Most raw feeders I follow don’t feed any chicken. Or if they do it’s chicken wings which are smaller and less thick. I probably wouldn’t feed chicken thigh bones tbh.
I am in the same boat right now and it is so difficult to see my dog like this. Last year, I thought it was bad and it has only gotten worse. He’s been miserable for the past year and I don’t know how I can help him. I want him to get better as natural and holistically as possible. We tried cooking him food at home instead of the prescribed vet diet for dogs with allergies (Ultramino) and haven’t seen any real improvement. I feel like the medicine that we’ve been giving him is only making his body more weak, his posture has changed dramatically in the last year and his bones seem brittle. We have another Frenchie and he is a solid burly dog so seeing the difference between the two of them is huge. Every time we go to the vet, I feel like we are just tossing our money at them with no real solution. We love our dog so much and we just want to make him better, if anybody has any recommendations on what we should do, let us know. Looking forward to hear from you.
Please reconsider the raw diet, it is not worth the risk. I hope these articles help. All written by veterinarians (The Angell article is written by a veterinarian that specializes in nutrition)
Discuss with your vet. Raw food is well known to cause gastrointestinal distress and obstructions. Ask any veterinarian that works in an emergency clinic.
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/ (excerpt below)
Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food.
The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns.
Please understand that this article is meant to provide basic dietary guidelines for healthy pets. If your pet has specific health issues, then your veterinarian may make specific food recommendations, which may include special prescription diets.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/ (excerpt below)
“There is evidence of risk in feeding raw, including infectious disease, parasites, and injury from raw bones. There is no scientific evidence, only anecdote and dubious theories, to demonstrate any benefits from feeding raw”.
When I gave my Chis’ the Primal from my mom’s I never thought to look at the recalls batch numbers from their recall a few months back.. I saw the list and it included Primal Turkey Freeze Dried but NOT Turkey and Sardine. Being new to Primal and Raw I didn’t realize it was one and the same until I looked at the Batch # on my bag.Only noticed this AFTER I called to complain. Guess the rep didn’t pick it up that I was giving him a batch # that WAS recalled. However, like I wrote the pieces were SO sharp an jagged that even the bones were 1/16″ I wouldn’t feel safe giving it to my little Chihuahuas’.
So now Claire you’re saying it’s back to the big bone shards. I really don’t feel like digging through the dog food every time I feed them. Why aren’t these bones in all these foods just be grinder down to powder?? I’m sure it doesn’t change the nutritional value. I really hope more people call in for this new batch for a recall so they change grinder machines and get it right with ALL of these raw brands.
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This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by
Patricia A.
Hi,
your girl probably vomited her raw food as it might have been too cold, my cat vomits up her raw mince sometimes if its too cold, so now after I take the raw meat from fridge I put in microwave for a few sec to take off the chill, she hasnt vomited her raw meal again……
Raw diet is the easiest for a dog & cat to digest, raw diet is easier then digesting a cooked meal & dry kibble, raw food has enzymes making it easier to digest but as soon as you cook food you kill enzymes vitamins etc, a dogs digestive tract is short, made to quickly digest raw meat then move from stomach to small bowel then large bowel so no bad bacteria starts breeding, the dogs short digestive tract is not made to digest all these dry processed kibbles, this is why so many dogs are having so many health problems now…
if you dont know how to balance a raw or cooked home made diet its very easy as you learn you could look at feeding dehydrated freeze dried raw diets, there’s a few freeze dried diets on the market now, look at “Ziwi Peak” air dried & their can foods, here’s link send them email & ask for samples… https://www.ziwipets.com/
also start buying tin sardines & tin salmon in spring water, drain the spring water out put in a small air tight container in fridge & add 2 spoons to one of her meals or as a small meal a day for her omega oils for her skin, coat, heart, brain, joints, bones etc also add 1 crushed egg shell to 1 of her meals a day….
It’s very easy feeding a raw diet once you start raw is easier to make then cooking meals & your feeding your dog what she is ment to eat a raw diet…
Dogs are healthier & live longer when feed a raw diet, then dogs who are feed processed dry kibble, quoted by “Dr Peter Dobias”….
Do you follow “Rodney Habib”on his face book page & his “Planet Paws”page? has always post really good info, also follow “Steve Brown” & “Dr Peter Dobias” ….
Did you know that large frozen carrots make excellent, edible dog chew treats? As do semi-frozen sweet potatoes or many other large, frozen vegetables. The trick is to make them large enough to prevent choking (don’t use baby carrots), and be sure to wash them before freezing. These healthy, edible goodies are a safe choice compared to poultry bones which can splinter and cause serious damage if ingested.
(excerpt from) https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/frozen-carrots-as-a-doggie-chew-treat/
Click on link for full article
Hi Patricia,
I’ve never fed Primal, but I did place a few orders for Allprovide’s frozen raw food.
