[zcRiley]

Hi Akari 32! I know it’s frustrating & expensive when your precious pooch has signs of a miserable existence. I’ll be very brief as I want to throw out FOUR key items to attack and most importantly resolve the origin of the problem. Spend the money, keep the routine simple (stop adding things), be patient for results. Malaseb Shampoo. The Miracle Pack (Probiotic Miracle & Enzyme Miracle for a healthy digestive system). Brothers Complete Advanced Allergy Care (Dry Dog Food). As a reminder, a lot of raw food or canned food is NOT a “complete” diet, which in turn you have to start adding things (more money). Maybe you can save some money for a full blood work panel testing in the near future if all else fails. I wish you & your pups the very best of luck.

[theBCnut]

I think my dogs would eat anything if it was mixed in canned or raw first.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Jennifer P-
Welcome to DFA! First of all, there is no such thing as a perfect food. It is best, in many people’s opinions on this site, to feed a variety to your dogs. There is an article in the review site’s library about diet rotation. I have fed Blue in the past, but thought they were too expensive for what you get. Right now, I am feeding my dogs grain free Victor dry kibble. I also add a different topper almost every meal so they can get different benefits from the different foods. I’m not a Blue hater but probably would not feed it again. Find at least one more kibble that is a different brand with a different protein and starch binder to give them some variety. Print the best dry food list and bring it to the pet store with you, or even better yet, check them out on the internet on their own sites to compare. Also you can start adding canned, dehydrated, raw, eggs and/or sardines to their kibble to make it even healthier. Good luck!

[Cyndi]

I still worry if I’m giving Bailey the right vitamins/minerals/supplements, etc. Check out See Spot Live Longer dinner mix. I use that often. All you do is add it to boneless meat. I also use, on occasion, Dr. Harvey’s Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Herbal Dog Supplement. Other than that, I add Coconut oil, some tinned sardines a couple times a week, a fresh, cage free egg every couple days and some Apple Cider Vinegar, that’s pretty much it. It really did seem overwhelming to me at first, so I know how you feel, but once you get going and get the hang of it, it’s really easy. I’m still learning and I read everything I can about raw feeding and all the threads and stuff. The different kinds of raw foods you can feed your dog, once he’s used to it, are endless…

Zach M ~ You’re very welcome! 🙂

[meky6ra]

Thank you! I’m scared to start feeding raw food, also :-p I worry about bacteria and getting the vitamins/minerals right. I would really love to make my dog’s food for her. I wouldn’t worry about the quality of the ingredients in her dogfood.

[Cyndi]

meky6ra and Zach M this reply is for both of you. I have been feeding my 50lb. girl a raw diet for a little over a year. Here is a thread, in this Raw Dog Food topic, of mine that I started before I jumped in to raw feeding…

/forums/topic/help-with-starting-my-dog-on-a-raw-diet/

There is a ton of information on this site, especially in all the threads in the Raw Dog Food Topic. I asked questions, did a TON of research and was scared to death to start feeding my dog raw, lol! But, I did it, and my dog is healthy, happy and I am so glad I did. It is pricier than feeding kibble or canned food, but their are so many resources out there and raw feeding groups that can help cut down on the cost. I chose to feed my dog homemade raw, but there are alot of commercial raw products available that many people use and love.

Zach, You could start by giving your dog a turkey neck or a chicken back. It’s mostly bone, but has some meat on it. Your dog can consume the whole thing, bone and all. Unless your dog is a very voracious chewer or a gulper, you shouldn’t have any problems at all. Your dog will figure out how to crunch and chew the bone up and it is very good for their teeth.

Good luck to both of you! Take the time to ask questions and research and then, take the plunge…..your dog will love you for it! 🙂

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Cyndi.

[InkedMarie]

For crystals, it’s important they get plenty of moisture. Dry food is the worst you can feed but if you must, add canned & warm water. Better is canned, raw or dehydrated.

