[Patricia A]

When I gave my Chis’ the Primal from my mom’s I never thought to look at the recalls batch numbers from their recall a few months back.. I saw the list and it included Primal Turkey Freeze Dried but NOT Turkey and Sardine. Being new to Primal and Raw I didn’t realize it was one and the same until I looked at the Batch # on my bag.Only noticed this AFTER I called to complain. Guess the rep didn’t pick it up that I was giving him a batch # that WAS recalled. However, like I wrote the pieces were SO sharp an jagged that even the bones were 1/16″ I wouldn’t feel safe giving it to my little Chihuahuas’.
So now Claire you’re saying it’s back to the big bone shards. I really don’t feel like digging through the dog food every time I feed them. Why aren’t these bones in all these foods just be grinder down to powder?? I’m sure it doesn’t change the nutritional value. I really hope more people call in for this new batch for a recall so they change grinder machines and get it right with ALL of these raw brands.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Patricia A.

[Andy B]

ok elisha…here’s what i do for my 3 adult dogs each weighing around 12 lbs..one cup each in a mixing bowl: only natural pet raw freeze dried beef/sweet potato, zignature essentials grain free chicken/?, royal canin prescription renal support (kidney issues, so this is optional), bil-jac grain free kibble, and 1 can of wellness core grain free..add water to the freezed dried first before adding the rest..then add water to make it reasonably moist but not wet so they still have some crunch..the royal canin and zignature don’t absorb water very well, so it has some body to it..also, the bil-jac will turn to mush so if you want to add that at feeding time, that’s what i do…just give them about a tablespoon or so on the mixed food and then stir it in…i came up with this recipe experimenting with tasty but healthy foods just to get them to eat the royal canin.. this is the first time they chow it completely..well, one of them leaves the cranberries on the floor..it lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator..this is their dinner only..their breakfast is about 1/4 cup of my cooked chicken and one milkbone tasty snack biscuit (junk, but they are eating a lot healthier than i do)..

[Elisha Z]

I have two fairly young adult dogs, one a Poodle mix, the other a Papillon. They are fairly picky eaters and so far dry foods have not been their choice. Currently I feed them Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Market Meal Blends Dog Food – Grain Free, Freeze Dried, Chicken and they “sometimes” eat it. I also alternate by feeding them Natural Balance chicken or Duck (and I add fresh carrots, etc.). My problem is there are days they will not eat no matter what I do. I am aware that dogs are led by their nose to some extent so if it smells good they usually will eat it however I want to ensure it is healthy. Noticing they will not eat dry food, has anyone had any experience feeding dry food that their dogs actually enjoy? Usually there is no smell to them and so I already know my dogs won’t eat it. Since I prefer a dry food, any recommendations?

[sue h]

Interested in HPP. If this is done to the raw food are all of the natural enzymes removed? Is this a good thing or a bad thing. I should think bad.

[Jayni]

Hello everyone,

I have bought supplements for my senior dogs, both 10 years old, to help with their joints so I am getting the glucosonine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, calcium and have started also buying frozen mackerel and sardines recently for omega 3 and arthritis, especially my big lab (not fat).

Question is: how many mid size sardine fish should I give my 77 lbs lab and 37 lbs beagle? Both could stand to shed 2 pounds and are still very active, but lab has slowed down considerably. And at what frequency or intervals?

Question 2 – do I still need to give them their daily supplements along with the sardine fish, or is the latter good enough, or would it be too much together or unnecessary?

I have 2 Supplements – Pro-Sense Joint Solutions, Advanced strength (4 tablets for lab; 2 for Beagle x) and another (not open yet) +PetNaturals of Vermont Hip + Joint tablets (would be in the same portion amounts as the latter).

Or, again,if there are better supplements (since these do not show omaga 3), I’m open to recommendations for senior dogs with Arthritis who already eat fresh sardines, but cooked cuz my lab won’t eat a raw fish. He’ll take it and walk off but won’t rip into it like the other.

Thank you! I know this was long to read! Am looking forward to hear your advice.

[pitlove]

I have not personally used the consultation services myself no. I do know certain things change when the meats are cooked, so you could not say, take a recipe they have up on that site and just use the same values but feed it raw. You may be able to contact Dr. Susan Wynn for a consult. She does deal with raw and is also a veterinary nutritionist.

Glad you liked Mojo’s videos. I do find her owners to be good sources of information personally.

[Airseabattle]

Pitlove,
Thank you very much for the links. I liked the mojo videos and watched two of them …so far. I’m now following them as I feel they can be a great source of information. They seem pretty progressive. I also found balanceit to be useful. Initially I had some problems finding the consulting section on balanceit. However, I eventually found it.

