[sharon b]

This is all very helpful. I am still overwhelmed when I look at the way it is sold. I know I want the chicken necks for their teeth, and all different sources of meat. It seems one post seemed to suggest that possibly chicken might be the reason for her particular dogs allergies. My puppy has had this sinus infection for what seems like forever and the antibiotics are not making it better. They have been getting a taste of raw in their food, and love it, now won’t eat it without. I just am not sure how much to give them in comparison to kibble, especially the puppy, who eats sometimes up to 4 to 5 cups twice daily. Other days not as much. My vet said, just let him eat for about 15 minutes, but
he tends to eat till he is full, and we then pick it up, not letting him pick all day. I went to Darwin’s and it calculates based on dog’s weight, but I can’t use that for him, he eats more at this stage. Cost is also a factor, especially shipping, so was looking into perfectly raw. Does anyone have experience with them? How do most people order for their larger dogs? I don’t have a giant freezer.

[InkedMarie]

Marta,
I assume you mean Pawfectly Raw….if yes, the meat is restaurant quality, FDA approved. The beef is from farms, retired cows, no 4D. The farms are from VT & NY.

[Cheryl F]

Hi Sharon,

I replied to you on the other thread about most reputable raw food supplier. One other thing to consider. Dont get yourself too worked up about mixing in kale, garlic, this that or the other. Easiest thing for you to do would be to source a good supplier for Salmon Oil, multivitamins and DE (diatomaceous earth). The raw food suppliers will have the ground mixes available for purchase. In my house we buy the grounds (such as ground up chicken with organ meat with vegetables mixed in, beef with organ mix, trachea/gullet mix as well as green tripe. the green tripe is a very excellent source for dogs as it can help them with kidney problems. When dogs are on a raw diet their BUN/Creatinine numbers will different than if they they were on a kibble diet. I dealt with a saint that had symptoms of renal failure when I had her on kibble – and when i had her on raw the green tripe helped to level out those numbers. We feed whole chicken necks, chicken paws, cut up pieces of chicken (back, thigh/leg, breast and gibblets) as well as turkey necks, duck necks, ground mixes and the three x/ week raw meaty bones such as marrow bones, knuckle bones, etc…

We give our dogs a good multivitamin that is tasty to them, salmon oil and DE mixed in with their food daily. My 14 yr old basset had horrible plaque build up on her teeth and now they are all sparkly white. My ‘western medicine’ vet is now finally convinced that the raw diet is so much better than the kibble could hope to be.

Hope this helps you.

[Susan]

Hi Jen, I know what your going thru, for 2 years my boy has the same gulping fits, swollowing & swallowing, he had Endoscope & biopsies done, last December, biopsies found Moderate to chronic Lymphocytic gastritis with associated spiral bacteria infection..(Heliocobacter-Pylori) vet was surprised that his stomach had no ulcers or scaring from old ulcers & the stomach look really good, vet couldn’t get into the small bowel cause his lower pylori spincter was close & the only way to get more answers was to have Patch cut open & have more biopsies on small bowel to see what is happening, I said NO, I cant do that to him cut him open & then do what, we already have tried all the medications…. I thought once he takes all the meds for his Helicobacter & & a diet change (Vet Diet Royal Canin Gluten free Duck & Tapioca) everything will be great… when the meds were finished, he started his has swallowing & swallowing attacks again, more when he eats cooked foods or raw diet, he starts regurgitating & water comes up & then he swollows & swollows the water…I think his esophageal spincter isn’t closing properly.. I have it, its called non ulcer dyspepsia, vet said he has acid reflux & he was put on Losec cause the Zantac or Pepcid wasn’t working no more…
You know how you said he’s on the Hills Z/d so we know its not the food PLEASE PLEASE try another food, my boy didn’t get better on the Hills Z/d…..a few other people I know from a Face Book group said their dogs also didn’t do well on the Hills Z/d vet diets…. at first we thought he was doing better cause Z/d has more insoluble fiber, so it moves thru the stomach quicker, then diets with more soluble fiber but now when I look back it was probably the Ant-Acid meds that stopped his swallowing & swallowing attacks….also low fat diets help…look for a new diet that’s limited ingredient, novel protein & 1 carb “California Natural” has hypoallergenic diets, their Lamb & Rice has just 4 ingredients, http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products & see if you see any improvement & try a different ant acid maybe Zantac if you don’t want to use a Pump Proton Inhibitor (Losec or Somac) I found Somac to be better as it didn’t affect the bowel like Losec did …You keep saying you know its not the food but have you tried any other diets, I would be trying a new diet before trying any medications, I’ve learnt along the way that food seem to work the best & supplements… Lew Olson has a great face book group called K9 Nutrition & she helps & answers all post…..

