannot find any info at all on her recipes except from this book of hers..
i cant find a few of the now supplements..does dr becker still recommend the now brand? hopefully someone can help
thankyou so much.

[Kelsey R]

My 12 year old dog had a seizure and face tremors recently. We are linking it to the Milkbone – mini’s – please be aware!! These dog treats/dog food companies do not care about the health of the dog. My dad feeds our dog approx 5-10 milkbones every night. I’ve been noticing it’s having an effect on her attention and cognition. She almost seems dazed and stares in an area in the room for an extended period of time. I’m so glad I have found this thread as i searched for milk bone dog treats + seizures on google tonight. This only happens at night after she has digested the treats. Something does not seem right…..

[Ann H]

This is in reference to Ryan and his dog. My dog suffers from GERD & tracheal collapse. He honks like a goose and retches sometimes off and on all day. After many, many hours and days of research I have found what helps with my dog. I love my vet but she goes right for the meds just like a people doc. Pepcid is bad for the bones and has been proven such in humans so much so, that I myself, have stopped taking acid reflux meds and treat it naturally. Look up slippery elm & Manuka honey for acid reflux and tracheal collapse. The licking of the lips, sometimes frantically, and the grass eating, is because the acid is giving them so much pain and tastes horrible in their mouth and throat. The softer the food the better, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, bluberries, bone broth ( natural), meat, fish, eggs, rice, oatmeal, etc. Give smaller meals throughout the day and lift their bowl up off the floor so it is level with their throat. Also, probiotics & green-lipped mussels. Hope this helps it did for my dog.

[Lyle G]

My dog Bandit is a mix part pointer/  Coon hound seven years old. He started having seizures about a month ago. He had one minor seizure and two big ones.  I took him to the vet  where they did blood work.  Everything tested good. The vet wanted to put him on seizure meds. I started thinking about any recent changes in his eating habits.  The one change was his treats. I changed to milk bones  multi color which has Red dye-40 as well as other dyes in it.  He was given 4 or 5 treats a day for approximately 2 months.  Before putting him on anti seizure meds, I decided to change his treats to a healthy treat. It’s been eleven days so far with no signs of seizure.  My sister owns a blond Labrador, who is eight years old. He is currently being treated for seizures for the past 4 years.  I just found out she has been giving her dog milk bones multi colered forever. I am no sure if there is a relation between my dogs seizure and the milk bones multi colored but time will tell. I will post a follow up message in a month.

[Tammy S]

I have found these in 5 or 6 different brands over the past year or so. I stopped buying kibble and started making food but a year later thought I’d try kibble again, same hard slivers in these kibble, too. My babies eat salmon varieties, too. Salmon bones are soft so I’m curious how the chips of other bones get into their kibble. A while ago I did see a review of a kibble where someone posted pics of the exact thing I’m finding, so it’s a thing that needs to be addressed.

[jeanne e]

RAWHIDE STICKS, BONES, CHEWS & other processed chew treats.

My dog is very sick. BW showed liver level of 950. Normal is about 130 ish. Doing research on the above chew sticks that he loves I came across these toxic ingredients. High liver enzymes can be caused by anything ingested that is toxic. The above, on many different websites showed the following results.
When tested: Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Chromium salts, Formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals have been detected in rawhides. So it’s safe to say that any sort of glues can be used as well!
3-5 days to digest, so whatever given amount, the rawhide with the toxic chemicals sit in their organs and do damage.
The piece of rawhide may be flexible enough and get broke down by the intestinal tract enough to pass (it can take 3-5 days)

[Farouk F]

If you have a puppy all the way to a senior dog…listen very closely – the sooner you remove this item from your home, the healthier your family dog will be.

With this common household item that nearly 100% of DOG OWNERS have in their home, I shortened my dog’s life, killing her with cancer…without even knowing it…

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In fact, this simple method has been used by tens-of-thousands of dog owners all across the world…
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Click Here For more Info : https://bit.ly/3uAXYKh

[Susan]

Hi
Stop feeding the Stella & Chewy raw..
Find a free range human grade raw company or make your own raw diet with human grade raw meats/green veggies.
Sounds like the raw meat might be high in Toxins, Heavy Metals & Contaminates. Toxins can cause elevated ALT levels??
This was happening with my boy 2yrs ago when he ate a certain USA kibble he kept having elevated ALT levels..Then this USA pet food company was all over the internet being sued for their kibble being very HIGH IN TOXINS.
As soon as I changed his diet to a different brand his elevated ALT levels went back to normal.
My dogs Nutritionist who formulated my dog raw diet said to only use human grade meats I eat, she would NOT let me feed any of these Pre-made raw pet foods.
It’s worth a try changing diet & see what happens, also your dog needs to be on a large breed puppy diet till 2yrs old so his growing bones don’t grow too quickly & cause joint problems later on, if you have the money find a Nutritionist to balance him a raw diet made from Human grade ingredients + blended green veggies so diet is not too high in calcium and phosphorus & hopefully toxin free…
https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/articles/giant-expectations-nutrition-for-the-large-breed-puppy/