I am very excited about the idea of working with a pet nutritionist. So again, thank you for that. Have you used any of the consultants listed? Do you recommend any of them in particular? Also, do any of them work with raw diets? The ones I’ve viewed seemed to be geared towards those who want to feed a home cooked diet. Did any of you raw feeders work with a nutritionist?

Thanks again

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[John W]

Well honestly I started giving him more home cooked meals and I started experimenting with some raw feeding as well. I looked into feeding a commercial raw food (I really like K9 kraving ) and I looked into feeding a raw freeze dried product but they are way too expensive to feed on a monthly basis. So I have been buying some food and cooking and raw feeding but I also wanted a kibble on hand so I went with a food called I and Love and You, the lamb and Bison version. I know next to nothing about it but it was evaluated very high on the C L Project. Again I know they may be very flawed but I wanted to be safe. Also I am looking to eventually buy a heavy duty meat grinder and try to make much of my dogs own food that way I can feed it raw or cook it if need be.

[Lewis F]

I’ve had our Cavapoo Sophie on Orijen Puppy and now Original for 19 months and she eats well without showing any adverse affects. In fact, Sophie goes in for her 6 month checkup at the end of April and I am going to ask the Vet to draw blood and check for high levels of minerals, etc. I’ll post the results if anyone is interested

Thank you Mike

Lew

[Lorena]

Suzanne, I stopped using Costco food after my Frenchie had anemia and died. She also had a uti and other issues. Both my Boston Terrier and Frenchie were throwing up at least twice a week on Costco food (kibbles and canned) and unfortunately I didn’t switch foods soon enough. Marylou, dogs know when the food is bad as they can smell a lot better than we can. My daughter’s cat does the same thing, sometimes the canned food she opens, the cat will sniff and walk away even though it’s the same food he goes crazy for. She then knows it’s a bad batch and opens a new can. If all the cans have the same lot # then most likely they’re all bad. You should return the food to Costco and get your money back! They require at least 50% but if you tell them it got your dogs sick they should take it back regardless.

My 10 yr old Boston Terrier is doing well on her new food (Acana duck and pear and I top her food with 1/2 patty of Duck Duck Goose raw freeze-dried dinner patty from Stella & Chewy’s). I’m spending more on food now but it’s worth it if it saves me on vet visits and illness. I’m also feeding my Vizsla puppy the same food because it’s for all stages (it has DHA and Glucosamine). I don’t buy canned food anymore as mix in, the freeze-dried patties are enough as my dogs love these. They tried the lamb patties, but they prefer the duck. I highly recommend Acana, Orijen, or Fromm.

[pitlove]

Hi again Airseabattle-

I think you will really enjoy BalanceIt.com. It’s a great website. If you decide to use their consultation service they can contact your vet and get any records needed to formulate a proper diet for your dog.

Also if you do end up staying on raw here is a link to a blog that I like. I feel this couple has successfully done a Prey Model Raw diet with their Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They have a YouTube and Insta gram page as well. http://mojoandfriends.blog/dog/

They have information about Mojo’s diet and other dog related things as well. They are also super nice people and if you comment on their Insta gram page are really nice.

As far as the debate on genetics vs environment goes… I will say that I disagree that pure bred dogs are unhealthy. Especially when purchased from an ethical, responsible breeder. These breeders are health testing these dogs, and spaying/neutering dogs that are not fit to be in their breeding program, so as not to put bad genetics into the population. Mixed breed dogs of unknown origin in my opinion are just as likely to be a walking health problem and vet bill, as a pure bred dog from a BYB. I’d personally rather a pure bred dog whos lineage and parents, grandparents, great grand parents, etc health I know. Kudos to you for supporting a responsible breeder and doing your homework on the breed/breeders.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa,
start looking for freeze dried or air dried raw diets, try & reduce all dry process kibbles.
There are NO better quality kibbles out there.. Kibbles are made from rotten meats & fly blown veggies, then kibbles are cooked at such high temperatures all the nutrience is killed, best to feed fresh whole foods, healthy foods you eat, your dog is very small, it wouldnt cost much to feed your girl a homemade cooked or raw diet, she’ll live longer & be healthier through out her life…
or look for human grade freeze or air dried food & rotate between different brands….

Look at Instinct freeze dried raw, Ziwi Peak air dried, Buckley Liberty freeze dried & Canisource Grand CRU dehydrated raw food instead of a dry process kibble.

[Nancy P]

Hi AC,

Thank you or your information. I will check on the food that you mention. I think the can albacore tuna and canned sardines is a good idea. In answer to your question, I have not added in any digestive enzymes or probiotics at this time but I am likely to do so in the near future. I’ve been reading about them and I have an idea of the ones that I want to use but I’m not quite ready to make that move just yet.

