[crazy4cats]

No, some believe that raw digests FASTER, but when you mix it with kibble it slows down the digestion causing the bacteria from the raw to sit in the stomach longer. Like I said above, many, such as myself, think that the raw actually helps with the digestion process of the kibble and have had no issue mixing the two.

I went to a raw feeding seminar at our feed store a while back and there was a very knowledgeable Nature’s Variety rep there expressing the same view that there is no issue mixing their raw food with kibble.

Did you check out this article: https://therawfeedingcommunity.com/2015/01/08/digest-this-kibble-may-actually-digest-faster-than-raw/

Again, some are very adamant about it being a bad thing to do. I guess it depends on you and your dog. Good luck!

[Desiree F]

I feed my dogs broccoli, Sweet potatoes, with cooked ground turkey, or baked chicken along with oatmeal. I mix it with blue buffalo salmon oatmeal and sweet potatoe. I use the dry for teeth. I also give my yorkie carrots, blue berries, strawberries, and she is a finicky eater she weights 3 pounds. So when she won’t eat I’ll mix sweet potatoes with cinnamon and she eats it all.

[Kalle S]

That doesn’t make sense though. If raw food digests slower, what difference does it make if you add kibble? And the bacteria would be there no matter what you ate at that time.

[crazy4cats]

I’m not sure it is a scientific reason, but some believe that raw digests faster than kibble causing raw to sit in the stomach longer possibly making it more likely for the body to pick up bacteria from the raw food.
However, this belief is becoming less common these days. Take a look at this link: http://www.therawfeedingcommunity.com
I feed my dogs raw tripe or commercial raw nuggets mixed in their kibble in all their afternoon meals with no issue.
I also mix canned into all their morning meals with no problems.
I hope this helps!

[Kalle S]

The only thing off the top of my head is raw food. Check out Stella & Chewie, primal, Steve’s real food, lotus or instinct frozen foods.

[Kalle S]

Someone please explain the scientific reasoning as to why raw shouldn’t be fed with kibble.

[theBCnut]

So far, the only fish I don’t feed bones and all is catfish, but I feed raw. My dogs have had salmon, tilapia, perch, herring, sardine, whiting, bass, drum, and a few others. I prefer to feed small whole fish, but I order whole fish grinds too. I also feed whole shrimp.

[theBCnut]

You feed the amount of organs and bones that goes with the amount of raw that was fed. The kibble has calcium, vitamins, and minerals to balance the kibble portion. It shouldn’t have excess. Personally, I think the vitamins and minerals in their natural form are better utilized.

[Alta K]

I have been feeding 4 dogs: doberman, pit/mastiff, white GSD, and a pit mix Tefco Performance Dog Diet for several months. I was previously feeding my own raw diet and my dogs love the Tefco Performance Diet.

Full disclosure, I became the Tefco distributor for NE Florida (NE Florida Raw Dog Food, LLC) after seeing how my dogs thrived on the Performance even though I was feeding a balanced raw diet.

I have seen this food turn around chronic health issues in a matter of days. I have had customers whose dogs came straight off kibble to Performance and experienced no digestive issues and loved the food right off the bat.

Many of my customers were previously feeding far more expensive raw food products and have reported to me that the Tefco is superior. I have everything from breeders and high level competition dogs to rescues and family pets eating this diet and nothing but rave reviews about how much their dogs love the food and how much they love the quality and results. I have many customers in the area and not one single complaint.

Performance Dog Diet is 100% pure beef with a raw feeding ratio of 80-10-10. It is preservative free and complete nutrition supplemented with vitamins and trace minerals.
It contains green tripe for pro and pre-biotics and trachea as a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin . It is only sold through independent distributors so customers can have a personal relationship with a distributor who is knowledgeable about raw feeding. The beef is on the hoof until a shipment is ordered. It is processed then flash frozen at 40 below to kill bacteria then shipped and kept frozen by distributor.

If you have any questions about the food you can contact Jerry, the owner through the number on the website: http://www.paleodietdogfood.com/contact/. He will also gladly put you in touch with the Animal Nutritionist (Ph.D) who developed the Performance Dog Diet formula if you have a question he can’t answer. I can be contacted through my Tefco Raw of NE FL Facebook Page with any questions.