[meky6ra]

This thread has blown my mind! I wonder if I can even think about affording to feed my dog raw! How much does it cost you guys monthly? How long has everyone been feeding raw? How would you transition a dog to a 100% raw food diet?

P.S. I’m sorry if those questions have already been answered!

[SandyandMila]

Now that you know what RMBs are you’ll probably be able to find a lot more easier locally than you thought you had. Attached is also another link you could use, actually the whole site is very informative, if you need help finding resources in your area. http://www.dogaware.com/diet/rawfoods.html I’m pretty new to raw myself, just started feeding about a year ago RMBs and commercial raw and hope to get started again very soon, the forum here is a great resource if you have any questions and everyone is very helpful.

[SandyandMila]

RMB stands for raw meaty bones. From http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-feeding-primer/ “This can include chicken backs, wings and necks (or even whole carcasses), lamb necks, pork necks, turkey necks, ox tails, beef ribs, turkey tails; any meaty bone that can be completely consumed by your dog. If you are feeding meatier meals (turkey or lamb necks), feed about 50% RMB, if your choices are bonier (chicken backs, pork necks, wings or ribs), feed about 30% RMB.
Large, weight bearing bones such as marrow and knuckle bones are not considered RMB’s if the dog is not able to consume the bone. These can be given as a recreational bone..” I can find at my local supermarket chicken wings, leg quarters, turkey necks, beef oxtail, pork neck bones, whole chicken, whole turkey, whole quail. Others you could find at at a local butcher or wholesale supplier and also online at sites like Hares Today, My Pet Carnivore, and if you have Primal pet food at a local pet store they also have chicken necks, chicken backs, and turkey necks. That site is a good reference and there are so many more knowledgable people on DFA that can help you. Feel free if you have any more questions!

[Leslie R]

I have read your reviews and the lack of positive review on the Royal Canin brand. I did not find the Satiety one reviewed but am guessing the ingredients are all comparable within the brand. My vet recommended this food after my dog got extremely ill (rushed to the hospital ill) on a grain free food I food highly rated on this site. He was hospitalized for 2 days. He had also gained a couple of pounds so she put him on Royal Canin Satiety two years ago and he is doing very well at 11 yrs old. He gets 1/2 cup in the morning and for dinner he gets Dr Harvey’s Freeze Dried food ( lots of veggies, oats, etc) with a teaspoon of oil, pumpkin and a cooked protein (switch between chicken, turkey, fish and eggs.) He hates raw meat and vegetables.
I don’t want to worry about the Royal Canin but feel concerned when I read your reviews. Am going to show this site to my vet but wanted your thoughts. He has some arthritis and some benign lipomas but is otherwise in good health with a clean coat and energy. Good appetite. Does take synthroid twice a day but this has been for a long time. Comments?

[Zach M]

I know I made sound dumb here, but I don’t really know what an RMB is. At first when i started reading the forum I thought it ment “raw meat bone”, but now I think it means recreational marrow bone because that is what it said when I looked it up..could someone clarify what it is and where to get them? Give me all the info you know please! Thx

[Misty S]

I am new here but I have always had & still have quite a few rescue pets.I used to make all my pets home made foods,I cannot actually say I have or would feed my pets raw foods,/meats if bought from farms run into a lot of money,hence I steam store bought chicken because of what is injected in all meat/s minus farm grown unless USDA orders that be done.I have an older cat that was not treated very well by her previous owner,I have tried many different cat foods but she cannot keep it down,some times she does great,but I am still very concerned about her condition. Because vets. now are so out of the question money wise,I do as many home natural remedies as I can,but I plan on keeping up the work done on her & look for more remedies. Not to change the subject but we found a cat running towards a highway,I ran & picked her up & she seemed to be in distress & not very well taken care of,I brought her home to see that she had been fixed,her eye was running & the other eye she kept closed,I also found she had some sort of mites on her,I bought a flea solution & continued bathing her with at least a months rest,I couldn’t seem to get rid of what ever it was so I took her to a great vet.(now retired) he said to me that what ever is on the out side”IS” also on the inside,I found a solution that is used on plants to keep bugs off vegetation,I went back to this vet & questioned him about this product & he said it was alright,between bathing with the solution & feeding her the same it was an on going deal but in the end the greatest rewards was; we now have one of the sweetest fluffy cats we could ever want,those mites on her body was some thing I had never encountered in my life time,they were like knives sticking out of her back.We have five cats & two dogs. Good Luck every one & God bless us & all our fur babies.