My dogs seem to be doing well so far with Dr. Marty’s food in that they have lots of energy, shiny hair, and look forward to their meal time. But, then they always have had lots of energy, well, because they are schnauzers. They have also always liked their food, even when I was feeding them kibble. Never a crumb left in site. The one thing that is different is that Kimmie Schnauzer does not have any skin issues going on at this time which is the first time in years for this. Time will tell if this continues or not. That’s what makes me nervous about all of this. We have no real way of knowing if there is a problem brewing until it shows up, but that’s the way it always is.

I keep reading and learning what I can. Some things seem to make a lot of sense but then I see some other things that I would not try, just because it involves adding in things like processed people food (cheese). If I do anything other than freeze dried raw diet, it will probably be either totally raw or raw cooked. Freeze dried is most convenient and would be easier for the few occasions when I have to kennel my dogs.

I do think Dr. Marty’s website could be better. I made a couple of suggestions but have not gone there recently to see if there have been any changes made.
Thanks again.

[Airseabattle]

I already mentioned that dog has been seen by a vet and specialists Have been brought on to monitor her. So Where are you getting that medical guidance will come exclusively from google and forums?

When I click your name, I don’t see a threads that show you being open to and actually feeding a raw diet then chronicaling your dog’s health decline as a result of raw diets. I just see plugs for a website. But Thanks for the link. I’ll take a look. I love to study new material. If things go wrong with raw and I need to go back to kibble, I’ll def look into following suggestions from it. Good luck to you.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[anonymous]

I have shared my experiences at this website. They have a user friendly search engine button if you are interested.

My idea of research is consulting a board certified specialist or getting another opinion from a veterinarian that has actually examined my dog, not dr google.

Made that mistake (raw food) in the past with dire results. The only online site I trust now is http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
The rest are just opinions.

I wish you and your pets the very best.

[Airseabattle]

These aren’t dogs from some backyard breeder or pet store. They’re from a kennel that I have closely watched from a breeder who I have known for a decade. I met her through a referral from the chihuahua club of America (cca). If the last one lived to be 16 on Kibble (where kidney diseases caused by diet took her) , I’m not sure how 17 could be seen as unrealistic for a dog on a better diet.

Of course, I have the emergency pet hospitals number on file. I’ve had it since my last dog took her tragic turn. It would be irresponsible for any pet ownernot to have an emergency hospitals contact on file. An emergency can happen at any time. Whether or not you feed raw. My dog is just a baby and she’s already has appointments with specialists to ensure what happened with my last baby doesn’t happen to her. I’m very committed to prevention and catching everything early.

I’m not sure what caused you to be anti raw but it would help if your documentation into raw and the set backs caused by it were listed on here. Also, and I don’t mean this to be mean, but you should not assume everyone you talk to on here fails to do research. I’m surprised you thought I didn’t know much about akc, the breed parent clubs, or how to properly screen for breeders.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[Airseabattle]

Genetics leaves an indivual more susceptible to a condition but doesn’t gaurantee it will occur. I am very confident that my last dog’s teeth were caused by her diet which led to her health issues and ultimate demise. Therefore, I cannot in good faith, feed kibble. Thus far, my new pup is thriving on her raw diet.

She is young and healthy. This isn’t some older dog with compromised health. Fortunately, I have the resources to carefully monitor her and treat her for any issues that may arise as a result of feeding her raw. If things go wrong I’ll immediately get her treated and warn others. However, I’m confident nothing will go wrong as long as I carefully make sure she follows a well balanced raw diet. I am mixing her daily portion of ground meat with nupro for small breeds to help get it right.

I’m sorry about your dog. You never mentioned the breed. Mine was a purebred chihuahua from top show lines . I mention this because I read mixed breeds tend to live longer. I don’t think it’s fair to compare a mixed breed to a purebred. Still I’m doing all I can to ensure my new family member lives to be at least 17 and to make sure her quality of life is better than my departed angel.

[anonymous]

Age 17 is not realistic. Age 12 to 15 is more like it, and that is with good genes and the best diet and care. Most of my dogs were/are pure breeds. AKC, and all that bs.
Btw, often the paper work that accompanies a dog from puppy mills is not always accurate.

