[theBCnut]

Funny that you mention Nylabones. That is the only thing my dogs have ever choked on. One of my GSDs bit off a chunk and before I could get it away, he swallowed it and began to choke. He couldn’t get it back up and he passed out. At that time, I literally reached down his throat and dislodged it. He couldn’t eat for a couple days after that due to a raw throat, but after that he was fine. He was never allowed another nylabone.

[Anonymous]

Maybe your dog is different Hound Dog Mom, than with a Yorkshire Terrier. Because I’ve had issues that resulted in seeing the Vet for bloody stools and they have related it to the food and treats I was feeding him.

[Anonymous]

Nylabones are a safe treat for dogs that are heavy chewers.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’ve found a great chew that my dogs love! They are small dogs so I buy the smaller size but the treats are made in a larger size, as well. These treats are The Honest Kitchen Beams….dried catfish skins! Even Lucy, who generally hates all chews and most treats, loves these!

[Hound Dog Mom]

A dog can choke on anything. A toy, a stick in the yard, etc. They need to be supervised when eating chews, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have them. I don’t feed rawhide, but I feed bully sticks, dried trachea chews, pig ears, etc. on a regular basis and I have never had a dog choke.

[Anonymous]

If your feeding him/her different treats all the time, that could upset his intestines. Or if your switching dog food too often and too many, that could upset him also. Or if he wanders outdoors and a neighbor is giving him stuff, then that could upset his intestines. Worse scenario could be that he has Parvo.

[Anonymous]

You shouldn’t give your dog any type of rawhide, bully sticks, pig ears, etc because they could choke on them.

[Anonymous]

You didn’t say what food & treats you were feeding. So many health problems are food/treat related.
My Shih Tzu had pancreatitis at 12 yrs. Plus terrible allergies with both my dogs & getting steroids. I started studying dog nutrition. I decided to try Blue Buffalo as this was the only company to write back out of 3 others I contacted.
Within 3 weeks all allergy related problems started going away. in 2 mo. the pancreatitis was GONE and she has never had another bout. She is now 15 1/2 and the boss of the house. no steroid shots or pills for over 3 yrs.
Hound Dog Mom is very knowledgeable so you might also ask her.

[YorkieLuvr]

Our Yorkie has gained weight as have her guardians. To help her we turned to
your “Dog Food Calculator” and found “Step 3” to be inaccurate according to our
family’s life style.

We give her three “very small treats” every day and suddenly realized…they
actually amount to an additional 40 calories every day. Not that bad for us
180 pound humans but they become an additional 12.5% to her daily 316
calorie requirement.

It would be advisable for you to adjust your calculator to at least encourage your
users to include the “sneaky” calories of all treats.

YorkieLuvr

[NectarMom]

I feed Brothers Allergy Formula and my largest Chihuahua was 17.5 lbs and she has lost 6.5lbs in the last 3 months we have been on Brothers. She still needs to loose a few more pounds and I feel very confident if I keep feeding her the recommended amount then she will loose the rest in no time. I don’t mind getting my dogs food shipped to me since they all seem to be doing well on this brand. The only thing is since the ingredient change with adding Menhaden Fish my dogs don’t eat their food as well so I am hoping by the time I order another bag that they will have changed the Formula back to the original ingredients. But I am grateful that my one with intestinal allergies has not had any issues since we switched off of Acana onto Brothers Allergy Formula. We are still having detox issues though , all 4 of my dogs are still licking their feet and scratching like mad but I am hopeful that this will pass once we are on Brothers for approx 6 mos. I am also adding Mercola Enzymes and Probiotics on their food and that is all they get. No treats or anything else

[sp464]

I have an 8 old Great Dane who refuses to eat unless there’s lots of special treats in it – chicken breast, peanut butter, treats, etc. She’s on the skinnier side of healthy, getting too close to underweight for my taste and her refusal to eat is not helping! We use a glucosamine joint powder that mixes with water, so if she doesn’t eat her food within 20 minutes, it becomes soggy cereal. I’ve tried giving her dry kibble and using the joint powder separately and she still won’t eat the kibble unless she’s starving. She never says no to treats and will walk around sniffing things like she’s hungry but really waits for desperation to set in before she goes for the bowl.

I had her on Canidae, as that’s what she was fed in foster care (I’ve only had her 4 months) and she was fine, though never food motivated. She was also fine staying with my sister for a few weeks. In both places, she had another dog who would gladly eat her food if she left it so I think competition played a big role there.

I recently switched her to Taste of the Wild, as I thought the different flavors might be enticing and I’ve tried two different TOTW flavors but she’s had the same reaction as with Canidae.