Finally after Patch not getting better up & down some nights with these swallowing attacks, …I feed a Hypoallergenic gluten dairy sugar FREE Salmon & Sardine kibble that’s is 10% fat that I soak in water till its soft then drain all water very well then put thru a mini processer blender for a few seconds it comes out like wet tin food & what a difference it has made I’m not being woken up thru the night ….its not 100% we still have the odd swallowing attack (acid reflux) sometimes cause I’ve been introducing new foods to the diet, I just give 3 ml liquid Mylanta & the Mylanta seems to help & stops the swallowing & swallowing attacks….
Sometimes you need to do things yourself as vets aren’t real good with nutrition & dog foods they stick with their vet diets & think they’re great, I tried them all, Hills being the worst as it caused bad skin problems & they use chicken even though the chicken is broken down some dogs still pick up that it was once a chicken & have a reaction with the Z/d diet.. join this Face Book group, there’s a few dogs that have these swallowing attacks aswell “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder group” Good-Luck

[Christie]

Hi everyone.

I have a 6 year old American Bulldog Mix and a 6 month old Catahoula mix. I’ve been going back and forth trying to find a quality food brand to feed them. Right now they eat Castor & Pollux Organix Adult and Organix Puppy. And they share a can of Castor & Pollux wet food once a day.

Both Petco and Petsmart have essentially rid themselves of the brand. And while I can buy online, I’m essentially looking for a food that I can feed them both.

Both Merrick Grain Free (rated on here at 5 stars) and Whole Earth Farms (rated here at 4 stars) offer dry and wet All Life Stages foods. I know Merrick owns WEF. Is there a big difference in quality between the two? There’s an approximate $15 difference in price between them and I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth it. Or it WEF is a decent brand.

My dogs aren’t happy with the C&P food. Before that they were on Ideal Balance dry (which they also didn’t want to eat). I’ve spent a lot of time transitioning from one brand to the next and I’m hoping that Merrick (or WEF) will be a quality food they will look forward to eating. I know that big brands fill their foods with ingredients dogs love to eat and sometimes it’s harder to get a dog to adapt to a higher grade food.

My mother recently adopted a puppy and the shelter gave her a bag of Purina Smart One Puppy. She gobbles it up and won’t eat anything else. I’ve already schooled her on their questionable ingredients. I fed a small amount to my very picky eating puppy and I was not surprised to find the bowl empty 1 minute later and that she was literally licking it clean. It would be easy to feed her that (my vet recommends Purina Pro Plan and says he feeds his dogs that). But I know what’s in the bag and I’ve already attempted to feed my large dog their Pro Plan Large Breed dry a year ago on the vet’s suggestion, only to find nasty meal worms crawling around inside the storage container I had the food in and my dog’s food bowl (I know this has more to do with packaging/shipping than production, but still. I’ve since read up on the brand and am not impressed.

Merrick seems to be a decent brand of food. And on paper WEF seems just as good. Both are readily available at my local Petco and online. But it Merrick brand worth the extra $15/bag over WEF?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Christie.

[C4D]

Thanks everyone. I’m happy to report the patient seems to be doing well so far. el doctor and Dori, I did back off the raw for her and am feeding just canned for the next few days. She is enthustiascally eating it while the others are having their raw. I have a lot of raw, but may throw some chickens into the crock pot so she can indulge! 🙂

Dori, I’m watching the potatoes and feeding the anti-inflammatory foods, so she hasn’t had any swelling yet. 🙂 The vet asked if I wanted and NSAID, of course I said no, but she is getting a bit of Tramadol.

jakes mom, she LOVES her coconut oil and would love any excuse for more!

el doctor, that was my main concern. Since it was in the front of her mouth, bacteria was a consideration and since she has a host of occaisonal issues, I didn’t want to stress her system any further.

So far, so good! Hopefully we will be able to keep her teeth clean and won’t have these issues again.

But, here’s another question. Has anyone used an electric toothbrush for their dogs teeth? I was thinking this might be more efficient in brushing if I can get them used to the sound. Thoughts and experiences are greatly appreciated!

[Pitlove]

This is the GA for the Hill’s Metabolic and Mobility:

Average Nutrient and Caloric Content
Dry 3210 kcal/kg (291 kcal/cup†)

Nutrient
Dry Matter1
%
Protein 28.0
Fat 14.6
Carbohydrate (NFE) 36.2
Crude Fiber 14.9
Calcium 0.95
Phosphorus 0.7
Sodium 0.37
Potassium 0.88
Magnesium 0.159
Carnitine 400 ppm
Vitamin C 324 mg/kg
Vitamin E 741 IU/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate 1174 mg/kg (ppm)
Glucosamine 738 mg/kg (ppm

The protein is highER than most of their formulas and the carbs are low which is why it is meant to help your dog lose weight. I agree that the ingredients are sub-par. Prehaps look for a food with better ingredients but very very close %’s on the GA. This food also contains Chondroitin and Glucosamine for the joints. I’m not sure if a senior formula would contain those ingredients but be high enough protein and low enough carbs to help your girl lose weight. If you switch to something that is better quality and the same %’s on the GA make sure you add a joint supplement.
I have heard really good things about this product: http://www.naturvet.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=39&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4

Edit: Remember a “weight loss” food does not work if they are taking in more calories than they are burning. If your senior dog is less active make sure to decrease the amount they are eating as well to aid in weight loss. Also senior dogs have a increased need for quality animal protein, not a decrease. Perhaps consider looking into a raw diet for her?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.