Good luck with the raw thing. Don’t take this the wrong way, but make sure you have the 24/7 emergency vet clinic’s number, directions and how long it will take you to get there taped to your fridg. Oh, make sure you have an active credit card. It can get pricey.
That’s where feeding raw took me.
Good luck

[Patricia A]

I need my 6 year old chihuahua has gained weight since I switched to freeze dried toppers. I always gave Fromm kibble mixed with health extensions canned as a topper. I wanted something better for topper so went with Stella Chewy’s freeze dried and Primal turkey and sardine. . Within the last year she has gained weight. I’ve cut down the kibble and give her less then is advised on the freeze dried. Been looking at recently the Stella Chewy’s fat is 53% according to advisor. protein is 35 and carbs 11. I know lower carbs are a good thing and fat should be higher but it seems like 53% is very high. Please any advice would be much appreciated. Going nuts with research. I read on the advisor reviews under Primal and Stella’s that given the fat content food is not suitable for all dogs. So only VERY active dogs would do well and maintain ideal weight on even toppers of these brands? I researched that a 5lb dog needs approx 200 calories. So Stella’s Freeze Dried patties are approx. 60 calories per patty . A quarter cup of fromm is 102 calories. They get 1 1/2 patty of Stella’s and 1/4 cup fromm a day. This adds up to 192 calories a day.Also give in-between a little boiled chicken/sweet potato/ string beans/raw carrots/bannana etc as treats. Any advice please. I really love the idea of a five star topping but maybe it’s not for them.

[Abby N]

I have tried every dog food that you can think of and my dog Lucy (Dobermann) doesn’t like anything unless it’s raw or cat food. I was at the Dollar General and I picked this up for her and she absolutely loves it. I’ve had her for about six months now and I always had food in her bowl and a bag of in case it went empty, she would not eat for an entire day but at night time
she would eat every bit of what was in her bowl and then the process would begin the next morning. I’m very happy that I have found something she will eat.

[anonymous]

“I feed her Acana and Orijen mostly but I remembered when she was a pup she mostly ate raw and didn’t have any issues at all”

That’s because allergies don’t tend to show up till later (age 1-4) and they tend to get worse with age.

Diet has nothing to with yeast, yeast is caused due to a breakdown in the immune system, same with the skin infections and ear infections.
I’m not a scientist, the dermatologist can explain it more clearly.

[Lorena]

I’ve been a Costco member for many years but I will no longer buy pet food there. Good food manufacturers (e.g., Origen, Acana, Fromm) will only sell to specialty stores. I have a Vizsla and a Boston Terrier and they do very well on Acana duck and pears grain free. I also make homemade kefir for my dogs. Read the ingredients for this food, it’s amazing. I also buy raw freeze dried duck patties (Stella & Chewys) and crumble half patty on top of the food as mix in because I no longer buy wet food. If you want kefir grains I can send some rosarina2008 at gmail

[Blaire S]

Google “BARF” diet. You can buy frozen chicken legs and thighs, check around to see if you can find a local source for beef, lamb organ meats. If you buy a few lbs at a time many butchers will order for you, then you can package in small quantities for freezing. For a raw diet, you don’t have to make anything, you just thaw a couple of day’s worth. A little planning and it gets easier. Ready made raw diets get expensive. A little research will go a long way!

[Airseabattle]

Noted. I will stop feeding canned sardines. Have you ever owned a purebred chihuahua, fed exclusively on a kibble diet. If so, how long did it live and what did it eventually die of? Mine lived to be 16 and died of chronic renal failure. She had horrible dental health throughout her life. Despite brushing and having her teeth cleaned by vet every other year. this is partly because i could not on my own access her under the gums issues.

I don’t want to have to keep putting my dog down for dental cleanings to have to remove the under the gum build up that results from eating kibble. That puts severe strain on the kidneys, as you already know. Like I did with my last dog who died of kidney disease. issues from periodontal disease is a major reason how dogs end up with heart, kidney , etc diseases. Even traditional vets admit that. I’m hoping to avoid that with a raw diet. Everyone I know who feeds raw have dogs with beautiful teeth and gums. I haven’t met an older dog raised on raw but do any of you with one have any testaments to the dog’s oral health?

My current vet is a traditional vet but hasn’t oppossed home cooked foods. We haven’t discussed raw but so far I am very pleased with the results. Anyone who has every watched a beloved family member die of renal failure should be scarred for life and not want a repeat.

[anonymous]

In my opinion, no.
All canned foods have salt, preservatives and chemical crap in them.
Keep canned foods to the minimum, once a week maybe.
Also, raw fish of any type can be fatal for a dog.

If you are listening to the homeopathic vets, good luck.

Any science based traditional vet would advise you not to go down this road……

[Airseabattle]

I just read that there is salt in the sardines I bought. Would the water from that be healthy to mix with my puppy’s food? Considering there’s salt included, Is feeding her canned sardines daily healthy? She’s just a five pound chihuahua. The canned sardines at my grocery store all have salt. Should I feed raw sardines instead?

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[Airseabattle]

Susan,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post such an insightful and very helpful post. I do have a lot to learn, and your post really helped me out a lot. I did read to feed her sardines but didn’t know to save the water until you told me to 🙂 .i will def follow those pages you recommended. I have the book “Raw and Natural Nutirion For Dogs” by lew Olson. It teaches how to balance dog food and I’ve been doing my best to follow the guide.

