[somebodysme]

I was just wondering if my dog could have some sort of disease/illness which would be causing her to be so allergic to everything. She doesn’t seem like she feels bad but I know that doesn’t necessarily mean anything with dogs.

So besides having her thyroid tested…what are some things I might have her tested for? It just seems ridiculous for a dog to be allergic to so many things like bones, antlers, raw hides, peas and no telling what else. It seems like every time she chews on anything, she breaks out in a rash. Now I even think she’s allergic to a chew ball that she was chewing on and maybe even her nylabone? GAH!

[theBCnut]

Vital Essentials makes a freeze dried dog food that mine go crazy for. I use it as training treats. The chicken variety has chicken, chicken bones, and chicken organs in it. The beef has beef, beef bones, and beef organs in it. And the turkey has turkey, turkey bones, and turkey organs in it. They are dry like a kibble, but not as oily. I love it! On Fridays, we do agility and my dogs get about a whole meals worth of treats, but they have never even had a loose stool from it. And because it was meant to be a stand alone dog food, I don’t worry about unbalancing my dogs diet.

[pugmomsandy]

Justme2,
If the shepherd is a “large breed” then he needs a food with a special calcium level and calcium:phosphorus ratio for proper joint development and to avoid too fast growth of bones and orthopedic disease till he’s at least 18 months old. There’s a section here in the forum for “large breed puppies”. Check it out for sure. As for the yorkies, the smallest kibbles I’ve used are Nutrisource Small/Medium Breed Puppy, Nature’s Select Hi-Pro, Amicus (for toy breeds, grain free) and Nature’s Logic. These are ok for pups and adults and all of them are gluten free last time I checked. Then the next size up kibble but still very small is Nature’s Variety and Brothers Complete, Nutrisca, and Nutrisource grain free Lamb. I’ve used all of these in my house. I’ve fostered over 200 pugs now! On a side note, as Patty mentioned a possible grain mite issue, Purina did have a recall for mold in the recent past. How do you store your kibble? Do you keep it in the original bag and in an air tight container in air conditioning and preferably roll the bag down so there’s not much air in it? Or do you pour it out into a container? Do you clean the container before you refill it?

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hdm-

Thanks! I am going to try the recipe Sandy posted as a starter, so bones etc will be included. I know many say to add a daily multi vitamin/trace mineral, hence I am wondering if the Nupro(or something similar would work) My dogs are “pill pickers” so cutting a human “one a day” type pill will not work. Its got to be mixed in the bowl when I add the oils etc. Would the Nupro suffice as a replacement for the human multivitamin?

And, do you sprout all those seeds you listed or just the pumpkin aand sunflower? We grow pumpkins for fun/decorations and then feed them to the goats-they love them, I can steal some of those seeds, lol.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by Melissaandcrew.

[Melissaandcrew]

Well, after many phone calls, visit etc, I found a small meat processing farm that processes a lot of organic meats that is willing to sell me some of the “off casts”. The items I specifically asked for were Chicken necks, hearts/livers/gizzards, Beef heart, liver, etc. I am sure they will save any of the organs that I ask for though. Also, they process vension and can get me some of that as well, though I am assuming that will mostly be organs. We did not discuss pork etc as of yet-waiting until I pick up my first grouping to discuss further. I like to have everything here when I start a project so, if any one sees something I am missing, please let me know!

Are there any other type of meat/parts I should ask them to save? They did ask if I wanted chicken feet, but I said “not yet” as the thought just grosses me out, lol. The pricing is amazing imo, and it makes it well worth giving this a go, if if for just half their meals.

I have so far- 1) Basic meat source 2) Ordering the two books mentioned several times on this forum 3) Ordering a Tassan something or other grinder to get started. I know it says it will not do turkey bones, but I figure that is a trade off for not wanting to invest $500 plus into a grinder until I am sure I have the time and dedication to do it long term, as well as being sure it works for my crew before investing that much. 4)I do have an older chest freezer that still works, but will need to be upgraded if it pans out. 5) Plenty of fish oil on hand

6) Does any one know if “Nupro” will work for the daily vitamin/mineral source for the time being to balance everything out? While its a bit pricier, its probably cheaper than ending up with a bunch of separate ingredients if this does not work.

Please and thank you for ALL responses and suggestions!

Melissa

[Melissaandcrew]

Yes. It was 5.25lbs chicken with bone and then 3.25 lbs boneless (plus everything else) I was just curious if the necks could be ground for the “with bone” portion. They are cheap at the butchers but of no use to me if they can not be used in a ground receipe. I am ordering the two books mentioned and planning on givingIit a whirl even if I only use it ever other day. Right now the crew is msking a mess of my house with natural cut knuckle bones that said low fat. Hoping I don’t regret it with the schnauzers fat issues.

