[anonymously]

Age 7 is considered a senior, the vets often recommend an exam and lab work at this stage, if you haven’t done so. Excessive licking and hot spots is an indication that something is wrong, I think a visit to the vet may be in order.
I would discuss diet changes with the vet before taking her off of a prescription food.

“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea that in itching problems”.
http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm

Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies You may find some helpful information at this site.

Regarding bladder stones:
/forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Often when the infection is treated (antibiotics) and water intake is increased the condition clears up, unless they have another type of stones, also. They can have more than one type. Often there is a genetic component.

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
PS: Has your dog had an x-ray to rule out calcium oxalate stones?
I use a potassium citrate/cranberry supplement I get from Chewy.com. It depends on the type of stones.
It is best to get approval from the veterinarian that is treating the dog before adding anything, and I would go along with the prescription diet for now. PH levels fluctuate and it takes a while (sometimes weeks) to see changes, at least that is what my vet told me.

you may find this site helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Recent blog about cranberry supplements.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/ Regarding raw diets.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by anonymously.

[Jenna R]

Hello!

My 7yr old dog Nelly (she is a rescue but we think she is a Bichon/Shih Tzu/Havaenese) has had a few bladder infections and most recently had to have crystals (or stones) removed from her bladder in late 2015. Nelly was on Royal Canin food for medium dogs her whole life until about 2015 when my mom thought she may have a wheat/dairy allergy so she switched her food (not sure the brand). The bladder infections were treated with antibiotics and she seemed to recover just fine. After her surgery, our vet recommended going back to Royal Canin SO and we added in giving her a bit of canned Royal Canin as well however recently Nelly has been having “hot spots” and licking places she has never licked before so we are beginning to think it is a wheat allergy or SOMETHING along those lines!

Now that Nelly is better my mom is terrified to have her go through that experience again (it was AWFUL!!!) so we are looking for the best option to keep Nelly free from bladder issues all together.

I read a lot about a raw diet and cranberry pills. We are open to absolutely anything so that Nelly can have the best quality of life 🙂

*I also read about them getting enough water, i dont think this is Nelly’s issue as we do leave water out and she drinks it all the time*

Can anyone recommend the next steps that we should take?

Jenna

[Coonhound Mama]

Great menu, Cannoli. Sounds like you’ve got an awesome handle on raw. Might I ask why you are still feeding Orijen when your raw menu is so good? Just curious. I know you said you believe in a rotational diet, but it looks like your raw menu is wonderfully diverse. Keep up the good work.
🙂

[Cannoli]

I believe in a rotational diet this is what I feed my dog below on a weekly basis I aim to balance on a weekly basis when it comes to the nutrition components:

High end kibble 3 meals a week- Origen. Usually chicken flavor since I don’t feed raw poultry.

The rest of the days for the week I feed as follows:

Since my dog is 60lbs I feed 2lbs a day with 80% meat 15-20% bone and 5 % organ of the follows:

Raw hormone free grass fed bison- from grocery store or fom Real Raw Dog food online
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free Venison- from Hare today Gone tomorrow
raw or lightly cooked hormone free elk from haretoday gone tomorrow
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free organic beef- fom grocery stor
Grass fed hormone liver, kidneys, and thymus from grocery store- every meat meal
On weekends he gets 2 meals of fish. Fresh caught whole sardines, or fresh caught salmon with skin, or whole Mackeral. Always cooked and these fish have the highest concentrations of omegas 3. I never use fish pills. Fish pills are crap
Green tripe from real raw once a week

for each meat meal I rotate on a daily basis the calcium to get 15-20%. Either ground rib or pork bones, or calcium seaweed, or egg shells. Never neck bones as I fear hypothyroidism.

Also each none kibble meal I add the following organic supplements to the meat dishes. I never feed synthetic supplements:
Tumeric
spirulina
Organic virgin coconut oil-4x week
Kefir- every other week
Apple cider vinegar with the mother-3x a week
Organic egg 4 x a week
Fresh organic blueberry smoothie with kefir
Fresh ground organic ginger

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Cannoli.

[pugmomsandy]

There’s not a long list of very low carb kibbles since kibble is like a bakery product and needs carbs to hold it’s shape. There are brands that use 70% or more protein from animal sources like Acana Regionals USA, some of the Acana Heritage Canada recipes are near 75% animal sourced, Weruva Caloric Melody, Merrick Grain Free, Only Natural Pet Canine Power Food and Orijen currently boasts 80% animal sourced ingredients so their carbs are low. There are alot more low carb choices in canned foods.