[Cheryl F]

Hi Sharon – Thanks for your thoughts. Not a day goes by when I dont think back on my four Saints. The RAW diet could have helped them to live longer healthier lives. But embarking on a change for you to a RAW diet is the best thing you can do for your pooches. The advice you were given already on calculating amount of food is accurate. Go with 2% of their body weight (assuming they aren’t overweight now). If you want them to loose weight you need to adjust. I feed my 4 dogs (small ones now….) 3 x/day. I do this because I lost one saint to bloat and i’m not going down that road again. Since I work from home, I can do this with relative ease. Any deep chested dog is susceptible to bloat. I have a separate stand up freezer that is dedicated to my pooches so I can order in bulk. That way when it’s time to prepare their food, I take out about 20lbs at a clip, and spend about 1-2 hours chopping up, and preparing their food in large tupperware type containers. Then I freeze them and can portion out food for 5 days or so before I have to chop again. Not only does it help the dogs, but helps to build up biceps! 🙂 Added benefit. I also frequent the grocery stores for deals on chicken. I have found that I can buy chicken for sometimes $0.69/lb rather than an exorbitant $3.00/lb online at these food suppliers. Good luck with your change over.

Cheryl

[ed s]

Its a deficiency in vitamin or mineral. Dog food is sterilized since it comes from different sources so they add all vitamins anf minerals and most are synthetic and will not get absorbed. Try feeding him cooked or raw organ meats and raw or cooked meat his poop will be 75% smaller since there is no fillers and extra toxins.

[ed s]

Switching to raw food and raw bones in most beneficial for a dog, also you can cook the meat and give him but bones always raw. Also include organ meat any type you can get cooked or raw. I have been dealing with huge amount of sick dogs from store bought food one reason it that it is almost 40-60% fillers. While feeding raw always include raw bones. Also try to get raw pupmkin and sunflower seed not salted, and grind em up and do a 1- 3 tablespooons or more just not like a cup a day. By feeding raw you are building up immune in your puppy so you can look for altearnatives as hearthworm and tick prevention. A dog needs a balance fat and proteins since glucogen dogs get from fat ( we get from carbs very important for brain development) so feeding some raw green beans or a tablespoon of honey a day will be enough.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sharon- While I can’t give you a ton of advice on raw (others here can and Im sure will chim in) I do know that raw meaty bones help clean their teeth really well and are quite healthy for them.

I’ve also heard from a few people that they don’t feel that puppies in general should eat grain free however that is probably more towards dry food and not raw since raw is the ideal diet and contains no grains or carbs. Dr. Karen Becker interviewed a doctor who breeds Newfies and has all the pups on a raw diet. One of his Dam’s lived to 17 years old on raw.

Perhaps check out Darwins Pet Foods, they do raw and its already complete and balanced. Hare Today is grinds so you have to add your own vitamins etc. I’m sure others who do feed raw can give you some other sites or suppliers to look into. If your Newfie pup is still under 8 months you will need to make sure he’s getting proper calcium and phosphorus levels and make sure hes not being overfed. That will also aid in preventing skeletal disorders and overgrowth.

[InkedMarie]

Sharon,
Where are you in NH? I’m in Gilford! If you’re wondering how much to feed your dogs, go to the Hare Today website. Click the feeding calculator & it will tell you how much to start with.
Both Tracys (at Hare Today & Pawfectly Raw NE) have large breed dogs 7 they can help you.

[sharon b]

I am getting quite an education which is what I need. See newest post from me. Trying to find source, and seems I have, and how to switch my Newf and Husky to a raw diet and this is the first post from someone with a larger breed that I have seen. I am so sorry for your loss. All of your St. Bernard’s, but would love to know their previous feedings as I embark on this. Hard to extrapolate from people feeding schnauzer’s and such. I also am in NH and both the Cambridge and NH sources seem very possible.