The book (as well as many others) suggested feeding a variety of foods. Does switching Around the types of ground meat ( rotating between ground chicken, ground turkey, etc) count as variety? Also, is there a reason to include whole/ unground meats in diet versus simply sticking to ground meats?

And yes, the food I have been feeding her has been very cold. Straight from the fridge after defrosting cold. I didn’t know feeding food that is to cold would cause her to get sick. She seems to really love cold food. She will gulp down cold food. when I give her the now occasional cooked food ( whole hard boiled egg that has been pulverized in food processor) warmed to room temp using the microwave, she will let the food sit for hours before eating.

[Anonymous]

Hi, again, Nancy

Yes, I understand about pancreatitis — my female has it, and we know all about watching the fat intake. The Wellness Core Tender Bites that I have been feeding my pups for about 5 weeks has 21% crude fat, versus the 6% or so in the canned foods (also Wellness Core) I was feeding. But — I’m happy to report — absolutely no problems so far. And I have not had to throw any of the Tender Bites away, whereas I tossed TONS of the canned foods away, uneaten. I was making a lot of my own dog food from chicken breasts (baked), carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. The pups ate this, but not with gusto. I also give them two Nutri-Vet senior vitamin tabs a day. But, so far, they’ve been doing really well on the Tender Bites (but I still offer the canned), which are 70% raw, gently dried.

I should mention that my male pup is sensitive to wheat — it was a long process to determine this, as it was by trial and error. When I avoid wheat in both food and treats, he does really well. I took him to a dermatologist several years ago (he’s 11), but they didn’t test for food allergies. Why???? So I had to do my own food testing. Many dog food products are “grain free” in the last many years, so it’s relatively easy to avoid wheat. Treats are the worse offenders. You might want to try staying away from wheat for awhile to see if this is a problem for your Schnauzers. My male is the one on Apoquel for various other allergies — Apoquel was a LIFE CHANGER!

My pups are mixed breed, but predominately Jack Russell terriers. They are litter-mates, but soooooooo different health-wise. The female has pancreatitis, but no other health issues. The male has diabetes, cataracts (he had surgery for this), and lots of allergies. We have only ever fed them premium foods recommended by DogFoodAdvisor, with the exception of Dr. Marty’s, which I bought from the infomercial.

Stay in touch, Nancy. Best of luck with your food search.

[Susan]

Hi
There’s Vet Diet “Royal Canine” Select Protein, Potato & Rabbit dry kibble & Wet can food
also look at “Ziwi Peak” has a Rabbit air dried formula & Rabbit wet tin raw food. https://www.ziwipets.com/
there’s also “Rayne” Clinical USA, Kangaroo, Rabbit or Crocodile formula’s..
It’s best you do your own raw elimination diet, that’s what I did with my boy 4yrs ago…

These salvia, blood or fur testing are not accurate, they give false positives, the only way 100% is to do a food elimination diet, normally dogs have food sensitivities, food allergies are very rare & the dog normally has IBD symptoms when he has food allergies….

[Nancy P]

Hi. Thank you for your response. The high fat content is a concern that I have but then, I’ve been told that if the fat content is from Omega 3, that is the healthy fat. My first Schnauzer had Pancreatitis and I hope to never have that happen again. I’m going to check with my vets tomorrow and see what they say. The skin issues that one has been having, I thought were Schnauzer bumps, but it ended up being more like an allergy. Anyway, that has greatly improved and she has more hair now.

I looked earlier today at Stella and Chewy’s raw diet as well as Primal freeze and both are higher in fat than some of the other raw diets. Dr. Marty’s Natural Blend has 39% protein 23% fat, 2.5% fiber, 4% moisture. So, that adds up to 68.5%. No idea why it doesn’t add up to 100%. I don’t really understand how that is all figured out.

This whole thing does make me nervous. I’ve had them on Natural Balance kibble forever and I was ok with it but I got to thinking that maybe the food was causing some of the skin issues.

I know that Schnauzers have their digestive health issues so I will do some more follow up on this. I’ll let you know what I find out.

[a c]

Hi Nancy,

I have two 11 years old miniature schnauzers. I tried Stella and Chewy’s raw patties and Primal freeze and dries raw last year. One of my schnauzers end up having pancreatitis. As you probably already know that Schnauzers are prone for pancreatitis. I then realized raw diet usually have high fat content. Do Dr Marty’s have lower fat content?

One of them also have a few “schnauzer bumps”. I switched them to low fat kibbles as base and add fresh vegetables, cooked or wet food, and salmon oil. I noticed her hair is becoming more silky like. Her hair used to be thicker and wiry.