Ingredients:
Beef, Tripe, Trachea, Finely Ground Bone, Salt, Egg & Trace Minerals. You can view the list of vitamins and trace minerals here: http://www.paleodietdogfood.com/performance-dog-diet/

Alta Kremp, NE Florida Raw Dog Food, LLC

[Cannoli]

“No wonder you had problems. No one should be mixing Kibble and raw food together”

This is another myth that needs to be dispelled. You can feed raw with kibble. Obviously you probably don’t want to feed the organs and ground bones since the kibble provides the calcium and necessary vitamins. But you can definetly feed the raw muscle meat with kibble. I do it all the time.

Seriously I eat raw steak tartar and sushi with cooked rice and yet you telling people that dog’s stomachs are so weak that they can’t handle this combination but humans can?

Also the digestion studies I read about how raw digest quicker than kibble blah blah hence you should never feed together is silly science.

[Rox B]

Anonymously: A semi-raw diet? No wonder you had problems. No one should be mixing Kibble and raw food together. Raw should be fed 100% of the time to prevent illness. I am not sure what “research” everyone is doing, but good research should tell you too feed PMRD 80/10/5/5. I cringe when I see people are feeding raw thighs, wings, liver, some piece of this or that. That is NOT a raw diet. That is a person feeding random raw foods without any idea to balance or nutritional needs. On top of that people mix these raw foods with kibble. It’s a disaster just waiting to happen. Meat, bone, liver, and organs should be fed in certain percentages. Advising to feed random raw foods, or feeding random raw foods is irresponsible. Learn the fundamentals to feeding raw. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearningRawWithRoxane/

[Cannoli]

My pup is not a fan of fruits. He hates bananas, apples, strawberries, and barely tolerates blueberries. He loves meat only…

So I make a bluberry kefir smoothie for him once in a while. I get a cup and he gets some tablespoons.

[Debbie G]

thanks for taking the time to answer my question. After I posted this, my puppy had a vet appt and I asked my vet. She said he didn’t need raw goat’s milk, she had never heard of this and to save my $$.

[Cannoli]

With the salmon they come in pounds already deboned. I never feed fish bones raw or cooked…way too dangerous. They are always sharp.

With the Mackeral I have it deboned by the store.

The Sardines I just removed the main backbone as the rest of the other bones are very soft after it is cooked. There are hardly any bones left when I removed the main spine backbone.

The sardines heads are small about the size of two quarters…He loves to chump on them and he loves the taste of the eyeballs…God bless his heart he takes after me. I love fish eye balls.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[Cannoli]

I aim for fish meals twice a week normally on weekends as I have the time to cook and prepare the fish.

I normally buy the frozen fish like frozen sardines, mackeral, and salmon with skin on as these types of fish have higher concentrations of Omega 3.

Other times I buy the fresh none frozen versions of these fish if I plan to feed them on the same day.

On those days I feed fish I normally feed my pup two large sardines (with head on) or half a pound of mackeral (without the head) or half a pound of salmon with skin on top of their raw food. My pup weighs 60lbs. I always cook my fish.

The only time I feed raw fish is when I order sashimi from my favorite Japanese restaurant, as this fish is prepared for human consumption to be eaten raw and I never had an issue when I eat it. Normally I just give him the sashimi salmon, mackeral, and crispy skin pieces.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[alexis w]

thank you all so much for your input, as for @anonymously, i talked to multiple vets, some of which said to bring her in that it was disptemper or a stomach bug of some sort, then i talked to other vets(mostly the hoslistic ones) that said it was most likely caused by something she ate. to clarify, its not so much diarrhea as it is loose poo. I would have gladly taken her to a vet if we had not spent our last $40 on a popped tire on our vehicle. forgive me if that sounds like an excuse, its not, i looked into payment plans and such but none of the vets in our area do them and we were not eligible for any 3rd party plans. Thank you to those who gave insight into the issue i was having with the poo as well as those who just chimed in on the original question of the post, it was all very informative and helpful, i figured out that the loose stool issue was due to me recently changing her diet and putting her on a bland diet of ground turkey, brown rice, peas, carrots, celery and bell pepper for a few days is clearing it up nicely. she does seem to be sensitive to some fruits like blackberries and strawberries but not to others like blueberries and bananas which she loves. i think my top 3 veggies and fruits are peas, carrots and blueberries but like you all it is so hard just to pick 3 as to have a well rounded diet variety must be had.