I fed the chicken, turkey & beef but I can’t remember which one had big chunks of
very sharp jagger bones that I had to pick out in order for my 5lb Chi to eat it.
I took pics and texted them to Allprovide. They were the correct size bones for that food!
I felt they were too big for my Chi to eat.
So always having to poke my fingers around his bowl to pull out all bones..I stopped buying their food.
I believe they are now under new MNGT..so things may be different now.
I’ve changed my chihuahuas’ diet to Stella Chewy’s freeze-dried with a little Fromm Kibble. I also had a bag of Primal Sardines and Turkey from my mom because her dog didn’t eat it. After giving them the Primal today my one started to choke for a few minutes. I knew there were ground bones in the food so I just inspected the little that was left over from my other dog. I picked out about 15 pieces of rock hard jaggered VERY sharp pieces of what I thought was plastic. I rinsed them off and saw it was more likely bone. I called Primal immediately. I gave them the exp date and batch # of food. He took it very seriously and was reporting immediately the problem. He is asked for number of pet supply store I purchased it. He said the bone should have been ground down and in 1/8″ pieces. That WAS about the size of the pieces . I feel that is large for a small dogs throat and also the shape was as pointy and sharp as a baby tooth. Now I feel like I have to feel through the Stella n Chewy’s also to be safe. Anyone else have this problem with other Freeze dried or frozen? Just when I thought I had it down with their new diet I’m AGAIN questioning my choices. AAAARRRRRGGG!!
You should be able to feel ribs but not see them. Dogs should have an abdominal tuck as well. She’s still young and Golden’s aren’t done growing until around 2 years so she’ll likely start bulking up. But as far as Golden’s are concerned you want them to be as lean as possible. If you can’t feel her ribs she’s fat and a fat Golden is going to end up with a lot of serious health problems later in life. Just feed the recommended amounts and make sure you can’t feel hip bones or see ribs. But you SHOULD be able to feel ribs under a thin layer of fat/muscle, see an abdominal tuck, etc. That is a sign of a healthy dog.
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This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by
haleycookie.
I started giving my dog Smart Bones as a healthy alternative to raw hide but have stopped since I found out the ingredients are sourced from Mexico, China, and Vietnam. Even though they are inspected in the US, I don’t feel comfortable any more. My dog loved chewing them
so I am searching for a “made in the USA” chew treat. I do like the Get Naked brand.
/forums/topic/zignature-for-large-breed-puppy/#post-112460
Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies
Hope this helps! excerpt below, click on link for full article, also you can ask a question there. Please note, there are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA
Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies
Posted on January 10, 2010 by skeptvet
It is widely known by veterinarians, pet owners, and dog breeders that large breed puppies are at greater risk than other breeds for developmental disorders of the bones and joints, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), and hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD).[1,2] The breed predisposition for such disorders indicates a strong genetic component, however environmental factors can also influence the frequency of these disorders.[2,3] Nutrition during the growing period (birth until 10-12 months) is one of the most important factors influencing the development of these skeletal disorders. [2] Unfortunately, there are many myths about large breed puppy nutrition, so this article is an attempt to separate these from the real facts about developmental nutrition in large breed puppies.
Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies
Hope this helps! excerpt below, click on link for full article, also you can ask a question there. Please note, there are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA
Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies
Posted on January 10, 2010 by skeptvet
It is widely known by veterinarians, pet owners, and dog breeders that large breed puppies are at greater risk than other breeds for developmental disorders of the bones and joints, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), and hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD).[1,2] The breed predisposition for such disorders indicates a strong genetic component, however environmental factors can also influence the frequency of these disorders.[2,3] Nutrition during the growing period (birth until 10-12 months) is one of the most important factors influencing the development of these skeletal disorders. [2] Unfortunately, there are many myths about large breed puppy nutrition, so this article is an attempt to separate these from the real facts about developmental nutrition in large breed puppies.
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This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by
anonymous.
This post was from 2013, and it’s 2018, but I have been buying Red Barn bones for my dog for years. All of their products are made in the USA.
Raw diets should contain the precentages I posted above. Where do you live? Usually if there’s any type of meat market around you butchers are begging ppl to take the less sought after organs. And will typically sell them in bulk for low prices. Same with unwanted meaty bones. If you’re just feeding ground beef right now your dog isn’t getting a lot of vitamins. There should be bones and organs (liver and secreting) added to have full benefits.
Depending on the size of your dog, if you feed muscle meat, you can use raw meaty bones as their treat in appropriate amounts. There are also products like roasted tendons, tripe, gullet, feet and pizzles that can be fed. I often use the “bite size” freeze dried foods as treats or cheese. I have small dogs so the treat expense isn’t too much.
You usually want that last 10% to be raw meaty bones. Feeding whole carcuses is a way to make up for that though I suppose. Just make sure you’re also feeding veggies that will make up for a little bit of that calcium intake.
