[FreeholdHound]

Hi! Been working hard lately and having my hours cut. I got it into my head to treat my daughter (and myself) to a trip to Ireland next year. I was there in 1992 & have been longing to back ever since. Decided to bite the bullet & get my azz in gear to make it happen.

I’ve been checking out the Reel Raw site this morning & have a few things in my basket already. Going to chance a few chicken backs for the 1st time to see how/if Harry handles a bit of poultry besides his turkey necks. I’m not going for a big order as my small freezer is pretty stocked but $9.99 shipping isn’t too bad for the assorted things I’m ordering.

[Dori]

Hey Jeanne. So nice to see you back on dfa. I was worried that something might be wrong. Glad to know you’ve simply been living your life. Hope all is well with you and yours.

I’m about to place an order with Reel Raw. I didn’t know there was a raw food site that delivered for free. So glad I found these posts. Shipping on raw is always so expensive though understandably so due to what’s involved. Not like shipping kibble.

[Dori]

I agree with Marie. My dogs have been on raw for approx. 2 years maybe longer, I’ve lost track. Anyway, neither my dogs nor myself have ever had an issue. I wash my hands, boards, utensils, etc. just as I do when handling raw meat for my husband and myself. If we eat meat, poultry, fish, etc. at some point its touching my hands, boards, utensils. It’s the same thing with raw food for dogs. Just clean up after preparing. No difference imo. Of course, that’s if you’re buying raw food from a reputable source be it a grocery store, butcher, or commercial raw manufacturer.

[InkedMarie]

Since you mentioned raw, why not feed your own? I do prey model raw using ground. I buy my bone in ground from Hare Today or Reel Raw, I use boneless from the grocery store.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Jeanne! How is Harry doing? I just got my order from Reel Raw yesterday. Everything was correct and the meat looked great. I love the free shipping! I couldn’t afford it otherwise. I’ll let you know how Max likes it after he tries it.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Lauren,

I’m of no help either. Sounds like you’re doing a great job and your raw diet is probably ideal. While we’re waiting for him to see your posts, maybe you’ll find something that would be helpful in his comment history: /forums/users/usa-dog-treats/

He has the same user name on the review side, unfortunately I’m unable to share a link there.

[FreeholdHound]

I’ve been AWOL from the site for awhile & look what I missed! Bring me up to sipped on this Reel Raw site!!! Just gave it a quick peak & it looks great. Everyone still pleased with products?
Jeanne

[Naturella]

Hey, all!

Well, Photobucket seems to hate me tonight so I will have to just write out the picture of Bruno’s 2014-2015 Menu, all gotten through coupons!

Starting Point – Mid-July, 2014.

1. Earthborn Holistic (EBH) Primitive Natural (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 14 lbs – 3 mths – till mid-Oct, 2014 – got for $20 with Petland coupon for $10 off $25+.
2. Back to Basics (B2B) Open Range (Grain-Free, Red Meat) + 3 samples of Victor Joint Health (Grain-Free, Beef) + 3 samples of Victor High Pro (Grain Free, Beef) – 5 lbs – 1.5 mths – till end of Nov, 2014 – got for $13 with manufacturer coupon for $7 off.
3. Holistic Health Extension (HHE) Lamb and Brown Rice (Grain-Inclusive, Lamb) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Dec, 2014 – got for FREE with Petland coupon for a free small bag of that brand.
4. Dogswell LiveFree Salmon (Grain-Free, Salmon/Fish) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Jan, 2015 – got for $4 on Petflow sale.
5. HHE Allergix (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 4 lbs – 1 mth – till end of Feb, 2015 – got for FREE with Petland coupon for a free small bag of that brand.
6. EBH Great Plains Feast (Grain-Free, Buffalo+Lamb) – 14 lbs – 3 mths – till end of May, 2015 – got for $20 with Petland coupon for $10 off $25+.
7. Wysong Nurture with Quail (Grain-Free, Quail) – 5 lbs – 1 mth – till end of June, 2015 – got for $5 on Petflow sale.
8. Nature’s Variety Instinct (NVI) Rabbit+Raw Bites (Grain-Free, Rabbit) + 1.5 lbs of Victor Ultra Pro (Grain-Free, Chicken) – 6.5 lbs – 1.5 mths – till mid-July, 2015 – NVI for FREE with manufacturer one-time coupon; Victor Ultra Pro is from samples and 1lb from a friend – all FREE.

