I am also vegetarian and have two rescues, so my dogs tend to “scarf” things. It took me some time to find the right bones for them that
1. they couldnt’ hurt themselves on (ei I have never fed chicken necks or bones that could become easily lodged for them)
2. They would be interested in gnawing at for a while. If there wasn’t enough meat on it to keep them interested, they won’t even start on the bone.
I have two smaller dogs, so I go with buffalo knuckels and neck slices (lamb and elk). they have been good at eating them nicely and not scarfing! I get them from the pet store (raw food pet store).
I have two rescue pups (one chihuahua and one American Eski/Rat Terrier Cross). Both have been on raw since November.
My Eski has several food intollerances, so when we started him on raw we started him with Rabbit only for two months and then I started to add one new protein a month (alternating each day) to make sure that we were isolating which proteins are not working for him (he will have seizures if he has beef, chicken or salmon). He has done well on all the “white” meats that I have added, but red meats cause his to have VERY LOOSE stools. So loose that he can’t expel his anal glands, and that has got us into some trouble. In the past week I took him off all red meats (so far he has tried kangaroo and lamb) and put him back on only rabbit for a week. His stools returned to normal, so I added added Cornish Hen back in. All good. Since his digestion seemed to have returned to normal I thought I’d try him on a lamb neck slice, but sure enough he had the runs that night.
My question is:
1. Does anyone else have this probem?
2. Is it OK to feed only white meats for him? I thought it was the bone content in the white meats I was feeding, but lamb necks have a good bone content and he still ends up with the runs.
My chihuahua eats anything and everything and has perfect stools without fail. I feel so bad for my Eski!
Thanks
Melissa
Hi Yvonne E,
Do you happen to live in FL? Maverick Pet Foods is located in Hollywood, FL. I live in Central Florida and my local pet boutique carries the Genesis Raw made by Maverick. From what I can tell they look like a good company. I wouldn’t mind if DFA did a review for Nature’s Kitchen and Genesis RAW both made by Maverick Pet Foods. Although, I think these products may only be available in FL. I’m not sure what their distribution is like and if they are available outside FL or not.
I have been feeding my dogs this food for about 6 months now and they seem to be doing fine on it, but I notice it is not on any of the lists here. I’m just curious if anyone knows anything about this particular brand? Thanks for any input.
Hello:
Checked out the NV canned cat food to see if my pet stores had the deal C4c ran into, they didnāt. š
I picked up beef liver for the ABC diet. I went to two grocery stores and that was the only thing on my raw list I could find. š I was going to hit a third grocery store on my way home, but I ran out of time. That one probably will have some of the items I am looking for; next time I will start there first.
I also picked up lactobacillus & bifidobacterium capsules and plain Greek yogurt for the kitties. I have been sprinkling one capsule each/day on Tylerās food; he does not like yogurt. I have been alternating yogurt and capsules with Archie; heās a good eater. I hope Archieās coat continues to fill out. The bald spots are really growing fur now. His skin is still dry, but has improved a great deal. Iāll keep you up to date in case anyone else has these types of issues with their cats in the future.
Akari:
Hope all is well.
Not a coupon deal, but one of my pet storeās deal this month is B1G1 free any size dog or cat food of Cali Natāl or EVO. Picked up two small bags of EVO for the cats for $9.99 total and three cans of Wellness using my $1.00 off coupons for each. š I was in there looking around for food to buy this Sunday during their anniversary sale, 25% off everything, wahoooo!
What about Nature’s Variety Instinct Frozen Raw Food??
I believe that Orijen is the best dog food, next to raw. I have never seen a list of more impressive dog food ingredients. My schnauzers love it. I appreciate the tips I’ve read on this thread about slowing down a dogs eating. I will be trying them. My dogs love Orijen so much that they gulp it down.
You can also try giving one meal of raw and the other meal of kibble and just give them more time to adjust to raw. Most kibbles are lower in fat than raw food. Mine have been eating raw for more than 2 years so they can consume any kind of food – raw, kibble, canned, freeze dried, high fat, low fat, doesn’t seem to phase them.
Yes, raw skinless whole chicken leg quarter with bone or enough to give your dogs a meal of it. I have small dogs. A drumstick or a couple of wings would be enough for mine. You can usually find leg quarters on sale frequently or in large family size bags. If your worried about whole bones, smash the leg a couple times with a hammer or back of a cleaver or something. My small dogs can even eat pork ribs (but I would consider pork ribs fatty).