Any suggestions of other foods in a similar price range to try? Apart from joint stiffness, she’s got no health issues or allergies that I’m aware of. I’m going crazy trying to please this stubborn old lady!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Didn’t notice where there was a topic area for people to post recipes, I think there should be one. I used to bake for my dogs all the time, but since I switched to homemade raw that started occupying a lot of my time and I’ve mostly been buying treats for the dogs. Since it was Valentine’s Day today, however, I decided to do something special for the dogs and made them some homemade healthy cookies. 🙂

Ingredients:
-2 C. Sprouted Wheat Flour (I used Arrowhead Mills)
-1 C. Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
-1 Organic Cage-Free Egg
-1/2 C. Organic Pumpkin Seed Butter (I used Jarrow Formulas – can substitute Peanut Butter)
-1 tsp. Vanilla
-1/2 C. Water

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the balls slightly. Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges start to brown.

[BryanV21]

I’m late to the party, but when I have dogs with bad allergies I recommend Primal treats. They have nothing but meat in them, and come in a few varieties including venison.

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi all. I’ve been feeding Merrick’s new grain free kibble (and one bag of their Small Breed) since right before Christmas. I’ve also been using their small breed canned food as a topper (of course, along with other brands). I’ve fed two bags of the Chicken, one bag of Buffalo, one bag of Pork. It was going great, even better than when they were on Fromm, until this second bag of Pork that was just added last week (the first bag of Pork was a different lot #). I’ve been buying the small bags, except right before this “episode” I did buy a large bag of the Duck which they haven’t had yet. Anyway, I dumped the new bag of Pork in with the other bag that was already in the bin. I didn’t check it closely because I was getting ready to go out of town. My daughter would be the one to feed them while I was gone. She helps me sometimes and knows what to do. The evening meal before I left I fed them. I didn’t feed the next morning meal but did notice that someone had some weird looking stool when they went out first thing in the morn. It had some formed and the rest was runny. It was also a weird color…..dark green or dark grayish to almost black. I didn’t see which one did it. My immediate thought was that Hazel was stressing because I was leaving, as she is my “stressy” dog. I told my daughter to go ahead and feed but no treats and to watch them and call me. I would be back in 3-4 days. Well…this went on for all the time I was gone! No one acted sick, though, and they had no accidents in the house (thank goodness!). When I got back I immediately checked everything out. I started inspecting the kibble and noticed something odd. This new bag of Pork had some pieces that were longer, thinner, way darker and looked very dense throughout the bag. It looked like maybe the extruder had an issue. I immediately took them off this food, of course, and started chicken and rice. Everything was fine. All dogs actually had this bad stool, not just one, and all dogs went back to somewhat fine (still getting there) afterward. I’m switching off Merrick now. I will say this is the first time I’ve had firsthand experience with a food having something “off” in it and I’m not happy. I called Merrick with the lot number and they, of course, weren’t much help. They said no one else has had a problem or contacted them with anything and that they would send me a coupon. I told them I had been very happy with Merrick until this and I didn’t want a coupon because I wasn’t going to take a chance on poor quality control with them again. I may go back to Fromm, but right now I’m going to give Acana’s Single line a chance. I’m phasing in their Lamb and Apple currently. The dogs love it (using it as treats now and putting a few kibble in their chicken/rice mix). I’m just so disappointed. I am going to take the Duck bag back. I had a little of the small Chicken bag left and looked in it to see if the dark pieces were there and they were not. I just don’t want to take a chance with Merrick again, even though they did fine until now. I’ll keep you guys posted. Sorry this is so long, but I needed to rant and wanted to alert others to this possibility. 🙁

[L0v3lyf55]

@JessicainNYC, We were just introduced to them by a friend of ours and our dog loves them. She has been extra good trying to get more than she should she loves them so much! I love that they don’t upset her tummy at all!

I have tried most natural or organic brands for her but she likes the taste of these the best and like I said, no tummy problems!

[Hound Dog Mom]

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.

[shelties mom]

http://www.ibtimes.com/bully-sticks-dog-treats-are-rich-calories-can-harbor-bacteria-1044084

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi dave and AngieH –

The difficult thing with colitis is that it can have many different causes and it can be acute or chronic. Dietary changes often can help ease the symptoms of colitis. Most dogs with colitis respond well to increased levels of dietary fiber and/or a hypoallergenic diet. Many dogs with colitis also seem to better tolerate foods that are lower in fat. When trying a new food make sure that you don’t feed anything else to your dog during the trial period (no treats!) and give the diet three to six weeks to see if there is improvement (remember, the improvement won’t be immediate and in some cases your dog’s diarrhea can even worsen in the initial stages of the switch as the dog is becoming accustomed to the new food).

For increasing the fiber level, rather then looking specifically for a high-fiber food, I would recommend just adding some canned pumpkin or psyllium to a high quality food. Both are high in fiber and will increase the overall fiber content of the food being fed.

For choosing a hypoallergenic diet you want to pick a food that has a protein source and carbohydrate source (if applicable) that your dog has never been exposed to. Making a homemade food is a great option here.