[Melissaandcrew]

Okay, question for the raw feeders here. I was out pricing meats today at various supplier throughout the area, and they all seem to be big on selling chicken necks for dogs. I will not give whole bones as I have too many dogs to feel confident that someone will not gylp it down just to try to steal anothers. So, can these somehow be utilized as a ground product? For example, Sandy had posted a starter recipe and it said 5.25 lbs chicken with bone. What cut of chicken? Can the necks be used as this? And, would that suffice as the “bone/calcium” source in the diet, or would a calcium supplement still be needed?

[myfourmutts]

My parents have an 11 year-old beagle that has had a persistent and ongoing yeast infection of the skin and ears for about the past 3 years. They have taken her to the vet countless times and have tried multiple steroids, sprays, and medications. They have been feeding her (and their other beagle) Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream formula at the recommendation of their vet. Nothing has seemed to help her, and she is miserable. She scratches and shakes her heads all day long, and the skin on her chest and legs is constantly red and inflamed.

Is there a food that y’all have fed your dogs that you think might help this sweet girl? My parents are good pet owners; they really try their best. They’ve come a long way from feeding the dogs Purina and giving them Milkbones. However, they’re not “crazy dog people” like I know a lot of us are, and they simply don’t have the time to do a lot of trial and error. My dad is the pastor of a large church, and my mom is an English teacher and newspaper advisor. They’re extremely active outside of the home, and their priorities are divided in many different directions. I am hoping that something as simple as a food change might make a difference for their dog. The other beagle has no food or allergy concerns, so I think she’d eat whatever they gave her.

I would really appreciate any advice or help you could give me to pass along to them. We all hate to see her so uncomfortable, but we just don’t know what to do to make it better. The vet just keeps prescribing medications that don’t seem to help, either. I live 12 hours away. Otherwise, I would be available to be a little more hands-on with the situation. Thanks, y’all.

[theBCnut]

Each animal’s bones are specific to that animal, so it shouldn’t be a problem, except for beef and venison. That being said, your dog could potentially be intolerant to other animals bones too, you just can’t assume that they are. I know that there are some things about antlers that are not the same as bones, but I don’t know what that means in terms of food intolerances.

[somebodysme]

You know, since I’ve taken up all the deer antlers and a plain white hard bone she’d been gnawing at…she is finally getting all healed up with no new odd flare ups! Yesterday she didn’t lick her feet at all.

If she is in fact allergic to bones (aren’t antlers the same make up as a bone?) and not the chemicals…is there an ingredient in dog food that I should avoid? Like “meal”? The girl at petco mentioned that I should probably avoid anything labels as “meal” but shesh, what does that leave me with? Not much. Does like “lamb meal” mean they’ve ground up bones too? If so, that could be a possible explanation for the other foods that she couldn’t eat before as they all contains a sort of “meal” in them. The NB potato and rabbit just says rabbit and not rabbit meal. When she was on the old food, Pro Plan it had some poultry by product meal but she didn’t have the same rash on that stuff. I guess the chicken bones would be different than a large animal bone? I’m just thinking out loud here…HAHAHA!

[somebodysme]

My dog does have a rope toy with a hard ball on it. I noticed that she kept pulling at the strings so I cut them all off. Mostly she gnaws the ball which is a good thing because it’s hard like a nylabone (kind of) and it cleans her teeth since she can’t have any bones or antlers anymore since I realized she’s allergic to them 🙁

But she doesn’t get to chew on anything unless I’m right there but still even at that, they are quick to tear something up! Her teeth are like little razors!

[pugmomsandy]

Are you saying you want to switch them to a boneless meat & veggie diet? Because meat & veggies is not a good diet for long term use. If you do just want to feed meat and veggies, then I would suggest the recipe book “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Karen Becker/Beth Taylor. It has boneless recipes (meats and organs) and gives you the amount of calcium supplement or bone meal to use along with a vitamin mix recipe. Your dog needs a source of calcium if you’re not feeding bones. Another option is to use a premix where you just have to add boneless meat and some oil like Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer, The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s.

[vizslajo]

Hi all-I have a 1 year old male Vizsla and I think I need to find a better food for him. He currently weighs about 45lbs, which my vet says is a healthy weight for him, but he is soooo skinny. We are very active, we go for 1 hour runs every morning, and usually gets a another hour play session of his favorite game, fetch, in the afternoons and then another 40minute-hour long walk in the evenings. I have been feeding him Blue Buffalo and recently switched to the Blue Buffalo Wilderness, he eats about 4 cups a day that I usually split into 2 meals, but you can very much see his ribs and even his little hip bones on his back. His morning stool are usually large and solid, but then goes at least two-three more times a day that become more and more runny and his gas is beyond horrible. I just want to put a little more weight on him…any ideas?