Raw meaty bones, freeze dried treats. You can also find recipes you can make yourself or just dehydrate meat yourself into strips.
Hi,
My dod
My dog is now on a raw diet. Which treats or bones are compatible with this? Thanks
You aren’t missing anything. The fact is kibbles tend to be more carb than anything else. Because it’s incredibly hard to make a kibble without loading it with stuff that holds it together (ie fillers which are usually carbs) so it’s not just a bag of crumbs. As far as raw goes you can usually cut carbs completely out. Most raw feeders follow the 80% meat, 10% organs (5% liver, 5% secreting organs) and 10% raw meaty bones. There are no carbs in that type of diet. But some people also add whole types of veggies or fruits but it shouldn’t make up that much of the diet.
Hi Jennifer-
Aimee hit the nail on the head regarding the diet recommendations. Also just wanted to add that if the breeder has a recipe that she can give you that she has reared pups on successfully with no DOD’s then I would obtain that from her and follow it to the T during growth. This would be instead of DIY making your own recipe. Unless you trust the vet you see to help you.
As for bones, I generally do not feel safe giving any type of bone, but those that do insist that it is important to teach your pup the proper way to chew bones as soon as possible. Only concern is A) fractured teeth and B) adding calcium that will off set the diet. Waiting to introduce RMBs or recreational bones is probably best to do when he is fully grown and can regulate calcium on his own.
Puppy’s obtain their adult teeth starting around 4 months. A year would probably be the best option. You can observe and make sure her chewing and eating habits will be able to handle bones and her teeth will be here complete adult set.
Great, thanks so much for your input. I’m just getting into the raw food diets because the breeder had him on one and I’m trying to stay consistent. It’s quite a learning curve to try to tackle while living with a new puppy!
When would you suggest would be an appropriate age to begin introducing bones, 1 year?
Jennifer S,
In regards to your puppy diet follow this, “She told me calcium is calcium…… . She said I shouldn’t be feeding any meat that has ground up bones in it or giving bones to chew, at least until he is older”
NOT this, “the calcium from bones affects dogs differently and they poop out what they don’t need.”
Puppies can not regulate calcium absorption, therefore they will not just poop out what they don’t need. Calcium in excess of needs will be absorbed and can interfere with proper growth. Recommended Calcium level for growth is 3 grams/1000kcals
I’ve found that the myth that “calcium from bones affects dogs differently” is perpetuated by those making inappropriate diets and trying to pawn off their poorly crafted food onto unsuspecting owners. Bone is a cheap filler!
Hi everyone,
I have a 9 week curly coated retriever, should turn out to be about 80-90 lbs or so. I’ve read enough about dog nutrition to know that I need to be watching the Calcium/Phosphorus ratio and keep it close to 1:1, or at least not over 1.3:1. This is easy when determining kibble, but it seems like there are differing opinions about how much bones contribute to this calcium ratio. I was at the local pet food store (where they pride themselves on being very knowledgeable about nutrition) and they told me I should get the meat that had bones ground and organs ground up with it because the calcium from bones affects dogs differently and they poop out what they don’t need. The same thing with giving him bones to chew on. The breeder also told me that they will just poop out the extra calcium and I only need to worry about the Ca:P ratio with kibble.
I took puppy for his first vet visit today. I chose a vet who is fine with raw diets and knows about nutrition. She told me calcium is calcium and that when she does blood work on dogs that get lots of bones, their blood calcium levels tend to be higher. She said I shouldn’t be feeding any meat that has ground up bones in it or giving bones to chew, at least until he is older and I don’t have to worry as much about bone formation.
What do you all do for your large breed puppies when feeding raw? Do you give bones to chew? Do you think bone calcium acts differently in their system than the added calcium in kibble? Thanks!
I fed EVERY part of the pig except intestines, stomach, pancreas, lungs, and legs (trotters). Some because I could not source them, some because they are too dirty, and some because they are too dangerous to feed (I don’t like trotters). I raw fed my GSD until he recently passed from old age. I fed all pork bones except legs. The pork necks are pretty hard and should be fed to careful bone eaters and not gulpers. The ribs are not quite as hard, but still hard. They can be fed joined together so the dog crushes before swallowing. My boy has swallowed one or two without crushing much, but it never caused any problems. The bones are digestible unlike beef bones. I froze my pork 3 weeks before serving just as an extra measure for killing parasites and worms although MANY people say it’s not necessary. I fed food grade DE as a natural worm preventative and didn’t take chances with the raw food I fed. In fact, I froze everything for at least 3 weeks before serving. I will tell you that my boy never had any digestive or poo issues in 10 years. That includes worms or parasites. I am not paranoid about meat, just well educated on it. Meat has the potential to harbor parasites and worms. Some forms of bacteria, like campylobacter are destroyed by 90% during freezing.
Susan –
I’m looking to try raw pork for my GR.