Then there are dehydrated foods like ZiwiPeak and Only Natural Pet MaxMeat that are slightly processed so not technically raw but have high protein and low carbs.

There are also supplements you can buy to add to cooked meat to make it a complete diet such as Urban Wolf and Carnivoraw. These don’t require you to add veggies.

[Anand V]

Hi there,

I’ve been feeding my 9 1/2 y/o Alaskan Malmaute a dehydrated raw diet….she was already on it when I adopted her 3 years ago. She eats Honest Kitchen Thrive – Chicken and Quinoa. It has done her well but she does have some skin issues and it was suggested I try a raw diet from Big Country Raw (BCR). They’re not too far away from me towards the Niagara region. I haven’t found any reviews that you have done on this product under your rating system. I have read some others mention that supplements may be needed. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great product and is also budget friendly versus Honest Kitchen. That’s not the main reason I want to switch…doing it more to help my dog have healthier skin and fur….that means more than the $$$ I spend on her food.

http://www.bigcountryraw.ca/index.php

Thanks.

[Joanna W]

My dog is eating signature fish formula dry and their canned foods. I do plan on doing some cooking for him, and he is getting a version of the budwig protocol, flaxseed oil. Cottage cheese and yogurt. That is separate from his 2 meals a day.

I would like to put him on a low carb diet. As low as possible. Raw is not something I can afford and I have concerns with cancer and raw as a precaution.

I’m looking for a low carb dry or dehydrate that is all around good food, he is on the zignature for mild skin issues which are good right now.

It is beyond overwelming to find something good and affordable. The place I buy food from suggested canine caviar special needs but I don’t know about it since reading some things about the food and the company.

Solid gold barking at the moon has very low carbs but I have concerns after reading the comments on the reviews. Any one with great knowledge of this specific issue I would appreciate your suggestions
Thank you

[anonymously]

“She was looking to learn raw since her dog was experiencing Cushings symptoms from taking steroids for 4 years as a treatment for allergies”.

That is why it is best to consult a specialist/dermatologist if the allergy symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief despite treatments from the regular veterinarian.

Prednisone is usually ordered to stop the suffering caused by excessive scratching/pruritus. It is a temporary fix. Most likely the allergies are environmental and have nothing to do with the diet, that was my experience.

A lot of folks refuse to consider going to a specialist because of the cost……therefore the regular vet has no choice but to continue to treat the symptoms.

My dog enjoys seeing her dermatologist, since she is stable we only go once a year.
PS: She can eat a variety of foods, chicken included, cooked of course!

My senior dog gets constipated if he doesn’t have water soaked kibble (Nutrisca) everyday.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by anonymously.

[Rox B]

Thank you pitlove: I have fed raw long enough to tell you that conventional vets do not approve of raw feeding. Veterinary schools like UC Davis have nutrition classes taught and sponsored by Hills dog food the makers of Science Diet and many other unhealthy kibbles. Vets receive kickbacks and incentives from kibble companies, mainly Hills. This is why you see these kibbles sold in most vet offices. I interact with thousands of raw feeders. Too bad these 4 vets didn’t research and report on our success feeding raw.

[anonymously]

Hope this helps, it appears that the poster that asked the most recent question regarding raw diets has their mind made up already, but maybe someone else will appreciate this science-based veterinary blog, I find the comments very informative too.
I was listening to the homeopathic vets for a while, but I can no longer believe them, for the most part.

More Evidence of the Risk of Infectious Diseases Associated with Raw Pet Foods

[Bobby dog]

Hi Oceans11:
He does not mind it at all. With the excitement he shows when he eats his Carnivore Blend meals I can honestly write he eats these dinners with much more enthusiasm than the commercial raw, kibble, or canned that are also part of his diet. He goes back to his dish several times to lick it clean after he finishes. I wish I had the time to cook every meal for all my critters, but the best I can do at this time is a few meals a week.

Carnivore Blend is a very fine powder with not much of an odor. I tasted it when I got it, doesn’t really taste like much, and it wasn’t gritty on it’s own. It mixes very, very well with the food. You do not smell or see any trace of it.

