[Shawna]

Hi Dorenda,

Took a few tries but I was able to log on.. Thanks Patty for the email heads up :)..

Vets often suggest low protein for renal disease when it really isn’t necessary. There are studies even that show dogs that have protein lowered to drastically too early in the disease have increased mortality. There’s some fantastic information on the topic on nutritionist Mary Straus’ website (see quote below). My dog has had kidney disease since birth and has been on high protein raw her whole life (45 to 54%) — she’ll be eight years old the end of June 2014.

“Based on research done in the last ten years (see s a Low Protein Diet Necessary or Desirable?), that the only time it is necessary to feed a low protein diet is when your dog is uremic, which generally means BUN is over 80 mg/dL (equivalent to 28.6 mmol/L), creatinine is over 4.0 mg/dL (equivalent to 354 µmol/L), and the dog is showing symptoms such as vomiting, nausea,inappetence, ulcers and lethargy, which are caused by the build-up of nitrogen in the blood. Even then, feeding low protein will not extend life, but it will help the dog feel better. Subcutaneous fluids can also help at this time (and before).” http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneydiet.html

If your pup is uremic then consider K/D canned with added toppers to entice eating. Toppers like lightly cooked egg whites or canned green tripe are good options. Both are low in phosphorus but higher in protein. To counter the extra protein you can give probiotics and a certain type of prebiotic to induce “nitrogen trapping”. Nitrogen trapping utilizes the bacteria in the colon to help clean BUN from the blood. I use Garden of Life Primal Defense probiotic (human product) and Fiber 35 Sprinkle Fiber (also human product). If symptoms are bad enough that there is a need to keep protein really low try adding high quality fats — organic butter or ghee, coconut oil etc.

I would avoid kibble at ALL COST!!! Kibble of any kind including K/D.

Vet Dr. Royal created a raw kidney disease diet for Darwins. It can be found on their website – link below. The food is REALLY high in protein so again not an option if your pup is uremic. Here’s some info. The actual diet is on the site as well. Your vet will have to contact them to confirm your pup is a good candidate for the diet. http://www.darwinspet.com/kidney-health/

Mary Straus, link above, has diet recommendations on her site – she does include kibbles but kibbles are dehydrating and can cause issues. The protein in kibbles is also poorer quality than any other form and due to this creates more BUN then other diets with the same amount and kind of protein. Nutritionist Lew Olson also has some recipes on her website http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/kidney-diet/

Supplements that might be helpful — the one that I will NEVER run out of with my KD girl is Standard Process Canine Renal Support. Turmeric, food grade activated charcoal and burdock root are some to look at. I’d also recommend giving a digestive enzyme no matter what you feed. Mineral waters higher in calcium while being lower in sodium have demonstrated some benefit. They didn’t identify the brand in the research paper but I believe they may have used Evian. I’ve also read that feeding smaller meals multiple times per day is beneficial.

Hope something here is helpful!! Sure hope you can get your pup feeling better!!!

Shawna

[AT]

New here…We are bringing an 8 week old Labrador puppy home next Saturday and I am trying to narrow in on food options. I have spent the last few days reading every single post in this thread and it has been quite an education – thank you to all of you who spend time here to help educate others!
My questions:
1. Our puppy will be coming home on Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Large Breed Formula and I want to transition him to something better as soon as possible. Would a few days after he is home and settled in be too soon to start a transition, provided he is not showing any signs of GI distress?
2. If price/cost is not a constraint, what off the shelf product would you feed a lab puppy? I am not up to a homemade diet at this point (might consider this in the future, but don’t trust myself to get up to speed in one week and to get it right during this crucial growth period). Most of the discussions I’ve read here involve rotating quality dry foods (with added toppers/supplements). Would this be the best way to start since our puppy will be coming home on a dry food?
It has also been stated that raw, canned or reconstituted is even better. I can see the raw recommendations in the document linked to several times throughout this thread. What do you consider to be the best of these brands? Would transitioning directly to raw be ok for our puppy; or should we go first to canned, then to raw?
Can anyone offer recommendations for the “best of the best” of canned foods for a large breed puppy? I figure I can call companies to calculate exact calcium/kcal, but could anyone offer the best brands/formulas to start my efforts? The fives stars listed in the library are:
By Nature 95% Meat (Canned)
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix (Canned)
Dogswell Dog Food (Canned)
EVO Dog Food (Canned)
Fromm Gold Nutritionals (Canned)
Go! Fit and Free (Canned)
Great Life Essentials (Canned)
Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (Canned)
Life’s Abundance (Canned)
Merrick Dog Food (Canned)
Merrick Grain Free Dog Food (Canned)
Nature’s Variety Instinct (Canned)
Pet-Tao Dog Food (Canned)
Pure Balance Dog Food (Canned)
Tiki Dog Food (Canned)
Wellness Core Dog Food (Canned)
Wellness Stews (Canned)
Weruva Kobe (Canned)
Weruva Kurobuta (Canned)
ZiwiPeak Daily Dog Cuisine (Canned)

Thank you so much for any advice!
AT

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

[theBCnut]

I’m not good at guessing bone content on something that is meat and bone. HDM once told me to give the meaty bone plus half again its weight in boneless meat. So, if your pork rib with meat on it is 2 oz, it would be enough calcium for another ounce of meat, but ribs have more bone than, say, a chicken thigh, so… It’s supposed to be 10-15% bone in the diet, I think you would have to be the one to eyeball that.

[Shihtzumom20]

Hi Everyone!
I have been working on a new menu for Dawson, trying to get more bones and more balance into his diet. So here it goes!
Am- 1 ounce Ziwipeak air dried lamb cuisine

Pm- Monday, Wednesday, Saturday Nights
– 2 oz pork ribs.
– .5 oz tripe patty. I have had no luck finding tripe here… so it may be canned 🙁 But I may be able to get some soon as the calves are getting butchered this month.

Pm- Thursday Night
-He would get 2 oz boneless meat patty (beef, pork, poultry whatever is on sale, could also be meat chunks,preferably organic.)
-Sardine, quarter of a tin.
-a cage free egg, no shell

Pm- Tuesday, Friday, Sunday Nights
– 2.5 oz boneless meat patty.
Note: 1.75 oz of liver and other organ blended into all patties for the week.

