Search Results for 'bones'

Dog Food Advisor Forums Search Search Results for 'bones'

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  • #13869
    mydogisme
    Participant

    Would it be ok you think to give Dixie any of the bones for her to chew on? Thinking that any protein would be good for her as long as its not from china,and not too much. This is one thing she does miss and thats being able to chew on a doggy bone. She weighs only 15.6 pounds and we check her blood count every week since her blood transfusion. I worry about her stomach and getting sick from something that isnt clean since her immune system is so weak.

    #13867
    weimlove
    Participant

    Hdm- how convenient! I’ve been trying to find restaurant suppliers in my town but I haven’t had much luck yet.

    #13866
    pugmomsandy
    Participant

    You can also find pork necks and marrow bones at Kroger, turkey necks at walmart, turkey backs/wings/soup bones, occasional gizzards at Sprouts. Chicken feet, pigs feet and other weird stuff at Asian/Mexican supermarkets.

    #13820
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    I get my RMB’s from a meat distributor, they supply restaurants, grocery stores and kennels – the truck delivers to my house. I get chicken backs for $0.46/lb., turkey necks for $0.73/lb and pork necks for $0.68/lb.

    #13818
    weimlove
    Participant

    I get my bones from a local butcher. I get chicken backs and necks for 60 cents a pound. You have to ask the butcher though because they usually keep parts like that in the back for raw feeders. I also can get ground beef for 50 cents a pound that is a few days old.

    #13815
    abby13
    Participant

    Do you get your bones from a butcher or commercial products? I’m interested in trying it out and am very open for suggestions!

    #13790

    In reply to: Eating Raw Meaty Bones

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Well scratch that idea. I can’t figure out how to post a video on here.

    #13789
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    DoggieDoc22 –

    You obviously don’t know my feeding philosophy – I don’t let any company influence my decision on what to feed. I’m not fooled by Blue Buffalo and Wellness commercials or the Blue Buffalo or Orijen rep at my local pet food company. I’m not fooled by dry weight versus wet ingredients or ingredient splitting, nor do I think white potato is superior to grains. In fact I wouldn’t feed any of the foods you mentioned to my dogs (Blue, Wellness, Natural Balance, etc.). My dogs eat real food. Raw meat, bones, organs and whole food supplements the way nature intended – no marketing spin there, no ingredient splitting, no reps selling me food and no need to worry about which ingredients are going in dry and which are going in wet. You’re bashing people for buying into the marketing of certain pet food companies when you are just as blinded by the marketing tactics of the big name pet food companies as anyone else is by the small “holistic companies.”

    #13788

    In reply to: Eating Raw Meaty Bones

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Well that didn’t work. I’ll try this.

    #13783
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    I’ve noticed over the past week or so that, both here on the forums and on the review threads on dfa, several posters have had concerns about feeding rmb’s – what types are safe, how much should the dog be chewing, what if their dog is gulper, how big of a piece can a dog safely swallow, etc. I’m going to post two short clips of one of my dogs eating an rmb. The first is her eating a turkey neck and the second is her eating a chicken back. Hopefully these clips can give those that are either new to feeding rmb’s or contemplating feeding rmb’s an idea of what to expect and what it should look like. I know I was also very nervous the first time I gave my dogs rmb’s – I kept thinking “What if the piece they swallowed was too big and they get a blockage?” “What if one of the edges they swallowed was too sharp and they get an intestinal perforation?” etc. Also, weimlove has put together a great topic for listing what types of rmb’s people safely feed their dogs here: /forums/topic/rmbs-and-recreational-bones/

    [URL=http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a501/hagelult/MVI_1994_zps0b81e4c9.mp4][IMG]http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a501/hagelult/th_MVI_1994_zps0b81e4c9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

    [URL=http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a501/hagelult/MVI_1997_zps67e39b25.mp4][IMG]http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a501/hagelult/th_MVI_1997_zps67e39b25.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

    #13501
    weimlove
    Participant

    Ok great, thanks for all the help! Hopefully other members will post too!

    #13487
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Chicken leg quarters are fine – I’ve given them to my dogs plenty of times. The only bones you really need to worry about for breaking teeth are weight-bearing bones from large animals (beef, bison, lamb, etc.). Poultry bones are all fully edible – at least for large dogs.

    #13484
    weimlove
    Participant

    Thanks HDM! I figured it would be nice for beginners, and to discuss any new options we find. Thanks for posting, I’ve been trying to find a safe beef rmb and I will definitely try the beef trachea. Do you ever feed chicken leg quarters? I’m do worried about breaking his teeth! 🙁

    #13483
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Good idea weimlove!