[Rox B]

Pitlove: Can you show proof to support what you’ve posted or are you posting hearsay? Who tested these diets? The AAFCO? The AAFCO likes to see food fortified before they give their stamp of approval and if they don’t see it fortified, they say it is deficient. And what dog food do you feed? Kibble? Kibble is worthless nutrition and that is why it needs added vitamins and minerals. If you want to do research, google what is in dry dog food or how dry dog food is made. That will be a real eye opener for you. Kibble is not species appropriate and is not healthy for dogs. I have been feeding my 8.5 year old GSD Prey Model Raw Diet for years and he is healthy 100%. Thousands of people are feeding complete and balanced raw diets to their pets. There might be some people who do not feed raw correctly, but that is because they lack knowledge and support. Personally, I don’t think kibble feeders are feeding their dog’s correctly. I teach how to feed raw properly. PMRD 80/10/5/5 guidelines are balanced and complete. BARF and PMRD are live foods with all their natural nutrients. Nothing is better for dogs. Raw dogs are beautiful and very healthy. You are taking a chance on your dog’s health if you are feeding kibble or anything other than raw.

[Rox B]

Julia J you do not need a nutritionist to feed your GSD. Please join my Facebook group Learning Raw With Roxane. It’s free and you will learn how to properly feed raw. I have an 8.5 year old GSD and members with GSD’s including one with a GSD puppy who is growing fine feeding raw. We have MANY members with large breed puppies. I teach Prey Model Raw Diet 80/10/5/5. Come learn HOW to feed raw and what raw meaty bones are safe. You can learn about weight bearing bones, their risks and so much more helpful information. Here is the link to my closed group. Request to join….it’s free. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearningRawWithRoxane/

[Pitlove]

Hi Julia-

Your GSD is a large breed and you need to be extremely careful about how much calcium he is getting in his diet. Too much and he is at high risk for developmental orthopedic disorders. Not to mention if he is an AKC GSD I would be even more careful since they are now being bred to have a sloped roach back.

Raw diets are very difficult to balance without the help of a board certified veterinary nutritionist. I would highly recommend seeking out the help of one before continueing this diet.

[Greg F]

Rrlover
Yes I was I started a topic on IBD dog 2 months ago when we had a flare up and almost lost her. She bounced back with new medication and 4 days in the hospital. About a week ago she started deterioring. The vet thinks it might have been lymphoma the was masked by the new meds.
I read an article by Karen Becker that said this can happen by a length bout with IBD and continued use of drugs. I can’t help wonder if different drugs or diet started 5 years ago would have made a difference.
With all the hype about raw food I wonder if any dogs that were always on raw ever picked up this disease? Have any does with IBD switched over to raw were able to get off the meds?

[Becca]

I just started my two dogs on Nuvet plus. I have to block out the science naysayers. Food is medicine when you find the right combos. I will let you know the difference. I have phone dog with multiple issue, loss of fur, losing weight beside being ravenously hungry , even though the vet said he has pancreatitis, he has a 5 cm tumor on his liver, with normal liver function. Going for more testing next week, so far a lot of money is going out with little answers. My other dog has dry itchy skin, and torn ccl. Just today seems like the other leg is affected, he trying to hobble on the bad leg. They are on a raw and home cooked diet. I hear a lot of good things about Nuvet plus, so I’ll post soon my thoughts

[CLAIRE H]

I am so thankful for this information all of you have shared!!! I have a boxer, Tigra who just started this about 3 months ago. She is not a rescue and has never known any trauma or abuse yet she has some anxiety and has developed fear of loud noises and thunder drives her on to my lap. I have another boxer who is a rescue and has none of this anxiety nor does she have the reflux issue yet is on the identical diet.

I am hopeful since eliminating the Glucosamine treats and the Zukes training treats and the treats with salmon oil and all dairy, Tigra, is not showing signs of the gulping and gagging at all and it has been 2 weeks since I stopped all treats. She eats Great Life dry raw Chicken kibble with Coco Licious can food in morning and again in evening and nothing in between. I am keeping my fingers crossed. With all the environmental toxins we are all exposed to and god knows what is in dog food it is no wonder there are these mysterious conditions that vets have no idea how to treat. I am grateful for all of your experience and will continue to follow this thread and hopefully report good news down the line.

[Susan]

Hi when I rescued Patch he was weeing blood, we did ultra scan & he had crystal, Patch was put on the Royal Canine Urinary SO wet & dry for 6 weeks only, wet for dinner, kibble for breakfast & no other foods then after the 6 weeks he had another ultra scan & all crystals had dissolved & were all gone…… 🙂 then vet said he can stop the Royal Canine SO & eat a normal diet… here’s a diet for preventing Urinary Crystals just scroll down & click on “Acidifying Raw Diet” its raw but it can be cooked it gives you an idea..
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

[Shirley F]

Hi, I´m new here and would like some feedback about nutrition facts and lack of nutrients in the raw food I feed my 2 dogs? My older is 4 years old and has recently been diagnosed with crystals in his urine. My vet recommended a dry food that contains an SO index, but he would rather eat carton than that kibble…I am using vitamin C and a cranberry dosage in his food, but my vet said that would not clear up the crystals, but am I wrong in assuming that the SO index is just magnesium? I´m feeding them Nordic, a food blended here in Iceland, but the same ingredients the Swedish company uses except for the meat, it´s local. They also get raw turkey necks once a day. Anyone here with thoughts on extra nutrients in their diet? Thanks!