[Sara G]

Hi, I know this question was several years ago but I just wanted to give you my experience and opinion. I feed my dogs a part raw part kibble diet. I have fed several brands of dog food through the years, and the best one I have ever fed is the Ol Blue Builder. I have fed Diamond Naturals, Victor, Sportmix Premium and the wholesome and I believe Purina at one point. All of theses foods fell short in my opinion for several reasons. The Diamond Naturals made them poop way too much as did the Sportmix Wholesomes. The Sportmix Premium also caused alot of poop and it was very dark and very smelly. I fed the Victor before they changed alot of their recipes and I had no trouble with it but could not tell really any difference in it and the Ol Blue to pay $20 or $30 more a bag. Now about the meat and bone meal issue. All dog foods unless they state that the meat in it is boneless then the beef meal, chicken meal, Pork meal etc has bone meal in it. It must state that the meat is boneless or it does contain bone plain and simple. So even most high end dog foods do contain meat and bone meal they just cover it up and say chicken meal, beef meal, etc. I actually appreciate Ol Blue for being honest about what is in their food and not trying to hide anything. So unfortunately in the dog food world the more it cost does not necessarily mean the food is better quality. Purina is the poster child for this.
My dogs have all done great on the Ol Blue. Their poop is very firm minimal and doesn’t hardly have any smell. In a day or so after they poop it turns a very light color and will turn to powder if you step on it. This is what happens to dogs fed an all raw diet. So what that tells me is that the food is mostly meat, fat and bones with enough starch to keep the kibble together. Starch has to be present in all kibble to keep it together whether the starch is corn, peas, rice etc. The corn they use is non GMO which I believe does make a difference. They also have 2 recipes that do not contain corn. I have toured the mill talked to the people and seen where it is made. It has never had a recall and everything is sourced locally. My dogs have all done great on it and I have several different breeds and ages. I have tried high dollar dog foods and none of them worked as well as Ol Blue. If you can’t get Ol Blue in your area then Valu Pak Free by Specialty Feeds is also a good feed. It is my second favorite dog food. It is in second place because they poop more after eating it. Hope that helps that’s just experience and opinion on it.

[Brian M]

I have a Ninja blender and I am happy with it. But I have a simpler model that does not grind bones. The brand itself is good, but choose according to your needs. Some models are described here https://devices4home.com/best-ninja-blender Hope it will help you.

[Chipy]

Good question, Mitch. When it comes to grain-free and/or pea-free diets, we need consider the overall quality of the food and the root cause of taurine deficiency.

The “grain-free” marketing term refers to processed dry food/kibble that is an extruded, highly processed product; whether it is full of grains or grain-free, it is not healthy.

The main ingredients in the grain-free diets are often peas, lentils, chickpeas and potatoes — carbohydrates typically intended to replace grains – rather than high-quality meat protein. This explains why some dogs became taurine deficient when fed these diets, as taurine (an essential amino acid that supports heart health) is naturally found in fresh meat and organs.

So it’s best to avoid most grains and starches (because they are not a natural part of a canine’s diet) and focus on increasing the amount of fresh meat and organs in your dog’s diet to naturally prevent DCM.

Dogs have much shorter digestive tracts than herbivores and can’t process high-carb foods like grains and starchy carbs very well. This often results in excessive food fermentation and gas.

You can replace starchy carbs with cooked squash or pumpkin, especially for dogs with digestive upset. Grains (including rice) in general can contribute to IBD. Arsenic toxicity in rice is also a serious problem.

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/113943301-how-to-avoid-foods-high-in-arsenic-and-keep-your-dog-healthy

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014993-what-veggies-are-good-for-dogs

The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat, organs and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens. A varied, species-appropriate diet, along with all-natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics is the way to go.

It is very rare for a dog to have a taurine deficiency when consuming an unprocessed, fresh food diet because taurine is so readily available in meats and organs. It may need to be supplemented if your dog has been tested as deficient, but overall dogs get enough of this amino acid from fresh food, and from their ability to manufacture it in their own body.

If you are concerned, connect with your holistic or integrative vet to get your pup tested and you can discuss options together based on the results.