    For RMB’s my dogs get:
    -Turkey Necks
    -Chicken Backs
    -Pork Necks
    -Beef Tracheas
    -Chicken Feet
    -Duck Necks
    -Whole Rabbits
    -Whole Quail

    I have found all these to be safe – don’t splinter and aren’t so hard that they’ll chip the dogs’ teeth.

    #13482
    weimlove
    Participant

    So far, shadow has had chicken backs, necks, and leg quarters.

    #13481
    weimlove
    Participant

    Hi everyone, I think this would be a great place for us to list and discuss some rmb’s and recreational bones that work well for our dogs. I’m looking to broaden my dogs bone portion of his diet. Please list bones that are safe for teeth, and will not break or chip. Thanks!

    #13390

    In reply to: Safe fish

    pugmomsandy
    Participant

    beef brisket bones for eating, rib bones and knee caps, split knuckles or marrow bones for recreation. My pugs can eat turkey necks and wings and backs. The legs are large so I haven’t offered them actually. My dogs are 30 lbs or less.

    #12831

    In reply to: Pancreatitis Recovery

    PennyLanesMom
    Participant

    Hi Amydunn19
    Oh your poor dog taking on a copperhead. I think it was a mixture of feeding our JRT small bites of people food ALL the time, raw hide bones, and predisone for allergies. Our Vet will do anything he can to help. I will ask him about your suggestions. Our JRT is on pepcid right now and I plan to keep her on it for a little while longer – I don’t want her to relapse again. She has been on medication twice as long this time. Have you ever used the Purina FortiFlora probiotics with your JRT? They were given to ours both times and I don’t know if I trust them. They have a 12% fat content and it just worries me a little. Would love to know any feed back.
    Thanks so much 🙂

    #12823

    In reply to: sominella in bully's

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    I wouldn’t consider a bully stick to be a high calorie treat – at least not for an active dog. My dogs each eat about 2,500 calories per day each and they all get either a bully stick, dried trachea chew or pig ear before bed. I estimate their chew treat to be around 200 calories – this accounts for only 8% of their daily caloric intake. Obviously the owner of a small breed or couch potato dog would have to be more conscientious – but this goes for any treats and meals too. I believe that natural chews, such as bully sticks, are – aside from raw meaty bones – the most species-appropriate chew for dogs. Chewing is healthy for dogs – it helps to clean their teeth and to stimulate them mentally by satisfying their natural urge to chew. Feeding a natural type chew is much healthier – imo – than any of those junk food chews on the market like Greenies, Dentastix and Busy Bones that are loaded with carbohydrates and often contain gluten, corn, gmos, sugar, propylene glycol, artificial colorings, etc. etc.

    As far as natural treats being contaminated with bacteria like salmonella – this is old news. It’s been known for years and years that natural treats often are contaminated with bacteria. Does the fact that a bully stick may be contaminated with salmonella pose a risk to your pet’s health? I don’t think so and history supports that it isn’t a risk.

    Excerpt from: “The Human Health Implications of Salmonella-Contaminated Natural Pet Treats and Raw Pet Food” [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16447116]

    “To date there have been no published reports of salmonellosis occurring in dogs as a result of exposure to natural pet treats.”

    Just as a healthy dog should be able to handle the bacteria present in raw meat, a healthy dog should be able to handle the bacteria that may or may not be present on a natural chew. Every dog I’ve ever owned (even as a kid) ate natural chews regularly and my current dogs have been on a raw meat diet for over a year and a half – I’ve never had a dog get sick and . People just need to use common sense here. If you have a small and/or inactive dog – limit their chews to once or twice a week. Don’t give an immune-compromised dog a natural treat (or raw meat) as their immune system ay be too weak to handle the bacteria. Know that your treat came from a reputable manufacturer. Always wash your hands after handling natural pet treats and disinfect any surfaces that they touch.

    #12812
    schulze_420
    Participant

    I just got a Great Dane Puppy, he is 10 weeks. I got him last night and my daughter noticed his left front leg shaking and a closer look you could tell it was shaped differently then the other. A little research online and I have found out that is it from a the body growing too fast for the bones to keep up with it. I have read the http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/knuckling_over.htm and there is good info on the site. I just want to see it the dogfoodadvisor had anything to say about it. Any Recommendations on food and protein/fat/carb ratio. Thanks

    #12670
    Altoid
    Participant

    Thank you for the information. So if I’m understanding correctly the smoked bones considered cooked right?