[InkedMarie]

What kind of ear infections? My oldest dog had recurrent yeast ear infections & paw licking; my holistic vet suggested a raw diet without produce as some canfeed yeast.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Susan:
Glad you read my post and hopefully you can help others that are using it in their raw diets.

Too bad you can’t get Balance IT in Australia Bobby has done really well on it. I like it because I have access to so many recipes which are easily prepared. I also find it very economical depending on which ingredients I choose.

There are vitamin packs in the U.S. available for raw feeders, however I am not familiar with any because Bobby only likes commercial raw not prey model.

I absolutely agree feeding an unbalanced diet (unless for medical reasons) is the worst you can do for your pets. However, at this time I feel the best diet is individual to the dog whatever form that might be as long as it is balanced.

I am very lucky since I have sorted out Bobby’s health issues I can feed anything and everything; I know some pet parents aren’t so lucky. I feel it’s best not to rule out any form of food. You never know what will be best at any given time.

[Susan]

Hi Bobby Dog, on one of the raw feeding groups a few people are using the “Balance It” to balance their dogs raw diets….I’ll have to tell them you can’t add the Balance it to raw foods, its just for cooked meals….
I can’t get “Balance It” in Australia, I’ve read good things about “Balance It” I use DigestaVite Plus an Australian product & its for raw & cooked foods, it doesn’t matter… that’s when vets start seeing health problems & start not recommending raw or cooked diets cause people are not balancing their dogs diet properly….. The worse diet for a dog is an unbalanced cooked or raw diet, then kibble…

[Bobby dog]

Hi Susan:
You suggested to the OP to look into Balance IT. I use one of their products regularly for home cooked meals. My dog loves the few recipes I have concocted and has done well on Carnivore Blend. However, this company does not produce any product to balance a raw diet, or more importantly the company does not recommend feeding raw at all. Here are their reasons and the importance of using any of their products as directed from their FAQ page under the subtitle “HOMEMADE PET FOOD RECIPE PREPARATION”:

“Do I really need to cook the ingredients in my recipe? – I hear raw food is good for pets.

We NEVER recommend feeding raw meat as it can result in serious life-threatening infections for both pets and people (see review article at http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/full/10.2460/javma.243.11.1549). Always use safe handling procedures when cooking with raw meats by washing hands, preventing cross-contamination, cooking food thoroughly, and storing food properly.

The guidance from the AVMA at https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Raw-Pet-Foods-and-the-AVMA-Policy-FAQ.aspx may also be of interest.

It is also important to cook each ingredient as directed in the cooking instructions for the recipe, as the cooking method can significantly change the level of nutrients in the cooked food. For example, boiling a food results in some loss of nutrients into the surrounding water; therefore, if the recipe instructs you to bake the ingredient and you choose to boil it, the total level of nutrient in the diet may be significantly decreased.”

https://secure.balanceit.com/info/helpfaq.php

[Susan]

Hi, here’s the raw maintenance diet Patches Naturopath put Patch on, I had to pick 1-2 proteins, I picked chicken breast & kangaroo mince, 2-4 veggies, I picked broccoli, celery, zucchini & 1-2 fruits, I picked a red apple, you peel & cut up the fruit & veggies & put thru a blender & blend & stop just before the veggie/fruit mix becomes a pulp or you can make into a pulp if you like it watery, to 1 cup protein you add 1-2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix, per meal, for a 18kg-40lb dog twice a day, I then froze the veggie/fruit mix in 2 spoon sections, you can freeze in an ice cube trays, make sure you cover with plastic wrap, that’s about 1 spoon in each ice cube….. I had to add the omega 3,6 & 9 oil & I had to add 1/2 teaspoon DigestaVite Plus to 1 daily meal, I was feeding Chicken breast cut up + 2 spoon veggie/fruit mix + 1 squirt omega oil for breakfast & the Kangaroo mince + veggie/fruit mix + omega 3,6 & 9 oil & DigestaVite Plus for dinner….. I never gave any bone cause Patch has IBD….I added egg shell instead for calcium…1 egg shell is 1 teaspoon..
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html
This Maintenance Diet will give you a ruff idea, I had to rotate different lean meats & make sure diet was balanced by the end of the week, or some people balance every single meal…. also on Face Book there are some “Raw Feeding groups” that show what their dogs are eating, egg + shell, chicken feet, tongue, coconut oil, tin sardines, & bone meat is given twice a week only, you can also use “Balance It” to Balance the meal…
https://secure.balanceit.com/
Make friends with “Rodney Habib” on face book page, he is excellent to follow….he spends 75min every morning making his dogs fresh, raw breakfast, lucky dogs…

