[anonymous]

Don’t Give Raw Milk to Your Pets!

Posted on January 28, 2019 by skeptvet
(excerpt below)

“If you feed your dog or cat raw milk, you are taking a serious risk of illness for your pet and yourself without any reasonable evidence to suggest a benefit that would make that risk worth taking. Just as raw diets in general have clearly established dangers and no proven benefits, so raw milk is a. poor bet with serious risks. That is why raw milk products are generally illegalfor human consumption under federal and state law.”

[InkedMarie]

I guess I don’t think of veggies as being in a raw diet whether they’re raw or not. JMO I’m sure not paying for additional veggies in the raw I buy.

[Sanne]

If the vegetables are raw then it is still 100% raw. It may not be 100% meat but it is still raw…

[InkedMarie]

Instinct is NOT 100% raw….unless I missed something, there is veggies and other ingredients. It’s fine to feed veggies if you want but that is not 100% raw. By the way, there are companies such as Raw Feeding Miami, Hare Today, My Pet Carnivore that are just raw.

[dane g]

hi everyone. so we have a lab and live in south florida. that means constant ear infections as dogs with floppy ears, like our lab, have trapped moisture in their ears. my vet tells me the top reason dog patients visit centers around said ear infections. i was spending loads of cash and getting little benefit. so i went searching for a grain free and starch free dog food–its also 100% raw so nothing is ever cooked. while i do check in from time to time and see if there are others, to date, ive only found one and its pretty accessible (Amazon, Petco and et al). here is a link: https://www.instinctpetfood.com/raw-starts-here/what-is-raw

switching to this food had a *huge impact on our dogs ear health. while not fully curing the issue we went from two, constantly infected ears needing cleaning in upwards of 2-3 times a day to only one infected ear needing cleaning around 1-2 every week or two.

its not cheap but prices out about the same as any premium food and again, the only one ive ever found to be A) raw B) grain free and C) starch free

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by dane g. Reason: corrections

[Linda K]

My dog was eating, enjoying, and doing very well on Zignature Zssentials, after months of periodic vomiting and almost-constant diarrhea. Suddenly, after I weaned him onto ZZ, his poop looked textbook perfect, and the vomiting stopped almost completely. I was psyched! Then he was found to have extremely low taurine without cardiac deficiencies, and the cardiologist told me to take him off grain-free food and “avoid exotic meats.” DRAT! My friend, Amelia Z, did a vast amount of research, and she shared with me her findings. I now have him on The Real Meat Company air dried beef recipe dog food. Color me happy! He is once again eating and enjoying it, pooping normally, and hasn’t vomited in a long time. Its exorbitant price tag is a drawback, but my dog’s comfort, mood, and normalcy are worth every penny to me. Chewy carries it, and it is cheaper than anywhere else that I can find. The autoship saves a bit too. Good luck to you! It’s a daunting task and carries with it — for me, at least — a lot of stress, anxiety, angst and even guilt.

[Katherine J]

It’s icky but I saw stuffed cowhooves with green tripe, plain hooves, raw whole tracheas and a training treat called K9Magic.

[Katherine J]

Don’t know where you are located but I use Tiger’s Choice by GreenTripe.com
It’s main ingredients are heart, liver and greentripe. It is raw but it doesn’t stink even if there is tripe in there. As cats cannot produce their own taurine, the heart and liver as well as tripe provide that. I looked up why taurine is important and Google says. “It is critical for normal vision, normal digestion, normal heart muscle function, to maintain normal pregnancy and fetal development, and to maintain a healthy immune system.”

[InkedMarie]

My pbgv, Boone, the dog in my avatar, is 13 today! He is the oldest dog that we’ve had since he was a puppy. I credit that to him eating raw for the second half of his life & minimal vaccines. He’s a pain in the butt but the most awesome dog!

[Susan]

Hi Pat,
Sorry for what has happened 🙁
if you can afford it I’d cook meals or feed 1 cooked meal & the other meal feed a freeze dried dog food that has human grade ingredients, I’d stay away from dry kibbles & wet can dog foods…
Take back the 3 bags of TOTW food & get your money back..if pet shop wont refund then contact TOTW..
also here’s link for FDA to report a problem.
https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm

Ask vet to do full blood test see if liver is OK ??

My Patch was doing really well on TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb from 2015-2017 then 2017-Nov he started to go down hill & refused to eat his TOTW Lamb kibble, Patch NEVER refuses food, thats when I knew something was wrong.
I blammed the TOTW Lamb kibble he was eating had made him very ill being a Diamond product he didnt get better after I stopped teh TOTW kibble so in January 2018 he had endoscope & biopsies done & he has LES – his Lower Esophageal Sphincter flap doesnt close properly this was causing bad acid reflux washing back up & was burning his wind pipe & esophagus were both red & inflammmed but I still think TOTW made him ill aswell, his liver results weren’t good, I’d say a few things were happening cause he does have IBD & Skin Allergies but we are what we eat & he was eating the same dry food I wasnt rotating & feeding any other foods like I normally do….

Never feed the same brand of pet food month after month, year after year, this is when health problems can start to happen…
Now I rotate his foods again, I change between 3 different brands now & try & add as much fresh food as possible in his diet.. When I started feeding him “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult dry & “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato he started to get better, he hasnt become ill again..but it took a while for him to get well again

There’s a company that test/studies for toxins, heavy metals & contaminates they test
the best selling Pet Foods in America, these dog foods are tested in an accredited analytical chemistry laboratory for 130 harmful environmental and industrial contaminants and toxins. Results are published as Product Ratings.
I cant post the link as DFA, DFA doesn’t believe in this testing & blocks the link, different batches of Dog/Cat wet, dry & treats get tested every 3-4 months these are all “new different batches” that are being tested everytime, certain brands of pet foods keep coming back time & time again very high in toxins, heavy metals & contaminates &

TOTW High Prairie adult formula & TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon have been on the 1 star – high toxins, heavy metals & contaminate list for nilly 2yrs now cause they have poison ingredients in them… 🙁

Google, heavy metals, toxins in dry dog foods,
so you can see all the 5 -1 star foods –

Here’s C L P first 13 x 5 star dry dog foods that tested very well, if you cant find the dry food site C L P I’m talking about.
Thats if you want to continue feeding a dog food..

* Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Beef Recipe Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Grain Free Liberty With Lamb Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Liberty Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
* Buckley Liberty Grain Free with Chicken Dry Dog Food
* Canisource Grand Cru All Life Stages Turkey Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* CaniSource Grand Cru All Life Stages Pork and Lamb Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* CaniSource Grand Cru All Life Stages Red Meat Formula Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Duck Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Chicken Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food Salmon & Chicken Recipe
* BIXBI Rawbble Dry Dog Food Lamb Recipe
* I and Love and You Grain Free Naked Essentials With Lamb + Bison Dry Dog Foo
* I and Love and You Grain Free Naked Essentials With Chicken + Duck Dry Dog Food

[Susan]

Hi Lyly,

When I put my IBD boy onto a homemade raw diet his Naturopath Vet said to just start feeding the raw the next morning & just stop feeding his dry kibble, I had to add a Probiotic powder & Digestive enzymes to the raw meal but that was cause Patch has IBD…
You can start him on Kelfir or Goats Milk aswell..
He’ll LOVE raw food & do smaller & less poo’s, just make sure its balanced if making own homemade raw…I feed dehydrated free range organic raw now.. “Frontier Pets” just for lunch & PAtch eats his dry kibble for Breakfast & Dinner..

In Australia alot of people feed both raw & kibble, the dog gets his dry kibble & raw mince & 1-2 spoons tin sardines added on top of the kibble…& raw meaty bones twice a week for breakfast…
My dog who has IBD can eat raw & kibble together, the kibble helps keep down the digested raw food as he regurgitates all wet foods now 🙁

Join a few raw feeding F/B groups, here’s 2

“Raw Feeding 101-Learn To Feed Raw”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rawfeeding101learntofeedraw/

“Raw Feeding Advice & Support”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/451782265003776/

[Patricia A]

Congrats on your adoption!! Don’t know about feeding Blue. I’ve read a few negative things about the company. https://www.chagrinfallspetclinic.com/2017/09/14/pet-food-lead-alert-blue-buffalo-blue-wilderness-dog-food-class-action-law-suit/
Maybe someone can chime in about a good base kibble and start the raw with toppers. I use Primal freeze dried , Stella Chewy’s freeze dried and Bixbi freeze dried as treats because Bixbi is so expensive. All expensive in the freeze dried but I have small dogs. I think the frozen would be the way to go with the Primal/stellas’. My dogs are doing great on these. Reviews from advisor are all great also. I used Stella’s baked raw coated as base. However I stopped all kibble until this DCM mess is worked out. No legumes or starches in any of these foods.
Go to advisors reviews on Primal/Stellas for ingredients and to their f/b page to see what others say.
Like I said MY dogs do great with this. No stomach troubles. Just please start VERY slowly.

[lyly H]

I recently adopted a dog (not my profile pic!) and he’s 4 yrs old and 50 ibs. He’s been fed grocery store kibble in the shelter and I switched him to a high quality dog food, in my opinion, blue buffalo. I think feeding him raw food would be best, not for health reasons, but maybe just because. 🙂 How do I switch him from kibble to raw?? I’d really like to know!!

[InkedMarie]

Maybe someone will respond. I wouldn’t feed it, I don’t want other things in my raw but that’s just me. Good luck!

[InkedMarie]

I don’t understand why they add wheat germ oil, fish, eggs and vitamins.

I feed ground raw and it’s just meat/ one/organs. I buy from Hare Today

[Liz C]

Anyone here of either Titan or Eureka raw dog food? I’ve been researching and it’s so confusing, not sure if they are one of the same? I have a local co-op I can get a more affordable pre-made raw from Ross Wells Titan Blends, they are complete 80/10/10 blends:

This is not where I am getting it from but the link below shows the label info. They have two different complete blends, Red and Blue

https://dmvrawfeeders.com/food?olsPage=products%2Ftitan-blue-coarse-grind-tubed-40lbs

https://dmvrawfeeders.com/food?olsPage=products%2Ftitan-red-fine-grind-tubed-8-5lb-tubes-40lbs

And here is the Eureka

https://www.eurekapetfood.com/product-pages/ha5jz65xhuhkuzafunqrioakvp18ym-9kxzt-7twlz

I found some reviews but not many so wondering if this looks like a good option. I use complete blends 80/10/10 now minus the added vitamins and minerals. The blends I have just have the protein, organ and bone so not sure what the pros/cons are. to having the extra ingredients?

Thanks for any feedback, I appreciate it!

[Liz C]

I have a local co-op I can get a more affordable pre-made raw from Ross Wells Titan Blends, they are complete 80/10/10 blends:

This is not where I am getting it from but the link below shows the label info. They have two different complete blends, Red and Blue

https://dmvrawfeeders.com/food?olsPage=products%2Ftitan-blue-coarse-grind-tubed-40lbs

https://dmvrawfeeders.com/food?olsPage=products%2Ftitan-red-fine-grind-tubed-8-5lb-tubes-40lbs

I found some reviews but not many so wondering if this looks like a good option. I use complete blends 80/10/10 now minus the added vitamins and minerals. The blends I have just have the protein, organ and bone so not sure what the pros/cons are. to having the extra ingredients?

Thanks for any feedback, I appreciate it!

[Sanne]

No problem! Not much really, just some small differences in where the starch ingredients are on the list and ours seems to be missing liver and other minor things.