[theBCnut]

I throw all kinds of different high antioxidant fruits and veggies into the blender, then freeze them into ice cubes, and give one a day. So my dogs get some strawberry every day, as well as blueberry, blackberry, and some others. They have no diarrhea issues, but they don’t get too much of any of them.

[Coonhound Mama]

Alexis W-

Yes, the strawberries gave her diarrhea. Many of the food charts I’ve seen say to feed strawberries sparingly, as this is a known side effect. I do not feed them at all now. I was certain it was the strawberries as it was the only time I had ever given them to her. I would agree with Anonymous however in that ruling out a medical condition as a reason for diarrhea should come before assumption of gastrointestinal upset from a change in food.

[alexis w]

@Coonhound Mama did your dog get the squirts from the strawberries or just pieces in the poo? im having an issue with the squirts and think that may be what it is, day after giving strawberries for the first time is when it started. sorry if tmi, just in need of some solid info, vets just say omg its distemper bring her in, i know its from a food, just cant figure which one(she gets into everything if its not chained up or swept up promptly)

[Coonhound Mama]

LOL Inked Marie, mine is that way with strawberries. Will never make the mistake of giving strawberries again! 😛

[Coonhound Mama]

While I feed mostly prey model raw, I do feed fruits and vegetables a few times a week for antioxidant and vitamin/mineral benefit. I try to stick to low sugar and low carbohydrate fruits and veggies so as not to overload the system with too much unnecessary stuff. Blueberries, spinach, kale, chia seed, pumpkin and the occasional broccoli, apple, pear or green bean might make its way into the bowl a few times a month 🙂 I do offer butternut squash as a treat from time to time because she loves it like Debbie J said also!

[anonymously]

If you have found a food that works, consider yourself lucky.

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies which have nothing to do with the diet.
Have you checked the search engine here? /forums/search/allergies/

Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[Emily R]

My vet told me that my 2 year Great Dane has food sensitivities and prescribed us Z/D Hill’s Science Diet Prescription dog food. The dog food worked wonders, but it is $92/25 lbs which lasts 2 weeks. Has anyone had a similar issue with their dane? We have tried at least 5 other dog foods that are limited ingredient, no grain, single protein source etc. We have had no luck and the poor dog is scratching the back of his ears raw. We have also tried feeding him some coconut oil with his food and benedryl with no success. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. thanks!

[Tamara C]

No I found out he had a ton of things going on. He had just been diagnosed with pancreatitus, but they conveniently missed the fact that he also had the stomach flu, on top of a horrible infection from periodontal disease… When they took xray’s they showed that he had several bad discs & his whole spine was inflamed. That was the reason he collapsed & seemed to have a seizure. We had been playing outside (With ALL of that wrong & me having NO idea) He’s such an energetic little guy, he just played until he literally collapsed. He’s always been like that, that’s why I’ve almost lost him sooo many times. No one ever believes me that something’s wrong with him or that he’s dying, because he will play play play until he falls over dead. I can tell by looking in his eyes how weak, sick or far gone he is. Once they told me nothing was wrong with him (he was running All over the vets office, playing bouncing off the walls) Vet checked his gums, said he wasn’t Anemic, just to take him home & watch him over night? I DEMANDED they do a blood test (Which REALLY angered the ER Doctor. He slammed his hand down & said FINE I’ll do it, but it’s a Waste of Your Money!) Well he came back Screaming & told me I had to get him to another Hospital Immediately, 3 Hours Across State Lines For a Blood Transfusion because he was Sooo Anemic. (They don’t just have Animal Blood at every hospital) The DR even admitted that if I had taken him home, I would have woken up next to him dead.