Supplements:
• 1/8 tsp pre/probiotics, daily
• 400 IU vitamin e capsule, weekly
• Sprouted Chia/Flax meal for manganese may use oysters occasionally, Thursday pm meal
• ¼ tsp cod liver oil once during the week, ½ cup organic keifir (mixed in with patties), and one cage free egg per pound of meat for vitamin D requirements, sardines will finish his vitamin D requirements
• ½ tsp coconut oil, daily
• Raw Glandular supplement, every other day
• ½ tsp homemade green super food supplement, daily

In the patties I would add pureed veggies and fruit but I didnt really count it on my calculations, it would be about a tsp per day… All kinds of veggies and fruit nothing particular, or toxic, lol!

My only question is, is the bone balancing the calcium in the boneless meat, or do I have to supplement additional calcium. And anything too little, too excessive, I gauged this at a weight of about 15 lbs.

I also have another with two meals of pork ribs and also two meals of chicken thighs. But it`s kinda is the same.

I was also thinking of getting this cookbook, especially if this recipe isnt balanced, lol!
http://www.completeandbalanced.com/
Its available in Canada at Dawsons vet, Here is a sample recipe:
http://www.completeandbalanced.com/samplerecipepage.html
Some recipes can be fed raw. Any thoughts, or concerns.

[anotheremily]

Well…I have been at the same thing as Molzy for the past almost 2 yrs…

I have a jack russell beagle mix. He is 5.5 yrs old. He was over weight , not anymore considering the circumstances….He went from 17 lbs when we got him to 27.5 lbs at highest and last yr this time was at 17, today he is at 21. Gulping has been going on so long I can’t remember when it started. He has had blood tests, xrays, barium xray, several meds for worming, He had an upper endoscopy…all leads us to nothing. So he was put on prilosec last Spetember (’13) and metoclopromide 3 xs a day. Ok…so he was being examined for all of these…worms, mega esophagus, pyloric stenosis, reverse sneezing, bloat, acid reflux, collapsed trachea…post nasal drip, and all the stuff everyone else has said here…He has none of that. He used to eat kibble, Canadae. Our other dogs eat that. We switched everyone last spring, summer to Taste of the Wild. Mind you all along I am continuing treating for all the other ailments…so his kibble would get crushed by me and wetted into a paste and a kong goes in his bowl to slow him down. He was on Purina EN for some time and that was when he lost weight. I made rice and fish and carrots and sweet potatoes and rice and veggies and dog food from our local butcher shop that is all hormone antibiotic free…then since he was doing so good we eased into taste of the wild…well that gets expensive with 4 dogs and feeding everyone seperate isn’t an option. So we went back to Canadae maybe a month or two ago…we are on our 3rd bag of it I think…And January 8th and January 10th my husband and I got NO sleep what so ever. Last night he gulped and filled with gas so bad I thought I was going to have to rush him to the pet er…No, he threw up, just like he did on the 8th right around 5 am. Last night it was barf at 4 then back to bed to sleep and he was all gurgly and snoring and I just wanted 1 hour of sleep…I moved him. Shouldn’t have done that, it sparked another episode. This is all so in such a small nutshell what I am writing, but today I took him to another local regualr vet office for just a 3rd pair of eyes to see what she thought. She thinks it’s digestive, perhaps a food allergy, something similar to celiac…Told me whe would show my video to the other vets in the practice and get back to me. Suggested I take him to Cornell, the Veterinary School. He could see more specialists there than at the local office with 1 specialist since she felt what was wrong with my dog is so rare. Rare until you research it and find all these people having the same problem…WHY is it only at night? He has little spats in the day sometimes but most of the action is at night. Why do none of have any REAL answers? What is in the kibble that we feed our dogs? I did some research a while back and I could go find the link and post them if you are interested but you have probably already seen them, about kibble and how people had this issue during the major dogfood recalls….a few years back…That spawned a TON of gulping and posts everywhere. I do not think this is partial seizures…The more i read and the more I talk to vets, I think it’s the food. I cannot feed him a raw diet, I can feed him partially cooked and plain food like I have in the past, I think the limited ingredient food is good for a short time. In the mean time I am going to have to come up with a fund raising campaign to take him to Cornell, because I have spent over $2000 as of the end of 2013 on this issue. I LOVE him dearly but I cannot spend anymore or charge anymore. I am getting nowhere, and I am so tired, literally. I don’t know what else to do…He is getting a new probiotic tonight and for food we are doing quinoa and salmon for a while. He will get NO chicken for a long time. Back to the butcher shop food after the salmon. So…I also got him some tramidole so he can sleep tonight and so can we…I will hang around here, it seems like a good place to bump ideas off of each other…I am interested in hearing more about the chinese medicine and will go back and read that posting more in depth tonight. It’s good to know we are not alone I guess. I am wondering is anyone has had ultrasounds or had their dog eat under fluoroscopy…those were suggested to me today along with a nutritionist and all these are available at the Vet College, for more than I can pay I am sure…lol

Looking forward to staying in touch!
PS my dog’s name is Doug…(love that boy)

[sharfie]

I have switched my 2 Golden Retrievers to a raw diet. I am rotating between protein sources and brands of frozen raw. I use Primal, Stella and Chewy’s, and Stewarts. I have used the calculators on the web sites as a guide for the amount of food to feed. However, I am not getting it right because both dogs have gained weight. Do calories count? I notice there can be a big difference in the calories per ounce between brand and proteins. Both dogs are within the normal range of activity. They are both currently getting a little less than a pound of food a day (about 14 ounces). So, I guess the question is, do I watch calories or amount?

[raylene5]

Thanks so much for the help ladies!

[ScottsMomma]

We recently adopted a terrier mix from our local Humane Society. He is my first dog-knew nothing about food so we just picked up the standard Kibbles & Bits for him which he ate just fine. Noticed on his second day with us, how much he was scratching; neck area, face, biting along his legs & paws. Took him in for a visit, was told he had dry skin, to try fish oil, also started reading up on dog food and picked up Earth’s Pride Grain free Duck & Vegetable. He is eating that just fine, no issues with messy stool (does have some gas) not bringing anything up. Took him back today since he has also been shaking his head along with the scratching, doc looked in his ears, said they were clear-just looked irritated. Said it is most likely allergies-which is what I suspect-but allergies to what? We live in Maryland so pollen is not an issue right now-possibly dust? Or food-how do you tell? His fur is nice & soft, but skin is dry and he has some dandruff. No major sneezing or coughing. I’m at a loss as to what to do. Doc gave me a med. called Prednistabs and a drop for his ears. I don’t know weather to try a different food with less ingredients, try Raw (does a raw diet help with both food & inhalant allergies)

[DogFoodie]

Hi spotcdb,

It sounds like your dog is still having what may very well be a food intolerance. And, it’s definitely not a good idea to have your dog on Ketoconazole three days per week indefinitely. If I were you, I’d take a look at a grain free food that is lower in carbs than what you’re feeding now and that doesn’t contain any white potato – which Annamaet does. I’d even consider feeding a raw diet.