Here’s my rough translation of Core original
Fresh Turkey 15%, Turkey meal 13%, Chicken meal 15%, peas, dried potatoes, potato protein, dried chicken protein 5%, chicken fat 5%, Flaxseed 4%, Beetroot 3%, Salmon Oil 1%, Dried chicory root 0,5%, Apples, Broccoli, Spinach, Blueberries, Cranberries, Tomatoes, Yucca, Yeast extract

Might be some minor mistakes in there haha thinking of the English equivalent for some of those was a bit difficult

Oh wow after posting this reply my other long drawn out one seems to have disappeared! Glad you saw it before that happend 🙂

[Sanne]

I would think the toxins could be a big part of it more than “exotic” meats. I live in the Netherlands and as Susan pointed out, this just isn’t an issue here in Europe either. Some very common meats for dogs in my country are venison, rabbit and goat. Very often fed raw too. I would think if meats like that were a cause for all of this we would be seeing quite a few cases here in NL!

Orijen and Acana are sold here in Europe but we only get the stuff from the Canadian plant. Also, even if a food is not made in the EU, if it is sold here it must pass the same regulations that food made here does. I still don’t touch Champion foods though and it is not that common in the Netherlands. Most of us stick to foods made in Europe because the rules on pet food are much more strict.

It is definitely an interesting theory! Interestingly, dog foods full of legumes are not very popular here either. We do have some with peas but foods like that just have not gotten very widespread here.

[crazy4cats]

It’s a raw brand of raw food that uses fermentation on their products. Last I checked they had no pathogen quality control testing and could not provide nutrient analysis.

[joanne l]

try cooking the organ meat, as far as can food I don’t know what is the best. Right now I am feeding Natures Instinct can food. What breed is your pup? Then I will be able to answer how much can food her or she should get. I know a lot of people feed raw, but I just can’t do it. The only thing I feed raw is beef, but not the organs. I rather cook the organs but that’s just me. If you cook the organs you can mash them in the can food.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by joanne l.

[Anonymous]

Hi there

My pup loves canned food and sometimes getting her to eat her organs is a little challenging. How many people out there mix raw food with canned? What’s a good canned food? I’m looking at Zignature because of its limited ingredient list and zero chicken formulas. Also since I’m giving my pup about 2 – 2.5% of her body weight in raw, how much canned can I add? Can I just add the canned food to make up that 2%? Based on the feeding recommendations of canned food, they don’t seem to go by a pup’s body weight.

Thanks!

[Susan]

Hi Morgan,

are you on facebook?? join this group, post a post & ask people your question, you’ll probably get a better response..
“Dog Allergies, Issues and Other Information Support Group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

Also follow “Rodney Habib” Diet plays a big part in keeping your sick dog healthy..
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

I dont know how your going to go with low fat diet?? as you need fat (Omega fats)for allergies..

My boy cant have high fat diet, causes Acid reflux, he’s OK up to 13% max fat, I feed 13% max -fat & he does well…
Allergies can be confusing, sometimes we think its an ingredient or protein causing the dogs itchy skin, ears & paws etc, 80% of the time its from environment allergens..
Normally if a dog has food sensitivities they will also have environment allergies aswell..
Routine-Baths are the best to do with allergies, you wash off the Allergens off paws, skin etc, bath weekly or twice a week in the Spring & Summer.. I also use baby wipes & I wipe him down after we have gone for walks or he’s been out the back yard in Spring & Summer months when trees & plants are flowering.

My boy hs IBD Food sensitivities & seasonal environment allergies, fat has to be around 13%max as he suffers bad acid reflux,
I feed him “Wellness Simple” Wellness Core” Canidae Pure Wild Boar”

Why do you want to stay away from white potatoes??
Yeasty, smelly, itchy skin isnt caused by starchy carbs, a dog will only react to potatoes if he is sensitivite to potato, which is rare I’ve been told by a vet nutritionist, vet diets use Potato cause it’s a low allergen..

Have a look at First Mate, Chicken & Blueberries its Grain, Gluten & Pea Free, Single Meat Protein, Limited Ingredient Formula, Available in Small Bites

Limited Ingredient Chicken Meal with Blueberries Formula

I would look into feeding tin salmon in spring water + sweet potato,
just make sure you read sodium/salt % get the lowest %,
feed foods that are high in omega fatty acids, this way the skin is kept healthy & diet is low in hard fats…. Sardines can be very rich but are VERY healthy..
This is what I try to do with Patch, he eats 5 small meals a day, cause of his IBD, he eats his dry kibble 7am, 9am, 5pm & 7pm then for lunch -12pm he gets his wet healthy meal Salmon & Sweet potato, Frontier Pets – dehydrated free range raw made Australia, freeze dried green lipped Mussels, Almond 3 almonds a day for dogs , Follow Rodney, he is always posting healthy foods. I try to rotate as many healthy foods into his diet over 7 days..

If I were you i’d try & stay away from kibbles, pet foods are VERY high in toxins contamnates & heavy metals, you dont want to put more stress on his liver if you can..
Google heavy metals toxinz & contaminates in pet foods.. Chicken & Turkey are the cleanest meats in pet foods..
Good Luck

[Morgan A]

Here’s a hard one… I’m already afraid the answer is going to be a homemade or raw diet, which I’m totally not prepared for!

Long story short, my 6 and 1/2 year old bully mix has been diagnosed with vacuolar hepatopathy after a couple of years of tests, meds and supplements. He is not symptomatic but his ALT is through the roof. My veterinarian has done done preliminary research and it seems there’s not really a treatment for this, and the theory is that it’s a secondary condition resulting from his horrible allergies. I did find a single article that she is going to investigate further that claims a very low fat (but not protein restrictive) diet may help, <2 g fat/100 kcal. But I also have his allergies to consider, mainly grains but above all else peas and green beans. I’d prefer to stay away from white potatoes as well but I’m thinking we’re in a lesser of two evils kind of situation now. Luckily he has no animal protein allergies. There’s only one food in town that I’ve found he can habe and that’s Natural Balance fish and sweet potato, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I switched him to Sport Dog and he done well, but it’s definitely too high in fat if we decide to pursue this diet.

So, has anyone had a similar situation? Does anyone know of a unicorn food like what he needs?! I’m also open to suggestions on supplements, including antioxidants (also mentioned in the article as helpful), though Denamarin and Liver Happy did not help.