[vizslajo]

Hi all-I have a 1 year old male Vizsla and I think I need to find a better food for him. He currently weighs about 45lbs, which my vet says is a healthy weight for him, but he is soooo skinny. We are very active, we go for 1 hour runs every morning, and usually gets a another hour play session of his favorite game, fetch, in the afternoons and then another 40minute-hour long walk in the evenings. I have been feeding him Blue Buffalo and recently switched to the Blue Buffalo Wilderness, he eats about 4 cups a day that I usually split into 2 meals, but you can very much see his ribs and even his little hip bones on his back. His morning stool are usually large and solid, but then goes at least two more times a day that become more and more runny. I just want to put a little more weight on him…any ideas?

[theBCnut]

They do have protein in them, but what a strange thing to be reacting to. Usually it is common proteins that cause these things.

[somebodysme]

I have some frozen turkey necks that I stashed after we started on the LID foods. I’ve reached the point of trying new things and have been 0% successful so far! GAH! First the bone and now the antler. She actually had some deer antlers which I’m now thinking that were the cause of her occasional flare ups. I told me husband that I’m actually GLAD that she reacted so bad to that antler because(it opened my eyes) I had not for one second suspected that the deer antlers she’d been chewing could possibly have been the cause for her occasional flare ups but now I’m pretty sure that’s it. I know it wasn’t the cause all along because she’s only had the deer antlers for a couple months.

Have any of you ever heard of a dog being allergic to antlers? She chewed quite a bit of “marrow” out of it and by the evening, she had hives and a large raised welt above her tail. The hives were all over her back. Then she also had a huge blood filled pustule on the bottom of her foot. The good thing about her not having any treats or anything is that I can say 100% that the antler was the cause because she gets nothing else.

[Molzy]

Thanks guys! Glad I’m not crazy about the calories.

Losul, thanks for the info on chronic wasting. We didn’t save organs at the time, only some bones. The deer is from Wisconsin, but I don’t think it’s a county with CWD.

I found a store that sells the 5lb Bravo chubs, so I think I’ll start with that and work my way into raw. We have to board them in a week, so we will probably wait until mid October before starting, which gives me time to read my new books too!

Thanks again! Keep the advice coming!

[FreeholdHound]

This actually took him longer than I thought it would & LOTS of chewing (yay for his teeth !!) I’m glad I ordered them on a whim – a good switch up from the turkey.

[theBCnut]

I got dehydrated lamb tracheas from Hare Today and they were devoured in no time.

[FreeholdHound]

Patty- I will be searching out pork necks. Haven’t seen them at any of my local markets so I’ll check at my Asian Mkt when I go next. Harry is happily crunching on a dried beef trachea from MPC- his eyes actually rolled back into his head – I guess he likes it! I’ve given them raw but not dried before.

[neezerfan]

Hi Chuck, I’ve been where you are now and I agree it is overwhelming! You can take it step by step. I started by eliminating kibble altogether. The more I read about it, the more I felt it wasn’t a good food for my dog. I switched to 5 star canned foods, rotating brands and protein sources. I gave him a chicken neck or foot twice a week. Then I started rotating in commercially prepared raw starting with Primal and Nature’s Variety. Now his main food is Darwin’s but I still rotate in other brands and cans. I give him 2 homemade meals a week, he eats twice daily so that’s under the 20% rule.

I don’t feel confident at this point to self prepare all of his meals. My next move is to rotate in meals consisting of fresh meat with a premix added. He’s only 2 so we have time! Maybe I’ll get there eventually but for now I’m doing the best that I feel comfortable with.

Start your dog with a chicken neck and see how it goes. My dog will eat absolutely anything but it did take him a few minutes to get going on his first chicken neck. He just looked at it and circled it for a while before getting down to business. Now he eats all kinds of bones.

[Chuck]

Does anyone know of a site or book that has good recipes that are easy to follow? I see videos online and some sites like http://rawfed.com/links.html but nothing really concrete.. just I feed them chicken backs etc. Something with a little more detail I suppose.

And if I was going to do something like Primal patties and adding 10% meaty bone… how often would I be doing that a few times a week? daily? and Its ok to go to Sams club or whole foods and get chicken thighs and chicken backs and my pup eat the whole thing? Its going to be very weird to watch her eat bones.

Also If i were to continue feeding kibble (Wellness CORE or TOTW) along with patties at first would that be a problem? if so how would I ration that, treat the pattie like wet food?