[Michelle R]

That is what we use as our main kibble for the dogs and the show cats. We love it because it is not grain free and full of starch, but is very hypoallergenic. Closest thing to a raw diet in a kibble form. No MSG! No synthetic vitamins or minerals from China! Eight flavors to rotate through! Beautiful coats, no scratching, and winning show cats! Can’t find a better kibble out there.

[melanie C]

My dog is approx 60# a pit bull chocolate lab mix. He was doing great on raw beef pre-made diet. I made the decision move to pre-made when he started having diarrhea from raw chicken. He was getting skinny when just eating about a pound and a half of the premade raw beef formula diet, so I added all organic with access to outdoors chicken, about a half pound chicken each day. Under the assumption that chicken with skin has enough fat to help gain weight. By the way, I feed two times daily half in am and half pm… He was doing great for two days. By day three we are having diarrhea and horrible smelling farts. Ahhh! Ideas? I’ve switched him back to just the beef, as I think I’ve pegged his tummy troubles to the chicken. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks everyone we are new here, made account because this is urgent

[Rox B]

I feed my GSD a raw diet and feed raw pork as a regular staple with no problems. I freeze it 3 weeks before serving just to be on the safe side. I do not feed any cooked foods and would not advise feeding any dog pork (or any foods) loaded with human flavorings or processed pork like bacon. A raw diet is species appropriate and superior to any kibble. Join my Facebook group if your interested in learning how to feed raw. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearningRawWithRoxane/

[anonymously]

You may want to consult with a veterinarian before proceeding, some science based information here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

[Pitlove]

Hi Chandra-

I would recommend inlisting the help of a veterinary nutritionist to properly balance a raw diet for a growing puppy, not to mention him being a large breed and prone to orthopedic disorders especially if hes bred as AKC show quality. You can find a list of board certified veterinary nutritionists through the ACVN website. This is the safest route to ensure he is getting proper nutrition.

[Chandra E]

Last week I adopted a German Shepherd puppy. He was approximately nine weeks old. I had read up on how to feed him raw (learned about it from a friend who also has a GSD) and thought I had a good plan in mind but now I’m running into issues.
I started him off on turkey and he did great. Poops were perfect. I had about two days worth of meals on turkey when I switched him to chicken, despite what had been advised because when I returned to the grocery store for more turkey they were out but I was sold on the 10 pound bag of chicken quarters, much cheaper.
I think he was still doing alright on that until I added liver. Immediately after his first and only liver meal (it was about 70% may and 30% liver) I was reading more on the raw diet for puppies specifically and found that it was advised not to feed them offal at first because it can give them runny stools. Indeed, his next poop was runny.
I thought I should balance this with more bone and then read that the knuckles can cause blockages. After he didn’t poop for a day I panicked (probably prematurely) and gave him about a tablespoon of canned pumpkin, having read that it will serve as a laxative for him. I had to mix it with the plain yogurt he had been receiving in his Kong for him to eat it. (Possibly the yogurt is a problem too) this is his fourth day on the chicken, two days of runny stools… I keep trying to read what I can but was hoping somebody could give me a direct course of action to take from here.
Do I just need to wait for the organs and pumpkin to clear out of his system? Quit with the yogurt? Is it too soon to say his body doesn’t like chicken? To avoid further complications I have fed him meat only for the day, when should I go back to bone?
Sorry for the mess, much appreciation in any help given!

[Becca]

My dog was just diagnosed with pancreatitis, he seem too have gotten really bed acid re flux for a while. vet said to give him these two meds one is pepcid ac, and another that breaks down the acid. he prescribed 2 antibiotics at the same time and my dog was getting sicker, i stopped the antibiotics, and the pain seem to let up a little. i was feeding raw for 4 years with no problems until i added trachea to thier diet. i did not know the repercussions of doing this. he wound up with hyperthyroidism, and now the vet insisted i cook his food, well now he has pancreatitis and bad acid reflux, he never mentioned a digestive enzyme, i now have him on a very bland diet, low fat. should i give him a digestive enyme? i have a plant based one but i hear that is not as good.