Curious at what park of the pork is suitable for ‘bones’?
I no longer use this dog food because we switched to a grain free brand now but we never had any issues with the food. For those of you who are citing it as causing your dog’s illness have you checked out the possibility of it being perhaps the treat that they are eating ?
My huskies were sick several times after I changed the food and if you have read any articles lately you will know that the maker of both the Milk Bones and Canine Carry Outs were accused of tainted dog food .And yes it was the brands we often fed our huskies for treats .We now only feed them bones from the local butcher or fresh packaged cooked sausage we cut into small bite size pieces for them .
Congo is a Canadian company (and as far as I know only sell to Canadian retailers) and they are using locally sourced food. The meat for the beef, chicken and lamb are raised on local farms and grass fed, rather than grain fed.
I use the blend not the dinners since I cook or steam vegetables for my dogs and always add fresh fruit to their diet. I have been using Congo raw for 7 months and all my 3 Shepherds love the food. As for bones, they recommend lamb necks (comes in 2 or 4 lbs bag) since they are a lot easier on the dog’s teeth than beef bones. One of my dog is 12 years old and her teeth are worn down so I buy the frozen chicken necks for her to achieve a good meat/bone ratio.
Hello when it is in season I plan to get some squirrels. Just starting out my dogs on a raw meat diet. I have one 10 pound terrier and one 30 pound mutt, would the bones in the squirrel be ok for them? Right now I just have them on chicken wings and necks. Thank you for any advice.
Tried that, 2 visits to emergency vet for gastrointestinal upset, pain, bowel obstruction. Visit to regular vet for broken tooth (not a clean break) required an extraction under general anesthesia.
Plus it’s a myth that bones clean teeth, not true and not worth the risk.
/forums/topic/dog-not-digesting-bones-properly/#post-91245
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm208365.htm?s_cid=w_c_PetHealth_cont_001
PS: About the nail clipping, some dogs tolerate it, and with other dogs it is best to have a vet tech do it every couple of months. Usually they don’t charge that much if you are a regular client.
I find if dogs are walked/run on pavement at least 20 minutes per day it will decrease the need and frequency for nail clippings.
No need to brush Titan’s teeth. Regular chomping on bones keeps his teeth plaque-free and really white. Now nails… he’s not a fan but will tolerate clipping if he gets to play in the bathtub afterward.
Good heavens! What a plethora of advice (some good, some not so much), mostly just confusing. I’ll try to give just basic advice. Raw food is going to greatly benefit your fur buddy: white teeth, free of tartar and dental disease, shiny, smooth, oil-free coats, flake-free and itch-free skin, chronic allergies and infections subside and/or disappear, odorless breath and body, improved energy and vitality, decreased visits to the vet, positive changes in poop (consistency, less frequent, smell), mental stimulation from working at mealtimes. Here are the raw food basics: your dog needs raw meals that are composed of “complete” nutrition. “Complete” meals are “whole prey.” For instance, the entire chicken (muscle meat, bones, organs, head and feet). All the nutrition your dog needs is in the entire animal or whole prey. Add some raw fish (mackerel, sardines) 1-2xs week (optional) and you’ve got a good raw diet for your dog. Don’t freak out, your dog’s teeth and digestive system will make quick work of raw and raw/meaty bones. Never give your dog cooked bones. Your dog does not need veggies or fruit for complete nutrition. However, veggies and fruit are great as treats or mixed into your ground complete meals as a bonus. Here’s a great site for creating balanced raw meals for your dog:
https://keepthetailwagging.com/how-to-create-a-balanced-raw-diet-for-a-dog/
If you’re not into customizing each meal (hmmm, shall I give Spot the lamb shank with calf liver tonight or the Turkey Offal with a marrow bone?), then chk out Raw Paws Pet Food at
http://www.rawpawspetfood.com for complete meal orders with free shipping. They also have a raw food calculator based on the weight/age of your dog (type “calculator” in the search field) so you can know how much to feed. Also, review Suzie’s Doggie Delights at http://www.freshrawdogfood.com for complete meals and a la carte items. They have a $10.00 shipping fee but their prices on fresh (shipped frozen) raw meats and bones are cheaper. If you decide to order raw in bulk or per month (so much cheaper!!), you’ll need a food scale (AccuWeight Digital Kitchen scale, $9.99 at Amazon.com), and a 5.0 cu. ft. freezer chest for food storage. Congratulations on making your pet healthier!