Thanks for reading!

[Kimberly H]

Lynda B,
I understand your concern. My little ChiPin (Chihuahua x Min Pin) does have a harder time trying to crunch down on the round dense kibble and she does not have issues with her teeth and is only 4 years old. She much prefers the flat disc shapes that lay flat between her teeth and make it much easier to crunch down on and they are less dense. But I don’t believe the kibble will break your baby’s teeth even the dense ones. You can always find the kibble you want and just soften it with some hot water (& of course let it cool) or homemade bone broth (more cost effective & less worry about the sodium if you make yourself). Since my dog is not sensitive to grains, I have her on a grain-inclusive diet and she is currently on 4Health Salmon and Potato which have nice disc-shaped kibble but I’ve started wanting to get away from Peas, Lentils, Legumes, White Potatoes, and White Rice AND have the disc-shaped kibble. This will be quite a journey until I am able to put my dog back onto the raw diet, which I much rather prefer but can’t at the moment.

[Susan]

Hi Carol,

When the fat % is too high poos are yellow, Mr Whippy poos, was the Purina Smartblend Tender Cuts in Gravy a wet can food?? What was the Purina Smarblend Ground Chicken ?? wet can or a dry kibble?? you have to stay 2% fat & under & 78% for moisture when its a wet can food.. this will be around 7-10% fat

Did you know the fat % in raw foods & wet can foods havn’t been converted to dry matter fat % like a kibble is, so when you convert say 5%min-fat in a wet can food the 5%min fat is around 20%min fat to 26%max fat %, it will all depend what the moisture % is in the wet or raw food? when moisture is over 80% you’ll fine the fat % will be higher…

You’re better off ither cooking chicken & boiled Sweet Potato or feeding Hills I/d Digestive Care low fat wet can foods or Royal Canine Gastrointestinal Low Fat wet can food,
If her diarrhea sloppy yellow poos doesnt clear up you’ll need some Metronidazole tablets…

Are you on Face Book join the “Canine Pancreatis Suport group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
look in their “Files” scroll down to “Pancreas Low Fat dog foods.pdf” click on this PDF & all the pet shop foods come up that you can feed & are LOW fat..

Here’s is a Dog Food Guaranteed Analysis Calculator, save it..

Guaranteed Analysis Calculator

[Corinne J]

Steve’s Real Raw dog food uses dicalcium phosphate in their beef formula. I reached out to ask them why they use it, since beef is high in phosphate, and ground bones should provide enough calcium. Two emails and a phone call was ignored. I stopped feeding my dog their raw food because they apparently don’t care about their clients, and they are certainly NOT transparent about their dog food ingredients. I will also add that the product was very inconsistent from batch to batch.
Oh, and Steve no longer owns the company. Perhaps this is when it all went south.

[Susan]

Hi Hill,
the best diet for cats is a raw diet. Cats & dogs have short digestive tracts, made to digest a raw diet quickly…Cats who are feed a dry kibble normally end up with kidney problems…

You can buy Pre-made raw in freezer section or my cat loves Air Dried & Freeze Dried raw, I add water to the freeze dried balls & she loves it, once a week she gets 1/2 a raw chicken wing to help clean her teeth…
If your cats are feed a dry kibble & wet can food then the Freeze Dried or air Dried raw would be the best as some cats refuse to eat raw meat if brought up on a dry kibble, they will love eating the freeze dried raw or air dried raw, it’s similiar to kibble but freeze & air dried raw isnt over cooked at high temps or over processed like a dry kibble is…

Look at “Ziwi Peak” email Ziwi Peak & ask for Air Dried samples & if they have the raw wet can food samples aswell??
My cat inhales “Ziwi Peak”.
https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-cat-nutrition

* Stella & Chewy
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/cat-food/freeze-dried-raw-dinners

“Raw feeding advice and support” face book group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/451782265003776/

[K F]

Please- try Halo brand kibble, if you are giving kibble. No recalls EVER; USA-sourced, no GMO’s, no meat sourced from inhumane factory farms, profits go to help other animals in need.
When I adopted my Husky 12 yrs ago, she had all sorts of GI issues…diarrhea, right and left. She had Giardia, which we treated….(make sure that your pup does not have this..) but, she would still react to the foods that I bought her- All organic, with high quality ingredients.
She FINALLY stopped having GI ‘events’ when I switched her to the Halo Spot’s Stew (it used to be called) kibble. Not grain-free…either the Chicken or the Salmon basic kibble. NO ISSUES at all, in the 10 years following.
I ALSO give my Husky a daily serving of human grade, cooked protein- either a can of wild caught salmon, sardines, or tuna in water. Occasionally some roasted turkey slices. I also feed her plenty of veggies, which she loves (frozen broccoli and green beans, and raw carrots..)
I agree with Kimberly, that raw food diets are very risky in that there are recalls every other day for e-coli or salmonella or listeria outbreaks… Why go through that? Particularly with a vulnerable puppy…. Dogs have been bred, over thousands and thousands of years, to be omnivores. They are not still wolves out in the wild, and don’t have the protective antibodies for spoiled or rotted meat anymore. Can people be real, here?
Anyway- best of luck to your baby! 🙂
If in doubt, just ask…”Would I want to eat this?”.. (If its not on the list of human foods that are toxic to dogs…its a great way to gage safely for your dog. 🙂 )

[Anon A]

Wow there is so much misinformation and fear mongering in this thread, your dog was sick most likely because of something bad like bacteria in the veggies or eggshells. Nothing to fear the raw meat, especially after you partially cooked the outer layer of the raw beef heart.

