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Cyndi

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  • in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17886 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Awesome, ok, thanks HDM, very much! I do remember watching a while ago 2 videos you had posted. I’ll have to go back and watch again. I thought they were very interesting, especially with 2 of your dogs providing the “sound effects” in the backround. They sounded so pathetic! Lol!

    Anyways, I guess I’ll just stay away from the smaller rmb’s then and just feed the larger ones. I’m just so glad Bailey is doing better and loving everything she’s eating. I was so worried about starting to feed her raw that it took me so long to finally do it. So glad I finally did! Thanks for all your help!

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17883 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hi everyone!! ๐Ÿ™‚ I have a question…. So, Bailey is doing really well on the raw since her “episode” last week. She only had diarehha & threw up that one day. I have been slowly introducing bones back into her diet. I went thru 2 1/2 lb thing of chicken grind from Hare Today over the course of a couple days with boneless skinless chicken added to it. Just started giving her chicken feet yesterday and today I gave her a little bit of ground beef with her dinner which also included a boneless, skinless chicken thigh, a chicken foot and a chicken leg and some yogurt. My question is, although she’s not necessarily a “gulper”, she hasn’t been really chewing the chicken feet, or the leg she had tonight, all that much. She does chew it and crunches up the bones a few times, but then it seems like she more or less swallows it whole. Is this ok for her to do? Or should I start cutting up her RMB’s in pieces. She doesn’t act like she’s going to choke at all, but I can tell it takes a big effort on her part to swallow whatever it is. Any help, as usual, will most certainly be appreciated.

    in reply to: Starting a rotational diet… #17881 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Sandy, is that a dog food isle in a store or in your house? Lol! You must have alot of little mouths to feed.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17803 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Patty, I absolutely agree. I don’t have much experience with the Border Collie breed, but Bailey is a mix of Border Collie and Pit bull and she is just the sweetest, most lovable dog ever. I can tell how thankful she is to me for adopting her. She has such a goofball personality and makes me laugh and makes me so very thankful I did decide to adopt another dog.

    mydogisme, I had Moose cremated and he is on my dresser along with my favorite picture of him. I “talk” to him often and tell him how much I miss him. I completely understand your feelings. Hang in there…

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17794 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Mydogisme, take your time to mourn, but when you’re ready I think you should look into adopting another dog. There are so many, many dogs out there who need a loving home. I wanted another Doberman when my Moose died, but I couldn’t do it. I am still grieving even after so long, but Bailey, who I adopted in January, has been a godsend. I no longer cry every single day for Moose. My Bailey makes me laugh all the time and I still think of Moose every day, but Bailey has helped me move on.

    I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers to give you strength to get thru this.

    in reply to: My dogs at the Bridge… #17788 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Mydogisme, I saw your other post and replied to it. I thought you meant my dog Bailey anyways. DOn’t worry about it. I am so very sorry for your loss! It will be hard, very hard but it does get somewhat easier. I can’t talk about my Moose without losing it, but my Bailey, who is in my picture, helps me everyday. Hang in there…

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17787 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Awwww, I am so very sorry for your loss. It sounds like you did all that you could for your Dixie & it sounds like she was very loved for a long time. That’s more than most dogs get. I lost my 11 year old Doberman in 2011 and he was my doggy soulmate. He went everywhere with me and was with me thru the loss of many family members. He was my everything. I know exactly what you’re going thru. It has been a little over a year and a half and I still miss him so very much. My new dog Bailey has helped me to move on but I still blame myself for Moose’s death. The vets never found out what was going on with him but I’m pretty sure it was a combination of the crappy food, and vaccines, etc. I vowed to Bailey I won’t let that happen to her. I am going to do everything in my power to give her a long and healthy life.