Thanks, pugmomsandy, I appreciate the feedback. Should I give the chicken raw and with the bone? Sorry, but I am new to the raw diet and want to make sure I get it right!
Hi all,
I have recently switched my 3 hounds to a raw diet – Bravo performance dog food. I transitioned them slowly from their kibble and they have now been on the raw diet only for about 6 weeks. They LOVE the food!! The problem is that 2 of the 3 are having severely loose stools. The third has looser stools than usual, but not as bad as the others. I have added a probiotic to the mix, Purina Fortifore, which I am giving them each one packet once a day with their meals. I also supplement with Salmon oil, but I am not giving the the recommended dose of that yet because of the loose stools and gurgling tummies. I am wondering if the beef based food is too fatty for them? Should I switch to another protein source? They are a pure basset, a basset-beagle mix, and a blu etick basset mix (he’s handling the switch the best). I have scoured the net looking for help/suggestions, and so far this is the most knowledgeable forum I have found. Any and all help is truly appreciated!
Can’t contribute much to this conversation except that one of my friends and I would love to some day own a fox-dog hybrid. And if I ever do, that baby will be eating raw, MAYBE with some base premixes (THK, Grandma Lucy’s, etc.).
Yes! definitely avoid any grains…. Where did you get this pup? Was it a breeder?! If so, that person has ZERO right to be breeding wolf dogs without knowing about the wolf’s nutritional needs! Any proper WD breeder would encourage a raw diet, or at least stress the GF and high-protein needs. DN is not a super protein-rich (animal based, not grain/plant based) and is a lousy choice for a wolf.
Sorry about the rant on wolves…. But if you have a Facebook, then try finding the group “For Sale Wolf Puppies.” I have a friend (wolf dog breeder…she breeds between about 60 and 90% WDs) who is the main admin for that page (she calls herself “Obie Wolf” on there)… I’d suggest trying to get into that group, then shoot Obie Wolf a message. She will give amazing tips on where to get meat and how much to feed.
I also agree with Hounddogmom’s suggestion about that book. It’s a very good read š
I was reading last week from a site called The Dog Press and one of the editors had a list of ingredients to avoid. She had on the list most of the meat meals. The reasoning
was high levels of fluoride due to the manufacturing process. I have no clue on the validity. But will pass along the link. They do seem to favor a species appropriate diet, in this case raw and variety.
She listed other ingredients that are inappropriate that I have a hard time agreeing with.
One was probiotics, I can understand in certain situations that they may be contraindicated.But I’m not sure I would throw out the baby with the bath water.
Anyways here is the link if you would like to take a look.
http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/Ingredients_Liquorman.asp
I would agree with Shasta220 about considering a raw diet. The book “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown would be a great starting point. If not – the only food on your list that is appropriate for large breed puppies (to my knowledge) is Wellness CORE Puppy.
Out of those options though, I’d probably go with Blue Wilderness or Core (I’m guessing it’s Wellness Core, right?). But you really should, at the very least, top with a minimum of 20-50% raw meats. Or even canned food. I still am leaning very very strongly on raw for a wolf’s diet…
Is this your first WD (wolf dog)? Wolves have different dietary needs that dogs, and kibble is usually a bad idea for them. I know some WD breeders personally, and they say that kibble containing grains can be disasterous.
I’d definitely suggest looking into a raw food. If you don’t want to take the time for that, then definitely make sure the food is grain free and has a large amount of meat…
Yes..just after I ordered Orijen on-line someone on here recommended See Spot Live Longer. I checked it out and will absolutely find a way to incorporate that into his diet either with the Orijen or without. I’ve read that Orijen is so high in protein, it can cause disgestive problems and even liver problems all though that seems doubtful. Sooo, I’m mixing current kibble (Nutrisca) and raw in hopes of getting him used to a higher level of protein. He kind of ignors the Nutrisca and waits for raw..that should be a hint. Anybody need a bag of Orijen?
I stand corrected on the raw. However I should have been more specific stating that if you want to go with a kibble LiveFree would be a good one. Not that it is the BEST choice overall but a good one for kibble.
I agree with Betsy. For a dog with cancer who is not already eating a raw diet and doing well on it I would not want to add the additional bacterial load that comes with raw food. A lot of healthy dogs do very well on a raw diet and this is something worth trying in dogs who are not fighting cancer or other serious illnesses.