[Dog Pack Mom]

Hi Inked Marie,
You are correct the Hare Today grinds are just scoop and feed. I was referring to the other option for feeding raw less expensively which would be to prepare the raw meals myself. That is the time investment to which I was referring.

I am not currently interested in feeding a full home prepared diet. I am truly interested in finding several kibbles that are well tolerated by my pack to rotate. I would like the kibbles to be low carbohydrate as far as kibble goes. If I choose to feed raw it won’t be more than one day per week at this time. I’m familiar with Steve Brown’s book that instruct how to best do that or the option of feeding a Hare Today or Reel Raw balanced grind.

[Dog Pack Mom]

Thanks to you both for your input. I have ordered from Hare Today in the past when I was raw feeding. I just can’t seem to stick with a large portion of the diet being raw due to either costs or time investment required. I won’t completely rule out raw if it became necessary. Right now, I’m just trying to find several lower carb kibbles to rotate as the main base of our diet. In trying to decrease the carbs and potatoes, I increased the peas and tapioca. It appears one of those ingredients may be the culprit in the tolerance issue Delilah and Rooster are currently experiencing.

[theBCnut]

Do a search here for “low sodium” Another poster, some time ago, did the work for you on finding low sodium foods. If you aren’t opposed to feeding raw, you might want to add a bit of heart to your dog’s diet. Heart muscle is a good source of taurine, which they have found Cavs need.

[theBCnut]

If you want an easy way to add raw to the diet, go to Hare Today. Their grinds already have the correct bone/muscle meat/organ ratio, so all you have to do is thaw and add the right amount. I choose the amount of raw that works for me and adjust kibble accordingly.

Yeasty ears are usually a sign of a food intolerance.

[Josie F]

We have fed a raw food diet to many of our dogs in the past but it’s only been of our own preparation, not commercially prepared. I’d check that first. Have you tried preparing your own? I am not familiar with that brand though.

I guess I’d be concerned with switching foods on a 10 year old dog. Did you cold turkey switch or slowly move over? We’ve found it best to slowly transition from “regular” food to raw. It’s been a process of about 2 weeks of weaning from the old food to the new diet. But again, we’ve never done it cold turkey- or with commercially packaged food.

What kind/breed of dog is she? How much does she weigh?

[haleycookie]

Idk if I should keep asking for help here but it seems a bit easier then starting new threads everytime and perhaps if we keep this thread busy we will be noticed and get our kitty food advisor site. Anyway I have no problem feeding my dog good foods as she’s not picky and has a great appetite but I’ve seem to run into problems with my three cats. I’ve switched over to just raw and canned and they’ve been doing good but it seems they’re getting burned out of the types of caned I buy them. I work at a pet shop and I love adventuring to other pet boutiques and stores and looking for other good brands of food from the five star brands here on dfa. It’s easy to find my dog good foods for her rotation diet but buying cat food I find is a bit different as each can can vary in quality and what not. I feed my cats wellness core, wellness signature selects, instinct, lotus, weruva, and holisic select. Where I work supplies the wellness and instinct but I do venture out and get the other brands and I order weruva from time to time. However my kitties seem to be getting tired of this line up and are leaving their bowls almost full when I go to clean up their bowls. Does anyone have suggestions on grain free and fish free canned cat foods? I’ve been thinking of natural balance wild pursuit and blue wilderness, but I’ve been weary of blue since they’ve been found to be lying about what they put in there foods. Any easy suggestions where I can either buy individual cans or order them singly that would be very helpful. Thank you. 🙂

[Sabrina L]

theBCnut, have you really only heard bad things about blue ridge? I’ve actually only heard good things, but I’d love to have your source for the denaturants because at the store I work at we usually highly recommend the blue ridge so I’d like to show that to my boss. If not blue ridge, what raw company do you prefer? I chose blue ridge because of the recommendation from my boss and because of the fact that they aren’t too pricey. About the balanced diet, when I first started the raw diet I was concerned about that too and I looked it about and apparently it’s arguable about whether the dogs need anything else other than the meat, so I wasn’t sure about whether I needed to supplement her with anything. Also, my dog is going about once a day when I’m with her, I only see her a little more than half a week but she doesn’t seem to have any noticeable tells that she’s constipated.