    Thank you for your well wishes. I will pray you find the strength to move on, but just know that Dixie is in a better place and she’s not in any pain. She’s running around happy and healthy at the Rainbow Bridge with all the other furbabies who are there waiting for their owners. Hang in there, and when you’re ready, I know there is another dog just waiting for you to give it a loving home…

    in reply to: I need help! #17774 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok good, I guessed right then. Thanks Patty! She just got done eating. Hopefully she’ll be ok the rest of the night.

    in reply to: I need help! #17772 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    HDM, or anyone that can answer this, how much pumpkin and how many of these probiotic supplement capsules do I want to give Bailey & how often? She weighs 50lbs.

    in reply to: I need help! #17769 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, thanks so much! I had started giving her the sardines on Sunday morning. Just a couple bigger pieces out of the tin with a couple of her meals & she’s been fine until yesterday, well, last night.

    I sure hope I can get her back on the raw gradually, because my order from Hare Today just arrived yesterday, lol! I suppose chicken feet are out of the question right now too, huh? I kept a few of those out of the package that came yesterday before I put the bag in the freezer. I’ll have to throw those away…

    Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it. I’m going to run to GNC in a few to see what I can find.

    in reply to: I need help! #17767 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks for replying HDM. Bailey has been acting fine today. I gave her a few more scoops of yogurt late this morning, but that’s it. When I started her on the raw chicken on Sunday, I gave her 2 chicken thighs, with the skin removed and 2 chicken legs with the skin. She had the same thing on Monday for dinner and last night’s dinner was a leg quarter with most of the skin removed. She has been doing well on the Fresh Pet. I’ve had her on that for a little over a month.

    So, when I start mixing the lean boneless raw meat with the fresh pet, should it be chicken or beef? I have, over the last few days, given her a couple sardines mixed with her Fresh Pet, do you think that could have anything to do with it?

    Ok, last question, I am going to go after work and buy the canned pumpkin, but what kind of probiotic supplement should I buy? I have GNC (General Nutrition Centers) near me, would they have it?

    in reply to: I need help! #17762 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    I am going to post my problem in this thread, because I Need Help!!

    Last night Bailey threw up, not a whole lot and certainly not everything she ate yesterday, but still, she threw up mostly chicken and bone. Maybe about the amount of a cup or a little more. AND she had very runny poop last night and watery diarrhea this morning. & or course the vomiting and runny poop last night was in my bedroom. Anyways, this morning I fed her half the amount of Fresh Pet that I normally due, with a bit of yogurt. I need to get to the store after work and get canned pumpkin, but what do I feed her for dinner? Should I keep with the chicken leg quarter, or get boneless chicken or what? I want to see this thru and keep her on raw, but the pancreatitis problems 2 of the members here have had recently have me very nervous and I don’t want to do the wrong thing. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

    in reply to: fleas! help! #17743 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Wow! You learn something new every day! Thanks for the education on that, really! I never knew all that. I just know that mosquitos get really bad around here. I didn’t know temperature had anything to do with them carrying heartworm.

    Thanks! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Fasting #17742 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, thanks HDM. I have given her canned sardines a couple times already and she loves them. I’ll check her next 2 poops and go from there. I may also rotate morning meals with the Deli Fresh stuff and raw. I like the idea of keeping Deli Fresh in the rotation for a while because of the other stuff that’s in it and she loves it and that’s what I use to mix her DE with that I give her.

    Thanks again for your help!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: fleas! help! #17739 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Yeah, it says 7 for my area too. That doesn’t seem right to wait til July to start. I think in Northeast Ohio mosquitos are really bad by then… My vet has always said to start April or May.

    in reply to: Fasting #17738 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks guys. I think, for now, I’ll just worry about getting her adjusted to different foods and stuff before I start fasting her. Today will be her 3rd raw day. So far, she’s been fine, maybe acting a bit happier after dinner, but pretty much the same. Her poop has been ok, til today. I didn’t see when she went so I don’t know if it started out as runny or ended as runny but the rest of was firm. I saw a few pieces of bone in with it, but that’s normal I would imagine, because they were pretty small. I may finish out the week on the chicken (thighs and legs) and this weekend go buy something else for her. Should I try organs from chicken or go right to beef or turkey and do that for a while?

    in reply to: fleas! help! #17729 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Well, from what I’ve read on this site, I personally trust your judgement 100%. I was skeptical about not giving heartworm preventative and have been doing every the natural way. And I know that heartworm is nothing to mess around with once a dog has gotten it. Thank you, once again, for your opinion and your help. I am so glad I found this site, and all the knowledgeable people on it giving advice.