For the Pancreatitus: Someone on here told me to Practice (Tough Love) Give him NOTHING but Hill’s ID Food with Nusentia Enzyme Miracle (Probiotics) sprinkled on it. Put it down for 15 min at Breakfast, lunch , Dinner. (Each Meal Time & if he didn’t eat it, put it up until the next meal time, because he wouldn’t eat. Well That worked, they were right. He eventually gave in & started eating that prescription food (Like it or not) he wouldn’t let himself starve. For the first time in 3 months, he started coming out of it, eating regularly, & getting stronger. He’s not sick anymore AT ALL, he eats on a normal schedule & is almost as strong & playful as he use to be. The only draw back is he really hates the smell of the ID food still. I joined the Pancreatitus Support group on Facebook that (Susan Above suggested) & a few days ago ordered that Zeal food from the Honest Kitchen that she suggested, but haven’t received it yet. ALL the people in this support group? SWEAR by this Honest Kitchen food, some of them have been using it with the probiotic supplements for years, with no problems. These people obviously know what they’re talking about, because I had seen 5 different Doctors at 3 Different Hospitals & spent over $6,000 & my baby was dying… If not for the advice from the ladies here on this post & the advice & help from the people in the group they sent me to? My Baby would be dead right now….

[Cannoli]

for those who feed raw and money is not a problem i highly recommend this company.

i have fed both the wagyu beef and organic grass fed patties to my pup and he loves it.

been around since 1920s and have great reviews.

since it’s meat for human consumption they are highly inspected so it will put you to ease regarding contamination.

of course you will need to add organic supplements to meet the requirements but damn is their meat tasty

[John K]

Sorry to hear about all your dogs. My 8 year old shep mix went through this 6 years ago. She went blind in a week and gained weight. Unfortunately it turned out to be tumors. It’s a horrible disease and leaves you feeling hopeless. Vet bills were in the thousands. I feel for you and your dog and all other owners who are going through this. I really believe it was because of her diet.

I rescued 2 dogs 5 years ago and had them on a raw diet. 1 chicken leg and thigh in the am and again in the pm bones and all. They thrived on this diet. However I had to travel a lot and my family didn’t share my affinity for raw chicken. So I was thrilled when I found this site which guided me to an acceptable diet of Fresh Pet rolls and Orijen senior kibbles. I also mix this with raw pumpkin, organic chia seeds, and organic raw dried cranberries.

[sam o]

I am looking to switch to raw and reading a lot on these forums where to start but I cannot find some answers to my question like when I first switch him do I just put him on chicken meat for the first 3 weeks or can he have the bone as well , it’s all quite a lot to take in so I want to make sure I do it right X can you help answer seen as you’ve at some point done the swap ??

[Haley H]

Scared D, I’m not quite sure what you mean with TOTW being trash…it seems to have 5 star ratings on the adult food and the puppy is 4 star, which isn’t terrible…I’d love to hear your thoughts on why it may be trash though. My parents, who’ve raised and owned great pyrenees for 25+ years have been using it since it came out with great results…a dog of ours had a vet tell us he would only live 5 or 6 years, and he lived to be almost 14…practically unheard of in the giant breeds…we attribute this to TOTW and of course, love. (And fresh, raw supplements ). So I’d love to hear your opinion on that.

In terms of annamaet being a rip off, is there a better place to find a good deal besides chewy’s $85 price tag? I’m located in northern California.

I couldn’t find any info on dfa about abady either, and it seems their website is down.

I’m all ears for your thoughts. 🙂

I posted another topic that no one has replied back to yet, it was my first post and I may have put it in the wrong forum. Here’s a link to it.

/forums/topic/the-thyroid-gland-in-gullets-and-trachea/

Thanks for your thoughts too! 🙂

[Haley H]

Hi all! I’m considering blending Annamaet’s Aqualuk with Taste of the Wild’s High Prairie (or alt. The Wetlands) dry kibble. Besides the price tag on Annamaet, is it really worth its salt in terms of quality, or am I better off just getting TOTW and focusing more on transitioning to raw once my puppy is about a year? (He will be coming home at 8 weeks this july, a pure alaskan malamute). I considered the sojos freezedried, but it’s super expensive, I think it would be easier to just feed raw! But I don’t want to risk the malnutrition that could happen feeding a young puppy only raw. I guess some input would be greatly appreciated! Right now I’m debating about kibble, but decided on combining it at probably 25/75 kibble/raw, using green tripe and raw lamb/turkey. I’m also considering exploring my options dehydrating my own meats for when I’m backpacking and camping. Not keen on carrying around a leg of lamb in bear country 😂

[Haley H]

Hi everyone!
This is my first post, but I’ve been a constant on this page for quite sometime. I have a malamute baby coming home to me this July and I want to give him the absolute best!!