Overall I want my dog to be as happy and healthy as possible, and again this morning she ate maybe 1/3rd of her food… she just wont eat dry kibble unless something is mixed in. So I really want to make this change as fast as possible

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by Chuck.

[somebodysme]

I have not gotten a reply from the company that sells the elk antlers! I believe that is quite telling! As for the red barn bones, I can actually smell some sort of cleaning agent on those bones. Definitely not a natural bone smell. The antlers however, do not have a smell.

[Molzy]

Thanks Patty!

So, I have been looking at my pet carnivore because I live in the Midwest and it wouldn’t be TOO hard to do one of their pick-ups if I got enough to make it worth it. But on their website, it seems like their calories per pound are really low? According to the 3% rule, my dogs need 1.2 pounds each, but I also know that they need around 1000 calories…doesn’t seem like it adds up?

Would I mix the stuff from my pet carnivore (I’m looking at the grinds that have bones and organs) with a premix? Or a vitamin?

Thanks!

[MaggieM]

Hello,

I have a question about using vitamins and green super food supplements. I just started feeding raw and I think I have the meals balanced between the raw meaty bones and the other half muscle meat, organs and some vegetables, eggs and dairy. I am hoping that this puts the calcium/phosphorus ratio is in a balanced range. I have been adding fish oil for the omega 3s and now I am a bit confused as to what else I should be adding. I know E is needed with the fish oil but I have been debating between just adding the E or just adding a simple multi-vitamin or one of these vitamin/mixes.

Berte’s Daily Blend
EarthOrigins
Dr. Harvey’s Multi-Vitamin
SpiruGreen Superfood

The Berte’s and the EarthOrigins seem to be more of a cross between a vitamin and green blend compared to the others. I have heard so many different opinions I am no longer sure what is really needed. Does any one have any thoughts?

Please help.
Thanks,
M

[Molzy]

Hello all,

I am considering switching my dogs to a raw diet. We have two 1.5-year-old Australian Cattle Dog Mixes. They are both rescue dogs. We adopted LoJack last October, and Quincy came home with us in July. Both of them came to us eating Science Diet, which we pretty much immediately threw out. I worked in a high-end pet store for years, and I am kind of a food snob when it comes to my pets. My cat, Ralph, has been on Nature’s Variety frozen chicken for over a year now, and does amazingly on it (for him, it has helped with his urinary tract infections). The dogs have eaten a variety of Nutrisource Grain-Free Salmon, Pure-Vita or Merrick dry kibble. My boyfriend and I are big on “Eat Local” and both of these companies seemed pretty good for commercial dog food. Now that we have graduated from grad school, we can start entertaining the idea of paying a little more to feed raw. When we just had LoJack he would also get raw meaty bones once in a while for his teeth, we haven’t tried giving Quincy those due to some digestive issues we’ve been struggling with.

Anyways, I am thinking of originally starting with a pre-made raw, and possibly slowly adding in some other stuff. My boyfriend hunts, so hopefully we will have some venison this year for them, and we also live in the country so there is the possibility of contacting local butchers for organ meats and stuff. We already own a hand grinder for the meat (though we may invest in an electric one if we end up going with raw!).

Anyways, what are your recommendations for pre-made diets? At this point, we would like to stick with a grind because of Quincy’s issues with chunkier food (I want to make sure that raw works before trying chunks, then slowly add chunks in to make sure we don’t cause issues). I am considering doing Nature’s Variety since it is balanced for cats and dogs, which would be nice, but it is also a little expensive, so I figured I would see if anyone else has any suggestions. I would also consider a pre-mix with ground meat.

One last question – can they have venison bones? We saved a bunch from the deer we got last year and froze them, but I got worried about chronic wasting disease, so we have never tried them. They are thinner than the beef/bison bones we normally feed, so I worried about him swallowing chunks as well.

Thanks!
Molly, LoJack and Quincy (and Ralph the cat)

[pugmomsandy]

1. Is it better to get a premade mix of raw food online or buy meats from the supermarket or meat market? Or is it better to have a mix?

As a newbie to raw, I think it would be better for you to feed a food that is complete and balanced whether that is commercial frozen raw like Nature’s Variety, Primal, Bravo, Stella & Chewy’s, Darwins, and others, or dehydrated/freeze dried raw (but more expensive) food like Orijen freeze dried, Primal, Stella & Chewy’s. Meat by itself is not a good diet. For beginners, I would buy a commercial raw or use a Premix such as Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer, Grandma Lucy’s, The Honest Kitchen. You add meat and some oil and that’s usually it. No additional vitamins needed. You can make these in advanced in big batches and freeze in serving sizes or a couple days worth in one bag/container. You can feed up to 20% of an unbalanced food without having to worry about additional vits/minerals. For example, topping kibble with some meat or scrambled egg (but not more than 20% of the meal). As you become more comfortable with raw you can give homemade a try but be sure to use a recipe book.