[Dane H]

Thanks for your response. I am weary he needs any more calcium with the amount of ground bone and raw bones he already consumes. I was under the impression he received a large amount of vitamins and trace minerals from the organ meat. The “Natural Mix” that I mix in with the other grinds has ground green tripe, beef heart, and beef liver in it. Am I wrong to assume that? It would be the same concept as Eskimo’s getting all the nutrients they need by eating seafood, lard, and organ meat and extracting the same minerals and vitamins as someone in an equatorial climate getting all the nutrients from a diet heavier on fruits and veggies. What do you think?

[theBCnut]

As far as using whole carcass grinds, the fur and feathers are not digested. In dogs, they act as fiber, and help to keep everything moving through the digestive tract. All the digestive enzymes that are needed are in there naturally. Some dogs need digestive enzymes added when eating a kibble diet, but unless you have a dog with EPI or some like disease, you should not need to add digestive enzymes to raw, because there are enzymes in all raw meat. Cooking and processing destroys a lot of them.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dane –

First off, if he’s drinking large amounts of water, urinating frequently and he won’t gain weight you need to get him to the vet to have some diagnostic tests performed. These are potential symptoms of kidney disease or diabetes. A dog that’s fed a raw diet shouldn’t drink much water at all – my two (large) dogs don’t even drink one bowl of water per day between the two of them. I’m not trying to scare you but if something is going on the sooner you catch it the better the prognosis will be.

Second, are you adding anything to the Blue Ridge Beef grinds? Unless they’ve recently come out with a new complete and balanced product that I’m not aware of, I thought they just make meat/organ/bone grinds? Meat/organ/bone “grinds” (as they’re referred to) are not a balanced diet. They’re meant to serve as as the base of a meal and they make things simpler by already having the muscle meat, organ and bone in the correct proportions. Supplements still must be added to make the diet complete. While it’s possible to balance a homemade diet using whole foods only, for simplicity’s sake and to get him on a balanced diet as soon as possible, I’d recommend adding a multivitamin (look for one with <10% DV calcium – one I frequently recommend is Twinlab Daily One Caps). I’d also add 1/2 C. of cooked and pureed vegetables (baby food veggies are fine if you don’t want to cook and puree them yourself) and feed a tin of sardines or salmon once or twice a week OR add a capsule or two of fish oil daily. These additions will provide him with the vitamins and minerals he needs, a little fiber and omega 3 fatty acids.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[zcRiley]

“A wide range of fruits are grown commercially in Canada, including apples, tender fruits (peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, prunes and cherries), grapes, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries. A number of these fruits are native to Canada such as cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, saskatoons and the labrusca grape. Canada’s fruit industry has adapted well to our cold climate and short growing seasons, with Southern Ontario and Southwest British Columbia, which enjoy about 180 frost-free days every year, producing much of the fruit grown in the country, while regions of Quebec and the Maritimes also have significant fruit production, despite having only about 120 frost -free days per year.”

“Canada’s fruit imports from the top ten supplying countries. In descending order (by the share of total import value in 2009), these were the United States (44 %), Chile (7%), France (7%), Italy (6%), Mexico (5%), Australia ( 4%), China (3%), Costa Rica, Argentina and Ecuador (each 2%).”

However, Orijen doesn’t use that many fruits but that would definitely be back-up if they absolutely ran out.