PLUS: The Honest Kitchen (THK) Force (Grain-Free, Chicken); Keen (Grain-Inclusive, Turkey), Love (Grain-Free, Beef), and Embark (Grain-Free, Turkey) as toppers – 2-lb boxes of each for $4 each on sale from Petflow – should last till mid-July, 2015 too BECAUSE one box makes 6-8 lbs of wet food and dilute it lots so I will say that THK’s 8 lbs of dehydrated food will make 32 lbs of wet food. That’s $16 ($20 with shipping) for 32 lbs of food!

Total food weight: Kibble – 56.5 lbs. THK – 32 lbs. Total – 88.5lbs.
Total spending (with $5 shipping from Petflow for the THK): $82.00.

This makes all the foods an average of $0.93/lb. I’m quite happy with it cause for less than $100, it is all pretty good foods, and Bruno is set for a YEAR. 🙂

Not to mention the multitude of free samples he has that we use as treats and the $60 box from Best Bully Sticks that is full of dehydrated goods that should last him quite a while too, maybe a year if I’m lucky. So yeah. $142. Great local stores that give coupons and free samples. Great friends and good manufacturer deals – I think $142 for a year’s worth of food, chews, and treats for a small dog is pretty good. 🙂

Good luck to all with your couponing endeavors! 🙂

[Melissaandcrew]

Some dogs just have chronic problems with their anal glands and require regular expression, Some have a problem once, they get expressed and all is right in their world forever. If he was scooting, expressing them was the right thing to do. If left untreated, there is the potential for them to completely impact and then “explode”-they basically abcess and then drain. Nasty for the dog. My doxie had the problem once in her life when I fed her raw for three days straight without sweet potato for fiber. Vet drained them, she did the licking thing, caused her butt to get red and puffy, so the vet rxd gentamycin spray. Problem done and over in 24 hrs. Don’t sweat the small (smelly) things, lol 😉

[Melissaandcrew]

Well, vet bills sometimes is simply the luck of the genetic draw 😉 I have a three year old that has been seeing a cardiologist since just shy of 1 yr, and her visit yesterday was not good news. In addition to her original heart condition, she has now developed mitral value regurgitation(leaky valve) with slight prolapse. In a nutshell that simply equates to a cardio bill every 6mths for the rest of her life, as if 2 yrs has not been enough. It truly sucks as you don’t expect those type of bills until much later in life.

[Lisa C]

I know what you mean, it’s just disheartening to know we’ve already spent a lot of money on him and usually when someone has to spend a lot on their pet regarding surgeries, they aren’t >1yr old. They’ve done two separate blood tests, two stool tests. I plan on trying the raw very soon. If anyone has brands/types they recommend, I’d love to try the same. Thank you.

[Melissaandcrew]

Well, the need for exploratory surgery has nothing to do with age. Its the fact that the vet has been unable to diagnose the problem that makes them want to do it-in hopes of finding an answer. However, if it were my dog, I would have started with basic blood work, tried different types of food9\(including the raw) and if food fails, I would move on to having malabsorption blood work done. For me, an exploratory would be a last hail mary play.

[Corey K]

thank you for the feedback. I actually tried the raw diet, and the highest end foods with him prior to the issues and he will not touch them. He seems very picky and also will not eat canned food. I was just reading about the cranberry supplements and may give them a try. He eats IAMs large breed for ages 1-5 now because it’s the only thing he will consistently eat. I am confused about one thing I’m reading. I keep reading that the struvite crystals do not need treated unless there is an active infection. He does have an active infection and is on an antibiotic. My vet tested his urine a week after the begin of antibiotic and it was back to normal. I plan to keep him on the antibiotic for 4 weeks. Why does it say that the crystals are only dangerous if there is infection – is that simply because the infection needs treated? Or do the crystals behave differently or pose a different threat if accompanied by infection? So confusing!!!

[DogFoodie]

I’ve never had my dogs anal glands expressed.

When Sam, my Golden with food intolerance issues, has a reaction to a food he’s eaten, his anal glands will start to smell strongly and sometimes he’ll have some loose stool. He’s even scooted a couple of times. Even with that, once the offending food is removed, the situation seems to correct itself fairly quickly.