[Reese B]

Has anyone tried pets4life raw? It’s a Canadian company. I’m thinking of trying raw and was thinking about trying this company. Anyone have any feedback?

[Nancy P]

Hi,
I’m new to raw diet and decided to go with the easier to manage freeze dried version of raw dog food. I’ve been feeding Dr. Marty’s Nature’s Blend now for close to two months. Yes, it’s expensive. I have two miniature schnuazers and made the change to this dog food cautiously. I don’t like changing thier diet but both are 13 years old, one with skin issues and the other with lots of lumps. I hope this new food will be healthier for them and not too high in fat content since that can be an issue for Schnauzers. So far, so good. They both really like the food and I’ve had no problem with hydrating so that it’s not watery. I do feed my one dog a bit more than what the guidelines suggest but the other dog is ok with the generic recommended quantity. The one dog with skin issues has been issue free now for about a month. First time in about 4 years. I’ve just taken her off of her daily medicine to see if she does ok or not. If not, I will put her back on it. So far, I have positive things to say.

[pitlove]

Hi Airseasbattle-

You said: ” I tried again in smaller quantities and this she held down.”

I think you just answered your own question. She may need smaller meals to transition over to raw/homecooked.

Also BalanceIt.com is run by boarded vet nutritionists and has recipes for homecooked meals. Some are free, some you would have to pay for. You can also use the site to do consults with them, but there is a fee of course.

[Maikolo V]

Would it be okay to just have raw meals prepared once a week for my pup. I have a 12week old rottie still on kibbles but still researching and want to learn more about raw meals. I was ondering if I did start him out would once a week do any harm?

[Susan]

Hi,
your girl probably vomited her raw food as it might have been too cold, my cat vomits up her raw mince sometimes if its too cold, so now after I take the raw meat from fridge I put in microwave for a few sec to take off the chill, she hasnt vomited her raw meal again……
Raw diet is the easiest for a dog & cat to digest, raw diet is easier then digesting a cooked meal & dry kibble, raw food has enzymes making it easier to digest but as soon as you cook food you kill enzymes vitamins etc, a dogs digestive tract is short, made to quickly digest raw meat then move from stomach to small bowel then large bowel so no bad bacteria starts breeding, the dogs short digestive tract is not made to digest all these dry processed kibbles, this is why so many dogs are having so many health problems now…
if you dont know how to balance a raw or cooked home made diet its very easy as you learn you could look at feeding dehydrated freeze dried raw diets, there’s a few freeze dried diets on the market now, look at “Ziwi Peak” air dried & their can foods, here’s link send them email & ask for samples… https://www.ziwipets.com/
also start buying tin sardines & tin salmon in spring water, drain the spring water out put in a small air tight container in fridge & add 2 spoons to one of her meals or as a small meal a day for her omega oils for her skin, coat, heart, brain, joints, bones etc also add 1 crushed egg shell to 1 of her meals a day….
It’s very easy feeding a raw diet once you start raw is easier to make then cooking meals & your feeding your dog what she is ment to eat a raw diet…
Dogs are healthier & live longer when feed a raw diet, then dogs who are feed processed dry kibble, quoted by “Dr Peter Dobias”….
Do you follow “Rodney Habib”on his face book page & his “Planet Paws”page? has always post really good info, also follow “Steve Brown” & “Dr Peter Dobias” ….

[Airseabattle]

I’m not sure of the temp. It was meat I had in the freezer for a month which I then defrosted in the fridge. Same with liver. No, I’m not solely feeding her just ground meat and liver. She also had a raw chicken wing and hard boiled egg with shell and shredded cooked chicken breast. Not all at once but spread out. Been eating that for days. Ground meat I introduced today and Only the ground meat made her vomit first time around. I tried again in smaller quantities and this she held down.

I personally do not trust aafco and flat out refuse to feed kibble as a main source to my dog. My last chihuahua lived to be 16. Most of her life ( I adopted her at six years old) she ate 4 star and up rated kibble. She STILL died of chronic renal failure due to diet. My vet is a wonderful woman but she’s so pro science diet/ Hill.

after two months of putting my baby on that hill renal diet she slightly went down in value then out of nowhere escalated to stage 4 and died a miserable , slow death. I spent thousands trying to fight the inevitable death. I even tried to get her a 20k kidney transplant from UC Davis just to be told there was nothing that could’ve been done and had a fed her a better diet things may have been different ( less kibble, carbs, grains, etc, more good quality protein) Never again.