“Free Range” only applies to the barn if the poultry has access to the outdoors. The term has nothing to do with cages or grassy pastures. Refrigeration only helps for so long & of course freezing is not considered fresh. Ice fishing is fine, they go where the particular fish are & open holes to get them. Orijen’s high prices reflect increased high quality ingredients (in the 1st 5 listed) per formula. But unless they’re producing in small batches, that’s a lot of food that we’re assuming is constantly “fresh”. How would we know if they snuck something into a freezer for a month, ha! Just kidding.

[Dane H]

Hey,

New to the forum! My dog, Makai, is a 3 year old red heeler/Shepard/unknown mix. I started feeding him Blue Ridge Beef about 6 months ago. He has lost about 10 lbs since and looks pretty thin, so I have increased his food intake to 1.5 lbs per day split into 2 meals. I order in bulk to get a discount and get 15-2Lb chubs at a time. I order a even mix of a fattier beef, a leaner beef, chicken with bone, venison with bone, and a natural mix which has organ meat in it. I mix it all up and make 12 oz balls which is 1/2 of 1.5 pounds. This is all I feed him. I have noticed him drinking ridiculous amounts of water! I feel like it is much more than he used to before eating this new diet. I read that they will often drink less water when doing raw food because of how much water is contained in the raw meat. He also strains to poop sometimes I think because the chicken with bone and venison with bone feels like there is quite a lot of bone in the meat. I am worried I might be missing an integral part of his diet here, and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. I am worried he is having issues, because I am having to let him out to pee like 6-8 times a day! It’s insane. Plus I can’t seem to get him to gain any weight.

[Cyndi]

Bailey was totally fine when I started feeding her whole carcass rabbit grind. I was already feeding her raw though, but when I added that into her rotation, she was completely fine, no digestive issues at all. Good Luck! I’m sure Mila will do fine. 🙂

[SandyandMila]

When feeding the whole carcass grinds that contain either fur or feathers, is there any digestive issues or concerns I should worry about? Should I add any digestive enzymes to aid in the process if she’s never had fur or feathers before? I’m interested in feeding and seeing if Mila would like them. I’m sure she would. I’m still feeding kibble and canned with some eggs and sardines occasionally but would really like to go back to raw soon. 🙂

[Kritterlady]

I use Wilderness mostly, sometimes Merrick or wellness core. I rotate. Kibble with coco oil for breakfast, raw meat and egg for dinner.

[Kritterlady]

crazy4cats, I’m with you! I use a 5 star kibble that I can afford (barely) and grind fresh raw meat. The meat, chicken thighs and beef heart mostly, along with my farm raised eggs is cost effective for 3 large dogs and 12 cats. The kibble gives balance. I add coco oil for my seasonal allergy dog and I spend considerably less money than if I just bought these wonderful but too pricey foods. Thanks to Dr Mike and his team we can choose from great foods in the 4 to 5 star range. He’s laid out the details for us in such a user friendly way!

[Kathi K]

If I am feeding a mixture of raw brands – Raw Advantage, Primal, Stella & Chewys, Columbia River Natural, do you still suggest your *Whole Food Supplement Mix? I have a 10 year old male Choco Lab that weighs about 90 pounds.

[aquariangt]

my mistake, I kinda just assumed honest kitchen was the same as sojos-who does call themselves dehydrated raw, thought maybe it isn’t. It still may help get your dog to eat, Marie. You can get it online, or smaller pet boutique type stores will have some variety of it. Petsmart and Petco both carry nature’s variety, and they have a dehydrated product as well

[Vilma M]

Nature’s Variety Instinct – Raw, Dry & Canned. I was surprised this food did not make the Editor’s Choice List!

[Marie]

So where would I find this dehydrated raw food and how would I feed it?

[theBCnut]

Hi C4C and cindy
Remember that I am also feeding some homemade raw, so some of the things I add are to balance out that. Oysters are a good source of zinc and selenium, nuts and seeds have manganese in them. Vits E and D have to be added. I told you I forgot some.