Kibble is highly processed and the way it is made and the ingredients that it uses are the furthest from a NATURAL diet for a canine that you can feed your dog. The fact that kibble is a dry food adds additional stress to a dog’s kidneys and liver.
If a homemade lightly cooked diet is not an option a high quality low carb canned food would be much more beneficial for all dogs than kibble but especially for a dog dealing with a serious illness.
A local butcher or even grocery store ares great places to start. Just remember to avoid weight bearing bones. Depending on the size of your dog, something like a turkey neck for a larger dog is a good RMB or a chicken neck for a small dog. I’ve also ordered a lot of nice consumable bones from mypetcarnivore.com.
Here’s a thread with some more information about RMBs: /forums/topic/vegetarian-owner-new-to-feeding-raw-bones-advice-please/
Ugh…if you can get your dog off of the Pedigree.
It’s just not good for them.
I can vouch for Pure Balance, I rotate that in my Rottie’s diet, he also gets raw, freshpet and canned. I change his kibble every bag though. But he has done well on it.
Here is a controversial one to some but I have had great luck and health- Diamond Naturals not the plain cheaper Diamond. I fed my last rot this food for 15 years along with Raw and he did fine- it is also in my current rotation. It is not a bad food but Diamond has had a history of recalls. Many other Pet food makers have had recalls. Many are skiddish about Diamond because of this but it’s not a bad food. They make many other brands as well.
You can get Diamond Naturals of all kinds for great prices at Menards.
I wish I could tell you about 4health but living where I live we don’t have many feed stores. I do want to try it though as well as Eagle Pack.
Victor is a great food for my Rot, he likes it. My Pom got sick on it but he has a sensitive belly- kibble doesn’t sit well.
I bought Authority once and found maggots so ugh…not one I would feed but I know many do.
Hey Betsy- if you don’t mind little hijack- where do you get raw meaty bones? Butcher?
-
This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by
Danni D.
Hi Ally,
Pedigree doesn’t have a very good reputation. It actually contains a lot of ingredients that many believe are unhealthy, myself included. I try to feed my dogs foods that contain ingredients, every one of which, are healthful. Corn is a filler ingredient that doesn’t deliver much nutritional value, unless very highly processed; and our goal should be to eat foods that have undergone minimal processing.
Did you happen to read the Pedigree product review: /?s=Pedigree
It’s a myth that kibble cleans teeth. The only way to really clean teeth is to scrape off the tartar manually with a toothbrush or even to feex your dog some occasional raw, meaty bones.
Hi Ally –
With the possible exception of prescription kibble formulas designed to support dental health, a kibble claiming to fight tarter is really a marketing gimick. Imagine if your dentist told you that if you ate croutons daily you’d have nice teeth and could quit brushing and flossing – if my dentist did that I’d tell him he’s nuts! There are many dental products on the market such as gels, sprays, some specially designed dental chews and raw meaty bones that may aid in supporting dental health to a certain degree. However, the only way to achieve optimal dental health is if you brush your dog’s teeth regularly. Many dog owners don’t realize the importance of oral health or realize that dogs require that their teeth are brushed regularly (just like humans!). The good news is it’s never too late to start!
Here’s a good article to get you started:
http://www.animalwellnessmagazine.com/articles/brush-his-pearly-whites/
If your dog is having issues with Pedigree you may also want to check out some other foods. Some foods I know of that many people seem to like that are comparable in price to Pedigree are 4Health (sold at Tractor Supply), Pure Balance (sold at Walmart), Rachel Ray (sold at Walmart and most grocery stores), Whole Earth Farms (sold at Petco and many pet specialty stores), Eagle Pack (sold at many pet specialty stores), Authority (sold at Petsmart) and Victor (sold at many feed stores).
Hi Ally,
You’re right, Omega 3’s are a great way to help with your dog’s coat and dander issues. Another great way to add Omega 3’s is with a sardine every few days. I’m talking about sardines in water that are packed in a small tin with a pull back top. You can usually pick them up at Wal-Mart for about a buck. Fresh whole food ingredients are perfect to add to your pups diet.
Also, a great way to fill up your pups tummy without adding extra calories is with frozen green beans. Because your dog’s first tract is so short, your pup will mostly eliminate the beans (poop), but the beans will create the feeling of fullness.
