[Miss Koa]

Good morning! Thank you Aimee and C4D for taking the time out to reply! It is pretty overwhelming… Interesting study regarding the vacuum contents. I had no idea! So my fear isn’t THAT irrational then. Lol! But yeah, I’m trying to figure out if this is right for me or not. I appreciate any input for and against raw feeding…I rather be well informed than just go into it thinking “people say it’s best, so it must be true” kind of thing. Thank you C4D for the links! I have heard about the sponge thing and was told to throw them in the dishwasher once in a while, but I like your idea of nuking them for two minutes. Thanks for the tip!
I am looking at recipes and nutritional information and feel overwhelmed a bit. My husband is one of those people who figures all they need is meat and sometimes some organs. He’s very stubborn. >:(
Also, I am in Canada, so I don’t know if I can find the same brands of commercial raw dog food here. Do you order online or do they sell them at pet stores or? Chicken and meat in general is expensive here, but we also want what’s best for our dog. 🙂 Thank you again for all your input! So much to read, so much to learn! 🙂

[C4D]

Hi Miss Koa,

First let me say I am not a fan of skeptvet. I do feed raw but I use a commercial raw to feed my dogs. Most of them are HPP processed, especially on the poultry to reduce the possibility of salmonella. If you are feeding your own prepared Raw Diet you do need to be very careful to balance the nutrition properly. If you’re doing this I would research online to get some balance recipes. Many people are simply throwing their dogs some raw meat and calling it a raw diet but that’s nutritionally wrong. theBCnut did give you some good advice and Aimee is correct on some companies using the HPP process and that it can be and is found in kibble and treats. If you research the commercial raw websites, they generally will tell you which are/are not or if all products are HPP processed.
If you are really uncomfortable with feeding raw, you could cook fresh meat and use a premix (Grandma Lucy’s, Sojos, The Honest Kitchen, etc) to feed a fresher diet. I do this on a regular basis in my rotation as well.
I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but the dirtiest/germiest thing in your kitchen is you sponge (if you use one). I microwave my dishrag for 2 minutes every morning and sometimes during the day. I’ve never had any issues with Salmonella since raw feeding. I also have 2 sets of bowls for my dogs and they go in the dishwasher every night.

I’m including some links on homemade raw diets and salmonella from the CDC:

Whole Dog Journal:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_7/features/Home-Prepared-Dog-Food-Nutritional-Information_20568-1.html

CDC Salmonella, general info:
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/

Some cleaning tips:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/cleanliness-helps-prevent-foodborne-illness/CT_Index

http://www.livescience.com/1248-study-microwaves-kill-kitchen-germs.html

[Vincent L]

Pawfectly comes to two towns that are within 30 minutes of where I live so no problem there. I also found a poultry company in Cambridge, Ma, Mayflower Poultry that caters to raw feeding. I am going to call them today and see what their prices are like and how much variety they have.

[aimee]

Hi Miss Koa,

Bacterial transference is a concern, not only from the material on her mouth and legs but also from the other end too. Salmonella can be a hardy bacteria and a simple wash down after eating is unlikely to eliminate it.

I had a reference, and may still have it, just don’t have time to look, in which the contents of the vacuum cleaner was cultured from homes with raw fed dogs in them, 10% cultured positive. However, homes without raw fed dogs cultured positive as well. It was a much smaller number but statistically there wasn’t a large enough sample to be significant. The stuff gets around. Avoiding raw altogether doesn’t eliminate risk completely as kibble occasionally tests positive and raw protein “treats” are a source as well ( dehydrated chews ie pig ears)

Salmonella is more common in poultry products so you could just avoid those. Another option would be to use a commercial high pressure pasteurized product. Both options would reduce risk. Some companies test and hold their products.

theBcnut summed it up nicely. If there are immunocompromised people in the home, children and I may even add adults on acid reducing medications the risk will be increased that transfer could happen to the individuals in your home. I decided raw wasn’t appropriate for my household. Not just for Salmonella but for other reasons as well.

For great clicker training videos see kikopup on youtube. Her website is dogmantics dot come.