[sharon b]

I want to add I like the idea of them eating food that helps clean their teeth and obviously the ground raw patties I am giving is not doing that. So does it need to contain crushed bone? Totally new to this. Also the puppy has had a sinus infection pretty much since he was 13 weeks and been on antibiotics but not really affected his behavior greatly. Two weeks initially on antibiotics that we thought cleared it, then once pollen came out it re-appeared and is now on his 6th week of two antibiotics that are quite expensive and he does not seem much better. Every morning (mostly) blows brown snots especially when he sneezes so he may have an allergy even though he tested positive for 3 bacteria’s at the vet. It may just be the mucus keeps getting infected. I also want to make sure he has the appropriate nutrients like glucosamine sulfate & chondroitin for a large breed etc.

[sharon b]

I have one 80 pound husky and a 80 pound Newfoundland puppy that I am considering switching to raw food. I have been adding raw to their dry food mostly as we have been training and this makes the puppy eat his food and makes his bowel movements predictable and training now finally is established. They both seem to love the commercial raw I have been buying but I just can’t seem to find a good food for a decent price that suits them both. Grain free products gave the puppy diarrhea, and I refuse to give him anything with rice that has arsenic in it. I read several other post’s, one that there was a NH dealer that deliver’s a good raw for a $10 fee, need to research that further, also one that said that feeding raw requires less overall food and even better less overall waste (poops). Let me tell you this puppy is going to be about 165 pounds, and right now eats about 8-9 cups of dry and poops are giant. So any info on what is best to give them, neither is huge on activity, although the puppy will do some swimming but typically Newf’s are laid back, and the husky is 8, and her activity is fighting back the puppy. I am disabled with neck and shoulder issues so mixing this stuff myself is not what I want to do, but I can handle a little of that if needed. Any info is great.

[Pitlove]

Also I believe one poster here Susan is also from Australia, however I think she feeds a raw diet for her pup. Hopefully if she sees this she still might have some dry kibble suggestions for you avaiable in Australia.

[Susan]

Hi, join this Face Book group run by Karen Helton Rhodes she is a certified Veterinary Dermatologists https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563654607200747/

Elimination Raw diet is the best but if you can not feed a raw diet then a cooked elimination
is the next best thing…
I stay away from the grain free diets as they are full of starchy veggies, Potatoes, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Legumes, Lentils Tapioca etc… I found feeding a kibble with brown rice works best 1 novel protein & brown rice the only kibble I know of is the “California Natural” Lamb & Rice it has just 4 ingredients, Lamb, Brown Rice, White Rice & Sunflower oil.. so there’s less chance of your dog having a food reaction if its a food intolerance…
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

[El]

Hi C4D

That’s a GREAT QUESTION!!!

Normally the bacteria from raw is dealt with in the dog’s digestive system. Because of the extractions, the bacteria from the raw could enter directly into the bloodstream and we don’t know how your particular dog will be able to handle it. There is also the extra stress to the immune system from having the extractions performed.

I would be cautious for a few days and maybe feed the canned or if you use chunks of meat for raw you could quickly sear the outside of the meat to kill any potentially harmful bacteria before it enters the bloodstream. If you feed ground meat this won’t be as effective because the bacteria is all through the meat and not just on the outside.

The possible risks will be there until her mouth is fully healed preventing direct access into the bloodstream.

[Anonymous]

From the symptoms you have described it sounds like your dog has environmental allergies, if it was my dog would make an appointment with a specialist/dermatologist and get the skin testing done asap. It helps to feed a high quality limited ingredient food, my dog does well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea….but until she started ASIT, nothing helped and it kept getting worse. Use the search engine on the home page, Forums, on this site to look up allergies, I think you will find some helpful information. /forums/search/allergies/

Helpful article below:
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.

[jcholl9]

Hi I have a schnauzer named Sammy and he’s 10 years old and she’s just one of the family.
She’s had a history of bladder stone issues since she was a puppy. All her life we’ve been in control of it for her. For the last few years she’s been on grain free dog food because we’ve discovered that the grain stuff was bad for her.

But long story short she went into the vet a few weeks ago for a check up and we had an x-ray done on Sammy. Finding a built up of bladder stones, it was bad. Bad enough put Sammy on the s/d dog food they gave us. First off the people at the Vet are nice and my family and I like them.

The dog food has helped Sammy get rid of some the bladder stones and only a few remain. But the main problem now is that she’s lost a lot of weight, slowly gaining it back we have her on, her old canned dog food.

She needs to get her strength and normal weight back. One of the draw backs is she can’t hold her potty sometimes and make’s a mess… Not fun for her and us…
Is there anything natural we can to build up her weight. I want Sammy to have fun again playing with her toys…

Any advice would be great ?

I’m glad I found this site 🙂

[jcholl9]

Hi I have a schnauzer named Sammy and he’s 10 years old and she’s just one of the family.

She’s had a history of bladder stone issues since she was a puppy. All her life we’ve been in control of it for her. For the last few years she’s been on grain free dog food because we’ve discovered that the grain stuff was bad for her.