2. Is ground or whole better? Your dog might like the texture of some chunks, versus ground. But in any case, raw meat has enzymes that also helps keep teeth clean. The ripping of the flesh and tendons from the bone cleans the teeth too. I have small dogs so I use a coarse ground. My dogs don’t have a preference for meat sizes. They eat it all.

3. I keep seeing people talking about feeding bones, including chicken bones… I was always told that chicken bones are dangerous? This is going to be the one that the hardest to get my wife on board with.

Raw bones are edible. The cooked bones are dry and splinter. Also there are recreational bones versus consumable bones. Most small animals can be consumed whole (chicken, rabbit, quail, turkey). But dense, weight bearing bones from larger animals are for gnawing only (marrow bones/leg bones). For heavy chewers, they can break teeth. For instance, my small dogs eat chicken legs, turkey and duck necks and feet and pork baby back ribs. They gnaw on beef/bison rib bones and marrow bones/femur for the enjoyment and it keeps their teeth clean. I feed these outside and don’t worry about cleanup when the weather is nice. You can train your dog to eat bones in the house on a towel, blanket or tarp. This winter, I’ll be feeding my small dogs in a crate or I could feed them on the bathroom tile and mop.

4. Do you need to add supplements to these meals? If so are they included in the premade mixes or am I adding them?

If you use a complete and balanced commercial premix, no additional supplements are necessary. Although there are a lot of people who give whole food supplements like supergreen foods (chlorella, kelp, barley grass, etc), bee pollen, and herbs, a complete vitamin E.

5. What is the best site for ordering?
I’ve heard Chewy.com is good. I’ve always used Petflow and amazon.

6. Does someone have a schedule or process I can literally follow to the letter?
Sorry, I am sure this has been answered over and over again but I would really appreciate the help. I am not too concerned about the cost as Wellness and Core are not cheap, however if I can pre-make these and feed her in the morning because we are often in a rush and it’s so hard to get her to eat kibble before we leave.

At my house, they eat raw if I have it thawed out. If not, they get other foods (kibble, canned, freeze dried). Darwins comes in convenient packaging and serving sizes and most commercial products come in patties or small bite sizes or chubs (which are the least convenient for me). You just have to remember to thaw! You can put 3 days worth out to thaw in the frig. I also use dehydrated foods (The Honest Kitchen, Addiction) where I just add water and let sit. I make some ahead of time and put it in the frig. But these are not raw.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Chuck]

I know I am breaking forum etiquette here as there is a post from April that seems to be asking basically the same thing, however at this point I am just overwhelmed with information that I just can’t skim through anymore articles or blogs. So please explain it to me like I’m five!
I have a 6 month old Brittany that I have been feeding Wellness Core and TOTW kibble since we got her at the end of April. She is a super picky eater and it has become progressively harder to get her to eat her kibble without starting to “spruce” it up with other foods. We had originally thought she would just become distracted so we started taking it away after 20 minutes or so but I think she really just doesn’t like kibble.
So I started researching other foods and I came across all of this information about Raw Feeding, however there is a ton of information and I really do not know where to start. I am hoping someone can give me some good links or straight to the point help, I addition to knowing I am also going to have to sell this to the wife.

1. Is it better to get a premade mix of raw food online or buy meats from the supermarket or meat market? Or is it better to have a mix?

2. Is ground or whole better?

3. I keep seeing people talking about feeding bones, including chicken bones… I was always told that chicken bones are dangerous? This is going to be the one that the hardest to get my wife on board with.

4. Do you need to add supplements to these meals? If so are they included in the premade mixes or am I adding them?

5. What is the best site for ordering?

6. Does someone have a schedule or process I can literally follow to the letter?

Sorry, I am sure this has been answered over and over again but I would really appreciate the help. I am not too concerned about the cost as Wellness and Core are not cheap, however if I can pre-make these and feed her in the morning because we are often in a rush and it’s so hard to get her to eat kibble before we leave.