I’ve found a great local-ish supplier of green tripe, raw hooves, and all sorts of cow bits. I was all about tracheas and gullets until I read the study that links thyroidtoxosis to feeding gullets/trachea with thyroid tissues present. I asked my supplier if their raw tracheas and gullets had thyroid gland on them, they assured me that their sources removed thyroid glands beforehand.

I’ve looked all around the Internet, to no avail…I’m fairly certain the entire feeding of gullet is out…too close to the thyroid glands, however do you think the trachea, sans thyroid tissue, is safe to feed???

I was planning on using the fresh or dehydrated tracheas to serve part of my puppy’s meals in. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Ian Dunbar’s positive reinforcement methods, and also his idea to allow the dog the opportunity to work for their food…something crucial to all working breeds imho. So I was going to use both forms of trachea, filled kongs, and stuffed raw horns, hooves, and bones instead of using a bowl at all for food. I know this is another topic altogether, but I’m curious to hear what everyone here thinks.

I was planning to do a 25/75 kibble/RF plan, where his kibbles are fed in the morning, his midday and evening feeding being raw, with kibble occasionally used as training reinforcement. I have read lots of the opinions on combining RF and kibble, but a study done (I’ll share the link here), shows via x ray, that the rate of digestion largely has no effect on a dog when it comes to raw versus libble, being that raw food actually takes longer to digest because the dog’s body is working to utilize ALL goodness.
LINK: https://therawfeedingcommunity.com/2015/01/08/digest-this-kibble-may-actually-digest-faster-than-raw/

I may transition him completely to raw by age 2, but I’m not entirely willing to risk messing up his joints or growth feeding strictly raw from the time I get him (which will be 8 weeks)

I’m super excited to be here, obsessed with canine nutrition, and eager to talk to someone who can follow what I’m thinking about right now…no one in my life really cares much for my research and pontificating. LOL.

[Jen T]

Hi all, I have a Westie who is 9 years old and has issues with yeast infections due to environmental allergies. I’ve removed her kibble (turkey and potatoes) and all treats and I am trying out a Westie Diet recipe called Dan’s Highlander Hash which calls for: ½ pound ground turkey or salmon or tilapia, 1 raw carrot (substitute with celery stalk), 1 raw zucchini, 1 raw yellow squash, 1 medium apple – granny smith, and 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley. I usually double the serving size to last for 2.5 days (she gets 4 small meals each day about 5 ounces).

Instead of turkey, I’m using salmon and baking it until it’s at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Is it safe to keep giving her this meal every day for two weeks? In addition to this meal, I add 1 capusle of Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic) as well as 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric per day. I read salmon should be given periodically but since I’m leaving on vacation in a few days, I don’t want to dramatically change her diet with the pet sitter. Any advice?

[Debbie G]

After reading Dogfoodadvisor, I now have my 11 yr old 91 lb lab on Orijen senior food and my 12 week old 15 lb puppy (have no idea what breed) on the Orijen puppy food. I was in a pet store and the were trying sell me on feeding them raw food and said that dry kibble is hard on the dog’s kidneys and actually worse for their teeth since the starch turns to sugar on their teeth and that’s what creates plaque! Since I wasn’t sold on switching food brands again, they convinced me to buy a carton of raw goat’s milk to add to their dry food. They said dry food should be soaked in a liquid (even if it’s only water) because then it’ll expand the food before the dogs ingest it. I saw that the Orijen dry food didnt expand at all (which I’m thinking is good?) I’t’s expensive and I want to know if this is just a new thing to sell to customers.