Here are some links to a quick & easy Natural Diet Course, and an online Recipe Maker that I hope you will find helpful if you want to learn more about alternatives to processed food. Your dog will love you for it! 🙂 Switching from kibble to fresh food was the best decision we made a few years ago to improve our pup’s health and reduce unnecessary vet bills.

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com/

Wishing you and your pup all the best 🙂

[Chipy]

Hi Soph, so great that you switched to a 100% homemade diet for your girl. My pup is about the same size as yours and eggshells didn’t work for him. Bonemeals are often high in toxic heavy metals such as lead, and low-level lead poisoning can damage kidneys, liver and nerves over time so I would be careful with them.

If you don’t feed any raw bones, you can use GreenMin as the main calcium source. Dr. Dobias has found that dogs who are on GreenMin, and are not consuming any bone in their diet, consistently have results within normal ranges for calcium levels on their hair analysis test.

Also, please be aware that Balanceit. com provides synthetic vitamin & mineral mixes. I was considering it many years ago when we switched to a homemade diet but I don’t like feeding anything that is NOT natural. There is a big difference in how the body abosorbs nutrients from whole food-based vs synthetic chemical-based supplements.

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/15188693-synthetic-supplements-for-dogs-can-cause-serious-problems

We have been using the Fab4 (GreenMin, SoulFood, GutSense, and FeelGood Omega) for many years and our dog loves them. He is super healthy at the age of 10 and we are very grateful for Dr. Dobias and his pure products.

Dog Essentials

These natural supplements are like wholesome food, the body recognizes them as such and only absorbs what it requires. As every dog has slightly different nutritional requirements, it’s best to provide a wide variety of nutrients to support the body. Here is what we add to our pup’s homemade diet to fill in any nutritional gaps.

GreenMin, as a source of plant-based minerals, calcium, amino-acids, and super greens
SoulFood, as a certified organic multivitamin with additional organ support components
GutSense, as a source of dog specific certified organic probiotics
FeelGood Omega, to supplement Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3s) – Sardines can be high in toxic strontium!

In a perfect world, a wide variety of food would keep your dog’s body nourished and no supplements would be required. The problem is, due to intensive agriculture, minerals and nutrients do not get recycled back into the soil, leading to a lack of minerals in the whole food chain.

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/15072565-how-many-supplements-are-too-many-for-your-dog

I encourage you to do your own research and only choose the highest quality products for your dog. They deserve the best! 🙂

[Carupup]

Hello,everyone,first post here…
I’m going to attempt the homemade food as well when my small breed puppy comes home but I think for me, the veggies in purée form will be easier on their tummies and I’ll skip the root vegetables and just give him mostly leafy greens/some herbs and skip the rice as well and go with quinoa,millet and similar grains.
I’ll have to find a local butcher and maybe get “whole” ground turkey,rabbit,goat…etc,including bones and also use the kidneys, liver and hearts, but getting the ratios right is going to be the most challenging,especially for a puppy.I’d like to give him something different every day,ideally, because I think variety is key.Egg shells (calcium) and some sort of supplement will also be part of the diet.
Another option would be maybe using the “base mixes” like the Honest Kitchen ones and adding the protein to it to start the puppy off and then switch to home cooked only,….if he does well.
No kibble will ever be used in his diet, never have with any of my pets.
I hope I get this right cause I want my new baby to live a long and happy life.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Susan]

Hi Andree,
What does your vet say about 8 to 9 bouts of diarrhea a day- Grade 7.
You need to work out does she do better on a lower fiber diet -2% under fiber or a higher fiber food -7%+ fiber,
What is the fiber % what she is eating now? Is it Royal Canin Hypoallergenic vet diet?? is it a low fiber diet-1% fiber??
Also if she is a Large Breed puppy then she needs a large breed puppy kibble so her bones don’t grow to quickly causing Osteoarthritis & joint problems.
Tell vet the vet diet he/she prescribed is NOT helping your dog, you can also call/email Hills, Royal Canin they have Vet Nutritionist who can advise on what is the best vet diet for double intestine recession and introplacation of the intestine?
A vet nutritionist will probably know a bit more about diet then your vet knows about nutrition.

My boy suffers IBD I found grain free – Potato kibbles work best for Patch- NO Lentils, Lentils can cause intestinal stress.
Wellness Core L/B Wellness Complete Health Large Breed kibbles
Canidae All Life Stages, Large Breed Turkey Meal & Brown Rice kibble.

Maybe a raw diet would be best if she cant handle Fiber, or those dog rolls sold in pet fridge section.
You never put up your F/B group name.