My guess is that the diarrhea caused the anal glands to become a bit inflamed and probably would’ve resolved fairly quickly on their own when the stool returned to normal. I would probably add a little bulk to his stool with some chia seed or pumpkin or try some THK Perfect Form or Firm Up! You could also try some raw meaty bones; ie: a chicken wing for dinner. The inclusion of some bone usual helps stool firm up, too.

Are you certain the diarrhea was caused by something he ate off of the ground?

[InkedMarie]

Corey: dry food is the worst thing you can feed a dog with crystals. Best is raw, dehydrated or canned. I had a dog with struvite crystals & he did not go on a script diet. If you must feed dry, please add some canned to it plus warm water to make a stew. It’s very important that you make sure he gets enough liquid & ample opportunity to urinate. Do you give a urinary supplement or cranberry? Ask your vet if vitamin C would help.

[Lisa C]

I am definitely going to try it. Our vet has made us so mad, that at this point everything she says my boyfriend and I agree they’re price gauging us. Even for shots they way overcharge. They have not been helpful at all. She still wants to do the $1200 endoscopy. It’s not going to happen until we’ve exhausted everything else, and at that point we won’t be using that vet anyways. He’s less than a year old. why does he need super expensive exploratory surgery? we stopped the chicken a few days ago and today I’m just giving him the canned nutro, because it’s the only thing in recent memory that seems to work best. After this can, I will try the raw. I just need to make sure I buy the right stuff. Thank you all.

[lauren c]

I would like to connect with other people who have medium size diabetic dogs. I have a 9 yr old , Carolina Dog, approx 40-50lbs ( her wgt fluctuates due do illness) who has been “raw fed” for the past 8 years. She is on 15 units of insulin 2x a day. We presently have her on only a beef diet…of raw meat ( Performance Dog) almost 1 lbs 2x’s a day. We also add a combination of blended chick peas/ pumpkin and cottage cheese to make up approx 3-4 oz of the 16oz per meal and we add green beans or broccoli or mixed veggies too. I added the chick peas because her sugar levels were so up and down and she couldnt gain wgt. We finally have her stabilized for the time being and now I am ready to try to rotate her diet a bit. She has been diagnosed since fall 2013. I rather not feed anything with a high fat content. I have been investigating dry kibble….do any of you use it with your diabetic dog? What brands? And if you feed raw….what do you feed?

Thanks,

Furry

NJ

[DogFoodie]

Lisa,

I can tell you this, I use the services of several vets; one of whom is my “primary care” vet and who practices integrative medicine. The other is a holistic vet that I see for chiropractic, etc. Both of them recommend raw and when I visit my primary care vet and tell her I’m not using raw at the time, I can tell she gets a little disgusted with me. Both of these vets are highly trained and aren’t afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to believing that food can be medicine.

Most vets who practice traditional Western veterinary medicine, tend to follow whatever the FDA and AAFCO (etc.) recommend. They’re also the same vets who say, just pick “whatever” food and that as long as it meets AAFCO guidelines, your dog should be fine. I use those vets also, we just don’t talk about food.

I wouldn’t try to encourage you to do something you aren’t comfortable with, but am saying that there are some vets who do encourage and support raw feeding. Just like a teaspoon of ACV, feeding a bit of raw won’t hurt and it actually just might help.

I’ve used the food Melissa has mentioned, Nature’s Variety. I found it very easy to serve, very clean and both of my dogs love it and did very well on it.

[Melissaandcrew]

Lisa- Well, lets review here-All the foods she has recc have not worked. In addition, your dog is now skeletal on the verge of staving to death from lack of nutrition. Since there are plenty of raw, freeze dried and dehydrated foods on the market that do in fact meet AAFCO regs etc, it seems to me she is just against anything other than the old kibble foods. I am not recc that you go against vet advice, as that of course would not be appropriate. I can tell you however, that if it were my dog, I would have already tried it. Its sure as heck better and more nutritious than boiled chicken long term.

[Lisa M]

I just got my new 11 week old mini dachshund puppy. My 1 1/2 old mini Dachshund has been eating Natures Variety raw bites for over 6 months and we are happy with it. Is it okay to feed my new 3 pound 11 week old puppy these frozen raw bites (I thaw them in the fridge overnight first)? She absolutely loves them and is active and playful. If it’s okay, is there anything else she should have to supplement this? I give her the Natures Instinct puppy kibbles, but she almost never eats them.