[Miss Koa]

Thanks, theBCnut! Good points. Yeah, the bone thing is mainly for the teeth. We’re all pretty healthy here too. I guess I’m just more anxious. We had dogs before (one just recently passed on at 17!) And they were on kibble. My husband wanted to try the raw diet for this one…..but I’m the one doing all the work!! So it’s all very new to me. I still have lots to read on balancing out nutrition etc. I’m glad I found this forum though! Thanks again for your input! 🙂

[Miss Koa]

Hi there! New to the forum and new to raw feeding. I had a question re safety….(I’m sorry if it’s been asked before…if it is a repeat, could someone direct me? Thank you in advance.) I was just curious, where do you feed your dogs? When they have raw juices like chicken juice on their paws and all over their mouth, is that safe and also safe to run around the house after eating? I have to admit, I’m paranoid about salmonella in the house. At first I started to feed my pup in her crate and then after, carry her straight outside. The weather has been good lately so I started to feed her outside..not in the crate because she would whine and not eat. Then she started to run into the garden with her chicken, which scares me because I know some plants can get salmonella. Lol! My husband thinks I’m paranoid about nothing. That may be so, but I still don’t like the thought of chicken juice paw prints all over the house, clothes,toys and on our bed. I wipe down the kitchen area after handling raw meat…I guess my main concern is about transference of salmonella onto things after she eats. Obviously I won’t let her give kisses or anything like that right after she’s eaten. Hahaha. Do you wash their paws? Or do nothing? Thanks in advance! 🙂

[Vincent L]

InkedMarie, we are in Beverly, MA. I did find the FB page for Pawfectly Raw NE and saw the schedules. I asked her for a spreadsheet of the pricing and products as she was offering to send them to people while the site was down. I will probably give them a try.

[InkedMarie]

I don’t know if Pawfectly goes your way but Reel Raw is free delivery for you if you get at least 30lbs

[Cheryl F]

On the Hare food, our cost is about $500/month. I KNOW!!!!

We have 4 dogs currently.

1 14 yr old Bassett – 60lbs
1 10 yr old Mix – 60lbs
1 5 yr old Basset – 50lbs
1 7 month Border Collie Mix – 50lbs

That price is food + delivery (we pay about $60.00 for fedex 2nd day delivery as Hare is too far away to drive to).

Average it out, we are spending about $125/dog per month. (give or take). I’d love to investigate some of these other providers I think i need to at Pawfectly RAW NE and others near me. (I’m in northern NJ right next to the border of PA/NJ)

[Melissa L]

I haven’t tried this dog food yet, but I’m curious about Merrick’s new “Raw Infused” dry dog foods. I was wondering if you could review this new line Merrick has out?

[InkedMarie]

Vincent,
Hare is more than the Pawfectly Raw NE I talked about but they have great quality! My plans are to get the bulk of my grinds from Pawfectly but get the more exotic proteins (goat, rabbit) from Hare. I cant tell you the cost from Hare sorry, we only figured out the cost for six weeks of Pawfectly.

[Vincent L]

Those of you using Hare today what is your cost to feed per month? I have 2 older 15-18lb Schnauzers with some missing teeth that I want to feed ground raw and we have a 1 year old hound mix who weighs 70lbs that we want to feed a prey model/ ground raw combo. It seems to do this would cost me somewhere over $300 per month based on 3.50/lb many of the mixes I saw on Hare Today were more than that per pound unless I am not seeing something.

[Vincent L]

What is the NH based co? Pawfectly Raw NewEngland?
I am considering them myself. I am hoping to get my older Schnauzers with some teeth removed on a good ground raw diet without spending a ton of money. My son (and us) also own a hound mix boy who is 1 year old and would like to get him started on a prey model/ with some ground raw as well. He is about 70 lbs.

[CircaRigel]

Agreed. A lot of those Petsworld foods and treats are definitely not premium and have alot of fillers your dog doesn’t need. As for Holistic Select, while mostly premium, it contains green tea extract… Wellness, Eagle Pack, Old Mother Hubbard, and Holistic Select all began putting it in all of their foods recently… but there’s a problem. I found a fair bit of research on PubMed that shows it to cause liver toxicity in dogs. Granted, the doses are higher and its worse if given in a fasting state, which wouldn’t be the case in food products, but I still wouldn’t want to risk my dog by touching the stuff.