[sienna11711]

Hi,

Just to clear up any misunderstandings here WondrousPups your suggestions have been great but Susan does have a valid point. When you have a dog with a really sensitive digestive system even the best supplements and whole foods can cause them distress. I personally have gastroparesis and I cannot handle turmeric in any capacity. I don’t think Susan was trying to discredit the benefits, I think she has a lot of valuable experience. Having a “mystery” case dog is extremely stressful. I have tried a home cooked diet and raw diet and I did not experience any of the benefits of it for my dog. The people in the raw feeding facebook group treated me extremely harshly and insisted my dog needed to detox further even though she was slowly becoming skin and bones. Please be sensitive to that! We are trying so hard.

Susan unfortunately the endoscope and biopsy are out of my price range at the moment 🙁 I am getting an affordable second opinion with a telehealth visit with a vet from Barcelona, I’m looking forward to what she may think. Your vet made an EXCELLENT point- IBD can occur anywhere along the digestive tract, just because a dog isn’t having diarrhea or vomiting does not mean they don’t have IBD.

Also, lastly, (Patricia A) my vet said my dog could have IBD and we could certainly try the Hills IBD diet if I wanted to go down that road but she really didn’t seem convinced that it was. So there’s really no official actual diagnosis besides anxiety/stress. But I would classify her symptoms as some form of IBD or IBS – ravenous hunger, inability to digest anything besides kibble, poor fat digestion, resulting weak immunity, in the past she had chronic regurgitation as well.

[Oliver W]

Hey. There are many articles on the Internet on this topic. But they all advise against giving bones to dogs. Because bones can injure the intestines when, and even puncture it. And often dogs choke on such bones

[rhodes J]

Hi Everyone
Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or BARF, is formulated to closely match the canine diet that nature intended.
It’s a modern spin on your dog’s ancient roots.
While they may be far removed from their wild canine ancestors, your dog still has the inherited traits that allow them to break down fresh meat to keep their body running strong.
A diet of muscle meat, bones, and organs, plus eggs and fish, imitates the prey your dog would eat in the wild.
Additions like select fruit, veggies, and seeds fill in nutritional gaps so your dog can get a more fortifying diet than their ancestors ever did.
I used this for the better protein diet of my dog & it shows significant change
Dog Raw Food Diet Plan

[Chipy]

Hi Jessica,

So awesome that you are switching to fresh food! Your pups are very lucky to have you!! 🙂

We switched to home-made meals many years ago and it was the best decision to support our dog’s health. I am happy to share some resources that have been super helpful in guiding us to prepare balanced, home-cooked, and raw meals.

To learn the basics, I suggest you start with this quick and easy Natural Diet Course which contains videos and articles full of information on this subject; https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

This online Recipe Maker will help you build healthy meals for your dogs with the ingredients you have available. It provides guidance on amounts of each ingredient and which ingredients are best; https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

The key is to offer a variety of both proteins and vegetables and add essential nutrients (non-synthetic, wholefood-based supplements) to help fill in any nutritional deficiencies; https://peterdobias.com/collections/adult-dog-essentials

When it comes to recommendations on where to purchase high-quality meat and bones, it’s difficult to provide specific options as that will vary depending on where you live. I have some general advice that I would like to share and hope you find helpful.

Connecting with your local butcher is a great option, but you can always go to the supermarket as most meat departments have butchers working on site.

Bones that we are looking to feed our dogs are not often packaged for the display shelves. If you chat with them, they might have something you are looking for or can work with you to put it aside next time.

Some people that live in the country connect with local farmers or those that have friends or family that go hunting for a game could potentially give you items that they would discard when they are processing meat.

Pet stores are beginning to carry more natural food including stocking freezers with various bones and brands of pre-packaged, raw dog food. Unfortunately many primarily carry a lot of big beef marrow bones which are very hard and can lead to teeth fractures. On speaking to the pet store owner about what you are looking for, they are more likely to carry alternatives if they know that people want to buy them.

There are many Raw Food suppliers that ship nationwide and you can also try to connect with dog lovers in your area in person or online through Facebook groups etc to see if they have suggestions.

I hope you find the above information useful for your beloved dogs. Wishing you a great rest of the week! 🙂
Chipy

[Chipy]

Hi Jake,

I am sorry to hear that you are going through this with your beloved pup, and understand that you would like to provide him with some immediate relief.

Allergies and skin problems are often the signals that the body is out of balance. Dr. Dobias has written several articles on the topics of allergies and paw licking that I have shared with you below. Many dog lovers are surprised to learn about the underlying cause of these common issues and the natural protocols that can be super helpful.