    #12658
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi Altoid –

    Cooked bones shouldn’t be fed as they are likely to splinter – they are more likely to cause intestinal perforations or blockages. Bones should always be fed raw. If your dog is a light chewer heavy bones such as marrow bones and knuckle bones would probably be safe, if, however, your dog is a strong chewer I’d stick with bones that are entirely consumable called “raw meaty bones” (chicken backs, chicken necks, turkey necks, etc.). Strong chewers can break and/or wear down their teeth over time if given dense bones such as marrow bones and knuckle bones. Don’t leave the bone out for more than an hour or so, whatever your dog doesn’t eat can be stored in the fridge – use within three days.

    #12600
    Altoid
    Participant

    I found a local butcher that has a variety of bones and other animal parts including, pig ears, aitch, bully sticks, pig toes, pig noses etc. They are all smoked except for the raw ones. So are the smoked bones relatively safe for my dog? Can I give them freely or use in moderation?

    Also any information on providing and when to discard raw bones would be helpful. I did get one and gave it to her, but by the next day it was looking pretty discolored so I threw it out.

    Thank you!

    #12436
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi Marmaduke –

    I love Carlson’s products – I think they make some of the highest quality fish oils. I give my dogs their cod liver oil a few times a week for extra vitamin d – I wouldn’t feed most cod liver oils due to excessive vitamin a and Carlson’s is the only one I’ve found without excessive levels.

    I get my meat from several sources. I do buy meat from the grocery store on occasion (Be VERY careful with buying fish – depending on the type of fish and where it came from it could have salmon poisoning. I personally don’t feed raw fish very often – occasionally raw sardines, but that’s it.), I occasionally order from hare-today.com and mypetcarnivore.com (I can get a lot of difficult to find offal from these places), I get unwanted parts (usually offal and bones) from hunters (I actually got my dad to give me a whole deer this year 😉 ) – but mostly I get meat delivered from a wholesale distributor. I order shipments of 300 lbs. at a time from a wholesaler that also sells to grocery stores, restaurants and caters to large dog kennels – I can get a lot of the stuff I need (chicken backs, turkey necks, hearts, gizzards, livers, ground beef, etc.) for about half of what I’d pay in the grocery store. The only downside to buying in bulk is everything just comes in huge 40 lb. boxes – I have to divide it all up myself, but it’s worth it considering how much money I save.

    To answer your question about offal – offal i very high in protein, about the same amount if not more than muscle meat. Organ meat should only constitute 10% of your dogs’ diet – 5% should be liver and 5% should be other offal. Organ meat is VERY nutrient-dense – it’s necessary to feed in order to provide adequate amounts of certain vitamins and minerals but it’s easy to go overboard. Many of the vitamins and minerals found in organ meat, while necessary in small amounts, can be toxic if fed in large amounts. For example, liver is extremely high in vitamin a – vitamin a is a fat soluble vitamin so extremely high levels fed over an extended period of time can cause toxicity. Remember green tripe, heart and gizzards are NOT organ meat – a lot of people think these things are organ meat, but they’re not and the amount fed of these things doesn’t have to be restricted (like it does with true organ meat). The things that would count toward your dogs’ 10% organ meat would be: liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, spleen and brain.

    I wouldn’t be too upset that you can’t get Darwin’s or other pre-made raw foods – homemade is much higher quality, more customizable and you can feed more variety. It is time-consuming to make food from scratch, but I’ve gotten to where I think it’s fun to formulate new menus – I would get bored feeding pre-made. If you check out this link you’ll be able to see some typical menus for my crew of three bloodhounds:

    /forums/topic/menus/

    #12432
    marmaduke
    Participant

    Thanks Hound Dog Mom!!

    I have sourced frozen beef offal (liver, kidneys, heart liver etc.) from a local butcher and he said that he will save me the beef necks from his kill days, I have also ordered the Dr. Mercola Digestive Enzymes for Pets (until I can get some fresh or frozen green tripe) and have started the boys on the Carlson’s Very Finest Fish Oil and a Vitamin E supplement @ 400UI per day, I have also sourced frozen raw chicken backs, necks and pkgs of chicken hearts, gizzards, liver…based on my previous menu with the veggie/fruit slop and the ground raw chicken with bones…what would you suggest for a menu? Do you buy ground beef and fish from the grocery store?

    Does the beef offal on it’s own provide enough protein or does it have to be mixed with a meat source?