Galen, my 6-month-old Shiloh is now on Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea for kibble, and Trippett (Green Beef Tripe, Tripe & Venison, & Duck Salmon & Tripe) for his canned food. I decided to follow the recent research that suggests giant breed pups may do best on an adult diet that has the low calcium and phosphorus, as it doesn’t have a lot of extra empty calories. I chose the Pure Sea formula because it has few key ingredients, the first 3 are meat and meat meals (fresh smoked salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal), and is absolutely LOADED with Omega 3’s (brain food and excellent for the immune system, plus anti-inflammatory… perfect for a service dog in training like Galen, or a service dog). It also has the highest rating from Dog food Advisor, and includes probiotics and even some enzymes, like cellulase, which increases the bioavailability of polysaccharides as an energy source. The tripe in Trippett also contains digestive enzymes, which again is beneficial for digestion and increasing the bioavailability of nutrients.

Everything I feed Galen is for a reason. Even his treats, which are Sojo’s Simply Lamb… Only one ingredient- raw lamb, conveniently freeze dried.

[LexiDog]

I would think so. You are feeding her a quality food right now. If it is dehydrated raw, the big difference is the moisture content.

[Susan]

Hi Liane M, I tried a raw diet 3-4 weeks ago Kangaroo cause the fat % was 3% & blended broccoli, carrot celery & apple, I also added a digestive Enzyme 1/2 capsule & probiotic so he doesn’t feel sick, I went thru a Naturopath she said raw can make some dogs feel sick when the Pancreas isn’t working properly, he seemed hungry all the time cause the Naturopath wanted him on just 2 meals a day to rest his stomach & pancreas.. he was waking up2am & sitting in the kitchen to be feed, so I’ve been cooking the raw & have gone back to 4 smaller meals a day….he did real well on the raw for his skin it all cleared up but he was regurgitating the digested raw after 3 hours of eating the raw he was bringing up water & I’d see him swallowing & swallowing then he was getting acid reflux from regurgitating sometimes..
I’ve been soaking kibble in water then when kibble is soft I drain & put thru the mini processor, he doesn’t regurgitate the soaked kibble, I’ve been cooking extra lean beef mince adding blended broccoli, blended carrots, blended celery & making small meat loaves (rissoles) that I freeze & take out the night before & give for breakfast & dinner …I give soaked kibble for lunch & I do another late dinner around 7.30pm some soaked kibble blended it seems to work for him…I tried wet tin food, there was no real low fat wet tin foods fat was all around 5-7% to high & for the price it’s better to cook & you know what they are eating….look into digestive enzymes if you do, do raw..

[Liane M]

Hi! I am new to the pancreatitis world. My yorkiepoo had his first and hopefully only BAD case just the other week. He stayed at the vet for five days. I had the ultrasound to confirm pancreatitis. Prior to the flare up he was eating Hills Science Diet along with boiled chicken and other table scraps. It had to of been an on going thing for him because we were at the vet at least every three months due to vomiting and his vet never had him tested. Any who, after his five day stay he was sent home on a trial basis with SIX different meds. Just the other day he was somewhat back to himself playing and being the dog everyone loved but still NOT eating on his own (he had to be syringe feed). Just today he ate a bit of CANNED TUNA.The fat content is 0% so I figured if he’s eating on his own SCORE! After his dose of meds I mixed a bit more of the tuna with boiled chicken and he ate it all. I know vet wants him to eat Hills RX kibble once he recovers. Now I have read up on this food and most people have said their dog have had MORE flare ups. My local pet store had pointed out a few wet foods that have a fat content as low as 2%. He wouldn’t touch it. Neither would I. I would love to make the home made food for him but everyone says he wouldn’t get the nutrients that are formulated in dog food. A new thing is raw diet. Ground whole chicken and beef. Has anyone consider or tried the raw diet?

[Anonymous]

If it has been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons and the dog has not shown improvement despite food changes, frequent bathing, etc and continues to suffer.
The allergens that the dog is responding to are probably environmental, impossible to avoid and not diet related.
If you use the search engine above on the forum home page and look up “allergies” you will find a lot of my posts and some articles that are very informative.
/forums/search/allergies/

I suggest you consult a dermatologist/specialist as there are other reasons for the symptoms you describe other than food intolerances.

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.