[zcRiley]

Budget cuts and mergers have driven quality control down, prices have doubled while the labeled bags contain much less over time. The (in)voluntary recalls are becoming alarming and you wonder if you should join the lawsuits out of fear or an actual mishap with your dog. It’s time vs money vs your anger. Yes, the kibble-raw-freeze dried-wet food buying community IS at the mercy of all brands. Anyone testing each bag for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes or “elevated” levels of certain vitamins? Not me, as I trustingly scoop the kibble out twice day, adding freeze dried on top, always wondering. And adding nutrients like I’m a canine nutritionist. With that said, I spend as much money as my bank account allows for food allergy panels, blood tests and anything else I need to do to “know” my dogs’ bodies throughout the year. Otherwise, we’re just sitting ducks as we may misinterpret the recalls. Yes, large class action lawsuits do have merit. I wouldn’t ignore how it became that way with thousands of medical issues and/or dog deaths documented. Again, “know” your dog every single day and be on top of the news. All dogs are NOT the same.

[christine v]

Susan,

The distributor mentioned Mypetwarehouse being the first online store to sell Orijen. The shipment should be here from the US any day now, or might already be here now, I’ve stopped texting the guy I’m dealing with because i was constantly bombarding him with texts, and i think i was annoying him lol. We are getting all of the formulas except for Regional red (the one i really wanted!!!) and Tundra.

Canidae told me they are working on getting in the raw coated kibble, but it is way down the road at this stage. I’ll text the Orijen guy again mid January, and will give you an update.

[Susan]

Hi Christine,
Which Orijen formula’s are coming here & who will be selling Orijen??
I’m looking for grain free, limited ingredients, has Pork & Sweet Potato or Potatoes…..
My Patch has IBD & I’ve been told “Wellness Simple” mighten be sold soon cause its not selling, it’s cause Pet Barn only sell the Wellness Simple thru Pet Barn online store & Pet Barn shops dont have the Wellness Simple in their shops so people dont see it, so no wonder it’s not selling + the price $130 for 11.8kg bag, its cheaper then a vet diet & has better ingredients then vet diet..,
if you buy Wellness Simple online at the moment its $89 -12kg bag, I think they’re getting rid al the Wellness Simple & are selling it cheaper at the moment BUT delivery from Pet Barn goes by weight it cost $15 for a 12kg order to be posted, other online pet store have free delivery, orders over $29-Pet Circle – free, My Pet Warehouse- orders over $49 – free delivery..
Are you sure 100% we are getting Origen?? cause Canidae was bringing out their new Ancestral raw coat Kibbles, they didnt come…they looked good.
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-ancestral-raw-coated-dry-red-meat-formula-with-lamb-goat-wild-boar/
The people importing Earthborn Holistic said they were bringing out “Venture LID kibble” it didn’t come either.
When it comes to filling out all the importation forms etc Ive been told its very very hard to bring in pet foods thats why I like the imported pet foods cause I know they have to pass very strict laws, where their meats come from etc, where the Australian made pet food is not regulated anyone can make a dog or cat food if you live in Australia..
A heap of people are trying to change our pet laws, so no one can just make a dog or cat food they must do recalls straight away & tell pet owners there’s a problems if dogs are getting sick/dying, then when these Pet foods take off & get a good name they sell them too big pet food companies for $$$$$$$$, look at Black Hawk it was a really good dog food back 2008 a family run business then they sold it, then dogs got really sick the new owners were cutting corners buying cheaper meats/ingredients then the new owners sold it again, then again it was sold to Master Pet Food NZ owns Black Hawk now & the Original formula’s were reformulated & they made a new grain free line & had a quick & quiet recall 2-3months ago with the Black Hawk G/F Salmon formula, Master Pet Food released a statement & said they went thru a different Salmon supplier (Yeah a cheaper salmon supplier) least Black Hawk did a quick recall & made a Statement more then Advance did 1 year ago when dogs were dropping like flies after eating Advance Dermcare dry formula…
Black Hawk & Ivory Coat are made at the Dubbo plant…..
Ivory Coat was sold to Chinese is also made by the Real Pet Food Company, the Real Pet Food Company made Baxters Woolworths generic brand that was poisoning dogs 2017 & 2018..
https://realpetfoodco.com.au/our-company

I stay away from all Australian made pet foods now unless it’s an honest small business like “Frontier Pets” she shows everything she does where her meat comes from, where the organically grown veggies & fresh farm eggs come from & Patch doesnt get sick..

[pugmomsandy]

There are several brands with Limited Ingredients recipes. Earthborn Holistic’s Venture line, Wellness Simple, Nutro, Rawz, and Honest Kitchen, Addiction and Grandma Lucy’s to name a few.

[Susan]

Hi Christine,

Who told you we are getting Orijen in Australia??

We use to get Orijen but back in 2007 then Orijen over irradiated cat pet food, then FINALLY after so many deaths late November 2008 Orijen Pet Foods started recalling cat food due to all the death of cats in Australia.
Then our Government banned Orijen ever coming into Australian waters, Orijen never ever apologized to all the poor pet owners…

Was Irradiated Pet Food the cause of Cat deaths in Australia?

Look at

* “Frontier Pets”
Australian made dehydrated raw you just add some warm water its smells beautiful, its free range meats, orangic vegetables & eggs…
https://frontierpets.com.au/

* “Wellness Core Small Breed”
small kibbles made US, sold Pet Barn store’s, cheaper if you go online buy pet barn online store & Click & Collect or the Pet Barn lady can do it & you get cheaper then price at Pet Barn store.

Core Dog Products

* “Canidae Pure”
small kibbles made US sold My Pet Warehouse online or Pet Stock pet shops
https://www.canidae.com/au
none of these pet foods are Irradiated, I think its not done anymore?…..

Follow Pet Food Review- Australia on face Book page
https://www.facebook.com/PetFoodReviewsAustralia/
He has posted poison Duck dog treats that were Irradiated & NEVER put it on the front of treat packet, by law if any treats have been irradiated it must be stamped on front of treat packet so pet owners do not give to their cats, but pet food companies dont do this..

[Thomas C]

Hello, Before the long video commercial for DR Marty and his dehydrated food, my dogs were happily waking me up for their morning raw hamburger. Our dogs LOVE the DR Marty food, but after my four bags are eaten, we will probably return to raw beef.