Hello Aimee (K9Ancestraldiet),
I appreciate that you are a local distributor, but, no I would not purchase your product. Your prices are definitely not competitive! In my view, your main competition is Suzie’s Doggie Delights, a Colorado, family-owned raw meat processing, and distribution company. Suzie’s specializes in “complete” whole-prey, ground meals, bulk meats, and bones. 36oz of your complete meal beef (three, 4oz bags) costs $84.00. My 73lb GSD should eat that amount in one meal! 32oz of Suzie’s complete meal beef (same ingredients minus the fruit and fancy packaging) costs $10.38 (10lbs is a budget-happy $38.99). Purchasing from Suzie’s allows me to purchase 72lbs of raw, healthy, human grade, USDA inspected meats and meals my fur buddy for an entire month for under $150.00! And, they deliver directly to my door for an additional, underwhelming $10.00 shipping fee. You might want to compare your ingredients, quality, processing facility, philosophy, and pricing to this well-reviewed company at https://www.freshrawdogfood.com/shop/co/simple-recipes-co/beef-veggie-offal-co/
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ (click on link for complete article and comments)
Yet Another Study Shows the Real Dangers of Raw Diets for Dogs
Posted on February 2, 2018 by skeptvet
I have covered the raw diet issues since the very start of this blog, which is about nine years now. My articles on the subject are collected here. Very little has changed in my assessment of the evidence over this time. The bottom line is clear:
There is evidence of risk in feeding raw, including infectious disease, parasites, and injury from raw bones. There is no scientific evidence, only anecdote and dubious theories, to demonstrate any benefits from feeding raw.
A new study has recently been published which adds to the already considerable evidence of risk from infectious disease.
Martinez-Anton, L., Marenda, M., Firestone, S.M., Bushell, R.N., Child, G., Hamilton, A.I., Long, S.N. and Le Chevoir, M.A.R. (2018), Investigation of the Role of Campylobacter Infection in Suspected Acute Polyradiculoneuritis in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med, 32: 352–360.
This was a case control study conducted in Australia and designed to look for associations between the occurrence of a serious neurologic disease, Acute Polyradiculoneuritis (APN) and infection with the bacterium Campylobacter sp. This bacterium has been identified as a common trigger for the analogous disease in humans, Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Because exposure to raw chicken is a common source of Campylobacter infection in humans, the feeding of raw chicken, and other raw meats, was one of the variables evaluated in this study.
The results were quite clear. Dogs with APN were far more likely to be have Campylobacter than healthy dogs, and dogs with APN were also much more likely to have been fed raw chicken and other raw foods.
This type of study only shows an association, not a definitive cause-effect relationship. A prospective randomized controlled trial would be needed to prove feeding raw chicken can cause Campylobacter infection which can then cause APN. However, such studies are not always necessary or appropriate to guide us in reducing our risk of disease. Case-control studies are the main source of evidence showing smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, and certainly a randomized trial in which some people are made to smoke for years and others are not to definitively prove this relationship would be unnecessary and unethical.
We are more often willing to inflict harm on animals in order to investigate the causes of disease, so it is possible someone will do such a study in dogs even though we would not do it in humans. However, it is clear that this study, in the context of the existing evidence in veterinary and human medicine, supports the clear health risks eating raw meat.
Proponents of raw diets will certainly argue that the risk is small compared to the benefits. Unfortunately, no scientific evidence yet exists to show any benefits, and personal anecdotes or theories about the natural history of dogs are not sufficient reason to ignore the robust scientific evidence of the harm that raw diets can cause. Unless some reliable research evidence emerges to show meaningful health benefits from raw feeding, there is no good reason for pet owners to participate in this dangerous fad.
Hi RollTide10,
If you want more info on a dog kibble its best to send the dog food company an email & ask what the Omega 3 % is & what is the Omega 6% is, the Omega 3% should be around 1/2 or a bit under 1/2 of what the Omega 6% is, “Rodney Habib” is really good to follow on his FaceBook page….Last year Rodney sent away a few popular dry kibbles & results found most of the kibbles that they tested were unbalanced & the Omega 3 was very low & the omega 6 was very high, this can cause skin problems in a dog, so it’s best to buy tin Sardines & tin Salmon in spring water & add about 2 spoons of the sardines or salmon to 1 of his meals a day, Omega 3 is Neutral-anti inflammatory & Omega 6 is Pro-inflammartory…. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. … Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils, such as linoleic acid (LA), not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acid.