    Thank you again! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: fleas! help! #17726 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hound Dog Mom, what brand of heartworm preventative do you use for your dogs? I was on the fence about not giving it anymore, because I read alot about it, but the mosquitos are so bad in my neck of the woods. I did start her last month on one dose, but I was very hesitant about giving it again. I have Tri-Heart Plus, that I bought from my vet.

    in reply to: fleas! help! #17720 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    I ordered that Mercola Natural Flea and Tick Defense the other day. It should be arriving today. I can’t wait to use it and I really hope it works. I am going to use that and I also have been using Diatomaceous Earth and give Bailey a bit of garlic. I will NEVER use a topical flea treatment again, nor will I use a heartworm preventative. In doing all my research that I have been doing over the last few months, I have read alot of not so good things about both. I’ll be sticking to the all natural stuff.

    I’ll keep you posted about the Mercola stuff and let you know what I think about it.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17697 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks Patty! ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m so glad that first meal is over and done with. I just hope it continues to be smooth sailing….

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17682 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    I just wanted to thank everyone, again, for all their help and patience with me and all my questions. Bailey just got done with her first raw dinner. I couldn’t get chicken leg quarters today, so I just bought 2 packs of thighs and 2 packs of legs. I gave her 2 thighs and 2 legs for dinner, which came to a pound even. It was such a learning experience for both of us and also very interesting to me. Bailey started just licking everything. She must have licked for like 10 minutes until I got tired of it, lol!. So I held a thigh for her while she figured out how to use her teeth to get the meat off. It didn’t take her long to get thru the first piece. I held the second piece, the leg, for a minute while she pulled some of the meat off but after a minute or so, she took it from me and did the rest on her own. It was so interesting to see her go from just licking and not really knowing what to make of it, to really using her teeth as they were meant to be used. After dinner, I let her outside and she laid down in the grass, wiped her mouth for a minute and rolled around like she was very content.

    Again, thank you all again. I don’t think I would have gotten the courage up on my own to actually feed her raw, if I hadn’t read everything on this site that I did and if you awesome people hadn’t been so patient and answered my questions. ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17578 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, thanks so much Patty! That’s what I was planning on doing, but I just wanted to be sure.

    Have a great weekend! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17576 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hi again everyone! ๐Ÿ™‚ The pain in the butt has another question… ๐Ÿ˜€

    And for what it’s worth, I did look thru some other threads to try to answer it myself, but didn’t find the answer. Anyways, I placed an order with Hare Today, for some chicken grinds and chicken feet and chicken pieces, but today I am going to buy chicken leg quarters to start Bailey off with until I get my order from Hare Today. I would like to know if I should cut up the leg quarters into pieces or just give it to her whole, provided it weighs the appropriate amount that she’ll need for that meal? I do apologize again for all the stupid questions, but like I’ve said before I just want to make sure I’m doing everything right…

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17273 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thank you Hound Dog Mom.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17245 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, Thanks Patty! Also, if I start feeding Bailey a chicken leg quarter or a chicken back every day for dinner to start off to get her accustomed to raw, isn’t that too much bone per day? I don’t know the percentage of bone to meat in a back or a leg quarter, but it just seems to me like it might be too much bone per day…

    in reply to: way OT #17237 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    That is AWESOME!! Good for you! I was going to shave my head to support my mom when she was going thru chemo and lost her hair, but she didn’t want me to. She wore a wig all the time and she told me I didn’t have the right shaped head to be bald, lol!

    Hope you raise alot of money!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #17235 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hi everyone!