View post on imgur.com

[somebodysme]

So here’s the latest in our saga…I bought a split Elk Antler yesterday at Petsmart, the brand is Prairie Dog Antlers and made in USA. Supposedly 100% natural and non-allergenic. It gives no information about if it was treated or washed etc. So, she had the same reaction to that antler as she did with that bone. She broke out in hives on her back, she had little raised bumps all down her back!!!! She was limping and biting her one foot, when I looked at it she had a huge pustule inside her pads! 🙁 She has been chewing deer antlers that I buy from a local man, he doesn’t treat them with anything. I have not noticed any reaction to them BUT they don’t have as much inside marrow stuff either. I’m am just getting so frustrated! I guess this poor dog just can’t have anything. I’m just glad I didn’t buy a bunch on line like I was fixing to do! The question still remains, are they treated with bleach for cleaning? I can’t imagine that they don’t sterilize them with something. I’m going to write the companies and just ask. If I get an answer, I’ll post it here!

[theBCnut]

I wouldn’t either. I would go for a pork neck bone instead, or oxtail.

[FreeholdHound]

Harry just got finished w/ his turkey neck. I am tempted to try for more than once a week as he teeth are a concern, but turkey is so iffy for him.

[theBCnut]

A turkey neck 3 times a week would do the trick.

At Only Natural Pets, I found some bully sticks that were not beef, can’t remember if they were bison or what. If your dog is having problems with multiple beef products, I wouldn’t give beef bully sticks anymore. At least not until you have all of her issues completely nailed down.

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

[Cyndi]

Your best bet if you’re looking for teeth cleaning is an occasional raw meaty bone. Depending on your dog’s size, a chicken neck (for a smaller dog) or a turkey neck (for a larger dog) would be the best thing for teeth cleaning…
Since I’ve been feeding raw, my dog’s teeth sparkle. No sign of tarter or whatever it is dogs get on their teeth.

[somebodysme]

When I bought the bone, I thought it would be harmless…HA! I wouldn’t have thought it was chew down that fast. She has another large hard white bone that she’s been chewing on for many months. She doesn’t get enough off of it to do any harm as far as allergies. She has a basket full of assorted sizes of antlers but she only wants the split ones. I don’t see any reaction to antlers either, she doesn’t really get anything off of them either. Her favorite thing to chew is a rawhide but she can’t have those since we figured out she reacts to them. It just seems like, everything that she enjoys chewing is bad for her. Bully sticks are gone in a minute with her. What I’m after is teeth cleaning.

[Cyndi]

Bailey loves Bully Sticks and she also has a couple of the deer antlers that she loves. The bully sticks take her about a half hour, for an 8 inch one. The deer antlers she chews on them all the time and she has barely made a dent in them.

[FreeholdHound]

Harry can’t have turkey, but does okay with turkey necks (but I don’t go over board). Red Barn Naturals are all cooked bones so I don’t buy them & some of their other products are smoked (w/all of Harry’s triggers I wouldn’t try those either).
Many people use them with no problems, it’s an individual dog thing.

[lizziegotloew]

Hi, i’ve been trying to do some of my own research but it’s proving rather difficult and frustrating. I have what i thought would be considered a large breed puppy and i’m concerned that i’m not feeding him correctly. I feel like this because he seems to be growing up very quickly but he still seems very skinny to me. I can see his ribs and other bones most of the time. He is a Timberwolf, Redwolf and Labrador mix. He is currently about 6 months pld and is lready huge. I’ve never had a large breed dog before but i fell in love with him and was advised to start him off on Beneful puppy chow when i got him at 7 weeks. My boyfriend recently started him on Ol’ Roy but i heard that he needs to be on puppy chow until hr is a year old. So now i’m trying to decide what would be best to fees him to he grows properly and healthily. However, i am a student so i’m on a budget and i need to be able to get him something that’s also cost effective. Can anybody help me?

[theBCnut]

It is possible for a dog to be sensitive to beef bone and not beef meat or beef meat and not beef liver and so on. The only way to tell if it is the bone would be to give her a clean beef bone. My dog that can’t do chicken can handle chicken liver just fine. I haven’t bothered to try to figure out if he is just sensitive to meat or bone though. It could also definitely be chemicals. Some Red Barn stuff is definitely bad. I don’t know if all of it is or not. I would hope the “Naturals” were OK, but it is only my hope.

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

[InkedMarie]

I can’t answer your questions but THK makes two chew type treats. One is haddock, the other catfish.

[somebodysme]

As some of you know, my dog is having allergy issues and we are in the process of finding out what she can eat. OK so she’s doing pretty well on the food she’s eating and she needs something to gnaw on for her teeth. I bought a Red Barn Naturals brand sliced knuckle(cow) bone. She loved it and chewed about 1/3 off one day and 1/3 of it off the next…It caused her rash on her back, tail and feet to flare up BAD and it also gave her bowels a fit too! OH and it came out completely undigested like how bone meal for your garden looks.