WHY ARE SKIN ALLERGIES IN DOGS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED?
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014037-why-are-skin-allergies-in-dogs-often-misdiagnosed

WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS – NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENT:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015041-why-dogs-lick-their-paws-natural-approach-to-treatment

5-STEP HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PAW LICKING IN DOGS:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014073-what-you-should-know-about-paw-licking-and-chewing-in-dogs

Apoquel can look like a miracle for dogs with allergies and their human companions watching them itch, however the negative effects of this drug are now well documented.

I recommend that you seek the guidance of a local holistic/integrative vet to help you with alternative treatment options and also have your dog’s spine checked by a chiropractor – as issues with spinal health are related to skin problems in dogs. I have included some links to help you find holistic practitioners in your area:

VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian

http://www.civtedu.org/directory/

Regarding diet, it’s best to avoid processed food (kibble and canned food) entirely and provide a fresh, raw or cooked diet for your dog. Dry dog food/kibble is is an extruded, highly processed product full of synthetic ingredients and starchy carbohydrates, which are very often the main cause of allergies. Every medical professional knows that fresh food is always healthier than processed food!

Fine tuning your dog’s body with a species appropriate diet and essential nutrients is the key to supporting his health and well-being. The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens, along with all natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics;

Here is a link to a quick and easy Natural Diet Course which contains videos and articles full of information on this subject and an online Recipe Maker which will help you build healthy meals for your pup with the ingredients you have available:

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

We switched to home-made meals many years ago and it was the best decision for our pup. I hope you will find these free resources helpful and wish you and your boy the best in good health.

Chipy

[Dylan O]

Has anyone tried an alternative to a hydrolyzed diet?

Here it is described in section 6.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 12 months ago by Dylan O.

[Scarlett B]

Debra,
Unless you are rich, this food is utterly unaffordable, except as a very infrequent treat. We have 11 rescues. They range from 11 to 90 pounds. Short of winning the lottery, it would be impossible for us to feed this. Even if we only had one muzzle to feed, it would still be cost prohibitive. Instead, we stick with a well rated dry and canned food brand (not grain-fee), every now and then I steam several pounds of cabbage, carrots, squash or other veggies and add them to their food, dollop of pureed pumpkin and after cutting up a whole chicken, I boil the left over parts several times, strip all the meat off the bones and top their kibble as a special treat. They also love fresh apples, tangerines, bananas, watermelon and Momo is especially fond of mango. At least this way I know what they are eating…Dr. Marty’s is more like a mystery meal….

[STEFANIE]

Hi Eszter, and everyone else:

First of, hope everyone is doing fine and staying at home. We are facing difficult times, but Im sure we will all get by in a couple of weeks (or months, depending on the evolution of a number of facts that right now are very unpredictable). Here in Brazil, and in my city Rio de Janeiro, the government has imposed rigorous restrictions, which part of society has been collaborative, and another part is just simply not aware of how serious this is. All in all, we have started our quarantine in a very early stage, and we are all hoping this will bring us a positive outcome in the medium-long turn.

As for your dog Eszter, I am very glad he has overcome all of these surgeries and is out of risk. In our case, my Border Collie (Maui) had a really really hard time with the post-surgical phase – we really did not know he would survive at all. He had aprox. 75% of his small intestines removed (basically all of his jejunum and ileum – only his duodenum was kept). In Brazil there were no registered cases of survival for dogs/cats that had this amount of small intestines removed, so he is really the first recorded case here – which is a victory, but was REALLY hard since we had NO IDEA of how to handle the first couple of months.

Since his ileum was removed, we did in fact suffer with his fesses. In the first two months, he went to the bathroom on average 20x a day, in practically liquid form. He lost A LOT of weight since the first surgery (he had 3 in total), and after his 1 month hospitalization, he only weighted 9kgs! (he started with 17kgs). He was practically skin and bones.

Now, it has been almost 2 years since he was released from the clinic, and since then we had a LONG JOURNEY. But this is a story of success, and now Maui is VERY strong. He weights 21kgs, all of his vitamins are great, and he goes to the bathroom 2 or 3 x a day! His stool is still very mushy.. the first one of the day, we can collect, the other 2, is king of a puree.. which makes is hard, however, since he got his ileum removed, there is almost no expectation that his stool will someday get back to being 100% “collectable”. He does ingest and absorb most of the good vitamins, what is the best part and it very clear since he is healthy, strong and his exams are all good.