[Susan]

Hi Sue, my boy gets the red around the bottom of his mouth, what I did was change diet & be careful a lot of these grain free diets have Peas, Potaoes, Sweet potatoes that make skin worse, I buy the Huggies Thick Baby Wipes the Cucumber & Aloe after Patch finishes eating I get a baby wipe & wipe his bottom mouth & chin as the food & spit must irritate his skin…I also bath in Malaseb medicated shampoo weekly baths, here’s the raw diet that made Patch all better http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html scroll down till you see “Skin Allergy Diet” & click pick a protein that your girl has never eaten before also pick 2-4 veggies & 1-2 fruits, I picked Kangaroo & broccoli head, 2 carrots 5 celery sticks & 1 apple to start with…. peel then cut up veggies & fruit & put thru a mini processor & blend so the raw veggies & fruit are real fine stop before they become water/pulp, then I had to add 2 heaps spoons veggie/fruit mix to 1 cup of raw Kangaroo meat freeze the rest of the veggie/fruit mix into 2-3 spoon sections & take out the night before put in fridge for next day.. Patches red paws, stinky itchy body started to clear up within 2-3 days I couldn’t believe his red paws went away just after 2 days on the raw diet vet kept telling me he has environment allergies to pollen & grass…. then I bathed him in the Malaseb medicated shampoo its excellent & I haven’t needed to bath him for 1 month since starting the new raw diet… I don’t know if your girl has yeasty skin or environment allergies or food intolerances…Raw is best then cooked if you cant do the raw.. if you feed a kibble you need a limited ingredient hypoallergenic kibble something like “California Natural’ Hypoallergenic limited ingredient kibble.. try the Lamb & Rice it has just 4 ingredients, here’s their link to have a look they also have treats on the same page… The Science Diet Grain Free Ideal Balance has Potatoes & chicken…. if you don’t see any improvement take back for refund & get the California Natural & give that a go if you don’t want to feed a raw or cooked diet… I do both cooked for breakfast & a hypoallergenic gluten free kibble for dinner http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

[Sue L]

I have 2 blue nose pitbull females.They are my children since I lost my 7yr old Bluenose to cancer last summer and he never ever complained about anything up to the day he passed.I got my new babies right away because I was so lonesome without him. Their names are Ava and Nina,Ava is blue/grey with white paws .belly and nose and my Nina is almost totally blue/grey but I’m having issues with Ava’s skin ,mostly where she’s white ,she’s raw .Vet has given her steroids, Benadryl ,A&D Ointment but still around the side of her mouth is so red and raw ,please if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to contact me . They are both weaning off puppy chow grain free to Hills science Diet and grain free treats are also given to them .Please help if possible !

[chris]

Wow, thanks Bobby. That site is great for showing what is toxic and non toxic. I was surprised how much of a list it actually has. I agree some they have listed are questionable, but that is just something that common sense should think about.

For instance they have no raw meat bones, but everyone on here would probably disagree to that lol

[InkedMarie]

Denise,
You can have companies such as Hare Today, Raw Feeding Miami, My Pet Carnivore and Reel Raw deliver complete meal grinds to your house, some with free shipping depending on the amount you order.

[Pitlove]

Your dog is probably bored of the food. Its the same as you changing your diet often so you don’t get bored, your dog would like the same variety.

Give thought to a rotational diet, where you can either rotate the protein source within one brand or the brand and the protein source every 3-4 months to keep your dogs interest peaked. Thats how I solved the problem of my dog being picky and not eating.

I would suggest staying with the 4 to 5 star quality foods and still doing the wet too. I firmly believe wet food should be a part of every dogs diet. Its much healthier for them than dry when you can’t feed a raw diet. Pure Balance is another Walmart brand that is 3.5 or 4 stars I believe for the GF. I feed the dry and wet. I’ve also used Fromm, Nature’s Variety, Orijen, and Precise Holistic Complete.

[InkedMarie]

Regarding your first post, I want to address the Beneful then getting sick…that happens when a dog has been on a low quality food, like Beneful, for years. It probably happens with better quality food too; any food really when a dog eats it so long and gets changed to a better food, tummy upset happens.

I suggest you ask local dog owners/vets/groomers/trainers for recommendations for someone to come in to let your dogs out when you are at work. Your dog needs alot of moisture; canned, raw or dehydrated are much better than dry. If you must feed dry, add canned & water to it. He needs ample opportunity to urinate.

Good luck!

[mah4angel]

Hello all!

It’s been a really long time since I’ve posted here. To those of you who remember my puppy Louie, he’s doing great on his raw diet ^_^
My question pertains to the process of switching to a whole prey feeding method (i.e. handing my pup a whole bunny/quail/mouse/whatever to eat whole).
Is feeding whole prey less expensive? Is it a whole and balanced feeding method? How do I make the switch to feeding this way?
I currently feed my Louie half a pre-prepped raw diet by The Petstaurant (alternating between protein sources) in the morning and greentripe.com’s Exkalibur blend in the evening with appropriate supplements that I can’t remember the ratios of because I figured them out ages ago and now it’s more autopilot than anything.
I’m mainly wondering if the cost of feeding whole prey is more financially friendly. I don’t mind the idea of feeding this way at all- I’m not a squeamish person by any stretch.
I googled whole prey feeding in various iterations but most results were about prey model raw which is not what I was looking for.