OK so my question is, should I now avoid anything beef or do these bones have some chemicals in them? I know she can’t have rawhide but there is the question also, is it beef or the chemicals? I have no clue if Red Barn has any sort of chemicals in them at all…do you know? The label did not say. Any thoughts on the bone? I know I could try raw bones but I wanted something that she could eat in the house and not make a mess.

[jackieshoes]

I have an 8 year old teacup chihuahua that weighs 4.2 pounds. She has been on Beneful Incredibites for some time now and ONLY likes the chewy ones. She picks them out and comes and finds me to feed her more if there aren’t many in there. I had no idea what kind of JUNK they put in dog food until I changed my English Bulldog from Prescription Diet to Castor and Pollux UltraMix (totally different dog).

I have been on the search for a food that she will eat, as she is very very very picky. She turns her nose up at things most dogs would woof down in no time. She doesn’t like cheese (unless its string cheese), any treats I have ever purchased (except marrowbones and she only gets a few of those a month), greenies, green beans, bananas, carrots, etc. She just turns her nose up and walks off. I want to find a good food that is relatively chewy (but not wet) that she will eat – but want it to be a QUALITY food because I want her life to be as full as possible. She is still full of life and acts like a puppy most days running around and chasing things – so no major health issues. Except we might be a little overdue on a dental, but I’m between jobs right now so that will have to wait.

I appreciate any input and recommendations!

[somebodysme]

How long has she been on Nutrisca? It will take a while on a new food for the crud to get out of their system. I’ve been dealing with an allergy dog too. Your story sounds a lot like mine and my dog started off in a low end type food Pro Plan and I wanted a better food so bought Blue Buffalo and then all he(( broke loose. I kept trying new food changing the proteins and she just got worse and worse with rashes and red ears and raw paws etc. We are on NB potato and rabbit for three weeks now and things are improving but not perfect yet. She also will break out suddenly out of the blue. I’m telling myself it is what they call a “healing crisis”. Supposedly that’s all normal. I will tell you that she looks better now than she has since I switched her off Pro Plan. I’m assuming you took her off the Rachel Ray stuff because you wanted healthier? Or was she having problems on that? On Pro Plan, my dog was scratching a little but had a watering eye and that was pretty much all. Then we finally realized that all the foods she was allergic to had only one common ingredient and it is PEAS. I know she is allergic to other things too though like rawhide and cow bones.

I would suggest that you give her only one food until you find that it is OK. I would also suggest to not give any of those supplements you mentioned because right now you have no idea what she’s allergic to. My dog reacted badly to spirulina! If she has yeast then keep the probiotic. Then once you know the food is OK, add ONE new supplement at a time until you know it’s OK and no reaction. Any of these things can cause problems for a sensitive dog. She could easily be allergic to salmon oil or coconut oil or that glucosamine. Honestly the only thing that I can give my dog without it causing a problem, that I have tried, is her human grade probiotic.

If your dog was NOT allergic to the Rachel Ray food then look at the ingredients and try and find a better quality food with the same basic ingredients. Like if it has chicken then you know that chicken was not the issue. What I have learned from having a dog with allergies is that you can’t just say “oh that food has 5 stars it great for my dog”. It just doesn’t work like that. These dogs have a whole new set of rules when it comes to what to feed.

[pugmomsandy]

Tripletsmom,

What size is your dog? Mine are small, but they still eat turkey necks, duck necks, chicken feet, chicken legs, beef or bison marrow bones from Primal and baby back pork ribs. The pork ribs are much softer. My dogs can eat those but they can’t eat beef ribs. You might also try oxtail. Being a tail, it won’t have a dense bone. As far as salmonella, I don’t worry about it for my dogs either. I just wash my hands and the fork. I don’t even wash their bowls every meal anymore. They get washed once a week. I don’t think there is a way to get rid of the salmonella without cooking it. I give them bones outside in the yard. When the meat is gone, then they can chew them inside.

[theBCnut]

Triplets Mom

A lot of us here feed raw so feeding bones is normal for us. I don’t worry about salmonella in my dog at all, I just take precautions for us humans. I also feed raw rib bones, they are softer than marrow bones, but still take some chewing. Mine really like turkey necks and they have a lot of cartilage, so act as a joint supplement too.

[beagleowner]

I got the herbs for Henry’s lipomas from Pawhealer. Holly is the herbalist that made the Dissolve and even a Custom Dissolve for Henry. His lipomas are extremely large and the Custom Dissolve did liquefy them but they did not go away. I felt that continuing that route was senseless so did more research. Found a company by the name of NuVet that has a chewable tablet with a money back guarantee if not satisfied. My Vet had heard of the company, looked at the ingredients and suggested to try it and she also researched further and suggested on two week intervals to add tumeric, milk thistle and Sam-e every 12 hours.