[Lisa C]

About the raw diet – vet also said no way. She highly does not recommend it, saying it isn’t FDA regulated and all this other honkey. I was still fuming from driving him all the way there, driving home, and then her calling and telling me they weren’t doing the surgery (couldn’t she tell us that while we were there?) so my head is a little foggy, but yeah she definitely said no. So far this AM he hasn’t puked, but he did poop a lot. Fingers crossed he makes it through the day without puking.

[pugmomsandy]

You can warm the oil and drizzle it right in their food bowl or let them lick the glob right off the spoon. 1/2 – 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs. I give the smaller dose but I also feed raw sardines or use a krill oil supplement. I also use a coconut-based shampoo like Earthbath, although my dogs rarely get a bath.

[Melissaandcrew]

Lisa C-

Rule number one when a dog is vomiting is to avoid large meals. He will probably vomit like hell given that he is already doing so, and if you fed him enough volume to distend his stomach, it will expand further and the poor thing may vomit it all before morning. MANY small meals throughout the day works best for “re feeding” a dog in his condition. Kudos to the vet for refusing to put an emaciated sick dog under anesthesia. Truth be told, I was shocked when you said he was having surgery in that condition. Chances are he may not have woken up from anesthesia, and/or vomited while under and aspirated.

You already know that he is not digesting dry and canned, so I reiterate-why not try some premade raw?? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain if it works, including your dogs life. The description the vet gave means he is emaciated, not thin or skinny and his body will start breaking down muscle tissue. IF something simply like raw does not work, then you need to discuss running malabsoption testing( I know that is misspelled but in a hurry, lol) $30 for raw versus several hundred in testing. Try the raw! It may not work, but its easier/cheaper/faster to check then running more bloodwork.

[Debbie L]

I’ve only tried faw meat with a dog once, a female Collie, but she had a sensitive stomach and it made her vomit. So if I did not add canned to her dry food I began to add cooked meat again and she was fine. She loved to eat green frogs when she could catch them, but they made her sick and vomit every time. Apparently raw food was not for her.

My concern about feeding raw is the potential for parasites, E.coli, Salmonella, etc. I know in the wild animals (carnivores) have no choice but to eat raw foods. But since dogs are removed from the wild are their systems still geared to handle foods raw? I haven’t tried raw meats on my two males.

On the human aspect, I believe about a year ago I read where the FDA was not as thorough inspecting meats as in the past. That makes our foods not as safe as they once were. So, the bad elements in raw meats could be passed on to dogs and cats as well.

I just don’t feel as safe about feeding pets raw foods as it was say 10 years ago.

[Dori]

BRT. Glad to hear your dog is doing well on Zignature. I’ve never fed Natural Balance but I certainly would have stopped after the recalls as I’ve done with all foods that have had recalls not to my liking.

I had a feeling that you had overlooked the Turkey Meal in the NV Instinct Raw Boost. I’ve never fed it for that reason. I would love to find a kibble for emergencies but I’ve yet to find one that Katie doesn’t have a problem with. She has too many allergies to keep track of. I’ve got to get some index cards or start a Word document for her allergies and intolerances.

Are you feeding the Zignature dry or canned? Just curious.

[loopoo]

Trying to find a food without a soy based vitamin, like pulling teeth. Unfortunately Natures logic has alfalfa( dogs are allergic to that… anyone know any other brands? stinks as I phoned a few raw food suppliers that had a balanced mix, even Darwin, their vitamins are soy sourced( so far Honest Kitchen is the only soy free one i know, but had hoped to add another to the mix….

[Dawn R]

Does anyone know which 5 star dry foods have small kibble? I bought Orijen and Acana and it’s way to big for my new puppy, she stared at it confused after eating Stella and Chewys dehydrated for a few days. I want to be able to feed the new puppy as many types of food as possible ( raw, canned, dehydrated, dry).

Please let me know if you have suggestions. Thanks….