If you want to continue feeding dry processed kibble to your dog then make sure you start rotating between a few different brands & meat proteins, eg: 1 month feed salmon kibble then next month change to another brand & feed lamb, the next month feed Turkey dont just feed the same brand & formula of kibble 24/7 this is when health problems can occur especially if the kibble is unbalanced or very high in toxins…
Have a look at “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato the Omega 3%-1.00% the Omega 6% is 2.80% it also states on the Wellness Simple kibble bag,”Skin health & for dogs with food sensitivities” there’s also the Wellness Simple” Salmon & Potato formula, Omega-3%- 1.00% Omega-6% 2.75% so you can rotate between them but not straight after each other feed another brand inbetween “Canidae” Pure Sky, Pure Wild & Pure Sea are really good for dogs who have skin problems…
another thing google “How long does kibble last once opened” Steve Brown wrote a really good article, after you open a bag of kibble it has a life of 14 days the air gets to all the oils & the oils start going rancid, so make sure you keep some kibble in a air tight container that you use daily & the rest of the kibble bag close & seal air tight as good as you can then put in the coolest place in the house, I leave in the air con room & put the kibble bag in another plastic bag seal with sticky tape then put in one of those storage containers…
another good reason why its best to add 2 spoons of salmon or sardines daily to your dogs diet, adding fresh whole foods to your dogs diet daily or 4 times a week is very healthy & better then feeding a dog just dry kibble 24/7, also meals you cook for yourself any left overs that a dog can eat add to his kibble, take out some kibble & add some of the home cooked meal, if you follow Rodney Habib look thru all his video’s he also has another f/b page called “Planet Paws”
Baths make sure you’re bathing weekly Baths wash off any allergens that may be on teh fur/skin Environment allergies cause problems as well, I use “Malaseb” medicated shampoo it’s excellent for itchy skin, yeasty skin, dry skin, most skin problems, Malaseb puts the moisture back into the skin & kills any bacteria yeast that may be on skin & paws….
Good-luck with your new rescue & feed a healthy diet that’s rotated with different foods dry kibble, freeze dried, cooked meals & raw meaty bones for teeth health….
Give the dog a small meal of boiled white meat chicken (no bones or skin) and white rice. This can be the dog’s diet until the stool consistency returns to normal. If the diarrhea continues for more than 24 hours or your dog’s condition worsens at any time, call your vet immediately.
Does anyone have a “bone dust” source? If so, then I would not need a meat grinder that would grind bones. I would just need to a grinder that was robust enough to get through the connective tissue and fat (of so I think). My local butches will not sell their dust…
Poodaddy, What kind of red meaty bones will the Weston Pro Series #22 handle? For example, whole rabbits, any non bearing weight bones such as tails, ribs, necks, etc?
Joe S, is the STX Turboforce II powerful enough to grind chicken bones? We’d like to feed raw, coarse-ground, whole chicken. I want to be able to go to the grocery store, buy a whole chicken, quarter it (or whatever sized pieces fit into the grinder), and coarse-grind bones, giblets, and all.
The $200-ish price tag on this is definitely attractive, but I want to know that it is powerful enough for chicken bones before I spend the money.
Hi Marie,
Some dry food agree with some dogs while the same foods can make other dogs poo double the amount, get bad wind pain & have bad farts, when you say your dog is on the “Natural Balance is that the NB limited ingredient Chicken formula? the Earthborn Primitive formula is probably too high in Fat, Protein & Kcals per cup for your boy & he can’t handle it, compare & have a look at Natural Balance Fat, Protein% & how high the Kcals per cup are that he was doing well on, then look at the Earthborn Holistic Primitive & it is way higher….
Earthborn Holistic make another cheaper brand called “Pro Pac Ultimates” look at Pro Pac Grain Free range which I’ve tried & Patch did nice firm poos & he was pooing the same amount when he ate the Pro Pac Meadow Prime Lamb formula, the fat & protein % is lower then Earthborn grain free kibbles…..
If you want a quaility diet for your dog then start adding some cooked ingredients, wet can, freeze dried or raw to his diet, I feed my boy what I eat, I make extra & freeze in sections or I buy lean 5 star beef or lean pork mince, I add 1 whisked egg, some chopped up fresh parsley about 1 teaspoon, I grow my own parsley, I add some chopped broccoili, I peel & grate 1 carrot, I don’t add 1 carrot no more cause my dog has food sensitivities & carrot makes his ears itch & he shakes his head 20mins after eating carrot but its excellent to add finally grated carrot it spreads the mince & makes it go further, add a few chopped kale leaves & mix thru the 2 pound (1kg) of lean mince & I make into 1/2 cup size rissole balls & I bake in the oven on a foiled linned baking tray then 1/2 way when the rissoles are cooking take them out drain any fat & water & turn then all over the rissole balls dont take long to bake about 20-30mins depends how big the rissole balls are, I also boil some sweet potato & then I cool & I freeze the sweet potato pieces & the rissole balls in sections cause the sweet potato will stick together, when I need the rissoles & sweet potato pieces I take out the day before & put in the fridge..