If I were feeding just kibble or already balanced foods, I would still add a little coconut oil, antioxidants, omega 3s, garlic 3 days a week, digestive enzymes, and probiotics a couple times a week.

Try kefir instead of yogurt. You’ll find it somewhere in dairy at the grocery. It has a better variety of probiotics than yogurt. It’s great for people too.

BTW C4C, they also call me “the Big Dummy.” That’s what I get for taking on that crew.

[theBCnut]

Dehydrated is neither kibble or canned, usually it is somewhat powdered, though it may have chunks in it. They use a dehydrator(low heat) and forced air to dry the food. Think beef jerky, herbs, dried fruit, all of these are different forms of dehydrated, but they are not raw.

[cindy q]

The honest kitchen is dehydrated, but its not raw. Marie my standard poodle is very picky but she just started eating Orijen and she finishes all of it.

[Sukh K]

Hi,

Mine is an year old, 100 pounds, not neutered, male Presa Canario we call BUGGA. I got him when he was 8 weeks and he has been on a raw based diet ever since. I was feeding him Healthy Paws (Canada) chicken, turkey, beef on a regular basis with bison and venison every two months (since those were more expensive). Within four months, he and my cats would not eat anything except beef. (Note: They had all rejected Salmon since day one) Later a different brand supplier told me that Healthy Paws adds some beef related fillers in almost all of their products and that could be one of the reasons that they had become addicted to beef and my cats still are to this day (they really haven’t had anything except beef for 7 months now, I’m not sure how healthy this is for them).

After two months of continuous beef, Bugga got sick and I still have no clue what had happened (my vet couldn’t determine exactly). He had gas issues and would throw up every three days, along with this constant smell which I suspect was the anal glands. He wouldn’t eat properly but was otherwise his usual self. The vet, although, a raw diet enthusiast, suggested that some dogs don’t do well on Raw and that I change his diet for a few weeks. I started feeding him Royal Canine wet food cans and his stomach/intestinal issues seemed to be curbed. After two weeks of this, I gradually put him back on Raw and to my relief he wasn’t just a beef addict anymore. He was more than happy to gobble up whatever came his way.

But in a month again, he had become picky and seemed bored with his food. He would eat some days and then not at all. He ate people food nonetheless, rice/cottage cheese/yogurt/cheese slices/loves flat-bread. I alternate between brands (Bold Raw and Naturaw) to keep him interested, even switched to hormones and antibiotics free products, added green tripe and raw eggs, used probiotics, digestive enzymes, omega 3-6-9 oils, vit E oil, diatomaceous earth, organic pumpkin and sweet potato, coconut oil, kelp mix.

Now, I have had to mix in Kibble (Nature’s Variety Grain free)! He ate the raw food with kibble for a week or two, I haven’t bought more kibble. He can go hungry for a day but not eat any more raw and then reluctantly eat it to satisfy the hunger. I really want to help him and give him what his body wants, but I am so lost now. I don’t know how to get him excited about some good raw food again. I want to know if I feed him kibble or other canned food for a while, is it possible that he doesn’t go back to raw at all. Has anyone else faced something similar with their dog?

[Marie]

Would someone please explain to me what dehydrated raw food is? Is it kibble or is it canned dog food? I’ve only heard of a few brands of dog food. The brands from the grocery store, what my vet talks about and the brands named on tv commercials.

[theBCnut]

Oh boy did you just open a can of worms…

I give digestive enzymes, probiotics, coconut oil, fish oil(or some other omega 3), raw ACV, super greens, bee pollen, garlic, and some high antioxidant fruits and veggies. And that doesn’t include the eggs, oily fish, oysters, etc. I may have forgotten something, but I don’t know what.

[Lori S]

My almost 10 yr old Labradoodle is a picky eater also… I have never found a food that she actually likes. I have done a dog food taste test with her with 10 bowls of different kibble … she smelled them all and layed down! Now I just give her some kibble and 1/2 can of wet food. I buy different brands and varieties to entice her. One day she may gobble it up and the next she turns up her nose. Most of the time she only eats the wet food but has to eat the kibble eventually because she is hungry. I have tried home cooked and raw with no avail. Some dogs are just that way.. sorry and good luck.