It takes time, but the body can heal and recover from systemic yeast.

[theBCnut]

She has enough different issues that I don’t know if anyone here can help you. The diabetes needs a low starch diet. The panceatitis needs a low fat diet. IBD often needs a low fiber, no grains diet. I would recommend consulting with a veterinary nutritionist for a homemade, possibly homemade raw, diet, because it sound to me like she needs a diet based on low fat meat and the necessary vitamins/mineral and not much else.

[theBCnut]

You can feed up to 20% of your dogs meals unbalanced without worrying about nutrient deficiencies. What this means is feed 4 meals of balanced commercial raw then one meal of meaty bones. You can use chicken or turkey necks, ribs from smaller animals, a chicken leg or wing, basically anything that has smaller whole bones so the dog has to crunch up the bones. Make sure the first few times you do this that they eat in front of you so if somebody tries to swallow something too large whole, you can intervene.

[Mom2Cavs]

I currently don’t feed commercial raw, but I have and will again I’m sure. First off, dry kibble does not help keep dogs teeth clean. In fact, if they chew it at all (most tend to swallow it whole) it merely sticks to their teeth, much like when we eat crackers or cookies…way more than canned or raw. Actually, the commercial raw would do a better job at keeping teeth clean because it has a more natural component and more readily available enzymes. I would definitely add raw, meaty bones as a component of your dog’s diet. I’m sure others who feed this way will be more able to direct you in how to do this. You’re on the right track with your pup, congratulations with the new addition!

[Mom2Cavs]

Pattyvaughn has some good suggestions. I also have Cavaliers and small dogs are notorious for having bad teeth (not just Cavs) so it can be a constant problem, even shortly after dentals. I have had dentals given to mine off and on and their teeth stay good for only awhile. I do brush their teeth, but admit it’s not as often as I should. They are not good chewers, either, which makes it doubly hard to keep teeth clean :(. As for the breath issue. I have found that when mine eat something they are intolerant to or get into something they shouldn’t their breath smells bad. When anal glands are acting up their breath smells bad. Giving probiotics and enzymes helps tremendously. Also, feeding a high quality food and treats (I’ve actually cut them out 99% of their diet) has helped mine. Currently, I’m feeding Fromm 4Star Salmon a la Veg. Now I do also top their kibble with quality canned food (tblsp.) and mix in their prob/enz. When one of my Cavs had a poop eating problem (enzymes solved this, too, for her) her breath was atrocious! So in a nut shell it could be from:

1. the food they eat.
2. anal gland problems (they’re full).
3. eating things they shouldn’t (like poop or bugs, etc).
4. having a cracked tooth or something wrong with gums, teeth, etc.
5. needing a dental (no lie, some dogs need dentals more often, especially small dogs).

First, I would have your vet inspect your dogs mouth to see if anything is stuck in there, or a cracked tooth, etc. Your vet will probably recommend another dental, which isn’t always feasible at the time. I personally do them either every year or every other year. I don’t like to put my oldies under the anesthesia that often.
Giving raw bones can help keep teeth scrubbed clean. Brushing their teeth can help a lot. Even trying some of the dental sprays and gels, like Mercola’s, or Tropiclean can’t hurt either. Good luck to you, I know the pains of owning small dogs with bad teeth. I hope this helps some.

[raylene5]

We will be getting a Miniature Schnauzer puppy next month and I had a question about how to incorporate heartier texture into a commercial raw diet. I’m pretty certain I will be feeding Primal Pronto nuggets…what can I do to ensure good dental health with a diet full of such soft food?

Do I give him raw meaty bones instead of one of the daily meals or do I just give a recreational bone once a week? What size and what kind for a puppy?

Thanks so much for the help! (Just to be clear, I’ve done a lot of research into the various raw diets and I will definitely not be preparing my own raw or feeding prey model 🙂 )

[IMillerman]

My little 13 year old Lhas Apso has always had allergies. I had him on raw and he improved to not having and reverse sneezing episodes and good coat. Due to a few things like dental surgery and travel I put him on Steve’s powder mix and lightly cooked chicken and turkey. Did not do as well over time on this. A pet sitter over fed him and gave him way too much goat milk and he had a major episode. Stress is also an issue for this dog and IBS. It’s been hard to get him back to normal since.
Vet put him on a cooked 1/3 chicken, 1/3 rice, 1/3 cottage cheese. He liked it but had bad stools and upset tummy – likely dairy maybe? Now he has him on RC Vet Rabbit and Potato. He seems to just go through this food with lots of poop and bad stools. It’s been over 2 weeks now. We just added 1 TSP pysillium for fiber, a probiotic as well as Standard Process Okra Pepsin 2 x’s daily. Vet wants to scope in a week if no improvement. My dog has never had Rabbit so Vet wanted a novel protein but I’m not so sure his condition is just diet related – maybe his system does not agree with this food.
Any thouights or suggestion greatly appreciated.

[mellowmutt]

I got Amiga at 8 weeks old, back on June 1st. Her breeder recommended Nutro LBP Lamb & Rice, so that’s what I fed her at first. I wasn’t happy with her gas or her stools, so I did some research and decided to mix Orijen LBP and NV Prairie LBP with the Nutro. Did some more research and discovered that I was feeding her way too much calcium. So I added two other foods to the mix in mid-July, NV Instinct Rabbit and CC Open Sky, had to set up a spreadsheet to keep CA, CA:K, calories & protein in order. I did the calculations based on the max-CA values, not averages or the tested values of a specific batch, to be on the safe side.