But long story short she went into the vet a few weeks ago for a check up and we had an x-ray done on Sammy. Finding a built up of bladder stones, it was bad. Bad enough put Sammy on the s/d dog food they gave us. First off the people at the Vet are nice and my family and I like them.

The dog food has helped Sammy get rid of some the bladder stones and only a few remain. But the main problem now is that she’s lost a lot of weight, slowly gaining it back we have her on, her old canned dog food.

She needs to get her strength and normal weight back. One of the draw backs is she can’t hold her potty sometimes and make’s a mess… Not fun for her and us…

Is there anything natural we can to build up her weight. I want Sammy to have fun again playing with her toys…

Any advice would be great ?

I’m glad I found this site 🙂

[Amy S]

Hi Melissa,
I know this is an old thread. I see you are an experience miniature schnauzer owner and signed up to hopefully learn a little from you about diet because I’m pulling my hair out. I’ve been feeding raw for 2 1/2 years, basically since I rescued Lilly. First I started with chicken thighs and i would also buy organic pieces of beef from whole foods that were for beef stew, then I started using a co-op. For about 4-5 months I’ve been using Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. Just recently I’ve noticed a difference in her. Some days she is herself. Following me around, happy, and, consistently begging when I’m eating. Then the next she is lethargic and won’t even move when I’m eating (very odd for her) but on all of these days, she still eats. She is 22 pounds and i would say about 5 years old. Not positive of her age because she was a rescue. Now I very concerned that maybe she is getting too much fat and it’s effecting her pancreas. I thought I would be able to message you privately. Could you possibly e-mail me? amys4304@gmail.com
Thanks,
Amy

[Dori]

Hi C4D. I figured that was what your concern was. I don’t think raw is an issue but if it will make you feel better than feed canned but please don’t forget that canned is not without it’s own bacterial issues. As to anti-inflammatory supplements I would look into feeding anti-inflammatory fruits and veggies. Just google them. I’ve never had any luck with turmeric or golden paste made with turmeric for any of my girls including myself. Also, don’t forget to avoid any and all pro-inflammatory ingredients. Google that also.

[C4D]

Hi Dori & C4C,

She had 2 incisors pulled after finding pockets in the gums. I was concerned only about the potential bacteria from raw. As you probably already know, I normally feed 1 meal raw & 1 canned/kibble mix. I can easily just feed canned food for several days. I was looking for others with experience in this situation.
While we’re at it, any thoughts on natural anti-inflammatory? I do have turmeric.

[Pitlove]

I use antlers as well for my pit and I haven’t had any issues, however as far as I know my pit doesnt have any allergies. Trying to keep it that way by changing proteins a lot. I also use freeze dried raw treats with one ingredient in them. Maybe that could be something to look into for a nice healthy treat for her.

[Dori]

Hi C4D. I’ve done it in the past with no issues, never even occurred to me that there would be an issue. With that said, we all know that all dogs are different. Was the tooth extraction because of an infection or a cracked tooth? Was it a molar or a tooth? It would also depend, I think, on how long your dog has been a raw fed dog, meaning that his gut/immune system would be in peak performance. If you’re at all worried and you feed on occasion a quality canned food, then you might just want to do that for the first couple of days or so after extraction. Anyway, just my opinion.

[C4D]

Hi All!
I have a possibly silly question. Can a dog be fed Raw immediately after tooth extractions? I haven’t run into this problem before. But now I have this dilemma. Thanks!

C4D

[Dori]

A complete and balanced raw diet. Either home prepared or feed as I do and that is commercial raw frozen formulas. I feed a few different ones. I rotate brands and proteins. One of my girls has a tumor in her bladder and a mass on the lobe of one of her lungs. Diagnosed 15 months ago and remains asymptomatic.

[aquariangt]

Canine Caviar advertises a bit towards dogs with cancer, other than that I would try to go grain free for the anti inflammatory properties, or even better raw

[Samantha F]

Hi- just found this board while looking for something to help with my 5 yr old Bella who is a blue brindle full APBT. First, we know she has chicken allergies. The first year we had her we battled with bumps. She was on and off antibiotics because the vet thought that was what would help since nothing else they tested her for showed up. She would have bumps, runny/mucousy stool, gas and an always rumbling tummy. After a lot of reading I decided to cut chicken out of her diet as I read that it was a fairly common food allergen. I changed her food to Orijen 6 Fish (we tried Orijen Regional Red and that affected her also) and I also started her on probiotic/digestive enzymes because of being on antibiotics so much. She was completely normal within 1-2 weeks. We rarely have issues unless she gets a treat with chicken meal or something. I am very careful what we or any visitors feed her. I check all treats that I buy for any kind of chicken products. I recently gave her a Bully stick and a different type of dry cookie. I’m not sure if it’s one of those or something else, but my poor baby has tons of hive looking bumps on her head, ears, underarms, etc. (one of her worst reactions yet). She rarely gets itchy when she gets them, but it looks horrible and Benadryl doesn’t seem to be helping. The only other thing we’ve added to her food is Answers Raw Goats milk, but she has been getting that for about 2+ months – so I doubt it’s that. Any ideas on how to bring down these hives would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

[El]

Hi Udi

I wouldn’t worry about whether or not you did something wrong at this point. If you get another dog I would wait at a bare minimum until he or she is fully developed before I consider spaying or neutering them.