Dawn

[Ysabella J]

Hey everyone,

I have a 3 year old, 65 pound Golden Retriever. For about the past 4 months or so I have noticed her licking her behind a lot more than usual. I would say about 3-4 days out of the week and usually when it happens it is multiple times during the day. I know that she is licking back there due to anal glands because every time she does it, out comes the nasty smell.. I took her to the vet, they expressed her anal glands and said they were small, nothing abnormal about them.. She had never had this done before. Well 2 days after I brought her in she started licking again. I started adding pumpkin to her diet regularly with no help. She is fed Orijen kibble & Merrick canned food for breakfast and Stella & Chewy’s raw for dinner. I haven’t switched her diet in over a year. I am really not a big fan of bringing her in every 3 weeks to get her anal glands expressed after reading an article published by Dr. Becker. She doesn’t scoot at all whatsoever, it’s just the licking… I can’t find much information about this online, so now I am here.

Anyone have any advice? I am open to anything… Thanks in advance!!

[Lisa C]

I am going to the vet tomorrow to have Chewy’s umbilical hernia removed. When I go, I will inquire about IBD, and hiatal hernia/prilosec. I also wouldn’t mind trying the nature’s variety premade raw. I just am not sure what exactly to look for. Does petsmart carry it?

[Susan]

Hi Melissa & Iusol, Im not pushing no one to take Predinsone, I hate the drug..Its a band aid drug that covers the health problem, it just supresses ur immune system, puts you in remission but with IBD it does help with some dogs when the bowel is so badly inflamed…. as long as the dog is only on the steroid for 1-2 months, no longer… I have had so many arguements when I join a group called IBD about this drug these ladys dogs were dying from IBD & steroids were the only thing that helped save their dogs, well that’s what they told me & now Im starting to understand the drug a little bit more… like my vet says she hates the drug but it does save some dogs lives when nothing else has worked….I have Auto Immune Disease LUPUS & I was put on Predinsone in the begining of my illness when I was younger & it made me very ill…..If I was Lisa I would be asking my vet so many question & yes Iosul Patches vet 1-2 months ago wanted to put Patch on Prednisone, I said NO.. I even posted a post 1 month ago asking for help on forums, in the end I ended up doing my own research about IBD & I join a group that have dogs that have IBD & Im starting to undersatand this rotten disease a bit better now…a dog just doesnt get IBD & then you change its diets & oh he’s all better now, he can eat anything now…if that has happened with anyones dog (like I have read on this site a few times) then their dog has never really had IBD, it either had something else wrong (parasites) or he had IBS.. there’s a big difference between IBD & IBS, I think people get this mixed up as Im learning..also alot of dogs owners on this site are very blessed & have very healthy dogs & their dogs can eat a high protein diet or a high fat diet.. when I first join this site I’d read people were feeding their dogs this & that I thought WHY cant my boy eat that or eat this so I asked the vet about putting Patch on a raw diet, my vet nilly had a heart attack as Patch was very sick at the time & I didn’t understand that his bowel needed to heal & rest not put more fat into his diet… then I’d read on this site that vet diets aren’t good, so I tried changing Patches vet food, then Patch went back down hill again, that’s when the vets wanted to cut him open, I said NO….Finally I though stuff it, the vet prescription diet has helped my boy get better it may have corn in it but it has made him poo normal, he’s playing, he wants to go for his walks, he’s a happy 5 year old dog acting like a puppy & he’s not crying in pain….I still dont want him on his Eukanuba Intestinal but sometimes they do need the balanced vets diet just for a little while to get better, then you can slowey change their diets but on this site ur made to feel guilty cause ur dogs on a vet diet….sometimes there’s some people that come on this site so desparate for help they will do anything they read… giving vinegar to a sick dog is not a good idea, I google info on ACV its good for some dogs with minor problems but not real sick dogs..but until you have a really sick dog, I think no one should really being saying do this or do that, like I wrote ASK ur VET about Metronidazole or Prednisone the vet will either say, oh NO he doesnt need that or no we think chewy has this.. I always write what has happened with Patch & what did worked with Patch on post, if that person wants to try what made Patch better good-luck to them, I wish when I came on this site 1 year ago I got some good advise, I think a couple of ladys did help a little Paddy & Crazy for Cats had some real good advice but I couldnt get that kibble being in Australia.. When I read Chewy’s story it sounded just like what Patch & I was going thru last April 2013…sorry for the book

[Melissaandcrew]

Lisa C-Before getting all crazy and doing cameras and biopsy, try a small bag of a premade raw such as Natures Variety. I do have a dog with food intolerance and IBD/SIBO and it was the very first food she could eat without issues. It may work for yours and what harm is done by trying it? My girl who had blow out diarrhea on other foods firmed up in 24 hrs.