    I live in Ontario Canada so the products like Darwin’s Naturals are pretty much out of the question as they are only in the States…

    I really want to keep my Goldens on a RAW diet as I feel it is a much healthier diet for them compared to the store bought kibbles and even the “premium” brands providing I can provide them with the nutrition they require to be a healthy happy animal (they are pretty healthy and happy now, but I worry about not feeding them correctly)…

    Thanks for all your advice…

    Duke

    #12277
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi Gumbo and Roux Mama –

    I consider any dog that will be 60 pounds or more at maturity to be a large breed. If your pup is 8 months old and only 40 lbs. she’ll likely be a medium-sized dog at maturity, but definitely on that medium/large borderline. Feeding a small or medium sized dog as a large breed won’t hurt, so if you’re unsure there’s no reason you can keep the dog lean, limit calcium and limit strenuous exercise, etc. As for her weight, just google body weight scores for dogs and you’ll be able to find pictures of what a good weight should look like. I personally keep my dogs on the lean side, probably leaner than most keep their dogs – I’d rather see my dogs borderlining underweight than borderlining overweight. I think with large dogs any excess weight is just excess stress on the joints. You should see a waistline when you view the dog from above, an abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, you should be able to feel the ribs but they shouldn’t be protruding. A good indication that the dog is underweight is if you can see the hip bones – if you can see these she’s too thin.

    #11903

    In reply to: prescription dog food

    pugmomsandy
    Participant

    I’ve been using ProDen PlaqueOff (seaweed) for 2 months on my foster who needs a dental. When I first brought him home I had to roll the windows down in the car his breath was so bad! Now he sleeps in my room and I can put my face right up to him and there is no smell and his tongue is always hanging out! I haven’t checked his teeth for tarter but he is going to see the dental folks tomorrow morning. He is also on a wet diet only. No kibble.

    My other dogs eat raw meaty bones or gnaw on marrow bones, antlers, bully sticks for teeth cleaning.

    #11872

    In reply to: Diet and Diabetes

    soho
    Member

    Hi Safarisam

    These recommendations are just my opinion and I am NOT a vet. This is just what I would do if I were in your situation. I would try to find a holistic or integrative vet to be part of your healthcare team in dealing with your dogs diet and his diabetes!

    There are many many options for your pom. Since you mentioned you would love to make his food here is one option. Buy ground turkey, ground beef and chicken breasts from your local supermarkets. Buy some frozen vegetables, no onions or starchy veggies like potatoes and no grains. His diet should be at least 80% meat and no more then 20% vegetables.

    You can steam the veggies and then mash them up or you can puree them in a blender or food processor without cooking them. The idea is to make the veggies easier to digest since dogs don’t process veggies that well. The meats can be lightly cooked using low heat. I would be cautious about giving raw food to your dog at this point because it is hard for anyone to judge the condition of his immune system and the damage that has been done from the diabetes. A good immune system is necessary to handle the bacteria from raw food.

    Since there are no bones in this diet a calcium supplement is necessary. If it is made for dogs it will have the dosages on the label. A multivitamin is also necessary because it is difficult for the home prepared diet to be complete and balanced without adding vitamins and minerals. Again if it is made for dogs the dosage will be on the label. I would also add some digestive enzymes and some sardines for their omega 3 content. The sardines would be part of the 80% meat portion of the diet. additional toppers like green tripe and organ meats can be rotated in the 80% part of the diet. Toppers should be no more then 20% of the total diet.

    This is a start and there are many more options than the one I have given. A good book for you to help with your dogs diet would be see spot live longer by Steve Brown.

    I wish you and your pomeranian the very best!

    #11855

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    I would say that ribs are fine as they aren’t weight bearing – I occasionally give my dogs ribs. I would avoid weight bearing lamb bones (like femurs) but lamb necks make good RMBs for larger dogs (they aren’t weight-bearing so they’re not super dense). Chicken wings are fine but I would be careful giving them to a larger dog, you want to give bones that they actually have to chew not bones that are so small they may swallow them. I personally don’t give chicken wings or necks to my dogs because my dogs are so big I worry that they’ll just swallow them whole. Turkey wings are a good size for large dogs though.

    #11850

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    weimlove
    Participant

    Hdm- ok thanks, how do you feel about lamb bones, ribs, and chicken wings?

    #11836

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    weimlove –

    Raw meaty bones are safe – RMBs are those that can be completely consumed (chicken backs, turkey necks, chicken feet, chicken leg quarters, etc.). What you want to avoid are the weight-bearing bones of large ruminants (cows, buffalo, sheep, etc.) – these are called “recreational bones” and would include marrow bones, knuckle bones, etc. I personally don’t feed my dogs any recreational bones because of concern over breaking teeth and even if they don’t break a tooth, chewing bones like these over time can wear down the teeth.