By the way I have never spayed or neutered a dog that was still intact when I rescued or adopted them. I am a firm believer in dealing with dogs the way you deal with children. You don’t remove body parts to change unwanted behaviors and you don’t castrate them as a method of birth control.

You seem like you really take good care of your lab and are very concerned with his well being. Being on the small side is a good thing and puppy food can be fed until your guy stops growing (around a year or so).

Taste of The Wild is a very popular food and if you ever want to “upgrade” spend a little time over on the review side of this website and check out the 5 star, freeze dried, dehydrated and raw foods.

Keep up the good work!

[Kristin C]

I’m not sure I qualify for what you would consider as preparedness. I feed my dogs mostly raw, but provide 2-3 kibble meals per week because it suits our lifestyle. When we travel we do find kibble to be convenient, particularly for our car sick pup. My dogs eat a combination of grinds, RMBs, and kibble. I actualy have a calendar on the frig with their meals listed about 2 weeks out so I guess I am prepared now that I am writing this. A bag of 5lb kibble lasts about 3-4 months for our 25 lb dog.

[pugmomsandy]

A company around me has a monthly delivery route for raw pet food (and human food). He has 3 or 4 monthly routes to certain areas of the state. A detailed ingredient list of the products would be nice.

[Michael B]

I am looking to start my own Pet food line, mainly Dog food. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I own a meat manufacturing plant that is all natural and USDA certified. I was thinking of mass producing Raw food thats all Human grade. Any thoughts?

[Jennifer H]

I keep some high quality frozen kibble in the freezer in case of emergency, if the power goes out just thaw it out and I’m good. I also have a flock of free range chickens, so my dog would be supplemented with a daily fresh egg. Also if the power went out the food would still be edible for the dog for a few days if kept in a cooler with ice. I also keep a few cans of dog food on hand in case of emergency.

I feed my dog a raw diet and I love it. I’ve been formulating my own recipes somewhat based off of HoundDogMom’s (check out her stickied thread.) but with more ‘parts’ aka a lot of variety in bones and meats. It’s been kind of getting to be a pain in the butt lately though, so I think I’m going to fully switch to her model with a few minor tweaks to suit my small dog. Instead of grinding my own meat I’m just going to be preground meat from Hare Today (probably going to use the whole rabbit and the goat instead of chicken/beef, and then use chicken necks and feet as his evening rmbs, because chicken bones are the only ones he can safely eat.)

Be careful feeding kibble and raw in the same meal. Some dogs can get digestive upset from this, although some dogs tolerate it fine.

[Connie T]

Hi there, I am currently cooking for my dogs and seriously considering switching to raw. I do still feed a small amount of their dry food and always want to keep it on hand in case of a situation where running to the store is not an option (power outages etc.) So if I did switch to raw I would still give them a small amount of dry food and always keep plenty of it in air tight containers. In a worse case scenario, dry would be better than nothing. Is anyone else into preparedness and have you considered your pets and how you would feed them say if the power went out for a week?

[InkedMarie]

When the PawfectlyRawNE’s website comes back up, check them out. They do have what you’re looking for.

[InkedMarie]

Cheryl,
Check out Reel Raw (google for the website). Shipping is free, depending on where you live and how much you buy. I’m not sure if Pawfectly Raw NE has what you’re looking for.

[Cheryl F]

I’m in search of another raw dog food supplier in the northeastern section of the country. Hare todays quality is very good, but the prices are quite high comparing to some others.

I started another investigation this morning looking for some suppliers where I can get actual food, not a blend, freeze dried or combo. Looking for RMB’s of chicken/duck/turkey necks, chicken paws, stuff like that.

Many of the companies that supply raw dog food that is recommended by this forum are all blended foods or freeze dried combos.

What am i missing? Why dont people want to feed their dogs actual bones instead?

[Bobby dog]

Hi D O:
On Dr. Wynn’s website she had a document posted on hypoallergenic treats with a link to a website that sold exotic meats. The company was located in Washington, but it looks like it closed recently. I found this site through a Google search, they are located in California:
http://www.exoticmeatmarkets.com/expetforaw.html

Did you check out this option on Balance IT?
https://secure.balanceit.com/marketplace2.2/details.php?i=17&cc=

Here’s info on individual consultations:
https://secure.balanceit.com/info/acvnecvcn.php

I am going to try out their Carnivore Blend for Bobby and the cats next month.