I started the NuVet Sept 1st and have seen the lipomas getting smaller and in fact one has disappeared. I feed home made dog food to Henry of 85/15 beef or lean turkey plus vegetables. He is improving. Since he also has weakness in his hind legs, I am considering getting he joint formula from NuVet as well. I like the NeVet better than Pawhealer because they explain and list each ingredient and Pawhealer would not do that.

Feel free to check in with me. Henry is 14 and is doing well. I do give him marrow bones and then refill them with his food or pumpkin forva nightly treat. Keep in touch.

[Triplets Mom]

Hello all — brand new to this forum, and I don’t get to post very often, but my dogs’ diet is one of the all-consuming concerns of my life right now due to their health needs, so I’m surely happy to find you all!

To “beagleowner” – if you’re still following this group, I’m very interested in the comment you made about giving your Henry herbs to liquify his lipomas. What herbs? How much/how often/how long (quantity/dose/duration)? Did the lipomas go away yet? How did you know they had liquified?

And to anyone giving their dog soup/marrow bones, what animal do the bones come from? I’ve spent a total of around $6,000 on two separate dental incidents from two of my three dogs chewing beef bones (usually steak bones like a T-bone, sometimes beef rib bones). But poultry bones which are soft enough to not break teeth cause me concerns re salmonella since cooking bones to kill bacteria causes them to become splintery/dangerous. Is there anyone here with these concerns who has found a good solution? Is there a way to kill the bacteria on poultry carcasses OTHER than cooking them?

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to doing a lot more reading as I am able to get online!

[somebodysme]

Patty, it would just seep out when she was sleeping. We’d be sitting around watching TV and she would be asleep on her blanket and all of a sudden the air would fill with that nasty dead fish odor.

OH and she is also allergic to beef rawhide and beef chew bones they sell packaged up like the Red Barn bones.

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

[apriliamille]

antar.
not intending to de rail the thread. but pending on where you moved to in the usa. look up game and live stock butchers and lockers. we have one here in utah who grinds up the remnants from the deer and elk and sells it as a dog raw for .89 a pound. 2nd shop grinds up and includes the organs and bones for about 1.50 pound

[emchide]

Hello again everyone,

I’m not sure this will be of more than speculative interest to most of you, unless you also live in the the greater Baltimore metropolitan area, but I think I’ve found a very appealing raw food source at a great price point. Any insights or thoughts will be appreciated, but it seems this company at the moment isn’t shipping product at all and is only available locally. Nonetheless, I am excited by the affordability/quality intersection as I see it.

Dogs Gone Wild

Currently offering one pound chubs, beef marrow bones, turkey necks, and chicken necks at one of the smaller, locally-owned pet stores (Howl, Dogma, and Bark!)- I have two others to explore and see if more variations are available. The PetCo and PetSmart stores nearby don’t carry DGW.

Chicken: 70% chicken / chicken bone
20% vegetables – broccoli, kale, carrots
10% organ meats
$2.50/lb

Turkey: 70% turkey / turkey bone
20% vegetables – green beans, carrots, yellow squash
10% organ meats
$2.65/lb

Beef: 70% beef / beef bone
20% vegetables – butternut squash, green beans, kale
10% organ meats
$3.05/lb

Duck: 70% duck / duck bone
20% vegetables-butternut squash, carrots, zucchini
10% organ meats.
$4.00/lb

Lamb: 80% lamb / lamb bone
20% vegetables – zucchini, carrots, parsley
**was out of stock**

Chicken & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 12% Crude Fat (min) 10% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 72%
Turkey & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 12% Crude Fat (min) 5% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 76%
Beef & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 14% Crude Fat (min) 10% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 70%
Duck and Veggie Mix. Crude Protein (min) 14% Crude Fat (min) 5% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 75%
Lamb & Veggie Mix Crude Protein (min) 11% Crude Fat (min) 25% Crude Fiber (max) 2% Moisture (max) 61%

When thawed, the grinds look very appealing and fresh – softer and looser than my only comparisons, the FreshPet Vital refrigerated chubs which are firmer in texture and ~$6.00/lb.

I expect a significant contributor to their pricing involves not having supplemental vitamins included and thus not being certified as a complete food or whatnot. I’m curious about the perspectives of the knowledgeable members here.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by emchide.
• This topic was modified 12 years, 3 months ago by emchide.

[darnsdog]

Has there be a review of Blue Buffalo “Blue Bones” (Dental Chews)? How about Blue Buffalo “Blue Stix” (Beef and Potato)?