InkedMarie, no, to my knowledge she’s not getting any bone unless it’s in the food I’m giving to her now and I’m unaware, which is possible.

[InkedMarie]

Sabrina,
When feeding a raw diet, you must feed meat/bone/organ. You say it doesn’t have any bone in it then say “I don’t think too much bone should be an issue”. I’m confused if the dog is eating bone or isn’t.
Why are you feeding kitten food?

[Sabrina L]

Anonymous- We haven’t been to the vet yet, but I am definitely considering taking her to one. I would have already but we haven’t been able to find a vet we’re happy with yet. I just need to look more into vets in my area. Thanks

theBCnut- I’ve been feeding her beef, and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have any bone in it. I’ve been going back and forth from the blue ridge beef kitten grind and the blue ridge beef breeder’s choice. So I don’t think too much bone should be an issue. I’m unsure about the fiber, I just looked up the analysis for both of the types I’m feeding her and they seem relatively low. The kitten grind has 2% fiber and the breeder’s choice has 1% fiber. Do you think I should be putting her on something with more fiber in it? As for her stools, obviously she’s going less but I think they’re relatively normal for a dog on the raw food diet? They’re definitely harder and smaller but from what I’ve been told and what I’ve read that’s typical since their systems use almost all of the raw food in comparison to the kibble. I’ve also just started supplementing her diet with coconut oil, because I read that it is good for dogs digestive systems.

[theBCnut]

What precisely are you feeding? How are your dog’s stools. My first thought would be that the bone content is too high so you dog is getting a bit of a bellyache trying to deal with it. Obviously I can’t know that, but it is an issue that is common to small dogs eating raw. They often require less bone and more fiber added to their diet or they get really hard stools that can actually do some damage in passing.

[ilse]

Hi, all:

Just found this forum trying to dig up info on anal sac issues. My redbobe coonhound rescue (approx 2 years old) had developed a problem. Vet has expressed twice, has offered surgery … but I want to solve this wholistically.

He isn’t overweight, but I read that weight can be a problem, so I’ve put him on a bit of a diet, trying to take off a few pounds

He is eating grain free, mostly canned with some kiblle (go limited ingreditents) (well, except for treats and sharing bits from my plate), I usually feed him Duck as main protein or else whitefish, main brands Wellness Simple, Cocolicious, and some others (I try to mix). I do feed pumpkin, and lately grated raw carrot (found that idea online), some omega 3 fish oil, occasionally yogurt….

His stools are good, but lately he seems to be very itchy also, scratching ears and chewing legs a bit.

Just googled and saw that apparently there is a test for food sensitivity (not allergy). Anyone done that? Good results in finding out what could be cause?

Thank you in advance. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

ilse

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by ilse.

[Sabrina L]

Hi, I started my dog on a raw diet about a month ago and she seems to notably have less energy. I work for a pet food store and my bosses and the other various people I know who feed their dog a raw food diet said the diet increased the dogs energy, not made the dog more lethargic. She’s an older dog, almost 10 years old, but she’s also only 16 pounds so she’s not too old for her size. I’m feeding her about 2.7% of her body weight and I’m unsure if I should be feeding her more or if something else may be wrong. I feel I may have a confirmation bias and am looking for reasons why the raw might be affecting her negatively but I’m nervous that something is wrong with my dog. Any suggestions?

[Mr Jones [border collie]]

New to the raw scene but I love my border collie she’s 7 months old and I want her to live a long healthy life! So I’ve been checking into raw diets and I found the home style kitchen base mix but everyone’s got mixed reviews on it. Is there anything else out their like that? Thanks!

• This topic was modified 10 years ago by Mr Jones [border collie].
• This topic was modified 10 years ago by Mr Jones [border collie].

[Marionne H]

I would consult a vet. Your dog might have a medical issue or a dental problem. I had a dog with a stomach ulcer several years who could not eat kibble; it was too processed for him and apparently upset his stomach. We tried a number of kibbles then realized there was something more to it…every time he would excitedly eat the new kibble for a few days then stop eating it. He was always willing to try something new…but it still made him feel bad. 🙁 We ended up putting him on an acid reducer to help with his ulcer and I home cooked as he felt better but still could not eat the kibble consistently. If I had to do it again I would have tried a raw diet for him. I’d consult a vet to confirm whether there is anything physically wrong, then consider trying a raw diet (the prepared mixes are expensive but more convenient than making your own). Kibble might be too processed for him.