[theBCnut]

I rotate everything, kibble, canned, raw, supplements, everything. One of my dogs used to be picky, but once I started rotational feeding, he has never missed a meal, or even eaten slowly.

[JeffreyT]

Probiotics, digestive enxymes and healthier foods (home cooked and raw dehydrated), plus some other supplements have helped my dog’s bloody, loose stool and immune system. The probiotics that I have used are Mercola, Wysong (which also has colostrum in it to help build immune system), and VSL#3 (a medical grade probiotic delivered with ice). I’ve heard good things about Nusentia’s Probiotic Miracle helping IBD.

You may want to call Animals Essentials (they are very knowledgeable and their products are the purest around) and ask what may help. I’ve used their phytomucil for both loose stools and constipation. I’ve also found Wysong supplements to be helpful during times of sickness.

Here is Dr.Karen Becker’s take on IBD
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/11/02/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-pets.aspx
Here is Dogaware’s info which may be helpful too
http://dogaware.com/health/digestive.html#ibd
Keep searching and you will find an answer.

Sometimes medicine is needed but my preference is using natural so it actually heals and gets to the root of the problem.
Good luck.

[Marie]

What is dehydrated raw?

[aquariangt]

Have you tried adding canned or dehydrated raw?

[Pauline B]

I have been making my own dog food for several years. I thought they were doing well. No health issues, excellent skin/coat, nice stools, etc.

The other day while my long coat German Shepherd was laying on the floor upside down, i noticed on his elbows two HUGE bald spots. I mean i can’t believe how big they are, it covers the entire elbow!! I just gave baths today and noticed another one on one hip, this one is only about the size of a quarter.

i’m wondering if it is a zinc deficiency. (looked online and saw that might be the problem). Now i am finding this stuff about not using rice. i’m wondering if i am using too much rice.

Here is their diet: i buy organ beef mix from a dog food distributor. it is just that; beef and organ meat mix.

I make a pot of 2 cups rice, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup ground vegetables (any scraps that i have accummulated or off the shelf fresh vegetables) 1/3 cup vegetable oil and i cook that in a pot. i add that mix to 5 pounds of the raw meat. i divide it up and feed it in the morning (each dog – german shepherd) gets two cups of the mix with a NuVet supplement; and a tsp of garlic.

In the evening they each get a raw chicken leg (from the regular grocery store).

Like i said, i’ve been doing this mix for approximately 7 years without a problem. Any thoughts, concerns? i’m so confused that i feel like going back to kibble!!

[Dori]

I thought I would chime in also on Brother’s Complete dog formulas and the people at Brother’s. I truly believe that Brother’s is one of the best kibbles on the market (may be the very best) and the owner, his wife and sons who all run the business are truly kind, conscientious people who love canine’s and try very hard to help their consumers and anyone else who ask a question of them. Also, they are ALWAYS available either by phone or email. Wonderful people. I cannot say enough good things about them. The food is really fabulous. My dogs really did fabulous on their food and if you choose to use their food in your rotation you cannot go wrong. Unfortunately for me and my girls I had to discontinue the use of the food because all their formulas contain some sort of poultry and one of my girls is really highly allergic. As she is the poop eater in the group (I run around like a nut picking up as quickly as they all go but she always manages to find something if it’s my husband who lets the dogs out in the yard) I had to switch all three girls to fowl free food. They now all eat raw.

DFA is a fabulous site and Mike and Sandy have truly done a wonderful job. We’ve all gotten a free educational here and though I’ve thanked Mike and Sandy often, I don’t think they really understand how indebted we all are to them. Unfortunately, the site also brings out “trolls” as they are called. I think of them as despicable human beings who decided that their envy of Richard, his knowledge, his sons and their food were fair game for them. It’s really a shame because Richard brought so much knowledge to this site. I will also be forever indebted to Richard because he shared Katie’s story (allergy riddled poop eating dog of mine and one of the loves of my life) with Shawna and gave me her phone number after getting her permission a couple of years ago. She helped me enormously and continues to help me now with all that we are going through with Hannah.