[Sally R]

Primal charges around $28 for 14 ounces of freeze-dried raw food. It makes 3 pounds when hydrated. So Nature’s Blend doesn’t seem outrageously expensive. My dogs eat only raw food, and I do believe it is better than kibble.
But my question is the source of the ingredients. One of the problems is whether the meats are full of antibiotics and other toxins that can be detrimental to our dogs. Are the meats used in this food from free range or wild sources, and are all the ingredients organically sourced? If so, I’ll definitely order some.

[Pablo H]

I have a dog that had problems after spaying her, the stitches opened and a part of her intestines had to be taken out, I give her meat with rice or just raw meat, organs and meaty bones, she is underweight but perfectly healthy, dog food is a no go because of worsening of diarrhea (5 times a day and she loses weight, with meat and rice it’s just twice a day)

[Patricia A]

Ann Bixbi is very limited ingredients . This is Bixbi Beef ingredients
Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Bone, Pumpkin, Coconut Oil, Salmon Oil, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Rosemary Extract.
I feed their Rawbble freeze dried as toppers. Very pure food.
Dog Food Advisor rates their freeze dried a 5*. Hoping he does a review for 2019 of their kibble also.
Also: Diets in cases reported to the FDA frequently list potatoes or multiple legumes such as peas, lentils, other “pulses” (seeds of legumes), and their protein, starch and fiber derivatives early in the ingredient list, indicating that they are main ingredients. Early reports from the veterinary cardiology community indicate that the dogs consistently ate these foods as their primary source of nutrition for time periods ranging from months to years. https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm613305.htm

✅ “With any kibble, the issue is not the grain or lack of it. It is the fact that, in order to keep protein levels high, manufacturers are adding legumes, from which taurine cannot be converted.” https://truthaboutpetfood.com/fda-investigates-potential-connection-to-diet-and-heart-disease-in-dogs/

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[mah4angel]

I spent a lot of time on these forums when I first got my dog Louie. Everyone was so immensely helpful in transitioning him from the Predigree puppy food his former family was feeding him (at the age of three, no less), and then on to a raw diet and then into a homemade raw diet. Louie and my cat Bocce were both killed when my house burned down in July. He was 8 and she was 1 year old. I hadn’t been to the forums in a while but I went to look up dog foods that I thought to transition him to on the regular site often. Louie was still in spectacular health when he passed away, thanks to everyone here and good genes, probably. It’s been very difficult but I’ve just adopted a new pup named Bolo (he was already named that, but I kept it when I realized it was made up of the first two letters of Bocce and Louie’s names). Rest In Peace and happiness, Louie and Bocce. Miss your furry little faces more and more each passing day <3

[Susan]

Hi Vanessa,

My boy has IBD & Seasonal Environment Allergies..
Have a look at dry food that has Sweet Potatoes & Potato seem to help dogs when they have diarrhea/sloppy poos & stomach related probems…
Look at

“Canidae Pure Wild Boar” Page 3
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

“Canidae Under The Sun” Large Breed is low in Kcals per cup 328Kcals per cup.
UTS is on Canidae’s first page.

“Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed

“Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/simple-dogs

Wellness Core Large Breed Adult really help my boy when he went down hill with his Allergies causing a bad IBD flare about 1 yr ago, its low Kcals 346 per cup

My boy is eating Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato kibble at the moment, it’s Summer here & the Wellness Simple is for skin & stomach problems & has 1 single meat protein & has limited carbs, the Wellness Simple Turkey Protein % is 26min% -28max%,
lower protein then the Wellness Core formula’s.

Wellness has “Nutrient Profiles PDF” you can see the proper max % fat, protein, fiber, carbs, ingredients etc…

I’d try one of the Wellness Simple formula’s.
Wellness have a palability money back guarantee so if he wont eat it take back & exchange.. Wellness smells pretty good & my cat pinches Patches Wellness Kibbles & she wont eat her meal now the little bugger..

Or look at Raw – Stella & Chewy Patties or Raw Freeze Dried Kibble its like kibble he will lose weight eating a raw diet & might be more interested in his food..
Just stay 14% & under for fat, low carbs & low kcals per cup for weight ..

Start adding Tin Salmon or tin Tuna in Olive Oil, add 2 spoons to his meals, this will encourage him to eat, dogs normally love fishy foods & the Olive Oil will help with his constipation also boil some Pumkin or Sweet Potato pieces freeze them & take them out of freezer as needed they freeze & thaw very well, I put 1 piece of Sweet Potato in micro wave 5-8sec…Pumkin & Sweet Potato settle stomach..

I wonder if he’s getting “acid reflux” 2am?? This is the time acid reflux starts early hours of the morning with dogs, have you tried Zantac or Famotidine a acid reducer? given twice a day 20-30mins before he eats a meal? ask vet can you try it might make him more comfortable thru the night & could be why he’s not keen on eating food he gets bad acid reflux afterwards??
Labs normally LOVE their food… I’d stop the Coconut Oil as Omega oils can cause acid reflux.

[Anonymous]

You’ve fed other dogs raw before right? It’s the same deal but twice the amount per body weight until a year/year and a half. What type of dog is it? With large breed puppies it can be more difficult as you have to make sure you’re giving them the correct calcium phosphorus ratios until atleast 2 years old.

[Thomas C]

I was drinking whiskey and listened to the lengthy advertisement for DR Marty dogfood. I fed our two Yorkies aged 14 and 5 their first 1/2 cup just minutes ago.

They were both very excited, and each ate their portion rapidly and are demanding more.

I was unimpressed as the food floated on the warm water I used to re-hydrate.

Our dogs are used to raw hamburger each morning. So far they seem to like DR Marty’s mix.

[Hav mom]

I am curious about the Human Grade and Feed Grade food. I requested the same question from the maker of the food I feed my Dog. I wanted to know if they are using “feed grade”
meats as Ms. Thixton called this brand of Pet Food only because it is not processed in a Human Grade Facility, but she did give it 4 stars.. Here is the reply I received and I quote:
“. We do not use any by-products in our foods, which is what you may be referring to. We never use the “4-D” products (dead, dying, disabled, or diseased). Our food is human grade until it enters the manufacturing facility (meaning, human food is not produced there). Our dehydrated raw is the highest quality product we offer, actually.