Ps. My vet knows of my hatred of kibble and supports a home cooked diet but I’m not sure about the raw diet. I’m only doing raw while I wait for the supplements. Why are you against adding supplements? You say you like her recipes but Dr Olsen said in the book that the vitamins are depleted after cooking so supplements are a must…

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[Tyrionthebiscuit]

What was the temperature of the food? Did the dog gulp too fast? How much liver? Ground meat and liver only is unbalanced. I have her book and find her recipes wonderful. My advice would be to make her cooked recipes without the supplements. Much better than just raw ground meat

[anonymous]

There is no reason to feed raw when you consider the risks. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/ (excerpt below, click on link for full article)
Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food.
The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns.
Please understand that this article is meant to provide basic dietary guidelines for healthy pets. If your pet has specific health issues, then your veterinarian may make specific food recommendations, which may include special prescription diets.

[Airseabattle]

I recently purchased the book RAw and Natural Nutrition for dogs ( revised version) by lew Olson. I plan to switch to cooked food once the nupro all natural supplement for small breeds arrive. My problem is that my dog immediately vomited ( or regurgitated) the raw ground beef and chicken liver I gave her. She is a nine month old chihuahua who has been on royal canin mini breed puppy kibble for all of her life. Is this normal for dogs to do at first? Also, how long can I leave raw meat out in her pen?

• This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by Airseabattle.

[Reese B]

I give raw carrot pieces to my dog all the time. She loves it! Just like with anything else, don’t over do it. A few pieces here and there are nothing to worry about.

[Ella R]

Hello Friends, From the Last few days I read so many Nutrition Book. My Question is Can Dog eat Raw Carrot Food 🥕. Can i use Raw carrots as a treat for My Puppy? What Precautions Io i need to take before to feed it?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lauren-
Congratulations on your new adorable puppy! Looks like he found a great home.
I do like to rotate foods a bit also. I usually feed one brand for four or five months, rotating through their different flavors paying particular attention to calories and fat. I like to feed them food that is around the same amount of calories. It just keeps it simpler for knowing how much for everyone in our house to feed them and to keep their weight fairly stable. I add a couple of spoonfuls of canned food, sardines or eggs to their meals. I used to feed some commercial raw as a topper as well, but NO more after all the recalls of late!

I pretty much feed my cats the same dry food and switch up their canned food for some variety in their diet.

Good luck with your new pup. Keep it simple! I’m learning that feeding them different foods is probably as much or more for our own enjoyment as it is theirs! LOL! Best Wishes.

[Cathy B]

Hi Patricia,
I’ve never fed Primal, but I did place a few orders for Allprovide’s frozen raw food.
I fed the chicken, turkey & beef but I can’t remember which one had big chunks of
very sharp jagger bones that I had to pick out in order for my 5lb Chi to eat it.

I took pics and texted them to Allprovide. They were the correct size bones for that food!
I felt they were too big for my Chi to eat.
So always having to poke my fingers around his bowl to pull out all bones..I stopped buying their food.

I believe they are now under new MNGT..so things may be different now.

[Susan]

Hi Hronn,
like CockerlierMon has posted just feed the Hills Z/d nothing else & see does he start getting better?? Vet diets are high in Omega 3 so skin should start to improve, the only way to find out what foods your dog can eat is to do a food elimination diet, he eats 1 meat protein & 1 carb for 6-8 weeks if he has no reaction diarrhea, sloppy poos, wind, farts, itchy smelly yeasty skin, itchy ears, shaking head/ears, red itchy paws, etc then you introduce another new ingredient for 6 weeks see how he goes, does he react?
You can do food elimination diet with the Hills Z/d formula wet or dry formula’s or there’s Hills D/D formula you can try if the Hills Z/d doesn’t work for him, it takes time doing food elimination diet but you will know 100% what ingredients he can & can’t eat..
See how he does on the Hills Z/D, the Z/d didn’t work for my boy, it has Corn Starch & my boy reacts to corn he gets red paws & his skin started to smell yeasty & he became real itchy, Hills is money back guaranteed so if your boy starts having diarrhea, yeasty itchy skin, or gets worse like my boy did then you can take back for refund or try another vet diet like “Royal Canine” Hypoallergenic HP…My dog was put on the Z/d for his IBD & then he started having his yeasty smelly paws & skin…
What symptoms is your dog having? Intestinal problems, skin problems or both?
are you bathing weekly in a medicated shampoo to wash off any allergens on skin, paws etc, baths are really good & relieves itchy skin & paws, I also use creams on paws & around mouth anywhere thats red & itchy I apply cream to stop the itch & reduce the reddness, I use Cortisone 1% cream at night before bed & of a morning before our walk I use “Sudocrem” Sudocrem is a anti bacterial, anti fungul thick healing cream for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, protects the skin & paws…
If you boy can handle Lentils, Chickpeas & Peas (Diarrhea/sloppy poos, wind/farts) then the dry kibble Nutram looks very good, but it has alot of ingredients, he needs a dry kibble that has limited ingredients, 1 meat protein & 1-2 carbs so there’s less ingredients for him to react too….
Can you feed a raw diet or cooked diet? this would be best, if the Hills Z/d makes him better then after 8 weeks just eating the Hills Z/d then start introducing 1 new ingredient with the Z/d food or for lunch feed this new 1 cooked ingredient for 6 weeks then after 6 weeks if he doesnt react then add another new ingredient then you can cook 1 meal with these ingredients he can eat & didnt react & feed the Hills Z/d for his other meal.
Baby steps, do it slowley & keep a diary, write down what your doing, he might have both food sensitivities & environment allergies, if he’s having Intestinal problems & itchy smelly skin, paws…