Two supplements I would definitely start immediately
1. Probiotics – these will help replenish the good bacteria in the dog’s digestive tract and keep pathenogenic bacteria in check.
2. Digestive Enzymes – These will give the dog a boost in digesting their food so the dog’s already stressed digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard at producing its own enzymes.

Some other supplements you may want to try that have proved successful for some dogs suffering from colitis:
1. L-glutamine – An amino acid that helps to repair the mucosal lining of the digestive tract.
2. Slippery Elm – An herb that helps to sooth the digestive tract and relieve inflammation.

I think in the case of colitis, that a high quality home-prepared diet would be best and most easily customizable to the dog’s individual needs. However, here are some commercial foods that are hypo-allergenic and lower in fat that may be worth considering:
1. The Honest Kitchen’s Zeal – Dehydrated, fish-based food, 9% fat on a dry-matter basis.
2. Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Rabbit – Freeze-dried food, 15% fat on a dry-matter basis.
3. Nature’s Variety Instinct – Limited Ingredient dry foods are all under 20% fat on a dry-matter basis and include a turkey, duck and lamb variety.
4. Addiction’s Dry Foods – salmon-based, venison-based and lamb-based options, all around 13% fat on a dry-matter basis.
5. Addiction Dehydrated Foods – brush-tail, kangaroo, venison, lamb offerings, all around 9% fat on a dry-matter basis.
6. Addiction Canned Foods – brushtail, venison and salmon are only 10% fat on a dry-matter basis.
7. Great Life – Dry foods Buffalo Rx and Duck Rx are both 13% fat on a dry-matter basis.
8. Tiki Dog – canned food with some low fat hypoallergenic options.
9. California Natural Grain-Free – kangaroo, salmon, lamb and venison options, all 13% fat or less on a dry-matter basis.

*Some of the foods I recommended are a little low in protein for my taste, unfortunately when feeding a commercial food most of the foods that are lower in fat and that contain a novel protein also contain less overall meat and thus less protein – this is why I think homemade is the best option. If you are feeding one of the lower protein dehydrated or kibbled foods I’d highly recommend adding one of the recommended canned foods to boost the overall protein content. Also, this is not an exhaustive list – check out the foods Dr. Mike has reviewed on DFA and you’ll likely be able to find more – these are just some brands that first came to mind.

Good luck!

[pugmomsandy]

Maybe you can give her a couple pieces of the Vital Essentials freeze dried nibblets as treats. They’re small enough that she would probably swallow them. When I give it to my dogs, they have little nibblet sized poops! Even the Stella and Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch might work as well since they both have ground bone.

[dianne1089]

I want to start making my own dog treats, but most of the recipes I see don’t seem very nutritious.

Anybody with great recipes out there? I’m looking for one that can be done with fruit or vegetables

[kbobrow]

My dog loves these so I buy them for him sometimes. I purchased a bag of the bacon/cheese flavor and my husband noticed a fiber, like a paint brush bristle stick out of one of the treats. Very sharp very sturdy. I got to looking in the bag and most of the treats had several of these fibers sticking out of them. Very sharp and so sturdy we had to pull them out with tweezers. I sent Pedigree and email and then sent me back an email telling me I need to contact them during their 8 to 5 business hours. Well I work so that is kinda hard for me. One would think since I’m the customer with their bad product they could find time to contact me. That’s customer service for you nowday. Anyway please be aware if you buy any of these treats. I won’t be purchasing anymore.

[nicci10681]

I LOVE this company! I feed my 2 Dachshunds the Chicken Artisan, they love it and I feel good knowing that they are getting some of the best food out there. I’ve also tried several of the treats, the lil bear cookies in several flavors, and the dogs love them, I’ve even tried them myself and they are quite yummy!! lol. I really love that I can read and know every ingredient in them! Everything is human grade. I’ve worked in the pet industry for over 13 years (grooming and obedience training) and I’ve really taken to educating myself on dog nutrition, it’s a passion of mine, if for no other reason than because I want the very best for my babies, no matter the cost! I’ve been through so many foods, but have time and again been disappointed when they were bought out by a bigger company and lowered their quality standards. I can only pray that this doesn’t happen to Grandma Lucy’s and that they stay true to who they are and what they do! I would HIGHLY recommend their food!!

[ami]

I bought a large bag of these treats as i have bought this product many times before but decided to buy the large bag as i know the product and felt confident. But when i started pulling out the freeze dried liver treats most of them looked really different. Normally the treats look like smooth cardboard, in this bag there were some chunks that looked as if they were diseased livers. They had various sized whiteish and other discoloured spots through them. This to me looked like it was ‘Fatty Liver’ which is a disease. If you look up a google image for fatty liver you will be disgusted at what you find.