[Coonhound Mama]

Hi Zoe,

They all vary by a bit in chewiness. Some are kind of a hard crunch (lamb trachea, pig ears and chicken feet) while others are more like jerky (the fish and pork tenderloin pieces). What I like about these though is they all retain some bit of moisture and aren’t entirely dry. I keep them in the fridge so they’ll keep longer and rehydrate them to add to my raw grinds as toppers. I can’t stress enough how much better these air dried treats are than the air dried stuff you can get in bulk bins in big box stores. Amazing quality!
Definitely recommend.

[alexis w]

thanks for that information @Shawna and @ZoeC ! that does make me feel better about giving my Callie the raw bones. On a different topic, I just was given some information that worries me considering I use kale in a lot of my homemade dog food recipes, https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/human-foods-to-avoid-feeding-to-your-dog/
a close friend of mine was looking out for me and let me know about this, I looked into it further and found it to be accurate information. I am currently in the process of modifying all of my dog food recipes to reflect this new information.

[Coonhound Mama]

Lauri G:

We’ve added lamb trachea to our rotation of whole prey treats- about one per week so as not to overdo (moderation for all things!) She doesn’t seem to have a problem with them so far. I’m not one for plugging links and businesses very often, but I thought I’d take the time to share this raw fed dog equivalent to the Bark Box subscription box! We’ve been getting one box a month of air dried species appropriate treats and they’re all human grade meats. Definitely worth a look if you’re interested in a variety of proteins to give as treats. Currently we’re doing lamb trachea, beef kidney, chicken feet, dehydrated pork loin and dried whole sardines 🙂

https://realpetfood.com/

[anonymously]

“In regards to raw bones I am too lazy to teach my dog how to chew them so I just use a blender and do a fine ground either using small raw pork rib meat bones, raw chicken feet, and recently I added raw duck necks”.

“So no concern for blockage or death”

Ground up raw bone is what caused my dog to have a blockage (x2) I saw the x-rays, looked like gravel in the stomach and colon, it hardened and caused pain and discomfort for several days, Just lucky surgery wasn’t needed. I gave my meat grinder to the Goodwill.

“You also changed the list of dangers in the report from the original:”

Incorrect, I listed the source of what I posted right above it:

Also: Give a Dog a Bone (Not!)–FDA warns of dangers of feeding bones to dogs http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm208365.htm?s_cid=w_c_PetHealth_cont_001
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=bones excerpt below:

1.Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
2.Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see your veterinarian.
3.Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see your veterinarian.
4.Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see your veterinarian.
5.Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to your veterinarian immediately!
6.Bone gets stuck in stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which your veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
7.Bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage. It may be time for surgery.
8.Constipation due to bone fragments. Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they’re very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to your veterinarian.
9.Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It’s time for a trip to see your veterinarian.
10.Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog.

[Cannoli]

In regards to raw bones I am too lazy to teach my dog how to chew them so I just use a blender and do a fine ground either using small raw pork rib meat bones, raw chicken feet, and recently I added raw duck necks.

So no concern for blockage or death

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[alexis w]

to the person who said my foods are not balanced, that is why i recommend a supplement with each recipe, and i know dogs need calcium, i use ground egg shells like stated previously. the raw meaty bones would be an add on.

[Pam M]

I just started BCR today. My 14 week old shih-tzu, Brody, has been having a terrible time. I had him on Petcurean, no soy, no grain, no eggs and no chicken. This was my third food as I started out with what the breeder was using, but he’s been chewing his paws and having a terrible time. I had my last dog on raw food, and like most owners, it was out of necessity. I’m hoping this will settle things down. If I have a positive outcome I’ll be sure to post with the results.

[Cannoli]

Home cooked meals require calcium just like raw meals.

Besides bones and eggshells you can get calcium from seaweed. I prefer the calcium from seaweed because in addition to calcium seaweed also gives you the following minerals:

Magnesium
Sulfur
Potassium
Phosphorus
Sodium
Zinc
Iodine
Selenium

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[theBCnut]

Hi Marie

Dogs eating home cooked meals have the same requirements for calcium that raw fed dogs have. Obviously, you don’t want to give cooked bones, so the calcium has to be raw bones or come from other sources.