It is hard to say exactly what will be best for your puppy… since every case is singular, but in our experience some things were essential for this positive outcome:

1) cooked Home food instead of kibble: We cook it weekly . Daily portion is about 1.2kgs (separated in 3x of 400g each). In summary each portion contains 1/3 meat without fat (in Brazil we use a meat called “Patinho” and “coxão mole” and “lagarto” – all red meat. We tried giving him chicken, but it led to 3 or 4 infections or gastroenteritis, so we never tried again. Fish was also ok, but I though he did not gain weight); 1/3 carbohydrates basically sweet potato, cassava, and a little of parboiled rice, and 1/3 vegetables: carrot, chayote, zucchini, beets, spinach or kale, string bean…

2) Pancreatin: With every meal, we give him a capsule of Pancreatin. Humam type (https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Pancreatin-10X200-250-Capsules/dp/B000776KK0)

3) Food supplements: With every meal, we give him a serving (In Brazil, we use the brand called Food Dog : https://www.petlove.com.br/suplemento-vitaminico-botupharma-pet-food-dog-adulto-manutencao/p/destaque?sku=1949715&utm_campaign=GS_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsrKigKmx6AIVghGRCh3VlQutEAQYAiABEgLdP_D_BwE)

4) Probiotics: it really depends on your dog which type is best, and the amounts…

5) B12 vitamin replacement: in the beggining every week, and now he takes the shot every 1 or 2 months;

6) Metronizadol (in Brazil, called “Flagyl”): Initially I think he took 400mg per day. Now he takes 250mg every 3 days – which is still a lot, but it keeps him from getting intestinal infections.

I think this is it. If you wish to send me an e-mail, please feel free. I had great help from Karen and Abby (they are part of this forum too). We exchanged many many emails, info and experiences since both of our dogs had similar problems – this was a HUGE relief for me and I am very VERY thankful for all the help I had from them.

Wish all of you the best,
Stefanie and Maui
email: teqinha@gmail.com
instagram account: @brotherscolliebr

[Birdie30]

Octopus B –
You mentioned that your dog already gets chicken necks? If you happen to only give her one, can you increase that to 2 (given that she’s over 35lbs)? Or one every day?

I ask because I always found that anal gland issues involve the dog not being able to express them naturally because the stool is usually too soft. My dog had to get her glands expressed once a month, and if I’d know to give her foods that would produce firmer stools, I wouldn’t have wasted so much money getting them expressed at the vet’s!

Since I’ve switched my dog over to raw this past year, her poop is way firmer, and I know this is gonna sound so gross, but I can actually SEE the gland fluid dripping as she goes…not always, but occasionally. It’s a few drops, and then her actual poop. Also, no more butt scoots as well.

You can try other foods first or try what your vet recommended, but really, I think it’s a matter of firming up the stool so that the glands express naturally. Pumpkin, owelo carrots, and raw meaty bones help firm up poop.

And lastly, giving the chicken necks works as a natural toothbrush for dogs – if you give necks often, you may not need to give her the CET treats, which have ingredients that look a little ugh, IMO.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by Birdie30.

[dogsforever123]

I would avoid it because fish bones can be very dangerous. I’d rather find a different food, the good thing is there are plenty of options that don’t pose such a risk.

[anonymous]

” I buy a rotisserie chicken, take the skin, bones, gristle out and shred it/chop it up finely”

Terrible idea. I would consult another vet (in real life not on the internet)
Rotisserie chicken is a processed food loaded with salt, msg, and a bunch of other chemicals.

I would not feed it to a human I cared for, never mind a pet.
Health conscious folks will not touch rotisserie chicken. The msg makes it very addictive.
Oh, msg has several different names, so you won’t find it on the ingredient list.

[Andrea V]

My husky puppy is now 17 weeks old and has been diarrhea free for the first time since I took her home at 8 weeks. We tried all kinds of puppy chow, soft and kibble, tested over and over for parasites. I was up at night and all day trying to take care of her needs and she was clearly uncomfortable. Finally read about some homemade dog food, and discovered a simple recipe I have been feeding her and she has now been producing excellent, normal BMs. I buy a rotisserie chicken, take the skin, bones, gristle out and shred it/chop it up finely, cook 2 sweet potatoes (medium size) in the microwave on the potato setting, cool and mash it with a fork, and cook 1/2 cup of Cream of Rice cereal with 2 cups of water, adding salt to the water, and a tablespoon of butter to the cooked cereal. Let it all cool, mix it up, and divide it into three or four portions. My dog eats a lot, maybe because she is still underweight. She has been diarrhea free for 10 days. This has helped her enormously, although it is very time consuming to put together these meals. I can now supplement (last 3 or 4 days) with the Pedigree dry kibble my 8 year old Lab eats, and plain (not flavored or food colored) Milk Bones in the Small size. I have been working closely with our vets during this time. It is just so bewildering to see a little puppy so overcome with diarrhea. Hope this helps someone.