[Ping C]

Hi Rawfeeders

I’ve been feeding my puppy raw for 2 1/2 months now and she’s doing well on it.
Gaining weight steadily, good skin/hair/teeth etc. She’s now 5 months.

She gets mainly Pork, Beef and Chicken..mostly meat/ some bones/ some organs…very occasionally some Mutton, Lamb, or Duck

I’ve tried giving her pork ribs/ Mutton bones/ beef ribs over several occasions, she’ll eat the meat, chew on the bones a bit but leaves most of the bone behind, . I’m guessing they are too tough. She’ll eat ALL/ANY of the chicken bones.

My question is : If chicken bones are the bulk of her Bone/Calcium content, is this going to be nutritionally deficient over time? Does she need to eat bones from Beef/Pork/Lamb etc?

thanks in advance for your reply,
Ping & Luna (singapore)

[Susan]

Hi Ashlee, you have 3 beautiful dogs, sorry I cant help with the raw, but there’s heaps of people on this site that can, I just borrowed this book called “Dr Becker’s REAL FOOD For healthy Dogs & Cats” its a good read & Karen puts you in the right direction with foods, supplements, calcium & fatty acids, for young medium & older dogs..what to do & what not to do..

[fey W]

I always feed my lucky three times a day.
Usually feed the natural foods include fresh human-grade raw meat (e.g. raw lamb), raw meaty bones and vegetables. Dr. Harveys is also my daily choice.

[Ashlee S]

Hi, I’m new to the forum. But long time dog owner. I currently have three large dogs. I know all of my dogs would benefit to a raw diet but I’m lost on where to start. My dogs are currently fed on taste of the wild. I’m more than happy to research a lot on my own but I could use some help on where to start. What to feed? How much?

Here’s a little info on my dogs, if it might help.

Cookie who is the oldest is turning 12 years on the 24th, she’s a female Labrador weighing around 65 pounds. Cookie is overweight, she has cancer and arthritis. She can’t walk far distances and isn’t comfortable swimming any more, so exercise isn’t the easiest way to her weight off. Cookie, although overweight she doesn’t eat much. She is a retried mom who quickly gained the weight when she was spayed late at the age of 7 years. And I have yet to get her weight off. Although she has cancer and arthritis she is active for her age and condition. She’s fine with small walks around the block but anything more she limps her way home.

Mia, is my female bloodhound. Mia is 6 years old,she has a long chronic past of yeast infections in her ears which have significantly gone down since switching to TOTW. Mia’s a very active girl. It’s very easy to control her weight, compared to my other two dogs. She does eat A LOT but she never strays from her weight too much. Usually a steady 85 pounds. She’s eating 3 1/2 cups a day of just kibble with occasional raw cow bone

Bentley is the hardest to keep his weight. He is currently overweight, I’m getting his weight down right now by cutting back his food and feeding vegetables and raw cow bones recommended by his vet. Bentley is a heeler/hound/lab mix. I adopted him back in August of 2013. He’s a year old. He’s closer to the size of a heeler than anything but weight wise he’s a hound/lab. Last time he was weighed he was 63 pounds a few weeks ago.

I exercise my dogs daily besides cookie who can’t handle daily walks. I take them swimming at least once a week and hiking once a week but they get daily walks and runs. So lack of exercise isn’t the problem it’s balancing their food.

I know I need to make this decision on my own but there’s no problem with suggestions. If you could help steer me in the right way you suggest would most benefit my dogs I would greatly appreciate it.

And also if you could estimate on monthly costs, I would greatly appreciate it. Or Estimate on how much to feed so I could estimate the cost. But would GREATLY appreciate any links or forums you know of where I can start my research in raw feeding that would be great. 😀

Thanks!

Just for a reference of my dog’s here is a picture
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy312/bloodhound74/10269495_10204245391361703_3714956536614035392_n_zpsaecdda73.jpg

[Linda C]

I could not find this topic, but please guide me if I missed. I usually feed my CKCS Acana, and I am looking for help determining the best food for a female that is pregnant. Not just before whelping, but lactating as well. I am trying Nature’s Variety INSTINCT RAW BOOST which has 38% protein and 20% fat. In the past, I have always felt most dog foods were too low in fat for this situation.