    #11828

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    weimlove
    Participant

    Ok, I know that im probably worrying for no reason, but I’m worried about my Weimaraner breaking teeth when he eats raw bones. Should I be worried? If so, what bones should I not feed?

    #11798

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    weimlove
    Participant

    I plan on going to the butcher tomorrow to buy ingredients for a couple of weeks of food for shadows meals. I was wondering if y’all could give me examples of muscle meat, organs, and bones that I can buy for the 80 10 10 ratio, so I can have some sort of shopping list. Thanks so much!

    #11790
    pugmomsandy
    Participant

    Cabelas has a couple grinders to chose from but I’ve heard the 1/2 hp could barely grind turkey necks so if you’re just going to grind chicken wings or chicken necks and muscle meat, then that would be ok. But for whole poultry, ribs, rabbit I’d get a commercial grinder. I use a Weston 22 grinder. You can see a demo video of it at northcoastpets dot com under dog supplies, then BARF hardware. I don’t know how to copy/paste on my iPad! Sorry. While I do make ground food w bones I will also feed a RMB as well. Not everyday, just sometimes. I serve kibble, raw, canned and freeze dried.

    #11781
    Jens
    Participant

    I just worry about the chicken bones, although the backs and necks are probably no risk, since they are not hollow.

    #11779
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi Jens –

    Check out the “Transitioning to Raw” thread and the “Suggested Raw Dog Food Menus?” thread – there are a lot of tips on getting started and some recipes there. Dogaware.com is a great resource for beginners and I would also recommend purchasing a copy of “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown – it’s a very comprehensible and quick read, a great book for raw newbies. As for a grinder, I personally don’t use a grinder for my RMBs – your dogs miss out on the dental benefits if you grind the bones. I know a few people here do use grinders though, maybe one of them will pop in with what kind they have.

    #11774
    Jens
    Participant

    Due to having a life besides my dogs, but having the desire to feed them a healthy raw diet, I was wondering what is a simply reciept to feed them daily the same food home made mix. I have two old Malamute/Retriever mixes and two young 3 months old puppies. All are currently on Orijen (large breed and adult) dry food, which they like and do well on. Also, how do you grind your meat, especially the bones and does anybody have a recommendation for a meat grinder.

    #11625

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    weimlove
    Participant

    Sandy,
    I found a couple of good sights for freeze dried tripe, one of them is http://www.bellaspainrelief.com/ and the other is http://www.aplaceforpaws.com/ On both of these sites have freeze dried tripe. You can get 5 oz for about $9.00, which isnt too bad. To ship to Fl it is about 13.00 which is ok as well. Until I can find some local tripe, I will probably order some of the freeze dried. I will probably just add a couple of pieces to maybe one meal a day. I’ve found a great butcher for meat, bones, and organs, but I will definintly look for a mexican or asain market. I think theres one in my town, I will just have to look up the address. Yeah, we have one more week left of his Acana kibble food, then we will be transitioning to raw. I cant wait, it will be cheaper plus so much better for my weimaraner. It’s a little confusing/overwhelming at first trying to figure out the ratios and which supplements and veggies to give, but im sure once I get started it will be easy!

    #11598
    soho
    Member

    Hi Everyone,

    I would like to discuss diet and diabetes. Diabetes is a huge subject to tackle whether it is in regard to people or to pets. I wanted to start the conversation with the question;

    “What should I feed my Diabetic dog?”

    Without going into the science of Diabetes which would be a very long and complex conversation let’s just discuss what you can do in regards to your dog’s diet to help them live a longer and healthier life.

    I have been dealing with my own diabetes for 28 years now and I worked for a Doctor of Osteopathy as a diabetes educator in her Manhattan, NY office. For the last eight years I have counseled many dog guardians on the subject of canine diabetes. I have seen literally thousands of dogs with every kind of health issue through my work with the non profit FreePlay which educates the public on the benefits of off leash recreation areas and with The Pet Wash a local grooming and retail establishment.

    The good news is you can really make a difference in your diabetic dog’s well being through their diet. The bad news is diabetes is an insidious disease that can rob your dog of their sight and their life if left unmanaged.

    The Canine Ancestral diet which is approximately 55% protein 25 to 30% fat and 15% carbohydrate or on a calorie weighted basis 50% of calories are from protein, 44% from fat, and only 6% from carbohydrate is a good starting point to consider in trying to help the diabetic dog through diet.