    I am going to start Bailey on raw this weekend. Already bought some chicken. Just waiting til I get paid so I can buy more, and buy a food scale, etc. I have a question about fasting her before I start. Do I need to fast her before she starts on raw, and for how long? Right now she eats a cup of Nature’s Variety Instinct for breakfast and Deli Fresh Chicken and Veggies for dinner, which I will be switching to her breakfast and feed her raw for dinner to start off. So, I just would like to know everyone’s thought on if I should fast her and for how long when I start her on raw. Oh and when I do fast her, how do I go about not feeling bad for not feeding her a meal? Lol! What do you guys do with your dogs or for them when you fast them?

    Thanks, again, so much for all your help. The past week I have been reading just about ALL the forum topics and really trying to educate myself. It’s gotten so bad that when I want to go back and reread something I had read, I can’t find it because I can’t for the life of me remember which topic and which thread I read it on, lol!

    Have a great day everyone!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    • This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Cyndi.
    in reply to: My dogs at the Bridge… #16728 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    My dog Moose passed away in my arms on September 6, 2011. He was 11 years old. I had to put him down and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I am still deeply grieving the loss of him because he was my doggy soulmate. I delivered the litter he was in, my friend owned his mother and father, and he had been with me since the day he was born. He was a Doberman and when people met him, they instantly changed their perceptions on what they thought a Doberman was. He was a big momma’s boy and a goofball and everyone that met him loved him. I miss him more than anything…

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16540 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks again, everyone, for all the info. I’m starting to get overwhelmed again though, lol! It doesn’t take much. I posted a question a few posts back and from what I’ve read, no one seemed to give me a definitive answer on that particular question. I’ll post that part again…. (only because I want to be absolutely sure on what I’m feeding and don’t want to start off wrong…

    So, if I kept Bailey on the Deli Fresh, which I feed her in the evenings and she gets 1/2lb. of that, and I started her off with say a chicken back for the first week or so is that ok? I do prefer to feed twice a day and if she will only need like 1-1 1/2lbs of food per day do I need to add anything else? The Deli Fresh is the Chicken, vegetable & rice flavor and I know there is alot of other ingredients and vitamins and stuff in that. Maybe, Iโ€™ll switch to the Turkey flavor, if Iโ€™m starting her raw diet with chickenโ€ฆ

    I’ll also post the ingredients of the Deli fresh/Freshpet that I plan on keeping her on, for a while anyways.

    Ingredients:
    Chicken, Eggs, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Carrots, Brown Rice, Peas, Rice Bran, Dried Kelp, Carrageenan, Natural Flavors, Salt, Inulin, Flaxseed Oil, Green Tea Extract.

    Vitamins:
    Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.

    Minerals:
    Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite.

    If I start her on chicken and use a chicken leg quarter or chicken back every day, is that too much bone? I think I may just be over thinking all this, and I apologize for all the questions, but I want to be sure, especially with keeping her on the Freshpet for one meal a day for a while…

    Thanks again for all your help everyone! I sincerely do appreciate all your help. I’ve been printing out all your replies and referring back to it all.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16517 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    You guys have been such a big help, thank you!

    So, if I kept Bailey on the Deli Fresh, which I feed her in the evenings and she gets 1/2lb. of that, and I started her off with say a chicken back for the first week or so is that ok? I do prefer to feed twice a day and if she will only need like 1-1 1/2lbs of food per day do I need to add anything else? The Deli Fresh is the Chicken, vegetable & rice flavor and I know there is alot of other ingredients and vitamins and stuff in that. Maybe, I’ll switch to the Turkey flavor, if I’m starting her raw diet with chicken…

    I AM going to do this! Next time I get paid, I am going to the butcher shop by me and buying the chicken backs and we’re gonna do this! I am determined! The only thing is I’ll probably be here asking another million and one questions…….so be prepared, lol! Thanks guys!!