[Dawn F]

Long response …I too have been very concerned about both Orijen and Acana food as they seem to be amazing products. I wrote to Champion customer service and received the following response. It has set my mind at ease and I will be continuing using the product for now:

“Thank you for taking the time to write to us.
On March 1, 2018 a Class Action Complaint was brought in California against Champion Petfoods alleging that our dog food contains levels of “heavy metals and toxins” that might make the food unsafe. The claims asserted in the lawsuit are meritless and Champion Petfoods intends to vigorously defend itself in the litigation. There are no recalls for ORIJEN or ACANA as we are 100% confident that our foods are safe for pets and the people who care for them.
For your peace of mind we want you to understand that monitoring heavy metal levels is an important control point for us, and has always been a part of Champion’s food safety and HACCP program. We systematically test ORIJEN and ACANA products for heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) at two third party laboratories using the Official Methods of Analysis by Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC).
We share statistically analyzed data from over the past 3 years in comparison with NRC standards for heavy metals and the MTL’s (maximum tolerable limits) listed in the FDA Target Animal Safety Review Memorandum in a White Paper on our website. ORIJEN and ACANA Foods in Comparison to Pet Food Safety Standards
I have attached the White Paper – Heavy Metal and Pet Food for easy access.
We have been assured by our supplier that all Champion Petfoods packaging is BPA free.
All Champion packaging is in full compliance with the CFIA in Canada, FDA in the USA and applicable packaging food additive regulations. In addition, the raw materials (including resins, additives and processing aids) used in the manufacturing of our food packaging are cleared for food contact and processing applications by Federal regulations.

I understand that you may be concerned about this lawsuit, our pets are family to us and we all want to ensure that we are doing the very best that we can for them. I want you to be confident in the safety and quality of our products, and I hope that this information I’ve provided is helpful. We will be sharing more information as it becomes available on our social media platforms and our websites.
Should you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.”
Diana
Customer Care
Champion Petfoods LP

[haleycookie]

I’m not a huge fan of natural balance. It’s more carbs than it is anything else. Which I guess would cause weight gain, but I wouldn’t make it her permanent diet. I don’t think any certain food will do a whole lot but I would try natures variety raw boost. It has a nice ratio of carbs to fat to protein, which i think would be better for gaining weight than just loading up the carbs. But whatever you do keep her on a puppy food of some type until she starts filling out. She is still considered a puppy and puppy foods will be high fat and protein for growing muscles.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by haleycookie.

[Michael W]

I am using S&C Raw Coated Kibble and Double the amount of the freeze Dried Raw toppers or I cut back the kibble and mix with a couple freeze dried raw patties, I make sure to equalize the kcal. I have an active purebred American Staffordshire Terrier that is medium size at 48 pounds but is ALL muscle…When I got her she had spent her whole life in a crate and only taken out 2x daily she would do her business and right back in the crate… So it took a long time but I slowly built up her endurance so she could walk around the block, next we sprinted, it took 4 months before she would spend time in her new 4k square foot house and the silence must have been deafening since she was somehow mixed with King Cavaliers and was supposed to be the protection dog that the owner admitted he just locked away. I now feed her freeze dried liver, S&C raw coated kibble, S&C freeze dried raw mixers or patties, Grizzly Salmon Oil, and Dr. Mercola’s digestive enzymes twice a day. She will get a raw beef bone and meat for lunch if she is especially active that day doing urban mushing or pulling…I wish you could see the muscle packed onto her. My Vet had a photo of her professionally made into a canvas that hangs in her waiting room…It is a picture of her whole back when hanging from her spring pole…Truly amazing what S&C nutrition and activity has done. She finally completed her intended purpose and is going to be my Service Dog as I retire my current one.

[Mike Sagman]

The beef, chicken and lamb formulas of Primal Raw Frozen Formulas exhibit high fat-to-protein ratios, ranging from 92% to 100%. The others present much more favorable FPRs that vary from 44% to 67%.

Hope this helps.

[Cindy Y]

Rated at 2.5 stars? The brand overall is rated 5 stars but I cannot find any documentation on the site as to why these formulas are rated so low. Thanks!