    The ancestral diet is so low in carbohydrates that it is tailor made for a diabetic dog. You can prepare this type of diet at home using human grade meats and vegetables which we will discuss in another post or you can try to feed your dog a similar diet using commercial foods. I would recommend starting with a balanced raw diet that does not contain bones and lightly cooking it. I would cook it lightly because a lot of diabetic dogs are not in the best health and their ability to deal with the bacteria and microbes that are in the raw food is probably compromised.

    Second choice would be a dehydrated food such as The Honest Kitchen. THK is a quality food that uses only human grade ingredients in all of their formulas. The problem with THK is it is lower in protein that what I would suggest. This can be remedied by adding about 20% lightly cooked meat to each of the recipes. I would stick with similar proteins like fowl for the turkey or chicken formulas, fish for the fish formulas and red meat for the beef formulas.

    Next would be a canned food that has no grains or other starches like potatoes. I would look for a canned food that was mostly meats with a little vegetables.

    Lastly would be kibble. Kibbles require starch to bind the ingredients. They also are the most processed of all the commercial diets available for dogs. They also are dry and nutrient dense. I would suggest that a diabetic dog be fed a high moisture diet like a fresh food or a dehydrated after it is rehydrated or a canned food. Moisture helps ease the burden of the kidneys which are one of the organs that are affected by diabetes.

    If you must feed a kibble for whatever reason then I would look to a kibble like EVO which is only 12 percent carbohydrates. The lowest carb highest protein kibble would be the only kibble I would consider feeding a dog with diabetes. Unfortunately once a dog has diabetes the controlling of this disease would be of paramount importance to me and I would no longer be as concerned with considering all of the qualities of an individual dog food and I would mostly focus on feeding a high protein, low carbohydrate and high moisture diet

    Questions anyone?

    • This topic was modified 11 years, 2 months ago by soho.
    #11508
    husky3
    Participant

    Thank you for your response, Pugsmom & Patty!

    I just looked into the body condition score, and I think she would fall somewhere between a 6 & 7 on the scale of 1-9, or a 4/5 on the other scale. She does have a little bit of a waistline when standing above her looking down, & an abdominal cut when looking from the side. Her ribs are “palpable with difficulty” closer to the spine, but can be slightly felt on her belly. I can not quite feel her hip bones, and the fatty deposit between the hip bones is a bit thick for my liking. It’s difficult to tell through all her fur, maybe I should giver her a bath to get a better idea! 🙂

    We’ll work on getting the ideal Body Condition score rather than looking at the scale, as I just kept getting disappointed and frustrated with the increased effort & lack of results.

    I’m still going to look into a possible allergy/toxin, but continue our regimen of increased exercise and decreased calories. She just may be a real “husky” Husky after all! Oh, and we’re doing more research in hopes of starting them on the raw prey model diet.

    If there is a way to post pictures, let me know and I’ll post one for comparison.

    Thanks again!

    #11467
    Safe4pups
    Participant

    Make sure your dogs aren’t using smoked or cooked bones – raw is what you want. 🙂
    As for your budget, I have found that I can buy premium food online at MUCH better prices – including free shipping and NO tax! I have 3 dogs and 2 cats – 2 dogs on Nutrisca and the cats and 1 dog on Orijen and I pay about 23% less online.

    #11428
    crazy4cats
    Participant

    Hi Hound Dog Mom- I guess that all makes sense. Just grew up thinking all bones are dangerous for dogs. But, I did go to our local Mud Bay Pet food store yesterday and bought two marrow bones and a bag of turkey necks. Gave them the bones last night. Of course they loved them and woke up this morning looking for them! They are so aggressive, I was worried they would break a tooth! I will try the turkey necks later this week. I’m definitely gonna keep an eye on them. They are such gulpers. They have swallowed whole socks! We were told they are lab/retriever mix. But everyone says the one definitely looks like he has some blood hound also. And you know how they are about eating everything in site. Lol! They are a year and a half old. im hoping they will grow out of the chewing stage some day. I also checked out the raw food website that was recommended. I’ll have to say I was a little grossed out. But, prices did seemed cheaper than Mud Bay. I guess the days where it was recommended to only feed dogs kibble and to find one they liked and stick with it are over. Somehow I ended up with 4 cats and 2 dogs. (I can never say no to a cat) I’m trying to feed the best and still feed my human boys too. Lol! Thanks for the advise. I have learned a lot from this website. Maybe too much, our pet food budget has doubled.