The meat and poultry in the “I and love and you” dehydrated foods has no added hormones, is antibiotic-free, and is cage-free, free-range, and grass-fed.
“I and love and you” makes super-premium pet food and treats that contain everything pets need to be happy and healthy, and none of what they don’t. Our first ingredient is always real meat and we never use fillers like white potatoes, corn, wheat, or soy. Our pets are members of our family and we take our mission very seriously.

When you feed your pet “I and love and you,” you can trust that you are feeding them the very best ingredients from only the highest-quality sources. ILY consults with highly regarded pet nutritionists who have doctorate degrees in animal nutrition along with years of experience in pet food formulation and research. Additionally our pet nutritionists maintain professional membership with the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition, and The American Society of Animal Science. All of our dog and cat recipes are carefully formulated to meet the most current AAFCO requirements and recommendations.
I gather from the above, it is not “feed grade” or is it (?) because it is not processed in a
facility that also made human food….Well, some of the facilities that make human food
are not so sanitary either,regardless of inspections. I just find the two words confusing – one human grade and one feed grade because it is not processed in a facility where human food is also made. I thought that feed grade was
from the 4 D group…. What is that group of food called when used for dog food?????? Am I missing something here? Just asking, no argument here. We all love and want the
best we can afford for all our pets so they can be healthy. If any member knows of additional information about this brand please advise, I would be happy to know more.

[anonymous]

Bump

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2018/08/grain-free-diets-and-heart-disease-in-dogs/ excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments:
Dr. Jennifer Larsen, a nutritionist at UC Davis, has written an excellent summary of the nuances of this issue, and she has agreed to let me share some of it here:
Taurine is not required to be present in dog foods. Taurine is an amino acid that is not nutritionally essential for dogs; however, there are dietary factors (such as protein source, fiber type and concentration, and cooking or processing methods) and individual dog characteristics (such as breed and calorie needs) that impact how efficiently taurine may be made and used by the body. The sulfur amino acid content and bioavailability in food is important though. The problem with dietary deficiency-related cardiac disease is multifactorial and is not just seen in goldens.
1- in many grain free diets, legumes are used to provide the carb (starch) but also protein and fiber – you cannot tell which ingredients are providing various proportions of nutrients from an ingredient list
2- legume protein is low in sulfur amino acids (methionine and cystine- the precursors for taurine synthesis)
3- some fiber types/concentrations increase fecal taurine content and promotes bacterial degradation of taurine (dogs and cats must use taurine to conjugate bile acids) so taurine recycling is not as efficient and more is lost
4- dogs need an adequate supply of precursors and to be able to make taurine fast enough to replace obligatory as well as excessive losses. When Newfoundlands and beagles were compared (during the Investigation into the lamb and rice issue with DCM in the 90s), it was found that Newfoundlands made taurine more slowly, so there are differences among breeds and probably individuals
5- dogs with lower than predicted calorie needs (“easy keepers”) also might not eat enough food and therefore enough protein to supply adequate precursors
6- some grain free diets (and other types of diets), are not high in protein (and therefore sulfur amino acids) since they use more expensive exotic or uncommon sources.
Any of these or a combination may impact taurine status in the dog.
There have been recent cases seen in our hospital and elsewhere of dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to taurine deficiency in dogs that have been associated with commercial diets containing certain ingredients (such as legumes – beans, lentils, and peas – and root vegetables – white and sweet potatoes). Data collection and interpretation is ongoing for these recent cases.
In the past we have also seen cases of dilated cardiomyopathy and taurine deficiency in dogs eating home-prepared diets (with either cooked and raw ingredients and those with and without meat), and other commercial diets with various ingredients and nutritional profiles. Some of those cases and investigations have been published (others can be found on PubMed):

[Vita L]

VitaLife dog foods are made from natural ingredients such as vegetables, raw meat, and fresh fruits. VitaLife dog foods are grain free, gluten free, and no artificial color and flavors are used in these foods. If you love your dog, you should feed them VitaLife dog foods.

https://www.vitalifemadewithlove.com/canada

[Patricia A]

Anon I subscribe to Susan Thixtons list because she supplies alll the information I am looking for in choosing a food that meets my standard of nutrition for my dog. I’m grateful that someone is doing the hard work of finding Pet food companies that are transparent and supply information of proof of the many conditions required to make her trusted dog food brand list.
She does not endorse or condemn any food. Below is her standard requirements necessary to make her recommended trusted dog food company list:

Human Grade: it means: all ingredients including supplements are human edible, the food is manufactured in a licensed human food facility, and ingredients and final product transported and warehoused to human food safety standards. Unfortunately, most pet foods are “feed grade”. Feed grade means ingredients and supplements are not required to be human edible, and they are not required to be manufactured per human food safety standards. Worse yet, pet foods are not required to disclose feed grade quality on the label. Not all pet foods on the List meet the full requirement of a Human grade pet food, most are ONLY missing the requirement of human food manufacturing.
Manufactured
Under this category, the List explains if the food is manufactured in a human food or pet food facility. When a pet food is manufactured in a licensed human food facility, it is held by regulation to particular safety standards. When a pet food is manufactured in a pet food facility, regulation does not require the same safety standards as human foods. Most of the pet foods on the List have plant established safety standards the same as human food.

Ingredient Quality
Human Grade ingredient quality is priority for me in a pet food. Most pet foods utilize “feed grade” ingredients which means they are allowed by FDA to use extremely inferior quality of ingredients. As example, any food (human or animal) would be considered adulterated/illegal if it contains meat from a diseased or non-slaughtered animal. But the FDA allows exception to this law for feed grade pet foods. Directly stated on the FDA website: “Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.” Pet foods on the List utilize ONLY human edible food ingredients (with one small exception from Open Farm kibble) and provide verification documents to us to assure this quality.