[Naturella]

Hello, all! I know I have vented on here about how my roommate feeds his dog the SD, and thought it was great – well, yesterday there was amazing breakthrough!!! He went out to get her food and came back with a 5-lb (or 4-lb) bag of Nulo Medal Series Grain Free Adult Lamb and Lentils!!! He said that the people at the store recommended it over the SD and he wanted to give it a try with his dog. He even asked if we have heard of this food and what we thought of it. Based on DFA, I think it is a GREAT change from the SD! He even admitted that it is much better ingredient-wise, higher-calorie, so his dog can eat less, overall awesome! I am soooo excited for her (the dog)!!! She actually loves this food to no end too and gobbles up her meals like never before! 🙂

He also mentioned raw feeding and stuff and how it’s good for dogs’ teeth! I always thought he was against stuff like that and that he would never admit to them being good. He probably still won’t feed her raw, but the change in kibble is fantastic!!! I’m pumped! 🙂 Hope he keeps her on good food from now on! 🙂

[Melissaandcrew]

What is she eating? My st poodle with Addison eats the same as the others. Part grain free dry and part raw.

[Dawn R]

My vet just did a puppy exam on my 9 week old bulldog and the fecal test came back with giardia. This is totally new to me so we are giving her panacure for 6 days. Anyone else ever experience this?

I’m concerned if it could spread to my 5 and 6 year old pugs, so trying yo be careful.

Is there anything else I should be giving her. I’m using probiotics max with her food and feeding 3x’s a day

Let me know…..
Thanks, Dawn
Aka PugsonRaw

[Melissaandcrew]

Joey-It tends to be a dog to dog thing rather than a general breed thing. My English Bulldog eats the same as every one else here-4-5star grain free dry and raw etc. Granted Eggs give him gas, lol, but no issues with food in general. It may be that your boy has grain issues.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Texasniteowl-
I have endured some frustrating digestive disorders with my dogs as well due to parasites and many doses of antibiotics and dewormers. I don’t know if they ended up with leaky guts, IBS, IBD, or what, but it was down right frustrating! I read every article I could find on the above conditions. Some of the best information, I found on dogaware.com.
The best results that I have had so far is when I feed them Victor grain free food with a few Northwest Naturals frozen raw nuggets. I also have tried several supplements that are helpful. I use probiotics and/or digestive enzymes that contain slippery elm, l-glutamine and NAG. The Victor contains a clay that helps with loose stools as well. Another kibble that has the clay is Nature’s Variety Prairie and Instinct. Interestingly, sauerkraut and shredded carrots are also helpful for some reason. LOL! I wish you a lot of luck!

[Kelsey K]

Hi all!

First time poster here. HDM, thank you for all of this great information you’ve compiled! I very well could’ve missed it in the previous 73 pages (let me know if these questions have already been answered!), but I had a few questions about raw food and puppies.

I am a first-time LBD owner and will be bringing home an 8-week old berner boy in a month. I’d love to get him on a raw diet ASAP but am worried about the calcium content. My FIV+ kitty boy is currently eating Natural Pet Pantry (NPP), and I love how healthy it’s kept him.

Can I start feeding raw to a Bernese at 8 weeks old or should we start with kibble first? Any suggestions on a specific commercial raw? I’ve been looking at Darwin’s or NPP, but am totally open to anything and everything! If not raw right away, what’s the best kibble for a BMD? I’m eyeing Fromm, but I want to do everything right!

Thanks in advance for the help!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Kelsey K.

[DogFoodie]

I’m using Stella & Chewy’s raw frozen right now. I’ve also use Darwin’s, which I think is great. Lots of folks use Primal and think highly of it. I’ve also used Nature’s Variety and liked that a lot.

[Lisa C]

Betsy, the vomit in the morning is before any meals. It’s usually chunky, and a short time later sometimes comes the bile – yellow and/or frothy. Does anyone have a suggestion of brand for raw?

and thank you, Sue!

[DogFoodie]

And, I agree with Melissa. Raw might help also. Sometimes, higher carb foods contribute to the problem. If probably try a commercial raw that’s complete and balanced – not one that says it’s for supplemental feeding only.