[Ashley A]

Hi there forum!

I brought my dog to the vet since she was suffering with some pain. They ran her blood for her pain meds and had to send to a lab since there was a lot of fat in her blood / high cholesterol.

I feed ground whole prey raw in the morning with organic canned pumpkin, hemp oil and pro/prebiotic.
In the evening I feed RMB, usually chicken feet/necks/rabbit feet/whole prey etc, with hemp oil and organic canned pumpkin.

She chews on bully sticks quite often but I factor her bones into her overall daily calories usually. Please let me know if you have any advice.

To the person who comments and says your dog shouldn’t be on raw, please move along. Thanks!

[Jerry R]

NEVER COOKED BONES! Raw only. Almost any poultry bones are soft enough for any dog to chew up and digest. I avoid turkey drumsticks as they are considerably harder for my little guy. I do let him chew the raw meast off them but the bones seem to be too hard. Turkey wings he puts away no problem.
Chicken feet on the other hand he chews on and swallows whole once he has them crunched up. He just put away 2 of them in less than 30 minutes. Those are his treats.
Excellent source of glucosamine and chondroitin. Glucosamine is a drug your vet will prescribe for arthritis btw. Avoid the need for such intervention by feeding it to your dog BEFORE he suffers such a painful condition.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Jerry R.

[Laura A]

This has been always been a very Debatable topic whether raw food is more beneficial than the cooked food? Some will have you believe that cooked dog food is superior to raw dog food because raw dog food brings the risk of illness due to bacteria Current research supports that there are benefits to real ingredients. The Best option to this Solution is Try out some Branded pet food as they are excellent alternative of cooked food as it contains all the nutrients in exact proportion. Also, it does not contain any harmful pathogen. Here is a link to one: https://animals.net/best-wet-dog-food/ In my opinion I agree that dogs and bones could be a possible dangerous combination. Try choosing safe chew bones for dogs and avoid the dangers of cooked bones.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Laura A. Reason: error

[anonymous]

Hope this article helps some of the readers
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutritionnuggets/jcoates/2012/mar/dogs_bones_dangerous_combination-13528

Dogs and Bones: A Dangerous Combination

Dogs have been chewing on bones for thousands of years. This is what nature intended, right? Well maybe, but it’s an activity that is not without its risks.

As a veterinarian, I’ve seen the ill-effects of feeding dogs bones more times than I can count. The risks are significant enough that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has even gotten involved by posting the following “10 reasons why it’s a bad idea to give your dog a bone” on their Consumer Updates website.

Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.

Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see your veterinarian.

Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see your veterinarian.

Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see your veterinarian.

Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to your veterinarian immediately!

Bone gets stuck in stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy — a procedure in which your veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools — to try to remove the bone from the stomach.

Bone gets stuck in intestines. This will cause a blockage and it may be time for surgery.

Constipation due to bone fragments. Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they’re very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to your veterinarian.

Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It’s time for a trip to see your veterinarian.

Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian as peritonitis can kill your dog.

I look at feeding bones in the same way I do letting dogs run loose. Is it natural? Yes. Do dogs like it? Yes. Are there some potential benefits? Yes … until misfortune strikes. There are many ways to safely satisfy your dog’s desire to chew (e.g., toys made out of twisted rope fibers or dense rubber), to promote dental hygiene (e.g., daily tooth brushing or dental diets), and to provide your dog with the high-quality foods and balanced nutrition he needs to stay healthy.
Dr. Jennifer Coates

[Jerry R]

Disregard the unfounded nonsense about raw. My pup wouldn’t eat kibble either. After months of trying every good dog food under the sun, I finally realized he’s smarter than I thought. He knows that crap kibble is bad and being the spoiled, stubborn dachshund that he is, he knew I’d get it sooner or later.
Now he’s a happy, healthy 18 month old that eats raw meat, meaty bones, and organs. Everything he needs and none of the crap he doesn’t that kibble is full of.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Jerry R.

[Jerry R]

The vast majority of vets have little to no experience in pet nutrition. The little they do have is what kibble companies that pay for their education tell them. This is no BS either.
Science diet is a major contributor to their education which clearly explains how such a poor dog food can be #1 vet recomended.
Don’t let people like anonymous contribute to these myths about raw feeding and meaty bones.
Vets are counting on exactly that because feeding raw significantly cuts into their livlihood in greatly reduced vet visits for health issues from allergies to arthritis.
My 18 month old red longhaired dachshund recently got an A++ clean bill of health from his dr. after a brief exam while getting his rabies booster giving mention to his very healthy skin and coat and unusually clean, white chompers not normally seen in his breed.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Jerry R.