Thanks in advance for any replies and suggestions!

[InkedMarie]

That is not a balanced diet. If feeding raw, dogs need meat, organs and bone.
Pre made raws are balanced or you can buy grinds from one of the online places (unless you have a co-op close by). Where do you live?

All dogs are different in their sensitivities/allergies. Some can eat beef, some can’t.

[Taylor C]

Thanks, Susan!
InkedMarie, I’ve been feeding her a mixture of ground beef, sweet potato or pumpkin, green beans, and black beans. I’m thinking the sweet potato and pumpkin are too starchy. And I read that beef is not good for dogs with skin allergies. I’m also worried the grass or grain or corn or whatever the livestock are feeding on is affecting her. My vet said that was very possible. I hate the thought of kibble but I’m not sure raw is working out for her either. Any suggestions??

[Dori]

cindy q. My three girls have been on commercial raw diets, nothing processed including treats for the past 4 years. I rotate their food with every meal. I don’t mix proteins either. I always have 3 or 4 bags started in the freezer at the same time. Different brands, different proteins.

The reason I had stopped feeding Darwin’s awhile back was they went through a change. They increased the fat, lowered the protein and raised the price. The whole idea did not sit right with me. I recently came across Darwin’s on Amazon with free shipping. Same Darwin’s and ships from Darwin’s facility also. You have to buy it in the variety packages though. You can’t specify just one protein. Since I rotate as frequently as I do and my dogs are accustomed to very high proteins, moderate to high quality fats, and low carbs there has not been an issue with Darwin’s. Actually it has less fat than a lot of the other frozen raws I have in rotation. I was just annoyed of the changes that I mentioned above. Now that I don’t have to pay for shipping it makes it easier to not be so annoyed with the company.

[Patricia B]

Mine is more a question than a nomination. Well, more than one question actually. Out of the following 3, which is the best choice?

1. Fromm 4 Star beef
2. Wellness TruFood (small breed)
3. Farmina Pet Food’s N&D

My dogs have tried both the Fromm and the N&D, I have no complaints. Haven’t yet tried the new Wellness.

What would you folks recommend for a Standard Poodle with gastroenteritis. Was on Wellness Complete Turkey & Potato dry, then the dreaded Prescription i/d dry, then Wellness Simple Turkey and Potato dry and now Wellness Simple Lamb & Rice wet & dry.
Last 2 questions…in general, which is better Raw (store bought) or Dry?
Any feedback is very welcome. The Poodle is a Seizure Alert Dog of a client of mine and the company they got him through keeps insisting on the Wellness brand (probably getting a kickback). The other questions would be more for my own 2 dogs but for the Poodle too.
Thank you in advance.

[Dori]

I rotate between brands and the proteins they make with the exception of any fowl as one of my dogs is intolerant of all fowl.

Primal Frozen Raw and I use their freeze dried as treats
Vital Essential Raw and I use their freeze dried tripe as treats
OC Raw Frozen
Answer’s Detailed Frozen Raw
Nature’s Logic Frozen Raw
Steve’s Frozen Raw
Darwin’s (recently put it back into rotation)

I’m sure there are others I use in rotation but can’t think of them at the moment.

[InkedMarie]

Taylor,
what raw food was your dog eating?

[cindy q]

those that feed raw do you rotate between different brands? I am going to be feeding Darwins and Big Dog Natural. Big Dog Natural in the morning and Darwins at night. How many different brands do you use? And what brands are your favorite?

[Bobby dog]

Bobby loves it when the kitties don’t finish all their raw. Sounds like Jake is doing pretty good on RMB’s.

[jakes mom]

Oh, he does ok, Bobbydog, lol. He had a nice raw chicken drumstick this afternoon.