I want to know if anyone else has seen weird looking freeze dried liver treats. I won’t feed them to my dog and I am going to bring some of these abnormal looking treats in to my vet to take a look at. I will be really upset if there is a problem with them as i thought i was safe buying my dog’s treats made in the Canada or the U.S..

I will post again when i hear back from the vet.
Tnx,
ami

[sisu]

I have a 7 year old who is a spinal walking paraplegic. He has no feeling from the waist down. He can walk due to muscle memory which 10-15% of dogs maintain. There is limited bladder and bowel control. Although the conditions are different our goals in waste management may be the same.

Grain inclusive foods result in big fluffy poop. Grain free with the highest meat content and lowest carbs give the best results when feeding kibble. With a balanced raw diet there is barely any waste. Therefore, the poop is very small, ring finger to little finger size. If Prey Model Raw (PMR) is not an option consider premade raw with the highest meat content. After 5 years of trial and error I have found that EVO Herring and Salmon kibble works very well. As almost a contradiction to my high meat, low carb, low fiber rule Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon also results in small size poop. I suspect it may be due to the digestibility of the menhaden fish meal. Of the two brands EVO poop is smaller. Some companies will send free samples. Use the contact link on their websites to make the request.

I feed as close to 6 am and 6 pm as possible. There are very few treats given. Rewards are enthusiastic chin scratches and lots of happy, verbal praise. By restricting the frequency of food going in I can predict that poop will happen an hour to and hour and a half after each meal. Exercise will cause him to poop sooner rather than later. Anal stimulation either by lightly touching around the outside of the anus or using a KY jelly lubricated thermometer inserted into the rectum with some slight movement will cause him to poop a couple of hours sooner than expected. Although I have rarely used either of these methods they are useful for getting things back on schedule. If used frequently poop on demand becomes the schedule rather than allowing his natural digestion to establish a schedule.

Below is a list of meat protein in various brands of kibble that I have collected from the ‘net. I have not fed these brands. Although I trust the sources of the information I cannot guarantee it.

Dr. Tim’s Momentum 35/25, 96%
Native Level 4, 35/25, 93%
Diamond Extreme Athlete, 93%
Inukshuk 32/32, 95%
Annamet should be 90+%. Specific amt. is not known.
Orijen 82%
Horizon Legacy 80%
Instinct 70%.
Merrick grain free 70%

I am unsure if the constant leg movement your boy has are muscle spasms. If so, daily muscle massage of the legs and along the spine similar to Tellington Touch, gentle repetitive bicycle movement, and flexing the leg joints and toes may help. All is done slowly. Stop if there is a spasm. Resume when the muscles relax. After 2 years of daily massage/flexing therapy Connor has no spasms.

If your dog is being treated by a general vet I would suggest a visit to a veterinary neurologist or neurosurgeon. Not for surgery but to evaluate and treat the current condition. For example, there is medication that can help with muscle spasms. Also, if it is in the budget, professional physical therapy can help with lingering issues. If the carts were not professionally fitted a neurologist or physical therapist may be able to resolve the current problems.

If interested in raw feeding:
http://preymodelraw.com/how-to-get-started/
http://puppybutt.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/9/2/7692088/beginners_guide_to_prey_model_raw_rv.4.1.pdf

The Paralysis: Neurological and IVDD forum is very helpful and informative.
http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/

I hope some of this helps.

[SuZee]

Thanks, HDM – I’ll check out the websites!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi SuZee –

For chew treats I give my dogs dried tracheas, bully sticks and pig ears. I have never had an issue with any of these – they’re natural treats and species-appropriate, unlike a lot of those “dental chew” type treats you get at the store loaded with carbs, colorings and preservatives. I order from bestbullysticks.com and happydogplace.com – both these sites carry high quality, trustworthy products.

[SuZee]

I am getting a Golden Doodle puppy in five weeks, haven’t had a puppy for many years. I really want to do everything right with this dog; I have read that some commercial treats are treated with arsenic, others cannot be digested and cause blockages, etc. There are so many stories and I can’t separate fact from fiction. While I appreciate the various beliefs set forth on this forum, I am not averse to using commercially prepared treats if they are ok for my pup. That being said, how can I know what treats I can give her? Chew sticks? Any help would be appreciated!

[mbigdogs]

Hi Everyone
I guess I don’t have to mention that two dogs over 200 pounds can eat a significant amount of food. I want to buy them the best food I can afford and still pay my mortgage 🙂 The bull mastiff is under a year old and the saint bernard is almost 3. They are amazing loving dogs and I want them to stay healthy as long as possible. It is difficult to buy enough cans for dogs this size. I watched the video about which kind to buy. How about a mixture of canned and dry? With all the recalls now I am just getting confused on what I should purchase that is good for both of them. I am also scared about treats since Petco just literally pulled almost the entire dog section off the shelves. I do make some of my own treats for them. It is just difficult to make homemade food for dogs this size and work full time. Can someone suggest some good options for what would be cost effective and yet as healthy as I can get for them? Thank you very much for your help.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 11 months ago by mbigdogs.