[InkedMarie]

I’ll repeat my question: for the regulars, do homecooked need bone in it?
For Alexis: dogs need calcium. A raw meaty bone, unless they consume the bone, isn’t going to do it.

I think your diets are not balanced….if they are not, you’ve got a blog and people may think they are. Hoping someone who knows will answer.

[anonymously]

It’s funny, because I am a vegetarian. But I am sure the people at the local market think I am a meat eater because I always buy chicken, ground turkey, lean meat from the reduced price section…..no problems yet, if it’s organic all the better. I freeze it first too. But I cook it up, the raw thing didn’t work out for my dogs. Actually I thought it was gross.
They do enjoy scrambled egg here and there….I won’t eat it though.

[anonymously]

In response to the above post, are you a veterinarian? If not, you may want to be more careful about how you express your opinions. You may not know as much as you think you do.
It is one thing to offer an opinion, but opinion is not fact.

Raw meaty bones caused me at least 3 visits to the emergency vet with more than one dog.

“First do no harm”

[alexis w]

I am going to start supplementing with pre frozen(to kill the germs) raw meaty bones. you never want to give dogs cooked bones. if you prefer you can used crushed eggshell to give the calcium needed

[anonymously]

Regarding raw diets: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[anonymously]

Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[lauri g]

first of all a raw diet is far better as it goes thru a dogs system clean and the transition isnt hard to do. I constantly do research and have mine only on raw which i give whole prey as well as prey model that i get from hare today gone tomorrow and from local vets . I do not buy from grocery stores as they do have meat with hormones etc. If i had to buy from grocery it would be labeled organic only. I will be willing to help anyone that wants to convert to raw. because of a raw diet and all natural raising on my boys mine never have bad breath nor ever smell like a dog {like a wet dog does when it comes in from the rain} never have decay or tarter buildup on teeth and no medical problems . I am happy I have learned that kibble isnt the way to go as dogs are carnivores not omnivores . Just look at your dogs teeth they are not flat .. you’ll be surprised how much of your dogs allergies will go away.
you can check our page also on fb natures way carnivore pets

[alexis w]

i don’t personally feed my dogs raw but rather lightly cooked(more out of salmonella concerns with the kids getting doggy kisses rather than for the dog herself) but from my research I have read that a raw egg or two are very beneficial, I also second the coconut oil idea, its very good for the body…human or dog. here is a link to a very simple coconut oil dog treat: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AYnmQSeFbOhygDrZaRulwt7a7KZtS6d5EEmZE_K6xUNJYlozNAY1jt8/

[Susan]

Jennifer G yes please get the Endoscope & make sure you get the biopsies done as well cause Patch stomach looked fine when vet did the Endoscope but when the biopsies results came back it was a different story, Patch had Moderate to Chronic Lymphocytic Gastritis with associated spiral bacteria infection (Helicobacter) I wished I did the Endoscope + Biopsies, 1 year before, I thought I could fix the problem & I put poor Patch thru 1 year of bad acid reflux or even if the vet gives you the Metronidazole Losec & Amoxicillin for 21 days as soon as Patch takes the Metronidazole after 2-3 days his acid reflux stops, Patches vet now writes out 5 repeat scripts of the Metronidazole & as soon as Patch starts grinding teeth & swallowing for a few days & the Zantac or the liquid Mylanta isn’t working, I know the Helicobacter is back again & give Losec & the Metronidazole for 7 days, maybe start cooking the raw diet instead of feeding raw, they need a healthy stomach to eat raw, I put Patch on raw diet thru a Naturopath but I had to add probiotic & digestive enzyme but Patches acid reflux got worse again when he was burping up water from the raw, the raw must of been digesting real quickly cause of the digestive enzymes & he was bringing the raw back up & swallowing it, regurgitating it, so I started cooking the raw diet, it was heaps better now I feed kibble for breakfast & cooked diet for dinner I buy lean pork mince make into rissoles with some parsley boiled sweet potatoes broccoli & zucchini I change things sometimes, but I’ve stopped the cooked chicken breast, he kept having a red hot swollen back paw & was licking & licking the back paw& was scratching & burping real bad after eating the cooked chicken breast so maybe he’s sensitive to chicken….