[losul]

Jerry, I think you’ll find this a great site for info about EPI.

http://www.epi4dogs.com/

They also have an active forum where you can participate and ask questions.

http://www.epi4dogs.com/apps/forums/

According to epi4dogs, most EPI dogs do respond best to a low fiber diet and higher or mid range protein food, but it may take some experimentation to find what works best for your dog. Have you considered raw or homemade food?

Also according to them, <b>unless there is a concurrent medical condition</b>, It’s usually best not to restrict fat intake, <b>as long as they are receiving the proper type and dose of enzymes, and B12 and antibiotics if needed</b>.

If your dog also has SIBO and B12 deficiencies, I think it’s usually much safer to try tylosin/tylan first rather than metrondiazole, which I would consider a dangerous antibiotic, especially in longer terms.

If cost of the pancreatic enzymes is an issue, enzymediane has a cost analysis, I think you will find theirs the lowest pricing ordering direct from them (pancreatin 6X or 8X)

http://www.enzymediane.com/enzymecomparisonchart.htm

It sounds like you are preparing the food with the enzymes correctly. (with water, near room temp., 20 minutes, etc. ) but maybe you need to experiment with the dosages?
——————

Sue66b, I know you and Patches have been through a tremendous lot and I really feel for you and Patches. Always wanted to tell you that I think Patches is a VERY handsome fellow. Would love to see a good and long lasting solution for Patches troubles. Just wondering, since Patches has had repeated bouts of pancreatitis, which can damage the pancreas ability to produce enzymes, also insulin, and also has SIBO ( I think?), has he ever been tested and diagnosed with EPI? Have you ever tried pancreatic enzymes?

“· Always confirm EPI with a trypsin-like immunoreativity (cTLI) blood test (12 hour fast). Normal range is between 5.0 – 35.0
· Whenever there is persistent gastro upsets and weight loss, it is advisable & economical to do a cTLI blood test.”

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by losul.

[InkedMarie]

I use Reel Raw from Maine, google for the website. Excellent pricing & free shipping for a certain number of pounds.

[Melba W]

Bravo Raw Diet

[Cyndi]

Just wanted to chime in and tell you guys about where I, and quite a few raw feeders on this site, get their food. A company called Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow. I’ve been using them for a year now and I have nothing but praise for this company. The owner, Tracy, is so helpful with any questions you have and they carry boneless meat and grinds, bone-in meat and grinds, organ meat and whole prey animals. They truly are a great company. They are in Pennsylvania and the shipping isn’t too bad. Their website is Hare-today.com.

There is also another site, very similar to Hare Today, call My Pet Carnivore. They carry a lot of similar meats and grinds. Their site is Mypetcarnivore.com

[patvl246]

Hi Becca, The only difference I’ve noticed is TQDF does not add bone to their food, I wonder if that is an issue with raw feeding. Also, I always have concerns about quality and sanitary handling of the food. You’ve never had any issues with TQDF?
Thanks again for your help. Pat

[Becca]

it wind up costing me less to feed raw than kibbles and canned cause you feed less and there no bloat like the risk in kibbles. plus the are meant to eat meat

[Becca]

you are quite welcome. I picked up an order today and I spoke to Debbie at TQDF and they do deliver to new jersey there is also another company that is even cheaper, although a little less organized, pawfectlyraw, they are from new Hampshire, the deliver to mass, nh, Vermont, I think they even go to Pennsylvania and maybe they have added other stops to their list. the TQDF. is so awesome with quality and professionalism.