[InkedMarie]

I will give you some advice as it pertains to one of my dogs. I did not do allergy testing but an online friend gave me a list of ingredients to avoid: chicken, corn, wheat, soy, rice and flax. I have since found that Boone does fine with flax but cannot have yeast. He has done the best with a grain and potato free foods. Beef can be a common allergen, I have read. On this forum, go to the dog food ingredients board and the stickie at the top has the list of those foods.
Boone does best with fish and turkey foods. He eats a pre made raw in the morning and some of that is beef and he has no issue with it. His pre made is also turkey and duck. He eats Brothers Allergy, which has chicken liver & chicken at but is doing great on this food.
Something to keep in mind. You have to be mindful of every morsel your dog eats. That means treats as well. If you feed him a grain free food, feed him grainfree treats. Scour that ingredients list. Also, you wouldn’t think about it but supplements as well. Mixed tocopherols can be soy so the salmon oil I give him is just that, salmon oil (it’s a liquid). I once gave him a salmon oil capsule that had soy as a secondary ingredient. We use Bug Off Garlic for the insects and we cannot use the chewables because there is yeast in it.
I advise trying a few different foods, by different makers. I like doing that because you never know if a food will become unavailable or you see a sale on another one he can have. Hope I’ve been of help!

[Hound Dog Mom]

i8ok –

I think Plato probably does use quite a bit of meat, just fatty meat. For example, if you look at their chicken jerky strips they have 30% protein and 25% fat – boneless, skinless chicken breast is only 10% fat (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/701/2). If they were using organic boneless skinless chicken breast the product would likely be very very expensive and also much lower in fat. Personally, the higher fat content wouldn’t bother me – I typically feed my dogs higher fat foods anyways. If you’re getting a dog treat, especially at the price Plato’s treats are sold for, you’re not going to be getting boneless skinless chicken breast. I’ve never used the strips before, but I have used the Plato’s Farmer’s Market treats and I don’t have an issue with any of their grain-free treats.

[mydogisme]

Jamienico, I hear and feel every word you are saying. My son came with me to look at things I will need for her burial. dress, favorite toy,ball,necklase with diamond stone with her name. I love her and I felt I could splurge on her to show others just how much i love her but she never knew any difference only she loved being next to me and me talking to her at night before we both fell asleep. how do we make these people or companies pay for what they have done to us and to our pets? nothing ever will replace your babies nor mine. I dont know what to do,maybe Mike would know where to get started. If 1 woman came up against a water company in Tx for causing cancer, why cant we come up against these companies putting stuff in dog food that claim feed them what you would eat. I got to one point 2 years ago of not liking what i was seeing on bags and started feeding Dixie organic human food but knew i couldnt match the vitamins she would need. So again I switched her to the best foods. I bought her some treats thats on the front said Vitality,pure chicken. I check out every word EXCEPT in the very bottom in tini words it said’made in china!’ I got sick and ran to her vet and he said she probably wasnt on it long enough to do any harm. i bought maybe 3 or 4 bags over the summer as yard treats when i would mow the yard,Dixie would sit and watch,when I got to close that she might get dust on her I took her in to sit on her window seat to watch me mow. She did everything with me and went everywhere with me. I hear every word you said. I know the feelings. I will never ever have another pet. My heart is shattered over Dixie

[soho]

Hi i8ok

I think we’re getting stuck on “pet grade” vs “human grade”. Let’s say you start with a human grade certified organic chicken. You remove all the parts that humans eat; the legs, breasts, wings etc. After you remove all the meat that humans eat you are let with the frame, the little pieces of fatty meat and skin that are stuck to the frame and the bottom of the bird etc. Now you grind that all up and make it into a certified organic pet treat. I call this pet grade meat and I believe it falls into “Choice 1”.

But before we go any further with this discussion let me say that we could probably debate this forever without ever coming to a definitive conclusion. That is one of the biggest issues I have with the pet food industry. There is no real transparency. There is a lot of “creative marketing”.
No pet food company discloses everything. They use terms like “Trade secret” and “Proprietary information” and the consumers go along with it. I think the consumer has the right to know EVERYTHING about the food they feed their dogs and cats. That is why I am practicing what I preach.

In the opening post of this thread you were told more about my treats then you will ever know about 99% of the other treats out there. You know the actual cut of meats I use (boneless skinless chicken breasts or fish fillets). You know where I buy them (Costco). You know the companies that the meat comes from (foster farms or seamazz). You know the spices I use (garlic salt) and the temperature I dehydrate the meats at (145 degrees F). If there is something you would like to know about my treats just ask. I will answer you promptly and publicly. I believe this kind of transparency is very rare and I believe it is priceless!