Ran out of this mix a month ago, at 8 months apparently she can regulate her CA herself, so I quit worrying about it. Now I have her on a mix of Orijen Regional Red, NV Instinct Rabbit, and NV Prairie Venison & Barley. It seems reasonable to me to feed her a red-meat diet in winter, and switch to a fish-and-fowl diet come summer (ancestral-wolf feeding pattern). In a few months the mix will be Orijen Six Fish, NV Instinct Rabbit LID, and NV Prairie Duck & Oatmeal. Both supplemented with the occasional topper of Orijen Tundra freeze-dried. LID Rabbit doesn’t have turkey, which is in the Duck & Oatmeal formula, so Turkey’s on the menu all year, too. Protein content of these blends is 33%.

The Prairie kibble’s mixed in to lower my cost from $3/lb to $2.75/lb, which adds up with a large breed. Rabbit is in the mix year-round, because I read some research (I’ll post the links if I find them again) about how wild/feral canines/felines primarily eat bunnies. The missing “meat group” in the prepared foods is rodent, so I’ll also occasionally feed raw beaver meat as a topper. I’d like to add a third brand into the mix instead of the Prairie, unfortunately I haven’t found anything that doesn’t have either the “wrong” grains or is loaded with potato (a no-no for malamutes as white potato is known to trigger bloat in this breed), or is too expensive to serve the purpose.

I set up another spreadsheet for amino acids and did yet more research; I believe she’s getting the full spectrum in sufficient quantities from all the different protein sources (also gets Orijen Tundra freeze-dried treats, used these to teach her to swim ‘cuz they float without getting soggy) such that she doesn’t need the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements typically found in large-breed-specific formulas — her body ought to be able to produce as much of these as she needs provided the proper building blocks (amino acids & cartilage). Her stools, on the “winter blend” anyway, are firm and dry, and not too voluminous or frequent and she seems to be thriving; my Vet is pleased with her physical condition and says her growth rate is right on target.

Many thanks to this site and all who contribute for helping me navigate the dog-food waters, it’s enough to make one’s head explode, but it’s also nice to have so many quality options in dry kibble. It’s been several years since I’ve had a dog (Amiga’s my 4th), Iams and even Purina just aren’t what they once were so I didn’t even consider those despite two of my dogs living to 15 (Keeshond on Eukanuba and Golden Retriever on Hi-Pro). My last malamute got Iams Lamb & Rice, but was shot (with cause) by a sheep rancher at 3 1/2 back in ’94 so I have no long-term report, there.

What got me to not trust dogfood manufacturers and do this research, leading me here, was how horrific the first month was feeding Amiga just the Nutro. Glossy, semi-soft, mucousy stools (if not diarrhea) and lotsa smelly farts — just like my friends’ dogs being fed Nutro. Enzymes, pre- and pro- biotics didn’t help, de-worming only cleared up the worms. No surprise given the ridiculously-high Zinc content in Nutro formulas, apparently since Mars bought them out — these are symptoms of Zinc toxicity, not poor digestive-tract health; no band-aid for that. Wish I’d figured that out sooner, and the calcium-level thing.

If I had the puppy-food phase to do over again, I wouldn’t touch Nutro with a 10-foot pole. These problems lessened when blended with the other kibbles, and disappeared entirely (OK, occasional fart still, probably the grains) this month after discontinuing the Nutro. I would do the four-kibble mix again, going with just the Rabbit and Duck would be lower calcium, but would also lack the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements the two LBP kibbles contain, as well as the cartilage and broad spectrum of amino acids which make these supplements unnecessary.

I did rush her to the vet after-hours back in September for bloat, but I didn’t alter her diet because of it. Sometimes she eats stuff that isn’t “on the menu” so to speak, mostly I blame my kitties because they love hunting and killing — just not eating their kills, which they leave for the alley cats. And for Amiga, sometimes she finds these before I do and accounts for occasional fur/feathers in her stools (Amiga’s also killed a mourning dove, robin, grackle, and a magpie). At least they’ve learned not to bring them in the house! I’m following all the best-practice guidelines for avoiding bloat, so hopefully this was a one-time thing, scary for both of us…

[pugmomsandy]

For the price of the latest low glycemic foods (kibble and canned like LiveFree and Orijen), you might try feeding raw food like Darwins or Instinct, Bravo, etc. You might even ask the vet about incorporating something like the Yeast Starvation Diet which only has meat, eggs, oil and a vitamin. It might be possible (cost-wise) to feed a min pin a freeze dried raw diet if frozen raw is something you don’t want to feed.

http://homemadedogfood.com/yeast-starvation-dog-food-recipe/

[theBCnut]

Mine get pork all the time. It is high in fat, so if you have a dog that is prone to pancreatitis then it probably isn’t a good idea, but for a normal dog, it’s just fine.

But have you done any research into what dogs need in their diet? Making them an occasional homemade meal that isn’t balanced is fine, but you at least need to know what dogs need, to balance over time before going solely to homemade.

Dr Karen Becker has a great book “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” to help get you started. Steve Brown has one for raw feeding that is fantastic, “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” which I recommend even if you don’t want to feed raw. It has info that everyone making homemade needs to know. And it is available as a ebook.

[InkedMarie]

Mojo: first, I’m not sure that’s a balanced diet. Second, you don’t need to cook meat for dogs, they can eat it raw.

[Cyndi]

Hi everyone, I need the expert raw feeder’s help please. I’ve had Bailey on a complete raw diet for almost 8 months now. I get her meat/grinds and rmb’s exclusively from Hare Today and my local butcher. I don’t have anywhere to get really good deals on stuff. Anyways, my question is, can anyone give me some cost cutting ideas? I get the chicken backs and turkey necks from my butcher and the meat and organ grinds and rabbit and duck pieces and necks from Hare Today. I could cut out the rabbit and duck, but does anyone have any suggestions for me to be able to keep the variety I feed, but do it cheaper. I’m wondering if I incorporate canned wet food or kibble? I don’t know, any suggestions would be extremely helpful.

Starting the first of the year I have to pay over $100/month for stupid health insurance. & I have dental bills that are over $50/month for a while. I am working a second job, basically to keep Bailey fed the way I’ve been feeding her, but paying out that extra $150/month is gonna hurt.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions…

[neezerfan]

So Riley has a pseudomonas ear infection which apparently can be multidrug resistant and hard to eradicate. Luckily so far it seems to be responding well to our first line of treatment, Baytril oral and Baytril/dex liquid ear stuff. So how did this happen? Vet explained this bacterium is commonly found on the skin and usually presents no problem. Usually when it causes a problem like this it’s due to an underlying allergy. What?? Actually, she did not specifically say food allergy, but when she said “allergy” i heard “food allergy”. So yes I’m jumping the gun a bit.