Here is a really great little download a friend shared with me about adding fresh whole food ingredients to your dog’s diet. It’s written by Steve Brown, a man who many feel is an expert in animal nutrition and raw feeding. The download costs $2.95, so you’ll need to ask a parent about it first. http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html
Good luck with feeding your pup! You’re obviously a very loving and attentive pet owner!
Has anyone heard of Blue Ridge Beef Raw Dog Food? Does anyone know what’s in it and have any experiences with it? As always, thanks. Dori
-
This topic was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by
Dori.
Just curious, why don’t you want to feed your dog liver? I feed my dog raw and she gets chicken livers a couple times a week. Is it because of the “ick” factor? Lol! Because liver IS pretty cheap.
I’d opt for a lightly cooked diet over a raw diet and I’d choose canned over kibble, for a dog with cancer.
If you are not into making a homemade food (I am not at this moment but may later consider it), you can try commerical raw dog food. Stella & Chewys and Primal are wonderful. Those are what I feed my dog.
Kibble – Dogswell Live Free has a low glycemic impact becuase they use peas and chickpeas for their starch. Compared to Science Diets W/D (Glucose Management formula) which has 51% carbs, Live Free looks pretty good. Their canned food is supposed to be even lower in carbs.
I just emailed them to find out their carb & ash content. Below is what they replied with:
Carbs
LIVE FREE Puppy Chicken 21%
LIVE FREE Adult Chicken 23%
LIVE FREE Senior Chicken 24%
LIVE FREE Adult Lamb 21%
LIVE FREE Adult Salmon 22%
LIVE FREE Adult Turkey 22%
Ash
LiveFree Puppy Chicken 7.8%
LiveFree Adult Chicken 7.7%
LiveFree Senior Chicken 8.8%
LiveFree Adult Lamb 8.7%
LiveFree Adult Salmon 8.7%
LiveFree Adult Turkey 9.7%
Hope this helps!
I usually have them try to draw the urine from mine at the vets. When they haven’t been able to do that, they give me this stuff called plastic litter that you put in the bottom of a clean litter box and it doesn’t absorb any of the urine so you can just pour the urine right into the collection container. With uti’s in kitties, especially those that are prone to crystals moisture is obviously of the utmost importance, but the ph of the urine is also very important too, as crystals thrive in alkali I believe. I am sure your vet will have some good suggestions for you. Our puppy just got home from the vet, he has bronchitis the poor little guy, but he is still all full of energy and naughtiness. No nursery school or puppy play time, or training for him until he is symptom free, he started on Clavamox today.
Hey Akari:
I hope you’re able to give us an update when you have time! Sending positive thoughts to both of you. š Also, don’t know if you saw it, but I gave you some links on the DE thread you started with my experience with it, how I use it, some possible drawbacks, and what I use in conjunction with DE. Good luck today!
Jakes mom & C4c:
Grocery day! I’ll update with what I find and how Bobby does.
My local pet shop is having a 25% off everything anniversary sale on the 18th. I have to stop in to see what they have in stock in small bags so I can get my list together before the 18th. Their stores are always packed on these days so it is distracting if you try to take your time because someone is always in your way. lol This shopping trip might take 12 hours or more!
Marie: For ticks you use it like a flea powder
Akari:
I used to buy Shoo Flea by the Natural Vet, really liked it but just didnāt fit into the budget anymore. The main ingredient in Shoo Flea is food grade DE and it is scented with a capsule of herbs and essential oils. I began using plain food grade DE several years ago as a flea powder and for treating pet beds, floors etc with good results. Keep in mind it does not kill them immediately.
I have seen warnings about DE clogging vacuums, it has never happened to me. I just make sure I take their bedding outside to shake them out then throw them in the washer. I have only had to use DE on the floors in my basement so I swept the floor well before vacuuming.
Be careful not to inhale the dust or let your pets inhale the dust.
I have never fed it to my cats or dogs.
The one drawback I found using it as a flea powder is that it can dry their skin. I always use organic unrefined coco oil as a food supplement when using it. Fish oil would probably be a good choice also. I use CVS 1000 mg fish oil capsules for Bobby and the cats. The good thing about coco oil is it can be applied externally. As a flea deterrent I had the best luck using coco oil applied directly to the skin, but it can be messy for your furniture. Coco oil does very well at soothing skin irritations like flea bites. I apply DE first, then coco oil if needed in certain areas. I used coco oil daily on Bobby last summer. Hopefully I wonāt have to treat flea bites this year because his yeasty smell is gone and his skin is healthy since I have improved his diet. So far so good!