[Melissaandcrew]

Why not try a small bag of a premade raw? You have nothing to lose at this point.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa, Chewy reminds me of what my Patch was doing 1 year ago, vomiting early hours of the morning, having diarrhea, vet diagnosed him with Pancreatitis & IBD, he had to be put on a low low fat diet, nothing over 10% fat & a lower protein % so nothing over 24% protein, he was put on vet prescription Eukanuba Intestinal diet & a dog probiotic this helped with his pooing problems, he does perfect poos now but he still vomited maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks, so I started to cook him boiled chicken breast & 2 tablespoons of boiled pumkin for breakfast, this stopped his vomiting of a morning & his licking & licking his lips after eating but he was still having his pain on his right side under his rib cage, so I stopped the boiled chicken & now I give him tin tuna in spring water, I drain the small tin of tuna & mix with about 2 tablespoons of pumkin & I warm in micro wave the amount I need to use that morning & put rest in fridge for next morning, I then spread the tuna & pumkin on 1 piece of toast, there’s enough for 2 breakfast, I cut the toast (white bread no grains) into 9 squares & hand feed, so he doesnt gulp it all down too quick, the toast seems to keep everything down when he burps, he doesnt seem to have his pain like he did with the boiled chicken, all his vomiting has stopped too….
I’d see a new vet & start with a new low fat diet & see how things go, when I first started the pumkin Patch did have soft poos for 2 days know its perfect, Im also adding the Wellness Simple Duck & Oats to his Eukanuba Intestinal, the Wellness Simple has been good as it digest easily & isnt a hard hard kibble, I also add water to Patches kibble then drain, then add water again, then drain to wash off excess dust from kibble & to soften kibble, the Eukanuba Intestinal is a low residue kibble it breaks up real easily so its easier to digest there is a puppy formula awell, the Wellness Simple also soften real easliy when water is added, Patch was also vomiting up undigested kibble about 6-8 hours later 1 year ago, I forgot last year Patch when Patch was real sick he was put on Metronidazole for 2 weeks, its an antibiotic for their stomach & bowel its stops the diarrhea, ask ur new vet can you have a script & try the Metronidazole, I just go to my chemist & only pay $9.20 instead of the high vet charges, I wouldnt do raw as it high in fat & bacteria ur boy mighten be able to digest raw at this time until you work out whats wrong, something is wrong, alot of puppy foods are real high in fat, you mite need to try a low fat adult kibble just till you stop the pooing & vomiting..or get a vet precription diet just till u get everything under control as ur boy is probably starving with the vomiting & diarrhea…..Good-luck

[DogFoodie]

Hi Lisa,

Chewy can survive on canned food alone. It’s far better for him than kibble is also. Kibble cleaning the teeth is a myth anyway. The best way to clean his teeth is with a toothbrush or by feeding raw, meaty bones or recreational bones.

I have a dog with some food intolerance issues and a bit of a sensitive stomach. He occasionally vomits bile when his tummy gets very empty. It sounds like your pup has the same problem. You could try adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, diluted 50/50 at a minimum to his food. ACV stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid and tells the spinchter at the bottom of the esophagus to close so the bile stays put.

You could also try three small meals per day or, if that’s not practical, give him a small snack a couple times per day to avoid his belly being empty for too long.

Oh, and if he has trouble with transition. Do it slowly. Only increase the amount of the new food and decrease the old when his stool is firm. A spoonful of plain, canned pumpkin will help regulate intestinal water and add bulk to the stool. It usually helps very quickly, and most dogs seem to really like it.

[InkedMarie]

Sarah, raw bones don’t splinter.

[ECSGuy]

I buy a lot of meat from the grocery store, but even that does not guarantee that the meat is first quality. Recent problems in the food chain make eating at all dangerous. The fellow I buy Blue Ridge from orders thousands of pounds per shipment. I have written assurance from Steven Lea that there products contain no 4D meats. However, that does not mean he’s telling the truth. Just like Hare Today saying exactly where there products come from does mean they are telling the truth.
I’m just saying that I’ve heard terrible things about “all” of the raw food vendors. I guess the only way to guarantee the source is buy a farm and raise pigs, chickens, cows, etc. to feed your dogs and yourself.