The majority of his diet is Darwin’s chicken, turkey and duck. I rotate with 5 star canned foods, all grain free and give him 2-3 home prepared meals per week. Usually it’s beef, lamb and venison with the non-Darwin’s meals. Sometimes cooked, sometimes raw. I supplement with krill oil, coconut oil (human grade) and Spirugreen from Mercola.

He’s 2 1/2 years old, otherwise perfectly healthy. He has not had any vaccines since the core ones and we do titers.

What am I missing? I will admit to being obsessed with his health. Am I overreacting? BTW, his other ear is perfectly healthy.

[theBCnut]

Liver should be no more than 5% of the meat in their diet. It is high in fat soluable vitamins and can be overdone. And you can definitely get signs of intestinal distress in the stool if the diet is too far off.

[A.Sandy]

Hi,
Sorry about your pup. I would say that TOTW and BB are way too high in protein for your dog’s issues, and chicken soup is a not so good food. I think you should get something a lot more simple like raw, or dehydrated raw like Honest kitchen keen, verve or force that is gluten free, it’s high quality and a lot lower in protein and adds moisture as well. and try adding canned pumpkin in there too and maybe an all natural pro/prebiotic like Honest kitchen perfect form or prozymes to help aid digestion. Or a limited ingredient diet like Natural balance that is around 21% protein. good luck!

-Ana Sandy
pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrition.com
@pupcatfacts

[Harpers Mom]

I know supplementing is necessary for a raw food diet, but can probiotics be a benefit to dogs on kibble? i am in the processes of starting my dog on a rotational diet and was considering adding a probiotic just to give her digestive system a boost.

What are some good probiotics?

[CSollers]

Patty has done a good job in her description. Our Pugs thrive on a raw diet, and they love it!

[theBCnut]

It would take a whole book to explain the benefits of feeding raw, but I’ll try to hit on a few highlights and let someone else add some more.

Dogs were not designed to eat dried food pellets, they were made to eat a diet that is 75-80% water. Raw and canned food fit that need.
Dogs in the wild get some of their digestive enzymes from the food they eat, but heat destroys these enzymes. Many dogs have trouble producing the enzymes they need to deal with their food. Raw foods have these enzymes.
Dogs were not designed to eat high carbohydrate foods, but kibble is a bakery product and has to have a certain level of starch to act as a binder to hold the kibble together. Many dogs have problems just because their bodies can’t deal with the level of carbs in the diet.
Raw provides the nutrients dogs need in a natural form that dogs are designed to use.
Raw provides plenty of protein for tissue growth, regeneration, and repair.
Raw provides the body with what it needs to make its own antioxidants.
With raw, you can be in complete control of the ingredients and the quality of the ingredients.
Raw fed dogs produce small hard stools that are easy to clean up and have little to no smell.
Raw fed dogs have loads of energy and vibrant health.
All the raw fed dogs I know are lean and muscular.
Chewing on raw bones cleans teeth naturally. Raw contributes much, much less to plaque and tartar build up on the teeth.

Someone else’s turn now.

[ECSGuy]

We switched our two ECS boys over to raw back in May/June of 2013. Since most all of the Kibble the we had tried was recalled for one thing or another, and we noted changes in the frozen variety of BilJac we had fed for years.

We are now feeding raw and rotating Duck with bone, Venison with bone, Beef, Beef with bone. I also supplement with SoJo dehydrated Vegitables 1 or 2 tablespoons/meal, fish oil for Omega 3-6 and coconut oil for their skin and coat (mornings coconut oil and evenings fish oil).

If you are going to continue to feed a raw or homemade diet, I’d suggest a book by Lew Olsen PhD titled Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs; available on Amazon. Lot’s of good information on why to feed dogs raw, why they are able to eat raw and how to supplement (you can over do the supplements if your not careful).

In my opinion, in today’s market, the worst thing to feed your dog or cat is a commercial dog food, kibble, etc. While I’m sure they try, the bottom line is keeping production cost down. I’ve been told that many buy meat meals in bulk, and really don’t know where or how the meats were sourced and or processed. Dealers are buying the meat meals and redistributing them to manufactures.

Hope something here helps, Good luck!

[ECSGuy]

Not looking to fight with anyone nor convert them over to my way of feeding. Glad that dogGirl feeding her dogs the way she wants and it is a raw diet. Raw feeding has so much to offer the dogs, that I sometimes become obsessive and preachy about it (just ask my wife).

For those that want more information on feeding raw natural diets, the book by Lew Olsen PhD. Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs is a great resource and explains the dogs digestive make up and why they can eat raw food that would make a human sick. Oddly, it makes me question my own diet, as it would appear that humans are genetically pre-disposed as Herbivores and not Omnivores as we seem to think. Makes a great case for becoming a Vegetarian :>(

[Rebecca]

Hi frenchiegirl,

It sounds to me like your dog is going through a period of detox, which is nothing to worry about, and actually good.

In Dr. Karen Becker’s article “Common Raw Feeding Mistakes”, in a paragraph about what to expect when you switch to raw, she says,

“Oftentimes, after one to three months on a fresh food diet, pets go through a detoxification process. This is totally normal and is actually something to celebrate.

Detox for your pet will happen through the bowels and skin. During a detox, your pet will act completely normal. He’ll be happy, bright, and alert. But you might find that he’s shedding a tremendous amount of hair. Pets shed out their old, dead, dull hair, and begin growing a shiny, soft coat. You might also see a lot of earwax or debris being produced from the ear. That needs to be cleaned out. And some detoxing pets will pass blobs of mucus in their stools.

These symptoms of detoxification will pass on their own. They’re nothing you need to worry about, but are something you should anticipate or it might freak you out. Pets on a fresh food diet also consume far less water than pets eating an entirely processed diet. You need to anticipate that your pet’s water intake will diminish.”