[Wild River P]

Have you tried giving your dog taw food? Science Diet is a mj is a misleading name the chemicals used in that food are is shocking. Perhaps start with whole food nutrition and make sure tour dog is getting good lean protein. I took both pets into a raw diet. No more itching no more bald patches no more throwing up. All symptoms gone. We now have a raw pet food company in Nebraska because of it! Wild River Pet Foods. Com If you live in Omaha we offer free delivery.
The bes of luck. Allergies are not fun for animals or humans.

[Mallary P]

Hi all:

My beloved (spayed) Shih Tzu will be 9 years old this year and I’ve recently [this month] switched her to the Fromm Surf and Turf Grain Free food, which she seems to enjoy. My dog has LOTS of food allergies and we spent about two years plus lots of trial/error to find her a good food. In the beginning the vet had her on Science Diet and steroids for about a week, but that was not a long term solution. She gets whelps (almost like acne) all over her and it’s very itchy. Poor baby. For a long time, she was on Nature’s Recipe limited Ingredient Chicken and Sweet Potato Food. She did well on it [no breakouts], but it wasn’t as great when I read the report on her. Given that she is moving into her senior years, I want to make sure she has the best quality everything because I love her and I want her around for a long time. She gets a decent amount of exercise for a Shih Tzu and is a good weight–according to the vet.

I see some of the forums on here suggesting that they given their dogs different high quality foods in rotation. She’s really enjoying Fromm, but I would like to give her another high quality food to give her some variety. Any recommendations? Acana, Orijen, etc?

She generally does better with Chicken, Salmon, and duck. Beef, Pork, and too much diary has proven to be no-nos in our house. She loves raw carrots as a treat and antler bones to chew. Sometimes I give her high quality canned food, so if I could get both kibble/ canned food recommendations that would be great!

[John P]

Thanks for the reply.

I don’t plan on doing just chicken forever.. But I’ve read that when you first switch to raw, it’s a good idea to stick with one type of meat for the first couple of months. Eventually, I’ll incorporate other meats into the diet as well.

As for the organ meat, I didn’t plan on feeding all of it on one day. I plan on incorporating it into her meals maybe every other day.

Do you think (at least until I incorporate other meats into the diet) that the meat to bone ratio is ok for this meal plan?

Thanks

[John P]

Hello all,

I recently switched my 2yo to a higher quality kibble, and she refuses to eat it. I’ve been looking into raw for about a year or so, and I’m finally making the decision to switch to an RMB diet based on all of the good things I’ve read. I’m an over analytical person, so I’m just making sure I’m on the right track.

From what I’ve read, a good raw diet should be:

80% Meat
10% Bone
10% Organ

My dog is just under 40lb, so at 2.5% of her bodyweight per day, she should be getting 16oz (or 1LB) every day.

Chicken leg quarters seem to be popular, and are widely available, so I did the math based on drumsticks having 70% meat (30% bone) and thighs having 85% meat (15% bone). If I alternate days (leg, thigh, leg, thigh, etc.) for 7 days, it puts me at 76% meat and 24% bone, which seems high on the bone content. If I added one day per week of something boneless (breast, thigh, etc.) I think it would bring it down to a pretty close ratio.. do you guys agree?

Organs would maybe be once a week.

Now here are my biggest concerns. The most common complaints (at least online) of an RMB diet is that it’s expensive and inconvenient. I understand it’s not as easy as scooping kibble from a cup to a bowl… but it’s really not that hard unless maybe you’re mixing vegetables and stuff.

But, the biggest reason I think I’m doing something wrong… the cost. 10LB bags of chicken quarters are $5 at my local grocery store, so about 3 bags (30LB) should be what my pup consumes monthly. Thats $15. About 1/3 of what I’m paying for kibble right now.

Granted, I still have to buy organ meat, maybe some boneless stuff.. but the RMB seems to be cheaper.

Am I doing something wrong here? Any suggestions on improving the balance of the meal? I understand there are probably better diets out there, but I travel a lot for work, and I want it to be super easy for my wife to feed the dog while I’m gone.

Thanks for reading this long winded post.

[Ionela B]

She was only 3 and half year old. She was eating 80% freeze dried Stella and Chewy and 20% organic ground raw meat and bones from the butcher – with veggies. In the past year she had mostly the lamb Stella and Chewy, as the poultry varieties were banned in Canada.
I feel guilty thinking that the food may contributed to her disease. The Stella and Chewy lamb variety is very high in fat. And I read articles saying that the freeze dried process is not healthy, as is altering the meat protein’s structure.

What do you think?