Start following “Rodney Habib” on his Rodney Habib facebook page or his “Planet Paws” f/b page he often puts up healthy simple recipes or foods to add with your kibble, also follow “Judy Morgan on her f/b page look at her video’s she has simple easy resipes to cook I change the recipes a bit, her recipes are easy & ends up working out cheaper if you cook big meals & freeze about 1 months worth, look for meats etc when they get reduced also Chicken is very cheap so you could buy chicken pieces cook then add veggies in a crock pot & it does all the cooking for you, you just remove all the chicken bones & put in containers cool & freeze.. also tin Sardines & Salmon in Spring water or Oil is very healthy, just add 2 spoons to one of his meals per day, Sardines & Salmon have lots of Vitamins minerals & Omega fatty acid
No matter what kibble you buy they’re all over processed dry kibble, Google “Toxins In Pet Foods” I cant write the companies name on DFA but they completed a study in March & August 2017 tested 1,084 pet food products from 80 brands. Products were screened for over 130 toxins including heavy metals, BPA, pesticides and other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions in both humans and animals. Orijen & Earthborn had some formula’s that did very poorly in the study, have a look at “Canidae” & their other brand called “Under the Sun” Canidae grow all their own vegetables & fruit, Canidae source ingredients form local farmers & their kibbles are made in smaller batches, so they’re fresher, Canidae did very well when tested for toxins last year.. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products…
My boy has IBD & he does really well on Canidae’s All Life Stages formula’s & Canidae’s Pure Wild Boar, Pure Land Bison formula’s the Kcals are a bit high they’re over 400 kcals per cup so I rotate & feed another kibble on the same day he eats 5 small meals a day, so he’ll get the other brand kibble for breakfast then he gets cooked or wet canned meal for lunch then I give him the Canidae for dinner he’s eating the Canidae all Life Stages Platinum at the moment cause the fat is low at 10.50% max & he’s been eating the Nutro Essentials Lamb & Rice weight management cause the fat is low at 9-11% max fat, I add as much fresh healthy foods to his diet as possilbe & try to feed less dry proccessed kibble…. after you look at the Toxins in pet foods you’ll see the better brands & probably think what?? but these brands are buying better quaility ingredients, you’re right just cause it”s expensive doesn’t mean it’s good these better pet food companies fall under the rader cause they have heaps of customers & they start buying cheaper ingredients that arent as good, they take a risk all so they can make more money…
Find a few different brands of kibble that your dog does really well on & then start rotate between the different brands, this way if 1 brand has something wrong with it your dog isn’t eating this brand 24/7 cause your rotating brands & he’s having another 2 different brands of kibble in his diet & start adding fresh ingredients & use the kibble as a base.. also when you see a brand of kibble you know he does well on if its on special then you change kibble when the kibble isnilly finished & rotate with another different brand, I buy the smaller bags of kibble….
I boil a small chicken once a month in a huge pot, nothing added, then let it simmer for 3 to 4 hours.
Let it cool for a couple of hours.
When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken and debone, be very careful and throw out small pieces and such as tiny bones could be in there. When in doubt, throw out.
Put the pot of broth in the fridg on cold temp for 24 hours, the fat will rise to the top so that you can easily remove it.
Separate the broth in individual containers or freezer baggies (3 or 4 day supply each) store in freezer.
Do the same for the chicken meat.
Its a bit of work and messy, but cost effective, and you know for sure that there are no added ingredients.
The store bought has preservatives and salt. The more expensive brand in the organic section might be a little better.
Anon101,
I certainly wasn’t implying he doesn’t get annual checkups. I spend more time at the vet’s with 2 dogs than at the pediatrician’s, so a wild guess, with medications, is I spend about $3-4K on my dogs a year at the vet, not even counting bones, treats, food, etc. Thanks for the assumption though.
Anyway, he is 5 and has been like this for 5 years, so what I meant was (and it was actually about 8 months ago, not a year he had the tests), the tests aren’t going to suddenly pick up something “new” from an old trait he has had for 5 years.
Hi Liz,
I have found when a dog becomes picky it can be stomach problems, the dog is smart & has learnt what foods upset his stomach, have you taken him to vet? even if you do take him to see a vet the vet can’t tell you anything by just looking at him the vet needs to see inside stomach/bowel he needs an Endoscope & Biopsies done or blood tests done for his Pancreas & liver, I did Endoscope & Biopsies in the end with my boy, he has IBD, nausea & certain foods (Wet canned high fat & Kibble) gives him bad acid reflux, when I first rescued him 5 years ago I didnt have a clue why he was grinding his teeth, lip smacking, whinging at 11pm, he’d look at the food in his bowl (kibble) & look back up at me with this look “whats this crap” & then he’d walked away, cause he was a rescue I didnt know what he was feed I know he wouldn’t touch kibble the first week I got him then he was weeing blood he was put on a Vet diet wet can & dry kibble & he seem to like the Royal Canin vet Kibble & wet canned food but that was only to be feed for 6 weeks then once his crystals were dissolved vet said feed him what he was eating before (I didnt know) so I started feeding him what I ate & wet canned food then he was pooing blood (IBD)