    #11421
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi crazy4cats –

    That’s actually a very common question! Most people are under the impression that all poultry bones are dangerous for dogs – this isn’t true. Raw bones are safe for dogs and any cooked bone is dangerous for dogs. Some people think only cooked poultry bones are dangerous, but even those big cooked ham bones or marrow bones are dangerous. Cooked bones become brittle which causes them to splinter when chewed and not digest as well. The reason cooked poultry bones generally cause more problems than larger cooked bones is because they’re so small that dogs can crunch them up more easily, swallow them, and then experience problems such as intestinal perforations and blockages. A dog is definitely less likely to be able to chew up a heavy bone and experience problems, but a large dog or a powerful chewer could definitely break off a piece of a large cooked bone and then experience the same sort of problems that are experienced with cooked poultry bones. When bones are raw – this includes poultry bones – they are more pliable, a lot less likely to splinter and digest better. Animals in the wild obviously must eat raw poultry bones all the time and they aren’t dying from intestinal perforations of blockages. RMBs that are completely consumable (like turkey necks and chicken backs) are nature’s toothbrush! My dogs get RMBs every night at dinner. 🙂

    #11414
    crazy4cats
    Participant

    So, when giving a turkey neck or chicken back, do they eat the bones too? Is this safe? Sounds a little scarey. My dogs are such “gobblers”. I’m going to check out the website. Thanks for your suggestions.i really need to keep these dogs busy 🙂

    #11393
    Safe4pups
    Participant

    Stop at a butcher shop and ask for meaty marrow bones.

    #11389
    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    Hi crazy4cats –

    I would go with raw beef tracheas (I order mine from mypetcarnivore.com) – they last awhile. Turkey necks, chicken quarters, chicken backs, turkey feet, etc. are all great too but likely won’t last as long. They can be considered a meal. Knuckle bones and marrow bones are much harder but with an aggressive chewer I’d be careful as they’re so hard your dog could break a tooth.. Never cook bones, they should always be fed raw.

    #11388
    crazy4cats
    Participant

    Hi- I often see that many on this forum suggest giving raw meaty bones to their dogs. Which type of bones are the safest and where do you get them? If they still have meat on them, would they be considered a meal? Also, wondering if you should boil them or anything before giving to dogs. My dogs (lab mix) are extremely aggressive chewers and looking for something safe as well as something to keep them busy and satisfied for more than 5 minutes. Help!

    #11295

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    weimlove
    Participant

    If I wanted to use a pre-mix for part of one of the two meals per day, and have the other meal with just raw meat, bones, organs, etc, how would that work? Would I still need to add supplements? And would I just add ground meat to the pre-mix, and then use the 80:10:10 and veggies for the other meal? Sorry, just trying to see all of my options.

    #11267

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    Shawna
    Member

    Weimlove,

    HDM mentions her thoughts about veggies in an earlier post on this thread. Here’s the first couple sentences but there’s more “Concerning vegetables, many don’t feel that they’re necessary. Vegetables aren’t part of a dog’s natural diet and I do agree that as long as everything else I described above is provided that they probably aren’t necessary, but I do strongly feel that when they’re provided in small quantities they can be a beneficial addition to the dog’s diet.”

    I agree COMPLETELY with her. Our dogs are subjected to SO MANY MORE toxins than their ancestors and certainly more than wolves. Examples — formaldehyde is off gased from particle board furniture for the life of the piece, gas fumes from gas water heaters and vehicles, the chemical PFOA in tephlon pans and wrappers like those on microwave popcorn bags can actually kill a bird at the right concentration, fluoride in drinking water, vaccinations/heartworm/flea tick etc…

    Not to mention, many don’t bother feeding organic. Bones from CAFO cattle can be high in contaminants like fluoride. The meat is higher in saturated fat than grass finished beef. The meat can be tainted due to the GMO corn and soy etc etc etc. Additionally, “prey” is going to include fiber from the small amounts of ingested fur, sodium from the blood of the animal, ALL the organs — brains are a source of omega 3 DHA, heart has taurine, pancreas has enzymes, tripe has more fiber (in the bits of ingested plant material that comes with) and probiotics and enzymes and on and on.. Many “prey model” enthusiasts don’t account for all these missing nutrients.

    The extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in fruits and veggies just seem like a really good idea when we are subjecting our pets to so many toxins that would not be found in their natural environment (or their ancestor’s that is).