[Jerry R]

That explains it…educated in vet medicine.
They could get hit by a car too. You’re barking up the wrong tree. No pun intended.

One of many vets that say otherwise. Including mine.

http://www.thrivingcanine.com/vet_opinion_raw_meaty_bones

[Daniel B]

Hello All,
I’m interested in starting raw feeding my 45 pound, 2 year old, neutered, mid activity, healthy golden doodle.

My desire is to make about 2 weeks’ worth of meals for him at one time and then vacuum seal them in bags and freeze them.

I’d like to have chicken (bones, skin, organs, and fat), boiled sweet potatoes and carrots, human grade fish oil and sunflower oil, and a couple of eggs with the shell. Lastly I’d like to add a bit of seaweed and flaxseed all ground up and vacuum sealed for easy storage.

From my research it seems like all of these ingredients together should provide a very healthy daily meal for my best buddy.

The place I’m running into issues is how much of each of these ingredients I should do for a healthy daily meal. Can anyone give me some pointers or a place to go for more help?

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
-Daniel

[anonymous]

Yes, they (wolves) die young and suffer greatly from broken teeth, infection, bowel obstruction, ,etc.
They also suffer and die from malnutrition and parasitic diseases. Alone, deep in the woods.

Bones are dangerous for dogs, anyone who is educated in veterinary medicine knows that.

[Marcie D]

I use a toothbrush and dog enzymatic toothpaste but I am bad and I only brush when we are grooming however I have fed Oma’s pride raw pet diets for over 20 years and my last dogs were 16, never had their teeth cleaned and their teeth were white and breath fresh. I also give raw bones when they are lying around outside. When we are going in I take the bones, wash them off under the hose and put them back in a plastic bag in the freezer. I have an 11 year old mix, 10 year old GSD, 6 year old GSD and all are on raw, get bones occasionally and they all have the same white teeth and great breath. After I learned how to clean their teeth in college for Veterinary technology, I said I would never do that again to my dogs. Sorry Vets, I realize how necessary it is for many dogs but I think I have found a better way, at least for us. 🙂

[Jerry R]

I wonder what all the wolves do when they need an ER from eating bones? Must be a lot of dead ones out there from this dangerous practice.
Mine chews them thoroughly and is always supervised.
Did you know more dogs choke on dry kibble than they do bones?

[anonymous]

Make sure you have the phone number and directions to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic handy for you or anyone else that wishes to engage in this risky practice “raw meaty bones”.
I speak from experience.
Best of luck!

[Jerry R]

My 18lb dachshund has no problems with working the marrow out af far as he can in the bigger beef bones.
Loves the turkey wings too. I break them into 3 pieces. He likes the very end best and that 4-5″ wing tip is gone in 20 minutes.
He’s a hunter by nature so he’s right at home eating these bones, cartilage, and all.
One of these days he’s going to catch one of these squirrels and have a real treat. If he wasn’t fenced in he would have already.

[Hav mom]

I agree Chipy! I had to reread Dr. Dobias on the raw bone feedings. I bought one from my butcher and when I got home
was going to let my dog have it. Something made me recheck Dr. Dobias site and yep, freeze for at last 7 days due to
the possibility of tapeworms no matter where the raw meat or bones came from. Good Advice, I won’t forget that
again. By the way, do you use his supplements if I may ask????

[Jerry R]

I switched to raw for my 16 month old red longhaired dachshund after much research and him not liking any kibble I bought for him. Maybe he’s smarter than I think. He is spoiled. I feed him from the grocery store and meat market. He loves chicken and a drumstick/thigh is more than a meal for him.
He works at it for an hour(skin, bones, and all).
He gets chicken feet to chew on for a treat. He’ll crunch it up for 30-45 minuted and swallow it.
He gets turkey wings too. One of them is 3 meals for him!
Pig tails, chicken and turkey gizzards and hearts, a little lamb liver I bought 10lbs. of for $8 .
Beef and lamb when reduced for quick sale is a great way to offer variety.
He’s as healthy as can be. And those chicken feet are very high in glucosamine for joint health. Great for reducing the effects of and preventing arthritis. Cleans their teeth too.
I try to follow these basic rules but I not naive enough to believe that every meal needs to be properly balanced.
60% lean muscle meat
20 % organ meat(5% liver)
20% bones, cartilage
He gets everything he needs and none of the crap he doesn’t. Firmer poop and far less of it and it doesn’t stink to high heaven. Clean teeth.
I use common sense in ths hygiene dept. and don’t use rotten meat like I’m sure kibble has.