-Rebecca

[ECSGuy]

I’ve fed Blue Ridge Beef products to my two English Cockers since June of 2013. I switched to a raw diet because of all the recalls and junk they put in commercial foods. I’ve seen no problem with the products, and my boys are thriving on it. I am also using SoJo dehydrated Veggies, fish oil and coconut oil as supplements.
If I were to recommend one thing, it would be to buy Lew Olsen’s book on Raw and Natural diets for dogs. I’ve was using a vitamin and mineral supplement early on that had far to many minerals that the dogs really did not need.
As far as the charcoal in the food is concerned, my dealer has checked on this. It is a law that any raw meat products sold as pet food must contain some charcoal to differentiate it from human food. Otherwise, due to the lower cost, unscrupulous people would buy it to serve in restaurants.
I’ve seen major changes in my dogs health, including my older male who, even on high quality commercial food, would vomit at least once a week and had diarrhea off and on constantly. That is “all” resolved on a raw diet. My younger fellow runs agility and while he is a high energy dog, he lost his “rather odd” skunky smell that he had on commercial foods and his eyes no longer run constantly.
Also, emailing Steve in North Carolina at Blue Ridge has always gotten me prompt and courteous responses. So not sure what Dog girl is taking about.

[Akari_32]

I’m having trouble keeping weight on Haley, my 11 year old lab/retriever mix. Ever since I switched from Wellness Core to RR (Zero Grain and Just 6 mix), she’s been droppig weight like crazy. She’s currently on about 1/4 RR and 3/4 Purina One, and that’s helping tons now. I had the dogs on all RR, then got a really awesome deal on the Purina One, and I’m just about out of the RR now, I have maybe 15 pounds left.

Unfortunately, we’re at a financial point were if we buy it, we use it. Throwing out or giving it away won’t do us any good. Since I’ve got lots of the Purina and few other random small bags of food, I’ve just been giving a small amount of the RR. I always mix in canned food (Haley can’t do straight dry food in meal size quantities, as her stomach can’t handle it and it makes her miserable), and usually a raw egg. I’ve stopped walking her almost completely, and upped her food to 6-9 cups a day, depending on if we walk or not. This has helped a lot, but she’s not a big eater to begin with.

My plan is to get at least her back on Wellness ASAP (I have about 15 pounds of that that I bought recently with coupons, and will get more as soon as I have the funds and time), as well as buy some good, all beef hot dogs to add some extra calories and protein to her diet (I have 10 free packs lined up as soon as they get in stock). She’s currently on vitamins, glucosamine, and fish oil as well. The fish oil has helped her put some weight on, too.

I’m positive the switch from the Wellness Core foods to the lesser RR, and then even lesser Purina One has got her system all in a fit, but it’s been months since she’s been off Wellness. RR is only 313 calories per cup, which I only found out recently, and that’s when I started feeding more, realizing it was partly not enough calories. Other than that, I don’t think she digests food very well, which is why I always wet her food– makes it easier on her tummy. She did great on Wellness and I only fed her 2.5-3 cups. My Rott mix has not needed an increase in food since the switch, and neither really has moms terrier (only on days he’s particularly hyper).

I also plan to buy some Nutri Source Super Preformance off PetFlow, but I’d like to get her back on Wellness and get weight back up first, and see if any certain ingredients have anything to do her weight loss, and see how she does grain free vs grain inclusive. The dogs were all on corn based foods until I took over the dog food buying a few years ago, and I’ve more or less kept them on grain free, and anything that wasn’t, they weren’t on for any length of time. Then when I started with the RR Zero Grain as the bulk of their diet a few months ago, it’s been an uphill battle >.<

Any changes to my plan, at all? Anything to add, or take away? Any other ideas, period? Budget is extremely tight, so don’t get too crazy on my, but I need to get some weight on my girl that doesn’t involve shoving food down her throat.

[DogFoodie]

I know Cyndi already bumped up your post, but I am too.

Bless your heart, you’ve really got your hands full! Just curious, has your vet checked his thyroid? Also, do you see a vet who practices traditional veterinary medicine or do you use an integrative / holistic vet? I’d visit a holistic vet; here’s a link to help you find one (it’s not all inclusive, but a good start): http://www.ahvma.org/Widgets/FindVet.html

It sounds as though, in addition to the environmental and food allergies, your little guy might have a systemic yeast infection which has evolved into a leaky gut. Someone has probably been feeding your poor little guy garbage for his entire life. I would start right away supplementing his diet with coconut oil and probiotics (you need to begin repopulating the healthy bacteria in his gut). It looks like your food allergies are: salmon, poultry mix, eggs, milk, wheat, and white potato. I’d look for something minimally processed ~ raw if possible; but if you’re choosing to feed kibble, I’d go for a grain and white potato (probably sweet potato, too) free food to switch him to as soon as possible. The first food that comes to mind is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

[crazy4cats]

In regards to your question about Northwest Naturals, it is a raw frozen food that comes in different forms. I use the beef nuggets as well as their fruit and veggie nuggets as toppers right now. They sell them at our local feed store along with Primal and Nature’s Variety frozen raw foods. Northwest is the cheapest of the three. I feel that these add fiber as well as antioxidants to their kibble. As I said before I’m not sure which part of my new equation is helping the most as I have switched several times. Again, I’m using Victor G/F kibble along with a little digestive enzymes, Gastriplex, and probiotic chews. I hope to gradually decrease the supplements, but right now I’m so ecstatic about their poops, (I know, weird, huh?) that I’m not going to change too much for a while.
Have you checked out dogaware dot com yet? They have so much information on that site about digestive disorders. I also think that they may have some homemade diet recipes for you as well.
Good luck!

[dwil801]

I have been lurking around this site for a while and I think I am ready to feed my 15 lb Yorkie raw full time. First of all THANKS for all of the valuable infomation that I have gained from this site. I am still a little confused but I am going to give this a shot.
I will be supplementing his diet with Iceland Pure Sardine/Anchovy Oil, Vitamin E, Nature’s Logic Whole Food Supplement, Cod Liver Oil. I will also add eggs, sardines and yogurt occasionally.
I just rec’d an order from http://www.topqualitydogfood.com (local = no shipping $). I ordered:
1. BEEF Healthy Variety Mix: No Bone
HVM: 7% Veggie/Fruit mix, 10% Beef Heart, Liver and Kidney, Organic whole eggs
2. DUCK HVM: Bone content 30%
HVM: 7% organ meat and 7% veggie/fruit mix
3. Chicken HVM Bone content 26%
HVM: 7% Veggie/Fruit Mix, 10% Chicken Livers and Heart
4. Lamb HVM: Bone content 35%
HVM: 7% organ meat and 7% veggie/fruit mix
5. Icelandic Lamb: No organs Bone content roughly 20%
6. 80/20 ground Beef with 20% green tripe and 10% Beef heart and Liver, No Bone
5. Green Tripe
Some of these grinds seem to have high bone content and low in organs. Any idea how to balance the C&P ratios? Should I add any additional supplements?