Good thing I checked the links I saved on DE, some of them no longer existed.
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-diatomaceous-earth/
http://www.vetinfo.com/using-diatomaceous-earth-to-worm-pets.html
http://www.diatomaceousearth.com/?gclid=CJ2Dt8S5p74CFaQF7Aod5g4AcA
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/a/Diatomaceous-Earth-For-Flea-Control.htm
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html&sa=U&ei=9l5xU7PaKPLHsATEvYCQCA&ved=0CB0QFjAA&sig2=DCYxeQKLHzMoXm6BYZtcxw&usg=AFQjCNHLDmVU6sLMs22UbzqWxC0OnCzAVw
leslie, I’m on my lunch break so I don’t have much time to write as much as I want. My family’s rottweitler battled lymphoma for 10 months with chemo treatments. I fed him THK Embark and Preference. When using Preference, I only gave him cooked protein. No raw for compromised immune systems. I also fed some low carb kibbles (Horizon Legacy and Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural) as well as homecooked food. Please let me know if you need more info. I’d be glad to share our experience if it can help someone else.
-Caroline
I mix kibble with raw for my dog. He has no problems with it.
The See Spot Live Longer site has a booklet called the ABC diet. One day a week is all fresh/raw food, the other days are the usual diet, dry, canned whatever you’ve been feeding. He also mentions that instead of one whole day you can spread the fresh menu items over the course of a week, just adjusting the kibble amounts. So apparently he doesn’t see a problem with mixing kibble and raw.
Bobby’s rotation is the same as BCn’s. I buy small bags of kibble so I can rotate foods often. He can switch cold turkey at any time for toppers, whole foods, freeze dried/dehydrated, or kibbles. I feed anything from 3 to 5 star wet/dry foods so protein/fiber/fat levels change with each food. Most of the time Bobby gets samples of other kibbles during a rotation with no issues. So far it doesn’t matter what the protein is and I feed grain inclusive and GF in hopes of avoiding any food intolerances. I am in the process of finding raw foods that Bobby enjoys as well; again no issues other than his taste buds. lol He has never had any issues with transitions since I began rotation feeding in Sept ’13.
Great advice BCnut!! š
Hi Kayley L,
BCnut is absolutely correct. Kibble is the absolute WORST thing you can feed a dog with kidney disease. My dog was born with kidney disease, diagnosed at age one and will be eight years old next month. She has been on HIGH protein raw her whole life. Much higher than 30% even. Her raw diet (I rotate between proteins and brands) ranges from 45 to 54% on a dry matter basis.
The original research suggesting protein was problematic was actually done on rats not dogs or cats. Later research, done on dogs, has disproven the original research but for some reason vets cling to this original research. Nutritionist Mary Straus has some different sources discussing the protein myth on her page here http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html
Phosphorus can be a probelm at any stage of the disease but it isn’t always a problem in the earlier stages. Audrey, in her eight years with kidney disease, has never been on a lower phosphorus diet. Mary lists generally accepted amounts of phosphorus in the diet for the different stages of the disease on this page. http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneydiet.html#start
When digested, proteins break down into amino acids. The body uses those amino acids to make antioxidants (glutathione), enzymes, new cells etc. What the body doesn’t use ends up as blood urea nitrogen. How well the body uses the amino acids in any particular protein is called bioavailability. I noticed last night that Dr. Foster’s and Smith website has a good explanation of protein bioavailability. They write
“Can I tell which proteins are better than others?
Not all proteins are created equal, and some are better for pets than others. Every protein source contains different levels of amino acids and each protein is different in its ability to be broken down into amino acids. The ability of a protein to be used by the body and its amount of usable amino acids is termed biological value. Egg has the highest biological value and sets the standard by which other proteins are judged. Egg has a biological value of 100. Fish meal and milk are close behind with a value of 92. Beef is around 78 and soybean meal is 67. Meat and bone meal and wheat are around 50 and corn is 45. Things like hair and feathers would be very high in protein but would be down at the bottom of the list for biological value.” http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=459
Removing chemicals in the environment that have to be cleared through the kidneys can help too. These chemicals may not be harmful but as another thing for the kidneys to clear they still can be problematic. Anything that could be inhaled or get absorbed through the paw could be potential problems. Giving clean (filtered) water can be very important too.