James

[soho]

Hi i8ok

Thank you for your reply! Let’s take a closer look at the Plato Organic Chicken strips.
First the marketing claims:
Over 90% organic chicken
Natural ingredients, fortified with antioxidant vitamins, and zinc
No artificial colors, flavors, synthetic preservatives, or GMO’s (genetically modified organisms)
Naturally preserved.
Antioxidant vitamins E and С
No meat by-products or meals

Second the Actual Numbers and ingredients:
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude protein: 30% min
(How in the world are these treats over 90% chicken and only 30% protein?)
Crude fat: 30% min
(Where did all this fat come from if the treats are over 90% chicken?)
Crude fiber: 1% max
Moisture: 15% max
(This moisture level is a little too high in my opinion to guarantee against spoilage.)
Zinc: 180mg/kg min
Vitamin E: 101 lU/kg min
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) 50mg/kg min*
Omega 6 Fatty Acids –
Omega 3 Fatty Acids –
Iron –

INGREDIENTS
Organic chicken, organic brown rice, salt, zinc propionate, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2phosphate (a source of vitamin C), mixed tocopherols (a natural preservative), rosemary extract.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Now lets take a look at the facts about my chicken jerky:
Made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts bought at the deli section of Costco. This is not pet grade chicken. I know that there are a million marketing claims concerning the chicken in pet foods and treats but not one of the commercial brands are made using supermarket meat like I use. This is the same meat that you and your family eat.

You say you wont eat farm raised fish or feed it to your dog. I respect you for that. But why would you feed your dog pet grade chicken which is a by product of the human grade food business? Pet grade chicken (or any other pet grade meat for that matter) is what is left over after everything that can be used for human grade chicken is removed! And that’s the good stuff. The bad pet grade meats are the Dead, Dying, Downed or Diseased meats that never made into the human food chain in the first place!

Ingredients: 99.8% boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt, garlic. The only thing added to my chicken jerky is 0.2% spices (salt and garlic).

Guaranteed analysis as fed:
Protein 87%
(You read that right 87% now what treat could be better for a meat eater)
Fat 4.5%
(This is what the fat could be in other products if they used the same chicken breasts that I do)
Carbohydrate 0%
(Remember dogs have no biological need for carbs)
Minerals 3.5%
(This is what ash is)
Fiber 0%
Moisture 5%
(5% moisture is low enough to ensure against spoilage)

The chicken I use is Whole Chicken Breasts intended FOR human consumption. Not ground pet grade chicken (Plato)

My chicken jerky is JUST chicken and 0.2% spices. Plato uses brown rice as a filler.

When you look at the facts my jerky is a great value. Compare my jerky to other human grade jerky products sold for human consumption and you will see that my jerky is an OUTSTANDING value!

Thank you aimee

[Anonymous]

Hi James,

The fish you are using for your jerky appear to be farm-raised, which I won’t eat or feed to my dog. The Foster Farms chicken seems to be a step above standard factory farmed chickens, including prudent use of antibiotics.

But your price is steep compared to organic chicken jerky (USDA Certified) at k9cuisine.com –
Plato Dog Treats – Organic Chicken Strips – 1 lb bag $12.99
http://www.k9cuisine.com/p-322-plato-dog-treats-organic-chicken-strips-dog-treats.aspx

Plato organic chicken strips are also available on Amazon as a 3-pack for $10 per 1 lb. That is less than half the cost of yours.

[Mom2Cavs]

While I’m not familiar with Canyon Creek’s food (I believe it’s fairly new), I do know that their chicken jerky treats are “accused” of causing illness in pets. SORRY…I do realize that is not the question you have, though I just wanted to let you know. My opinion on food is this…..if a food works, then it’s technically a 5 star for the dog! I do want to clarify a little, though. I personally won’t feed below 3 star, won’t even try it for one of my dogs. I have, and would again if necessary, use a 3 star food if it worked the best. Believe me, I have fed the gamut of foods to my 4 dogs. They are all technically seniors now. Currently, I’m feeding Merrick Classic (“gasp” a grain inclusive food!) and will top it with canned food or freeze dried raw food that is rehydrated. I also use Fromm GF dry, and Simply Nourish (both dry and canned), which is Petsmart’s house brand. I will use Weruva canned and Merrick canned, as well. I have an old Cavalier that only eats the freeze dried raw now. In fact, she is the reason I started with it (just trying to get her to eat again as she has a neurological issue). So sorry for the long rant lol….just remember no food works for all dogs, and your dog is your responsibility and it is your decision on what works, what you can afford, what your dog will eat, etc. I’m thrilled you have educated yourself on dog food, though, and can make an informed choice. You have the best interest of your dog at heart! 🙂

[soho]

Hi Guys and gals

I wanted to start a topic about the jerky I make which is now available for sale.