[jakes mom]

Thanks guys for all your help. No worries, Bobbydog, I knew what Pitlove meant. So here’s my new plan. Darwin’s site says the food can be fed raw or cooked, as some animals just don’t like or can’t tolerate raw. So that’s what I did tonite, lightly cooked a pack of the chicken. Didn’t cook very much, just sautéed a few minutes. Not enough to cook bones, was still partly raw. It went over very well, everybody seemed to eat a bit of it, even the 2 who turned up their noses at the raw. I’ll cook for a few days as well as get some kind of probiotics, and hopefully slowly work back to full raw. I did weigh my old guy, no weight loss so that makes me feel better. I really want this raw thing to work! Besides the better nutrition, one of my girls has a yeasty ear issue which I hope raw feeding will help.

[Pitlove]

bdog- you misunderstood me. I am all for by-products as I am aware they are in raw and im happy to see them there. I meant foods like Fancy Feast that contain anonymous by-products whose quality is questionable. I was not sure if she (like some of us) occassionally feed stuff from the grocery store. I was suggesting that the transition to much higher quality meat AND by-products could cause a detox effect.

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

[Bobby dog]

c4c:
I agree as well, I don’t full around too much with the kitties when it comes to digestive issues. They need their moisture. I don’t run into problems too much with my crew in general, thank goodness. Bobby vomited twice on a new kibble I was trying out one time, that’s pretty much all I need to throw out a food and rotate to a new one. Same with the kitties, if there is a negative reaction in some way it’s gone. IMO there are enough foods on the market to choose from, no need to make them uncomfortable, or worse create a health issue.

pitlove:
JM’s cats eating by-products should not be an issue. She does feed foods that have by-products (organs etc.), but they do not contain useless by-products (feet, hooves, etc.). If you want to feed a raw diet you need by-products (organs etc.) to make it complete; muscle meat alone will not do that. I would rather feed a by-product (organs etc.) than a vitamin or synthetic vitamin to make a diet balanced any day regardless if it’s canned or raw; there is allot of nutrients in them. Here’s the ingredients for Darwins Turkey cat formula:

Free-Range Meat (98.25%): Turkey Necks, Turkey Gizzards, Turkey Livers, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Thighs.

Special Nutrient Mix (1.5%): Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Psyllium Husk Powder, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Inulin, Choline Chloride, Sea Salt, Vitamin E, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12, EDDI (Iodine), Vitamin D3, Folic Acid.

Fish Oils (.25%): Sardine Oil

http://www.darwinspet.com/our-raw-foods/our-raw-cat-food/natural-selections-for-cat-turkey/

[Pitlove]

Thanks C4C! I work myself into anxiety over making sure he’s getting the best (the cat too of course). I feel a lot better about feeding a lower protein dry now that I know I can supplement with the high protein in the canned food. Didnt think about it like that before!

I have so many foods for him right now its really nice. 4Health and Pure Balance canned. Fromm Four Star GF, Pure Balance and some samples of Precise Holisitic Complete for dry and THK dehydrated raw. He had THK this morning and really liked it. He also got a sample of raw food from this store we went to yesterday and had that mixed in with his canned last night with no dry! he LOVED it! and great poops this morning too 😀

[crazy4cats]

Ok, Jake’s Mom, lets get graphic! Is the poo just a little loose, or is it down right runny and squirty? I’d definitely be concerned if it is very runny. That is much more dangerous to a small animal. You certainly don’t want to risk them getting dehydrated over trying to feed them raw!

In dogs, I have heard of the poop getting a little loose and maybe even some mucous due to detoxing, but don’t know much about how kitties react to the change. Let us know what you decide!

[Pitlove]

The only way my dog will eat is if I put the wet down first and then sprinkle the dry on top. I’ve been using both high protein dry and wet (he actually lost 2 pounds randomly wasnt intended).

Ive just been using 5 star quality kibbles and 4-5 star canned and its busting my wallet so Im trying to see if I dont really NEED to do that.

Right now for dry I have Fromm Four Star Nutrionals and Pure Balance Bison and I also have some THK Beef dhydrated raw. I switch between those right now for variety.
I usually have an assortment of canned foods also for variety but right now Im down to just the 4Health and Pure Balance.

He gets a can of wet and now a cup of dry on top since he lost weight when I was feeding half a cup and he was already at his ideal weight. Dont want him to get too skinny.

[Pitlove]

I agree with whoever told you they are detoxing. Its very common (from what i’ve heard) for animals suddenly being fed a much better diet to have diaherra. Not sure how long it should last, someone else would have to weigh in on that. If you (like me and others) have fed the occassional by-product food or “low end” food I can imagine that now on raw they have much more to detox from their body. OR even more so if they were on dry kibble and not human grade canned.