Mary has some really good info on her site if you get a chance to read through it all. Nutritionist Lew Olson of b-naturals.com also has some data on her site (along with a couple recipes). Darwin’s has a high protein, lower phosphorus raw diet that was formulated by Dr. Barbara Royal DVM if interested in raw but not wanting to have to prepare it.
There’s so much more that you can do as well. Let us know if you are interested in the additional info.
Thanks BCnut! š
-
This reply was modified 11 years, 11 months ago by
Shawna.
Unless a dog has a medical problem, feeding schedule is entirely up to you. I know someone who feeds his dogs the way wolves eat, gorge and fast. He gives them enough food for 2 or 3 days at a time and they gorge themselves, then he doesn’t feed them for a couple days. Not my style, but that’s me, it works for him and his dogs. He is a raw feeder though. I wouldn’t ever want to feed that big of a meal with kibble that swells after eating.
Dogs with kidney issues need to be on canned or raw food. Getting moisture into their diets is most important. The reason that vets always jump on the protein issue is that protein contains phosphorus and excess phosphorus can cause problems in advaned stages of kidney disease. You do not need to restrict protein in early stages, but the protein needs to be good quality and less processed, which kibble is not. I’ll see if I can get Shawna to come to the forum side and help you.
I’ve never heard of going carb free for demodex, but demodex is an immune issue, so I guess I can see it. Most foods that are high in antioxidants are not carb free, even whole foods. Good luck. I hope you can find what you are looking for, but I haven’t heard of one single nutritionally complete food that was carb free, even among raw foods, and they have the lowest carbs.
Thank you! Happy Mother’s Day to you as well. Max is my only baby so he is spoiled rotten. He will be 8 on the 22nd. As an old man, he doesn’t eat as much as he once did. Plus, he’s a couch potato so he doesn’t need a ton of calories. I go through a 10lb box in a month. I guess that’s probably a lot compared to what you use. š
As far as the other 50%, I make sure it is close to balanced. If I give extra boneless meat I will add the appropriate amount of bone meal so I don’t throw off the Ca/P ratio. He gets one soft cooked egg (cooked white but runny yolk) with his breakfast every morning. I use Primal grinds that have ground bone. I also use complete and balanced raw formulas. If you add extras and don’t plan to balance them, then just make sure it is not more than 20% of your dog’s meal by volume.
I have no clue why it was removed from the list but if your dogs are doing well on it, I wouldn’t stop feeding it because it is not on the Editor’s List. Keep in mind that the list is the opinion of a few people (granted they are knowledgeable). If I had to guess, I doubt it’s because of their company or practices. It may be because of price or availability issues. I really can’t think of any other issues that would keep it from the list. They are an impeccable company.
I have been feeding HK for 6 years. I first started using it as a topper. Now I use it as the base of my dog’s diet. I feed Max 50% HK (Embark, Love, and Keen). The other 50% is made of raw and additions like eggs and kefir. Occasionally I will make homecooked food for a change. In my personal opinion, HK is better for your dog than any of the kibbles on the EC list because it is less processed than kibble. It is dehydrated so it is exposed to low heat but dehydration is a much gentler process than extrusion which is what it takes to make kibble. I made the switch to feeding half HK because I didn’t want to feed kibble anymore and it is so much more convenient than homemade food.
I hope that this post is helpful to you. Also, if you are a regular user, I would contact HK about buying directly from them. They give a bulk discount as well and you earn points toward free food with every purchase.
No kibble can be carb free, it would have to be a raw product.
So, I am learning that canned food is better than kibble. Right now my dog is on Stella & Chewy’s frozen raw but I like to switch it up, so I was giving her kibble. Now, I am thinking of adding canned in the mix. I have also had samples of Grandma Lucy’s and my girl liked those, but I have yet to feed a whole bag. That is also something I want to try too.
Couple questions, is it safe to switch foods, including forms of food (raw, canned, freeze dried and kibble) often? I have read the Rotating Food posts, so it is good to switch foods/proteins, but how much is too much? If my girl is doing ok, no loose stool, vomiting, ect..then is this acceptable? Is there anything that I should worry about?
I have really only given her raw or kibble. I want to maybe throw a couple cans of food in here and there to mix things up. The brands I was thinking about are: Weruva Human Style, Tiki Dog and ZiwiPeak. Anyone have input on these? How did your dog do on them? They all seem to be top notch and are all rated 5 starts.
Any thoughts on the “Extreme Rotational Diet” or the canned foods is appreciated!!