I believe in transparency. I think the right of the consumer to know everything about what they are buying outweighs the manufacturers right to keep things secret. Since I am now a manufacturer of Chicken and Fish Jerky for dogs and cats I would like to set an example that I hope manufacturers begin to follow and consumers begin to expect.

For the chicken jerky I use Foster farms boneless skinless chicken breasts. For the fish jerky I use either Seamazz Swai fillets or Seamazz Tilapia fillets. I buy my meats at Costco. All the meats are regular human grade meats that are intended for human consumption. This is the same chicken and fish you would buy for yourselves and your families!

My chicken and whitefish jerky are made exactly the same so these are the manufacturing process for both:

The meats are washed and then sliced into thin strips. They are seasoned with garlic salt using approximately 1 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of fresh meat. The meats are then dehydrated at 145 degrees F for 6 to 12 hours. The reason there is variation in the cooking time is because the first dehydrators I bought were smaller home based type of machines while the newer dehydrators I bought are commercial type machines.

The meats are about 8% moisture when they are finished. This ensures that they are stable and can be kept for long periods of time and maintain their freshness. The jerky is put in 6 oz and 16 oz vacuum sealed bags along with an oxygen absorber.

These treats can be fed to cats or dogs. For pets who require a softer treat or who need a moister treat you can just soak the treats in water until they reach your desired softness.

The prices are:
Chicken
6 oz $10.99
16 oz $24.99

Fish
6 oz $11.99
16 oz $26.99

Of course there will be a 10% discount for my friends from DFA.

10% of all sales will be donated to local rescues and foster dogs.

Any Questions?
Please feel free to ask away or you can contact me at james at freeplay dot org.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 11 months ago by soho.

[lizemma]

My dog developed licking when she was quite young. I switched to a salmon and potato dog food for her and it solved the problem. It took a few weeks though, so try the new diet for a period of time to see the true results.

There are certain treats that trigger this reaction as well, so it is a matter of checking those ingredients. Although I don’t know the specific trigger, it seems to be chicken, pork, etc. The fish/salmon diets don’t trigger the itching.

Hope that helps.

[TwoDeafBoxers]

Ramona, one of my boys has IBD resulting from severe food allergies as it took over a year to figure out everything he was allergic to. One of the things I eliminated was grain but it took us forever to figure out he was also Gluten intolerant and just because its grain free doesn’t mean it’s gluten free. I’m sure you’re already doing a single protein very limited diet (treats included) but I also found that the Vetri-Science BD supplement helped during the flareups. I make all my dog treats with Buckwheat flour and he getscgets coconut oil added to his food daily. I hope you can find something that works for you soon.

[theBCnut]

I feed grain free and would use Zukes as training treats for 2 of my 3 dogs. I have 2 that get grainfree because I believe it is best, but I allow a small amount of treats to be junk food. I have one dog that can’t handle grains or even much carbs and all his treats are pure meat except that I just got him some special grain and potato free low carb biscuits that I still only give him less than one a day. The majority of all my training treats are still meat for all of my dogs.

[AnnieluvsPoms]

A lot of people seem to like Zuke’s- I was looking at the moist training treats they sell today and they all have rice in them. Does anyone else feed their dogs grain-free food and mostly grain-free treats, but then feed them Zuke’s treats that contain rice? Has anyone had any problems with that?

[Anonymous]

One other side effect of Pepcid AC is that the dog stops throwing up randomly all over your house, too. I love my dogs very, very, very much, which is why I spend well over $100/month on 4.5 to 5 star recommended dog food and treats and chinese herbs and other natural supplements/products and also why I went to the vet as the last resort after trying numerous natural ways for almost two weeks including diet change. She has no side effects and I’m actually weaning her off of them (she is supposed to get 2 a day) after having given them to her for the past 3 days to see if the issue has been resolved. I’m 100% for all natural treatments for my pets, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go the regular vet route so your pet (and sometimes you) can stop suffering. I really wish there was a holistic vet close that I could go to, but since there isn’t and although there are things I don’t like about this vet’s office and her staff, she has been excellent in diagnosing and treating different odd things I’ve brought in, so I do trust her, just not the meds so much that she prescribes. I actually have the Mercola’s digestive enzymes, so why I didn’t think to try that is odd, but my sleep schedule and stress levels have been off the charts lately, so maybe that’s why. I’m going to try it, though, as the next step the vet wanted to do was a thyroid test which costs $80.

[Ramona72]

I’ve already lost one dog to undiagnosed IBD, and now I’ve got another one with the same symptoms. I’ve changed her kibble several times, trying to find the “trigger” food. I’m going to start her on Forti Flora & digestive enzymes, but that’s just treating the symptoms. I’d like to find the cause! Grain-free isn’t helping her, but I still keep trying them. She’s positioning and straining a lot, so I’m not too keen on going real high on her protein. However, her treats are now limited to just plain turkey (dark) which is cooked. Anyone gone through this before?