Kibble is harder to digest & higher in carboydrates, the higher the protein & fat in kibble can be making things worse, normally the fancy foods are high fat/protein so he wont eat them now, have you tried wet canned food? but make sure the fat is under 4% in fat in wet canned foods as they havn’t been converted to dry matter (kibble) fat, 5%min-fat written on the can of wet food when converted to DM is around 20%min to 26% max fat same with raw pre-made & the pet rolls etc
Have you tried those Pet Rolls alot of people say good things about “Freshpet rolls sold at Costco, Pet Smart & Walmart also have you tried home cooking what your cooking for dinner make some extra for him like boiled potato, veggies & add some type of meat, I buy the human extra lean beef mince or the Lean Turkey mince & whisk an egg & add some chopped parsley & make 1/2 cup size rissole balls & bake in the oven on foil linned oven tray & all the fat & water comes out drain turn them over & bake till ready then I cool & freeze the rissoles then you get a fork & mash them up with some sweet potato, veggies etc?? cooked food will be healthier then a dry kibble, also start feeding 4 smaller meals a day this helps gain weight & if he does have stomach problems there’s not as much to digest when he eats 4-5 smaller meals, when you feed 2 larger meals of dry kibble there’s heaps more to digest, the bowl of kibble you put on the floor doubles in size, now this would cause anyone stomach pain when you think about it, you eat this small dry kibble then this kibble all start to swell up in your stomach & you’d start to feel uncomfortable, I know I would, I feed Patch 7am-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 a cup same kibble, 12pm-scrambled egg with gluten free pasta or can tuna in spring water drained water add boiled mashed potato, 5pm 1/2 cup kibble or I do Tuna/Salmon & boiled potato & 8pm-cooked meal or 1/3 cup kibble at the moment he likes eating “Nutro Essential” Lamb & Rice, 2 weeks ago he stopped eating his “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Lamb this was his go to kibble when he was un well & had diarrhea/acid reflux, the TOTW fixed up his IBD but he doesnt want anything to do with, after seeing all the Toxins in pet foods (Google “Toxins In Pet Food”) the company will come up then have a look at the 2 & 1 star dry dog foods, Kirkland & TOTW have a few bad 1 star dry foods, so I’m listening to Patch & not feeding his TOTW for now…I also buy a grain free Super market good quaility kibble, I buy the smaller bags look for specials online pet store kibbles that have ingredients he can eat then I rotate his kibbles I ask him “which one do you want” I put 1 brand kibble inbetween right fingers & another brand kibble in between left hand fingers & ask him to smell them he smells both kibbles then I let him take the kibble he wants to eat thats been working out really well, you’d get sick of eating the same meal everyday so I never feed the same kibble more then 1-2 week or he starts reacting he has IBD food sensitivies & he has problems keeping on his weight & FINALLY I have him at 18kg he would always stay around 16-17kg vet said he looks good but I dont like seeing his bottom rib, I like Staffys that are little solid nuggets, all muscle, not muscle & bones like he use to be…
I was thinking of my teeth and mouth and I have a sensitive nerve, which is sometimes aggravated, when I chew something too hard myself. Is not seen on x-ray, but when described to my dentist, he said this can happen, like a sinus area near the tooth.
My Candy who passed from nasal carcinoma that had metastasized to her bones in her skull, had some issues with her teeth before we discovered the cancer. She would also not eat crunchy things sometimes, and her breath became bad. She did have a tooth pulled and teeth cleaned. Once we put all the symptoms together, including her nosebleeds, there was not a lot to be done for her, as her x-rays indicated. Her cancer was so extensive, surgery was not an option. We kept her as comfortable as possible. I miss my girl.
I would ask about the gabapentin vs galliprant and feed your dog softer food items if that works out ok for him. You and your vet know his history better than I would, but just though to mention in case.
Wish you the best with him.
I am a pet stylist and 2nd generation dog trainer/behaviorist as such I have been around dogs and am very knowledgeable..with that being said I recommend more fat in in your dogs diet.
You may accomplish this by feeding raw bones or my personal favorite to ad fat fast is cow tripe sold in cans for dogs.
Best of luck!
Gonna have to argue with you on that anon. Dogs may contribute from some of the heathier more bioavailability grains but cats do not. Cats are obligate carnivores and only need a balanced diet in meat , bones, and organs to live a healthy life. Grains and any plant matter is completely useless for them. I’m tired of brands like science diet saying corn is a healthy source of protein to cats and dogs. Especially cats when it is not. Kidney disease is on the rise in cats by an astronomical amount. With more cats dying from kidney failure then any other type of illness. That is because of this garbage kibble people are told to buy. Science diet does nothing but mask problems and create more problems down the road.
I do however second a dental exam. If he just prefers softer foods though canned or rolls (Freshpet) would be good options as well. Most grain free foods will have a smaller more dense shape so you might have a hard time finding something suitable.
I used to order from them but the ground bone caused major constipation issues for my dog. So I turned to powder calcium supplements. My dog is just one of those dogs who has issues digesting ground bones
I forgot to mention. Invest in a slow cooker. This time of year you can get good deals. I have cooked whole birds and fish for 20hrs in them. After 20 hrs most bones have turned into mush
I would not risk it. Just give him the salmon and discard the bones.