I wrote articles about raw diet in my blog essentiallydogs.com. It is great to hear that others are learning the importance of a proper diet. About switching brands, there is really no need to do that. I simply switch the formulas. For example, one day beef, next day chicken… I feed my girls Barfworld. B stands for biologically, A stands for appropriate, R is Raw, F is Food. I have arranged that people who mention essentiallydogs.com will get free shipping for a year. In order to get that promotion, you have to speak directly to Al. I made the arrangement with him. 1-866-282-2273. Vital Essentials DOES look like a good one, but my dogs have done so well with Barfworld. I DEFINATELY prefer raw to dehydrated or freeze dried.
Dogs are meant to eat raw food. I write about it on my website and explain the salmonella scare and what is going on with china and their contaminated vitamins that are added to our dog food. Please check out essentiallydogs.com. You can type raw, salmonella, or FDA into the search bar. I also have an FDA video which explains the dog food contamination with melamine that is killing our dogs.
My biggest issue with dog food (most dry & canned), is the vitamin premix. If the ingredient label contains a list of vitamins & minerals, it is EXTREMELY likely that those vitamins are sourced from China. China is contaminating products with melamine which is why dogs are becoming ill and dying. It is NOT salmonella. Dog food manufacturers are not required to disclose the sources of ingredients. ONLY where the product is manufactured. I stick with a raw food diet. i wrote extensitely about these issues on my website essentiallydogs.com. You can type keywords on the website search bar. Raw, salmonella, and FDA are good keywords to search.
Akari:
Yuck!!! Poor Kitty. How are you treating it?
Hey C4c:
I think you’re right, Forti Flora. When I researched probiotics on some blogs most posters did not recommend it because of the ingredients; they called it kitty crack. However, it was not completely snubbed because most posters also agreed it worked like a charm to get a cat to eat if all else failed. General consensus was there were better choices. I don’t remember what the ingredients are so I will just have to check it out for myself.
The one thing I did find is raw feeders used probiotics daily. They mentioned sprinkling 1/2 capsule 2 times a day of acidophilus + bifidus capsules, but I just haven’t had time to really check it out.
I was hoping for a human probiotic so I could use it for Bobby (or even me) if needed. Of course I will buy one for cats if I can’t find one, just hoping to find an all purpose product if possible. lol
The other probiotic suggested was plain yogurt. 1 teaspoon before each meal, 3 t max a day. I think I will try that also, I believe they will eat that with no problem.
I canāt feed my female kitty or one of my male catsā gravy or sauces for the same reason. The common ingredient that I suspect does not agree with them are starches. If I happen to buy something with gravy or sauces, they donāt get to eat any. š
Kibble is the worst food to feed a dog, its just easy for us the humans, no cooking, no mess, instant….best is raw, then cooked, then freeze dry….. My boy has Pancreatitis & vet said try not to feed kibble if I can & I notice after Patch has his kibble he seems uncomfortable & burps more & Ive got him on a low residue kibble that breaks up real easy & I add water to soften as well….some kibbles are real real hard, especially the kibbles with potatos, sweet potato & grounded rice.. I add hot water to a couple of the kibbles if they dont soften within 1 min, I dont use them….
I’m also looking for a free of synthetic vitamins and minerals, grain free/good for sensitive dogs to allergies, and i can make it into a rotational dry kibble diet(cans are too expensive to feed to large dogs and i dont have the fridge space for a raw/home made diet). I recently heard of different studies (done with humans, not dogs so it might/not apply) where the researchers compared the health of people who took synthetic vitamins from pills and those that took their vitamins from their diet(vegetables, fruits, meats ect.). They found that those that took synthetic vitamins had higher occurrences of cancer than those who ate their naturally occurring vitamins in foods. Here are two sources where you can get this info from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/selenium-vitamin-e-supplements-increase-decrease-prostate-cancer-risk-201402287059 , http://www.cancer.org/healthy/eathealthygetactive/acsguidelinesonnutritionphysicalactivityforcancerprevention/acs-guidelines-on-nutrition-and-physical-activity-for-cancer-prevention-diet-cancer-questions
“Can nutritional supplements lower cancer risk?
There is strong evidence that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods may reduce the risk of cancer. But there is no proof at this time that supplements can reduce cancer risk. Some high-dose supplements may actually increase cancer risk.”
so please help me find one >.< for my very special adopted senor furbabies.
-
This reply was modified 11 years, 11 months ago by
Gloraidy R.
2 months, 1 week ago