[Safe4pups]

OMG! GET THAT CAT TO THE VET ASAP! Your cat may very well suffering kidney or liver failure. Overe 2245 complaints on those jerky treats are being investigated by the FDA – 383 dog and 1 cat death reported in 2012. Save any leftover treats you have by wrapping securely and placing in the freezer – the FDA may at some point ask for samples to test.
Most importantly do NOT delay in getting your cat to the vet and let them know that your cat has been ingesting imported jerky.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Parents-Against-Pet-Treats-and-Food-Made-in-China/235390426550583?ref=hl

[Toxed2loss]

Nice post Sisu!

PattyVaughn asked me to post the following ( She’s having trouble posting to the forum, and me alerted to DocSteve82’s original post…): I think these are the jerky treats that are not recalled because the FDA can’t figure out what is wrong with them, but pets are getting Franconi syndrome or dying.

[sisu]

Jerky treats from China have been killing dogs for several years. The FDA is reportedly investigating but the tainted treats remain on the shelves. Do not give any treats from China to your dog or cat. Please visit the http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/default.htm site. Information on the investigation and how to report an incident are on the right side of the page. Also, search Google for “jerky treats china” , without the quotes, to learn more.

[Toxed2loss]

Hi DocSteve82,
Did you read Dr. Mike’s recall threads? Chicken jerky treats from China are being recalled. Salmonella is the biggest contaminant, I think. I don’t feed anything from China, so I haven’t been paying too much attention to which brands. Click on recall at the top of the page, and read the recall notices. :-} Please stop feeding those treats, just to be safe.. Lots of animals are being made sick, and there’s been some deaths. 🙁 hope your kitty is o.k.

As far as treats, only give treats that are meat, and not from China. It won’t matter if they’re dog or cat. 🙂

[theBCnut]

Get your cat to the Vet. Pets are sick from kidney failure and dying from these treats.

[DocSteve82]

I’ve been giving my 6 year old cat Tipper about 1 Dog treat a day for the past 3 weeks becaue he likes them. They may be making him sick as he isn’t himself the past 2 days and the name brand I’m giving him is Canyon Creek Ranch Chicken Breast Tenders snack for small Dogs.
I noticed they are made in China. Anybody out there know about giving dog treats to a cat.
I have given him many others during his life without a problem. Anybody out there know about giving dog treats to cats and about this brand. Thanks in advance

[oceandog]

Ok, I think I get it now. Of the proteins on those sites, I believe I can find Rabbit and fish treats, so they would be the best protein sources to choose, so he has treats too. Then after the trial of 2-3 months, add 1 and only 1 ingredient at a time and monitor.

I will look into the probiotic supplements as well. I did read the thread about detoxifying and I do understand the difficulties. I have celiac disease and am intolerant of dairy. So I have experienced the extreme discomfort these things cause. I avoid processed foods or pay the price. Short story.

As far as vaccines, I had Addisons dogs prior to Brody, so I didn’t vaccinate like most do. I do not plan on yearly vaccinations for Brody either. He has had his puppy shots and that is that. I suppose since he had had 1 shot already when I got him that could explain the chewing on his legs and feet.

For now, I will get in an order of rabbit or fish (so I can find treats) and give it some time and see what happens over the next few months. I do know my local pet store has some crunchy fish skin treats that he loves, so that maybe a good direction. Thank you again, I will keep updated with his progress.

He means the world to me, I lost my mother from cancer in July and 12 days later my Boston, Bosco. So Brody has literally put life in my life again. I want more than the best for him. His food budget is greater than my own!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi oceandog –

That’s great that you still feed your dog a meat based diet and are willing to feed raw even though you’re vegan, it must be tough to do! 🙂 While I completely respect vegetarians and vegans, I see too many that try to force their lifestyle on their dogs and cats and I personally don’t think it’s fair…

Hare-Today.com and Mypetcarnivore.com sell pre-ground mixes with muscle meat, bone and organs in the correct proportions – so you wouldn’t need to chop up any meat or anything, it comes looking just like a pre-made raw (it just doesn’t have the supplements or veggies). They have several novel protein sources. Hare Today sells goat, goose, llama, pheasant and quail and My Pet Carnivore sells alpaca, goat, muskrat and rabbit. I’d just recommend adding the supplements I listed in my previous post – vitamin e (a capsule for humans a couple times a week), fish oil (for omega 3’s), kelp & alfalfa (trace nutrients) and probiotics (to help strengthen his gut). I’d leave out any other ingredients and just keep it basic during the elimination trial so when you start re-introducing ingredients you can know what the issue is. Only feed one protein source and don’t give any treats.