Best suggestion I can give you is call a holistic vet in your area, someone who will understand tranisitioning to raw for felines and ask if what you’re experiencing is typical or atypical and if they feel your kitties should be seen by a vet. I would keep trying the raw. I think their bodies are just in shock from a healthy diet.

[Susan]

Hi, I saw a Naturopath 1 month ago as my boy has Skin problems & IBD from food/ allergies, Patch was put on Kangaroo mince 1 x broccoli head 2 x carrots 5 x celery sticks 1 x apple peeled, cut up then put thru a blender cause dogs cant digest raw veggies, so you need to blended & stopped just before the veggies become a pulp, then to 1 kilo mince, I added just 2-3 heap spoon of the blended veggies/fruit mix, I froze the rest of blended veggie/fruit mix into 3 spoon section & just took out & put in fridge when needed to add to the raw roo mince, I’m feeding beef mince now aswell.. roo for breakfast & beef for dinner….The naturopath has started Patch on an elimination diet & I haven’t added anything new in the diet yet just started another protein beef, I had to picked 1 protein kangaroo & 3-4 veggies & 2 fruits, less is best to start with, Patch had to stay on this diet for 1 month then I can add a new veggie & fruit.. I haven’t made another appointment yet, his smelly yeasty skin & red paws cleared up within 3 days of starting this raw elimination diet.. I also bath in Malaseb medicated shampoo as soon as he itches & started to smell, I haven’t needed to bath him for 1 month, Patch was having a bath every 5-7 days before

Do not feed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumkin, peas, & bananas they’re starchy veggies & fruit can cause itchy yeasty skin, my boy gets hive like lumps from potatoes & diarrhea, itchy ears & skin from sweet potatoes pumkin & banana… also try & stick with green veggies, broccoli, beans, celery, bok choy, zucchini etc ..I also added a digestive enzyme 1/2 capsule with breakfast the other 1/2 capsule with dinner ….Digestive enzymes help with allergies food/seasonal & yeast problems & strengthen their immune please read- http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/enzymes-for-dogs.html ….. stop everything & start again here’s the raw diet scroll down to bottom & click on “skin allergy diet”- http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

[Bobby dog]

Hi j m:
I have read that too, smaller firmer stools. TBH, none of my animals stools are large or soft anyway; everyone seems to be utilizing their diet to the fullest extent. lol I don’t feed my kitties raw for every meal. It ends up being about 1/wk. That is all they will do. Sometimes Archie will eat it two days in a row, but no more than that. I have not experienced any digestive upsets. That would be concerning to me. The food may not agree with them, could be a health issue that warrants a Vet visit, or perhaps the fiber content in their new diet is not quite their magic number, IDK. Nobody likes a nasty litter box!

[jakes mom]

Raw feeders…how’s the kitty poos? I had heard that raw fed animals have smaller firmer stools but the litter boxes have been pretty messy these last few weeks. I thought maybe it was just the transition period but still messy! Do you think it will get better or does this mean that they’re not tolerating it well? Don’t seem to be in any distress, it’s just the nasty boxes for me.

[Gem M]

I’ve seen that site! Sorry to say but vets all have different takes, a lot of their work is trial and error and in my opinion you can never do enough research of the good the bad and the ugly. If the raw feeding movement had enough money to compete against the commercial dog food industry for research and proof I’m sure even this site could argue better, but most research is done in bias.

I’m glad we have knowledge to do what we feel is best for our pets! But I guess people against raw would like me to stick with a dog who has the runs, itchy skin, raw pads, mucky ears and bad anal glands!

[Taylor C]

Hi Red, thanks for the response. Yes, we had her tested (they drew blood, sent it off, and results came back listing everything she was allergic to) and then the vet gave us injections (that we draw up from vials designed for her based on results) and we’ve been doing that since October. I’ve heard it can take a while to see results but we just haven’t seen any improvement. With our luck, she’ll be the 20% that doesn’t respond to the injections. But even so, I’m hoping to make as many improvements in her food and environment as I can to help reduce the symptoms. Her food especially.