[pugmomsandy]

This recipe book has cooked/boneless food recipes and a recipe to make a complimentary vitamin mix to go with the food and serving suggestions: “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Dr Karen Becker/Beth Taylor. You might also look at the home-cooked area at dogaware.com for some tips.

http://dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html

[BernerdAd]

Hi sorting through all the good information — I’ve come up with a few questions
1) why did Grain Free Canine Caviar Open Sky make the list but Grain Free Canine Caviar Puppy did not?
2) None of the Blue Buffalo dry products made the list at all – why is that.

Ive created some spread sheets and in particular looked at calcium and there are not major differences? At what point do small percentage points — i.e. the difference between 1.2% and !.5% make a difference – I mean statistically what is the variance in these numbers when a food doesn’t make the list by only a few tenths of a %?

3) While numerical data is great isn’t there any sage wisdom out there for specific large breeds? I have Berners (bernese mountain dogs) – on the main website it says ”

“Bernese Mountain Dog owners feed a range of food from raw diet, homemade diets to commercially prepared kibble. No matter what type of feed, Berner owners seem to agree to feed a high quality food with relatively low protein level, approximately 18 -26% and a moderate fat content, under 16%. High protein/fat feeds (> 28%, >16%) can be ‘too much’ for many Bernese, especially those that are not very active working/performance dogs. Feeding a diet that is too ‘heavy’ in protein has been known to precipitate hotspot outbreaks in some Berners. A diet too high in fat adds unwanted pounds and in some cases causes diarrhea.”

So did one study on large breed puppies looking at critical variables protein levels, calcium etc debunk all the sage wisdom from breeders – some of which specifically notice concerns with high levels of protein over 30%

[OhBichonPlease]

GoldenGuide, If you do decide to switch and then travel, there are plenty of great local pet stores in the Raleigh area that carry raw foods and premix diets. There are also plenty of local butchers offering locally-sourced, healthy meats and animal parts.
I live about 30mins from Raleigh and this is a very dog-friendly area with lots of healthy-looking dogs and owners who spend a lot of time [and money, apparently] on dog food [invariably the busiest aisle in the smaller pet stores and there are always customers wanting opinions chatting with workers].

[losul]

KMS- I hadn’t followed what had been going on with your pup, so had to go back and read your entire history.

Antibiotic usage/overusage can become a vicious circle. You might want to google antibiotic induced colitis. The clostridium overgrowth is one thing that can cause colitis from the toxins they produce, although it’s very possible there might be multiple causes.

When you said your pup has had full-blown diarrhea the last 5 days, that would very much concern me. Are you checking to make sure he isn’t becoming dangerously dehydrated? Lift the skin on the back of neck/shoulders. When released, the skin should spring back to to normal fairly quickly. Check the gums, they should be pink. Press on the gums briefly and pink color should return them within a second or 2. Mouth should not be overly dry nor saliva very sticky.

If the severe diarrhea isn’t causing an emergency situation, I would slow down on what you are introducing to him, with the exception of the pro-pectin you mentioned you already have. The main ingredient is kaolin, a form of bentonite clay, that should soothe and coat the intestines. It is also said to absorb toxins and bad bacteria. But you should also be aware that kaolin will interfere with absorption of some antibiotics, and specifically trimethoprin (the TMP in the antibiotic combo you mentioned). Pro-pectin also has one form of encapsulated beneficial bacterium in it. Then I would wait for the outside lab results, and then maybe go for the colonoscopy if advised.

If I were you, I wouldn’t yet even think about adding raw meat to his diet until you can get his intestinal flora back in balance, although a homemade lightly cooked one could be the way to go for awhile….

[A.Sandy]

Hello,
My name is Ana I am the owner of a small pet nutrition consulting business called Pupcat Nutrition Consulting I am a pet nutrition expert/advisor. Dogs with pancreatitis have very fragile immune systems, avoid high protein and high fat diets, feed small frequent meals through out the day, and less or no processed diets and avoid dry foods and rotation. The next thing PLEASE STOP feeding science diet it’s killing your dog! Here are some suggestions: lean meats,(bison,chicken,turkey) low fat treats, try senior formulas they have less fat and less protein. Here are some awesome brands that will transform your pup forever!! ok , your best bet would be dehydrated raw, I recommend Honest kitchen preference or all except thrive mix with canned for extra moisture and flavor try senior formula canned like merrick , and natural balance(try to stick with 4% fat or less) avoid grocery store pet foods. and it would be beneficial to add a probiotic/prebiotic to aid digestion, like PROZYMES is a really good one I like. and remember there is a transition period when switching foods (7-10 days) for more info on honest kitchen go to thehonestkitchen.com and for more real nutrition facts follow me on twitter @pupcatfacts and on facebook or at pupcatnutrition.com
good luck!!

-Ana

[theBCnut]

Hound Dog mom’s list has commercial raw foods at the end of the list that have appropriate calcium levels.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?srcid=0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk&pid=explorer&efh=false&a=v

[chewysmom]

Hi Angie and congrats on the new “baby”! You’re on the right track with choosing to go raw for your little guy. Neapolitan Mastiffs are prone to hip dysplasia which can lead to arthritis as they get older so it’s important to choose on a good diet as a puppy to prevent a lot of vet bills (and heartache) down the road. Here’s a good article from raw dog food diet guru, Robert Mueller that explains how diet can help prevent hip dysplasia in large and giant breed dogs: http://www.barfworld.com/blog/?p=2422.

Best of luck to you both 🙂

[grouch_29]

I am researching what would be the best diet for a Neapolitan Mastiff. I have never owned one before but this is my all time favorite breed and hopefully soon I will be able to add a baby neapolitan girl to my family. I would like to get more information on what I’d the best diet for them. I know they are a giant breed and the diet plays a big role in their growth development. I wasn’t a strong healthy girl not a over weight girl with joint and hip problems due to inproper feeding. Please, if anyone has a mastiff and has suggestions or advisr I will greatly appreciate it. What I’d best? Raw or kibble? I’s it possible to do both? If I do just raw, how much do I feed? Do I mix different meats or can I stick to one? Help!!!!