There’s also Just Food For Dogs custom and Rx diets. I want to give one of their DIY kits a try:
http://justfoodfordogs.com/vet-support-diets.html
http://justfoodfordogs.com/custom_prescriptive

Here are some sites I have come across and bookmarked. I haven’t really looked into them too much, but maybe one of them has some options for you:
http://www.raynenutrition.com/default.asp
https://www.petdiets.com/

[Susan]

Hi, you need to find a new vet, one that knows about IBD…. some vets are useless when it comes to SIBO, EPI & IBD, was your dog put on Metronidazole for 3 weeks?? Metronidazole is an antibiotic for the Stomach & Bowel…Or Tylan Powder get some Tylan Powder & give 1/8 teaspoon with food once a day. Tylan Powder taste awful so I put 1/8th teaspoon in those empty capsules & make Tylan capsules up, it can turn dogs off their food
when just added to their meal, it taste very bitter, Tylan Powder makes poos nice & firm..
Joined this Face Book group “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder” they will help you where to buy the Tylan powder some people give the Tylan twice a day, vet said to start with 1/8 teaspoon with breakfast or dinner once a day….find a new kibble with limited ingredients, have you tried, “California Natural” Lamb & Rice it has just 4 ingredients, Lamb, Brown Rice, White Rice, Sunflower Oil.. no peas no potatoes my boy cant eat potatoes…another thing I had too do was lower the fat% the California Natural fat is 11%min Protein is 21%min fiber is 2.5%min http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/1211
Boiled rice can irritate the bowel, Pumkin can make poos sloppy as its high in fiber.
I boil Quinoa instead as its gluten free… I buy extra lean beef grounded mince for humans, I bake mini meat loaves with blended broccoli, celery & carrot not much I add 2 spoons of the blended veggies to 1 kilo (2lb) mince mix thru, no egg then I add the cooled Quinoa with the beef mince & veggie mix about 1/4 – 1/2 cup boiled quinoa…. I make little rissole as treats & mini meat loaves….add less of everything then after a week when poos are firm add more of the veggie mix make sure you blend any raw veggies in a blender or mini processor..dogs cant digest veggies especially raw veggies..

I wouldn’t feed raw at this time, until you work out what’s wrong..
I went thru a Naturopath 2 months ago to start a raw diet & I had to add Digestive Enzymes with every meal so his poos were firm & there was no jelly mucus, diarrhea or gurgling rumbling bowel noises & he didn’t feel sick…. raw can make some dogs feel sick..
I also had to add a live Probiotic to help firm up the poo Patch wasn’t allowed no bone or organ meat until we fixed his stomach & bowel…I cook the raw diet now (meat loaf) as my boy was regurgitating the raw meal 3 hours later, water kept coming up into mouth…

Start again you will either need the Metronidazole or Tylan powder & a limited ingredient diet no treats nothing except his meals….
the only way a vet or IMS will know what is wrong is to do a Endoscope & biopsies or to be cut open & biopsies taken from the small & large bowel, you can have Colonoscopy like humans have but I think they can not get to the small bowel that’s way the Endoscope is the best to have done…..a lot of people in the Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder Face Book group just do the Endoscope & Biopsies that’s what I had done…..shop around as prices very…….

[Jack B]

Our terrier mix has been having problems the past 2 years with his poop and we are goign crazy figuring out what to do. One day about 2 years ago we noticed some blood and mucous in his poop. We had him checked out and the Vets found nothing wrong. We can;t afford to do all the testing they want us to do, so we switched his good to a Rabbit based food and it cleared up after about 3 weeks. Then about a year later he started having blood again and his poop is very soft and sometimes mostly liquidy. He also strains to go and goes sometimes 4-6 times in one walk. We did a allergy test where you send out a piece of rope that they chew and get saliva on and the results said he was allergic to a few things, but I dont know if those tests are even accurate. We took him again to the vet and he put his on a prescription food with chicken with was supposed to be easy to digest. His poop started coming out in small nuggets but he was still straining and still had some blood. After 3 weeks we went back to his Rabbit based food and things didn’t get better. His poop get much looser and is almost always mostly liquidy and still has some blood. So what do we do now? Try a different food? What would you recommend? SHould we try a raw diet? Totally different protein souce? Why did the rabbit based food work for a while and now no? Thanks in advance.

[Vincent L]

I have not yet tried them but probably will. Try contacting through the FB page I know they have had trouble with their web page. I requested a price list and one was sent to me very quickly. I requested through a private message in Face Book.
FYI if you live and/ or work in the Boston area I just found a Poultry supplier in Cambridge that caters to raw feeding. The name is Mayflower Poultry and they are on 621 Cambridge Street in Cambridge. I went there yesterday and picked up chicken backs, necks, feet as well as turkey necks. great way to try it out as they have smaller batches you can try but they also sell by the case. Their prices are about the same as Pawfectly. I just walked in no need to call in an order ahead of time unless your looking for specific items that they may not normally stock. They also had trachea, Tripe, Ox tails…I would have purchased more but I don’t have a freezer yet.