    Veggies should be cooked or run through the blender or food processor. Running them thorugh the blender breaks down the cellulose layer without needing heat which can damage the natural enzymes within the food. If you would eat the veggie/fruit raw than you can give it to your dog raw too — cucumbers, peppers, berries, celery, zucchini (sp?), carrots, tomatoes etc. The finer they are blended they more nutrients are released. If you would cook it for yourself, cook it for pup — acorn squash, sweet potato etc. Best way to cook them is to steam them in a steamer (can be purchased for $40.00 or less). Add the water from the steamers drip tray back into the food as some minerals are leached during cooking and you can add them back by adding the water back.

    Hope that helps :).

    #11258

    In reply to: Transitioning to raw

    Hound Dog Mom
    Participant

    weimlove –

    It’s great that Shadow loved the raw fish – but be careful about which types of fish you feed raw. Salmon, trout and steelhead that are caught in the Pacific can carry “salmon poisoning.” If you want to feed any of these types of fish from this region they should be frozen for a least 2 weeks to kill the parasite.

    I make my own wholefood multivitamin/mineral. I order my ingredients from starwest-botanicals.com. I mix equal parts: kelp, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, turmeric and garlic powder. You can do this if you want or if you want to make it simpler you can just mix equal parts kelp and alfalfa and that should be plenty. I’d give a dog the size of yours about 1 1/2 tsp. per day. You’ll need to supplement with vitamin e, for a dog the size of yours I’d give 200 i.u. daily or 400 i.u. every other day. Any vitamin e for humans will do, but I order mine from vitacost – I use the “Vitamin E & Tocotrienol Complex” because it has all 4 tocopherols and all 4 tocotrienols (most vitamin e supplements just contain alpha tocopherol). For fish oil I’m currently using Iceland Pure Sardine & Anchovy blend and Carlson cod liver oil, but any quality fish oils will do (I like buying in liquid form so I can mix it in with the food, but you could certainly get capsules if your dog will eat them). This is optional, but I do give my dogs coconut oil every other day and a plant-based omega 3-6-9 on the opposite days as the coconut oil.

    I’d love to make you a menu plan, but because I don’t know exactly which cuts of meat will be available to you it’ll be more like a “template”. I’ll give some options and just use what you can get. One of my dogs – Gertie – is an active 70 lb. 2 year old as well so I’ll give you measurements based on what I would feed her. Obviously metabolisms vary from dog to dog so if you find this is too much or too little food feel free to reduce or increase the amounts, just keep everything proportionate. I’m also not sure how many times a day you feed, but I’ll assume you feed two meals a day.

    Breakfast:
    -5 mornings per week feed 12 oz. boneless red muscle meat (beef, lamb, buffalo, etc. – can use lean ground, chunks, heart, tripe, or some combination of these). 2 mornings per week feed 6 oz. liver and 6 oz. of another organ or any combination of other organs (kidney, spleen, lungs, pancreas, brain, etc.)
    -1/2 C. cooked & pureed vegetables (whichever vegetables you want, can add fruit a couple times per week).
    -Optional: 1/4 C. cottage cheese, kefir, plain yogurt or goat’s milk (can do this every day or a few days a week)
    -1 1/2 tsp. whole food supplement (like a kelp-alfalfa blend or my homemade blend)
    -1 tsp. fish oil (alternate between a fish body oil and cod liver oil)
    -Optional: 1/2 tsp. coconut oil or a plant-based omega oil (like flax or evening primrose)
    -Once or twice a week: 1 tsp ground pumpkin seeds, pecans, almonds or sunflower seeds
    -3/4 tsp. ground egg shell (cheap source of calcium, leave eggshells out to dry then put them through a coffee grinder the next day) or 600-750 mg. of a calcium supplement of your choice (if your butcher sells meat/bone grinds for large animals like beef you could certainly use these and omit the calcium, but most butchers don’t have the equipment to grind heavy bones, so the calcium will have to be added separately)
    -200 i.u. vitamin e (or 400 i.u. every other day)

    *You can feed this same meal for breakfast daily, just rotate in new protein sources, switch up the extras (cottage cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds, etc.) and feed a variety of vegetables and fruits.

    Dinner (I often alternate between these two dinners for my dogs):
    -Chicken back or leg quarter
    -8 oz. Gizzards or hearts or boneless chicken (ground or chunks)
    -Whole egg with shell
    OR
    -2 Turkey necks (about 6 oz. each)
    -8 oz. Turkey hearts or gizzards or boneless turkey (ground or chunks)

    Remember the more variety you can feed the better! Feed as many different protein sources as you can, using as many types of organs as possible, different vegetables and different fats. Each meal doesn’t have to supply every possible vitamin and mineral your dog needs, but over time the diet should balance. So the more variety you can feed the wider variety of nutrients your dog will get.

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