[Taylor C]

My poor boxer/pit mix has been battling allergies for years. We’ve made countless trips to the vet, been on round after round of steroids and antibiotics, and we’ve done allergy testing and injections as well. She’s been on so many rounds of medications, in fact, she developed mange because her immune system was so suppressed. So anyways, all that to say, we were fed up with medications and pricey kibble, so we switched to raw last year. We saw a slight improvement, more so in her energy level, but she’s still scratching. Like I mentioned, we had allergy tests done, so when selecting foods for her raw diet, I obviously stayed away from anything she is allergic too (mixed fish, corn, soybean, wheat, duck, and yeast). I feed her beef, green beans, black beans, and sweet potato or pumpkin. At each feeding, it add a TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar, as well as a probiotic and Curcumin. With her still being so itchy, I’m wondering if the produce is too starchy and creating yeast?
And also, I asked my vet if (in relation to the beef I feed her) the cows are feeding on a grass or grain that she’s allergic to, could that indirectly affect her. My vet said it absolutely could, so what am I to do?!?! What protein can I give her that doesn’t feed on grass or grain?? I’m at a loss. And I really don’t want to put her on a kibble (my vet suggested Science Diet ZD) if I can help it but I’m almost wondering if a processed protein would actually affect her less? I don’t know! Any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated…thank you!!!

[cindy q]

Yes I did get the sample offer, thanks Amy. I am going to be feeding Darwins once a day because I also use a dehydrated raw, Big Dog Natural my dogs love it. I am concerned with it staying frozen all day in the Summer because I work and won’t be home when it’s delivered.

[Gem M]

Okay so here is his history

We obtained him at 8 weeks he was skin and bones. The vets told us to prepare for the worse. He didn’t even weigh a pound! He had blood in his stools but was very playful and alert. They said it was parvovirus, I argued that it was worms. After worming him regularly each week he started to grow and the weight came on. Food was an issue he’d go three months the get sore skin and anal glands. Some food he would have very loose stools.

The vets would give us steroids but overall we just kept moving through different kibbles moving to anything grain free. He never had an ounce of fat on him and had an absolute love of life but never got to an ideal weight for a pointer for more than a month. We managed his environmental exposures to help his paws and kept switching foods every 3 – 6 months unless there was an immediate problem.

In January I researched food until I was blue in the face, by this time I was working at a vets myself. I decided on Orijen… The vets disagreed that he needed so much protein and as he was loosing weight I felt despite him looking fab fur wise, anal gland wise and pads I should listen to one particular vet and give him a carb based diet. He gained nothing and I spoke to a nutritionist who said no way is this the right food for him. So I decided enough is enough we are going raw. I spoke with another nutritionist and she explained meats, percentages etc etc. I’m also adding in some sweet potato and butternut squash to his veggies. The plan is lamb as a main base, little fish each day and small amounts of goats yogurt and veg. Egg each day.. Then move to more meat but all of this slowly slowly..

So my boy is pretty much the dream of my vets, he is very active, yet calm, and they think I’m making too much fuss as he is in their minds healthy!! I have spoken to 7 different vets with all different backgrounds and they all say yes he is underweight but he is fine. But I can see every rib, his hip bones, even his back bones. He shivers in the winter. He needs some fat. We’ve gone from walking him 2.5 hours a day off lead to 1 hour every other day off lead. But we can see that what other dogs do in a week he does in an hour. That’s no exaggeration we once did a 26 mile hike and he was STILL running on the 25th mile! He is just a beautiful dog with a lust for life. He is fast playful and great fun. He plays fetch, plays with my other dog, loves his walks and is active around the house for about 8 hours a day… But very obedient.

Anyway last night I gave him some frozen meat in a bowl and he absolutely woofed it down… So I think it’s a texture issue! I’m sure giving frozen is not good but I’d rather that than no food. He ate some frozen lamb, pumpkin, two eggs and two frozen sprats in the end!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Gem M.

[LexiDog]

I’m currently using Darwins. I like it because they stamp on the package when it was made so I can tell how long it has been frozen. It is a little more watery than Stella & Chewys or Primal. My girl eats it up! I have priced it out, shipping and all, and it is still cheaper than Stella & Chewys 6 lb bag. Even of the less expensive proteins like their chicken. I also like that on average it has less fat in their formulas than other frozen raw. Sometimes the packages do leak. I think I only have had 1 half pound packages leak out of the last 42 lbs. order, so that isn’t too bad. The food is always frozen when it arrives.

i constantly get compliments on my dogs coat and how shiny and soft it is. Her poops are firm and small. She poops about once a day, which is nice. Although I am going to be going to half raw half dehydrated. Just to save a little bit on her food costs.

Have you tried their sample offer? It’s 10 lbs for $14.95. Great deal.