Country of Origin
Country of origin of ingredients is significant information to disclose to the pet owner. Often large manufacturers will not disclose the COO of each ingredient or they give consumers vague responses such as ‘all our ingredients are tested in the US’. The pet foods on the List provided full disclosure to country of origin.

Ingredient Quality
Human Grade ingredient quality is priority for me in a pet food. Most pet foods utilize “feed grade” ingredients which means they are allowed by FDA to use extremely inferior quality of ingredients. As example, any food (human or animal) would be considered adulterated/illegal if it contains meat from a diseased or non-slaughtered animal. But the FDA allows exception to this law for feed grade pet foods. Directly stated on the FDA website: “Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.” Pet foods on the List utilize ONLY human edible food ingredients (with one small exception from Open Farm kibble) and provide verification documents to us to assure this quality.

BPA
BPA is a chemical found in the protective lining of some canned foods and/or found in some pet food packaging. BPA is an “endocrine disruptor chemical”; Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects.
HPP, Bacteriophages

HPP stands for High Pressure Processing is a method used to control common bacteria of raw meat. Bacteriophages are a virus used in raw meat products to control the common bacteria of raw meat. Both processes are deemed safe by FDA, they are mentioned In the List for informational purposes.

Testing
Proper monitoring of pet food ingredients, nutrients, and potential risks are part of how a pet food keeps your pet safe.

Verification
The pet food companies in the List provided documentation to verify their claims of human grade ingredients, human food manufacturing, and/or humanely raised. Each company did not hesitate to provide a wealth of verification documents. The seal below indicates that each pet food ingredients were verified to be human grade quality.

At the end of the day it’s what you feel good about feeding your furbabies, if they enjoy eating it and how their energy and health is with the brand your feeding.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[Susan]

Hi Jenifer,
Join this group on facebook
“Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/292537937935806/?ref=direct

What are her medications?
Listen to her, as Meds & Food must be making her feel worse specially if its a steriod, Predisone made my boy worse, Metronidazole made him better & the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic wet & dry gave him BAD ACID REFLUX then Pancreatitis, I had an idiot vet wouldnt listen to me, when I told him the vet diet is making Patch worse, he’s up at 11pm swollowing gulping & growled at me, Patch has never growled at me, he was in pain. It kills your heart watching them suffer you feel soooo helpless..
Is she on a ant acid reducer Zantac or Pepcid or an ant acid Blocker Omeprazole??

Go to shop get a lean white meat, one she hasnt eaten before, Pork, Turkey, Whitefish also grab a few sweet potatoes, peel & cut up the Sweet Potato into about 1 spoon size pieces boil the sweet potatoes & cool then put pieces in those Zip lock sandwich bags, try & not let the cooked sweet potato touch each other but if a few pieces still touch its OK once frozen just hit the sanwich bag on the sink & the frozen sweet potatoes will separate..

If you get Whitefish put in water & slowely cook, it will be ready before it boils so remove out of the water or steam fish, dont over cook the meat, with the lean pork my vet said buy pork meat & mince it yourself or cut the pork steak up small pieces & the same put in water & before the water boils the pieces of pork should be cooked, if you have a blender add the pork pieces & also add some sweet potato pieces blend all together.
I give Patch 1-2 pieces of the cooked Sweet Potatoe all mashed up…
or egg can she eat egg whisk a egg put in a non stick pan & make scramble egg or boil an egg & mash & add 1/2 sweet Potatoes, cause the sweet potato is sweet she will lick the sweet potato…
Start with te Boiled Sweet Potato
Did vet does Biospsies when they did Endoscope some vets are idiots & dont bother doing the Biopsies they think that they will see whats wrong & sometimes everything looks great but it isnt..

Goats Milk get some & see will she drink Goats Milk, also Bone Broth is also very good to give her when she isnt eating & will help make her strong again, if she has stopped her meds then no point giving them with NO food this will make her feel worse..
Join the F/B group heaps of people who have very sick dogs & 1 yr later have healthy dogs now..
Did you ever see a Holistic Vet??
Another thing is she having a weekly Vitamin B-12 injection?? this really helps increase appetite..

[Patricia A]

I put in a suggestion for this food to be reviewed. Anyone feed this? My one Chihuahua eats her Stella’s kibble topped with Primal or Stella’s freeze dried. My other is hit and miss.. She does eat the Stella’s topped with Bixbi Rawablle. However, my plan is too give very little kibble and mostly freeze dried. Bixbi is way too expensive to do that. My plan was Bixbi as just treats. So I saw this Open Farm freeze dried at my Pet supply store and was less costly then the Bixbi and I like the ingredients. Anyone have experience with this food?

[Rhianna H]

First off, thank you both for your speedy replies! I very much appreciate it!

Susan:

Yes, I did do the elimination diet with the chicken, I was actually semi forced into it. I have not done an elimination diet with the fish but he reacted so violently to being on a fish based diet that I’m too scared to try. He went on the fish after we got suspicious of the chicken diet he was on causing some ear problems. When he reacted to the fish diet (wonderful nasty bout of IBD) I put him on chicken and potatoes for an extended person of time while we were trying to correct the IBD issues. Sure enough, within a few weeks of being back on chicken his ear problems came back full force. Boo.

The PURE is similar in nutrient profile as to what I have him in right now and it’s just not enough for him. There are a few Earthborn formulas I’ve been keeping in mind and I have been eyeballing the some Wellness Core Raw Rev formulas too.

Pugmomsandy:

Yes! I have been eyeballing the Venture Rabbit Formula but given that it’s kind of on the low end of what I’m looking for I was waiting too see what else there might be available that I’ve miss before I made and for sure decisions. However, I am curious about where Squid formula. I’m definitely going to have to mention that one to his vet. I know it’s not technically “fish” but since his reaction to being on a fish based food was so violent I want to be extra sure that his vet doesn’t think something like squid would be “close enough” to be a concern, especially given that squids have a diet that tends to consist of various types of fish.