Thank you,
Angie

[kms]

I made a vet appt for this coming wed – will have a fecal sent out. Also, I started Perfect Form last night. He ate it right up – no issue with taste. So far, he has had 3 stools – all 3 softer/runnier than normal. But he has only had 2 doses, so it’s prob too soon to tell. As far as pumpkin, I’ll stop that today.

I like everything I’ve read about Honest Kitchen products and would be willing to try. Also have been reading about Primal, Darwin and NV frozen and freeze-dried raw. My biggest fear is that things could get worse at a critical time in his development. I’d also have to face both my vet and breeder – who aren’t really in favor of my direction so far (in terms of going to a kibble rotation diet and also for heading toward raw down the road). But I’ll keep reading and taking baby steps. Another reason why I’m so thankful for this forum.

The NVI Rabbit uses chicken fat as a preservative and it’s 4th on the ingredient list. So NVI Rabbit is not 100% chicken-free, but it’s fat instead of meat. I don’t know if that changes anything. In other words, can I still rule out “chicken intolerance” – or could that small amount of chicken fat still cause a chicken intolerance? I really hope his system just needs more time to heal, as Pattyvaughn sugggested. It’s just that I’ve never had a dog who didn’t have worms or diarrrhea at some point – and it has always been remedied quickly. So I keep worrying that it’s something more serious.

I’ve read on threads where people go back to grain-inclusive and the stools get better. Why is that? I thought grains were not good for a dog. The reason I went grain-free is because I thought it would be healthier and the food would be less likely to trigger an allergy.

• This reply was modified 12 years ago by kms.

[Tiyapup]

I am feeding my pup a rotation of high quality kibbles, mixed with a balanced homemade raw diet. She is doing very well.. healthy growth, beautiful thick soft coat, lots of energy, pretty firm and very regular stools, etc. etc. I’ve read several times now that you should NOT mix kibble and raw in the same meal because of digestive issues. Has anyone really had problems with this, and can anyone give me a real scientific explanation why I shouldn’t mix them? I’ve heard they digest at different rates and (literally, I read this) “confuse the pancreas”. So what? Why does it matter how fast a dog digests something? She has firm and regular stools, and that’s enough to convince me that mixing is fine, but I’d still like to hear a scientific argument why mixing kibble and raw might be bad.

In case you care, the rotation is Taste of the Wild puppy, Wellness Core puppy, and Blue Buffalo Wilderness puppy, supplemented with a homemade variety of livers, hearts, gibbets, cheap cuts of venison or lamb, chicken necks, eggs, yogurt, pumpkin, salmon oil, a small amt. of an herbal supplement, and add Grandma Lucy’s grain-free no meat pre-mix. I was doing about 20% raw 80% kibble, but now its close to half and half.

[RescueDaneMom]

While I love Stella & Chewy’s, it is not practical for large dogs to feed as a sole source of food. Your dog would eat you out of house and home. If I fed my dog just S&C, I would be spending $15/day. You can use Stella’s as a topper for the kibble. That’s how I started feeding my dog raw.

[pugmomsandy]

There are hundreds of foods to try out. Maybe your dog is not used to high protein grain free. What were you feeding before and how long? There are foods “in the middle” if you want to try that. I feed a range of 4 to 5 star foods and haven’t had any issues with more poop or larger poop. And actually my fosters have the largest and more frequent poops after being vetted and then I get them. I also give the dogs some probiotics a couple times a week. The best poops are on raw food with bones – small, formed, no smell like the size of little bird eggs. I have small dogs though. But what I’m saying is, try something else. My fosters do good on Nutrisource Heartland Select and grain free Lamb. I would call those “in the middle”.

[PippaY]

Hi all,

My 18lb Welsh Terrier has a mild-moderate case of Protein Losing Enteropathy.

Our Vet specialist has recommended a Purina HA diet that’s made of “hydrolyzed protein”. Unfortunately I’m wary of anything made by Purina and hydrolyzed protein sounds horribly processed. So I’m looking for suggestions.

I’ve read that MCT oil (for humans) can help. Not sure how much to give her..

What about kibble and/or raw food? Brands and types would be appreciated if you’ve had success with any.

I switched her from Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach (salmon) variety to Orijen’s Fish formula and “Primal”‘s raw lamb wet food. Her spirits are good. She’s eating well and she doesn’t seem to be losing weight around the middle..though I suspect that she might be losing muscle mass.

Other things to note:
She’s allergic to chicken and starts to itch just looking at it. Not sure about turkey or duck.

Thank you!!

[RVPets]

We have a 7 year old German Shepherd and we have been struggling to control a systemic yeast infection for the past 9 months. Our old vet (I do mean old now) kept putting him on antibiotics, saying it was not yeast, but never doing a skin scrap. Our new vet checked first and immediately told us it was yeast. He wants him on a no carbohydrate/lo. starch diet and has suggested a more holistic approach to controling the problem. We are very pleased with the results so far. He’s grown back most of his hair and his odor has diminshed considerably.

We add Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (with the “Mother”) to his drinking water and we wipe him down with a vinegar and water mixture (50/50) and we are cleaning his ears with the same solution daily. We have hi on a partial raw diet that we have been adding a high quality dog food too (about half raw half dog food).

My problem is that we are having a hard time finding a food that he can eat due to food allergies. Has anyone tried Canidae Grain-Free Pure Elements for dogs? It does not have anything on his “don’t eat” list, but I’m not too sure about having sweet potatoes in the top 5 list of ingredients.

Has anyone else tried this with a “yeasty dog”? Did it help or make it worse? We are trying very hard to find a solution, but we simply cannot feed an all raw diet right now.

This is a list of ingrediants:
Lamb, turkey meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, chicken fat, menhaden fish meal, potatoes, suncured alfalfa, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols (a natural source of
vitamin E)

[theBCnut]

If you are giving less than 20% of the diet in raw food then buying from the grocery store is fine. If you are planning on giving more raw than 20% of the diet, then you have to start considering balancing all the nutrients.

[Naturella]

Patty, thank you so much for the response! I think Bruno is pretty healthy and would love some raw in his diet. He has had some raw liver and today I gave him a tiny bit of ground chuck – he loved it! So yeah, I think I will just have to let my boyfriend get used to it, and see how well Bruno does on raw additives. 🙂

Question about storing, I should pre-portion it and freeze, and just thaw whatever I plan to use for the day, correct?