[Becca]

I believe raw is much better. there is a company called topqualitydogfood. they are excellent, they may have a delivery in your area. I struggled with this same issue. I fed bravo at first and it was so expensive as well as making my dogs sick. it is over processed. cooking the food for dogs cooks out some nutrients. my dog have a little bit of kibble one day and threw it up it was 10 times the size it was before he ate it, I did a lot of research and found out this is where bloat comes from. at this point feeding my dogs raw turns out cheaper than kibbles and cans. commercial raw is too expensive, I feed my dogs raw no bones in the morning at raw with bones at night, bone ratio is great that way.

[Barbara]

I cannot edit or delete my earlier comment (which is completely frustrating to me!) and now have read many of the posts from people much more knowledgeable about feeding raw to dogs than I am. I now understand why they feed their dogs raw and it really is better…but I guess I would rather spend my extra time with my dogs exploring the outdoors than all the trouble involved in making raw from scratch when I cannot afford the high prices of commercial raw and “freeze dried” options… but I do completely respect the time you take to make the effort of feeding your dogs raw.

PS I realize now that there must be a “time limit” on editing your comment even though there has not been any responses… It seems that you should be able to edit longer like in the non-member area…

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Barbara.

[Barbara]

Is raw that much better than gently cooked? I have a 13+ yr old Border Collie mix, a 11+ Husky/sheppard mix and 5 yr old lab. They eat 5 star grain free kibble and Kirkland’s cuts in gravy. They also get “gently cooked” poultry and meat as a topper a lot of the time and also unseasoned fresh “cooked” veggies. I guess I don’t feel comfortable feeding them raw and have always fed cooked…I am sure they would love it but the 2 big ones are gulpers as well…sometimes sensitive stomachs when I change kibble. I’ve had only adopted dogs for about 60 years and they all seem to live long lives without health issues, although in the past I lost a couple of them to cancer but they were also 15+ and large dogs… just wondering… PS I could not find a topic regarding raw vs cooked so I asked this question here….Thanks for your help!

[Taylor D]

I have been an avid follower to this forum and website and decided to finally register to participate, not just because I have a question, although I do 🙂

I own three female Golden Retrievers. Misty is 10, Daisi is 6, and Lena is 7 months.

After much research and reading Hound Dog Mom’s list of Large Breed Dog Foods (I even printed it out) I decided to feed Lena Wellness CORE Puppy for her first year.
She made the switch great (she was eating Blue Buffalo Wilderness at breeders) and is doing great on it. Her coat is sooo soft.
The thing I have noticed is if I give her too much of that kibble, she will get soft poop.
I know this is a high protein/ high fat food and I should be giving her less than what the bag says.
She is a good weight now, nice and lean, no ribs or hips showing, although I can feel her ribs. But she is small for her age!
She weighs 30 pounds and she is 7 months!
She is only gaining about 5-10 pounds a month.
I am feeding her 2 and a half cups of the puppy food a day, divided among three meals, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
She does fine on that amount, poop is fine. When I try to increase the amount, she gets soft poop.
I do pour some fresh raw goat milk in with her food each meal when I am increasing her food, and sometimes it keeps the soft poop away but not all the time.
I know why she gets the soft poop, and I know she is of good weight for her size, no ribs are showing.
But she is small for her age and breed.
Is it possible she is not getting the calcium she needs, because of the decreased amount I am feeding her, because of the protein rich food?
Wouldn’t the calcium levels listed for the food be for an average serving size?
Wouldn’t it be okay to feed her a food slightly lower in protein maybe around 30-32%, instead of the 36% in Wellness Core Puppy, but with slightly higher levels of calcium?

Their is a Slow Growth Method of feeding Goldens or large breeds that some breeders recommend following. Even with the Slow Growth Method, Lena should weigh at least 65 pounds for her age.

I also know high protein is not a problem for large breeds.

I was just wondering if I could switch her to a good 4.5-5 star grain free food with 30-32% protein with higher levels of calcium. Or even a 35%+ protein food with higher levels of calcium, since I would still be feeding her less than the amount listed on bag.