[Marta W]

hi there,
i live in southern metro west and i was looking into pawfectly raw myself but couldnt get info on the meat, do they have the meat inspected at all? is it good quality? what do you know about them?
At the moment i am doing victory dog food and it costs me around $16 for 5lbs of ground chicken mix with vegg in it, turkey is ~$17 anf beef ~25 for 5lbs which is too steep for me but i would like to introduce diff proteins to my dog diet

[Marta W]

Vincent, do you like Pawfectly RAw? I have emailed them with questions regarding quality and origin of their meat and they never replied to me.
They prices seem pretty good so i would like to try it, especially since i work in Natick and they deliver somewhere around there right?
Would you recommend them? Have you talked to them??

[Miss Koa]

Thank you Red for the PDF. I hadn’t searched it. It has very interesting info. I appreciate that! I like that I can refer to it on my tablet because I have it with me all the time. 🙂

Hi, crazy4cats! Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I know, the thought of raw meat kind of gives me the heebie jeebies. 😀 Where can I find this “commercial premix” stuff? Is it expensive? Is it sold in regular stores or do I have to order it online? Right now I’m doing a raw chicken in the morning and kibble in the evening…at least until I can figure stuff out. 🙂 At least my husband isn’t complaining….yet. 🙂

Hi Kristin C! Thank you for your reply! What is “homemade raw”? Do you grind the muscle meat, organs and supplements together? Also, do you feed it at the same time with the raw meaty bones or are they separate meals? I’m glad to hear that you haven’t had any contamination issues. That’s my main concern. I am very diligent about keeping my kitchen and work area very clean. ( I’m a bit of a germaphobe…lol! ) I was concerned more like if my dog ate her chicken, then she walked around the house, would it get on my socks…then if I went to lie down, will it transfer from my socks to the bed….that kind of thing. 🙂 Maybe I’m over thinking this too much.

I agree. It is a process and I can’t say for SURE that this is the best diet…still researching…but I also feel that I like the idea of feeding my dog food that I know is not filled with unnecessary chemicals and fillers.

Thank you everyone for your opinions and input. I appreciate all the help I get! 🙂

[Kristin C]

Hi Miss Koa-I feed both my dogs raw, mostly homemade and raw meaty bones, no more than 2-3 kibble meals per week. The ratio between homemade raw and commercial raw I feed depends upon the time of year. Right now, I will buy more commercial raw since the summer gets busy and it’s also easier to feed RMBs. I also buy raw nuggets from Steve’s Real Food For Dogs. It’s not HPP treated though, which I prefer. I also order grinds and RMBs from Reel Raw in Maine, and occasionally get turkey necks from a grocery store. When I make homemade food it’s a combo of muscle meat and organs plus a supplement. When I feed RMBs I make sure I add matching organs in proportion (this is cheaper I am finding). I also add some fish oil and vit E a few time per week (or sardines) plus a raw egg and cottage once or twice per week.

I have not found feeding raw to have any contamination issues. When I make the food I take the same precautions as if I was making food for me and my husband. Children,and the ill, I would watch out for though as others have mentioned. I only feed raw grinds inside, I feed in small mason jars. RMBs I feed outside, but my dogs don’t use their paws.

The final thing I can add about feeding raw is that I think it’s great IF it works for your dog. It is definitely a process. I have changed how I feed my dogs several times in the last year, keep reading and form your own opinions on what works for your dog and household.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Miss Koa-
I only regularly feed my dogs fresh once per week. I buy fresh ground turkey or beef and lightly brown it and add a commercial premix to it for the proper vitamins and such. I’m not that worried about salmonella in the meat, but I just cannot bring myself to feed it totally raw. But, it does get pinker and pinker every week. Hope you find a comfortable solution that you both agree on.

C4D-
Good tip for dissinfecting the “wipers”!

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if you saw this when/if you used the search button, you may find some useful tips http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

I like The SkeptVet, I was listening to the homeopathic vets and some of what they say just doesn’t make sense to me.

I find The SkeptVet”s opinions to be to be more science based. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2013/11/raw-diets-for-pets/comment-page-1/#comment-111864

[Sarah M]

Hello All,
I have two Dobermans that tend to be on the thin side (vet confirmed). They are active but not overly so. Does anyone have recommendations for putting weight on a dog? Any dog food brands or supplements that have worked for you? I’ve tried upping the amount of kibble and canned but there’s a point where it’s too much food and they get loose stools. I also tried raw but they lost weight on the recommended amounts and it became cost prohibitive.

Thank you for taking the time to read my question!
Sarah