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16513 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thank you BRR3, very much! & Thanks pugmomsandy, I will check that out….. My biggest fear, and the reason I haven’t started my dog on all raw yet, is because I’m so afraid I won’t be able to give her or find the right variety she needs. The more I read up on what people feed their dogs the more confusing it is. I’m the type of person who likes easy. Yes, call me lazy, I admit I am, but it sure doesn’t sound easy to find all the things raw feeders feed their dogs. I have grocery stores by me, only one local butcher though. I haven’t checked with these places yet to find out costs and what’s available. I know it would get easier over time, once I get the hang of it, but I guess I’m just scared, because it’s up to me to make sure I’m giving her the right variety. I blame myself for the death of my other dog, because I had to put him down because I didn’t want to put him thru a bunch of tests and stuff at his age. The vet didn’t know what it was that went wrong with him and I believe it was a combination of feeding crappy commercial dog food, topical flea stuff and/or vaccinations.

    I’ve looked up sample menus of raw feeders, hoping I guess to find that “one” that makes me say, ‘Yeah, THAT I can do’ but there is just so many things that people feed and to me it’s just overwhelming. I’m just afraid that I would give my Bailey the wrong things or not enough of the right things or whatever.

    Thank you all for all your help. I guess it’s just up to me when I feel comfortable enough to make the switch. I really do appreciate all the help. I’ll just keep reading and researching and eventually, hopefully, I’ll just do it…

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16495 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, thank you both, very much!

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16492 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hi again! I have another question, for anyone that feels like answering. I currently feed my dog Nature’s Variety Instinct grain free kibble in the morning. In the evening I feed her Deli Fresh by Fresh pet. My question is if I were to switch one of her meals for either Primal Raw frozen or Nature’s Variety Raw, which one do you think I should I eliminate? I still don’t feel comfortable switching to all raw, so I figured atleast this is a start. Thanks in advance.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16449 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, thank you, once again, for all your help!

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16438 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Hey Pattyvaughn,

    I was just looking at the DinOvite site, that you mentioned, and they have a recipe on there, with a video, for Homemade Dog food. What do you think about feeding just this as a primary diet? Would my dog be getting everything she needs in that diet? & I wondered why they used hard-boiled eggs and not raw eggs in that recipe. Can I get your thoughts on all this, and anyone else’s, if you don’t mind? Thanks in advance! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Oh, and what modifications would you make to make it better?

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16426 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Ok, I will have to do a bit more research. Atleast the food I have her on now is much better than the crap she was on. Thank you for all your help, I really do appreciate it. This all just seems so overwhelming, but I so want to do the right thing for my baby. I am so glad I found this site and you are all so polite (compared to another forum where I more or less got yelled at for asking an off topic question). Thank you so much, again, for your help!

    Have a great evening! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16424 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks Patty. I just got done reading some of the threads about Darwin’s raw food. Do you think this would be a good place for me to start? I haven’t researched the cost for them yet, but Darwins sounds like a good alternative for me instead of me trying to figure out on my own if I’m feeding the rights raw foods in the right quantities. Are they really expensive, do you know?

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16421 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thanks so much everyone for all the feedback! I sincerely appreciate it all. One more question, for now anyways, lol! I have read conflicting things on starting to feed raw. I have read to fast your dog for 24 hours & then just start the raw diet, starting with one meat source at a time to get them used to it, but I have also read to introduce raw food slowly, giving them some raw food mixed with their kibble each day. Which is the right way, or is there a right way to make the switch?

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16416 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Oh, a totally unrelated question…… How do I go about putting a picture up for my profile pic? I tried to figure it out earlier, but didnt have any luck.

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16415 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    Thank you Pattyvaughn, I will check that out. & thank you also, Hound dog mom, all that is very good to know. Ive just been getting so overwhelmed by researching & reading all the different things that people say they feed their dogs. I really dog want to feed my dog raw, but it all just sounds too expensive to do, but if/when I do make the switch, I need to make sure I can afford it.

    Any idea how much, I guess in pounds, that I will need to feed. I feed Bailey twice a day and she currently weighs 50lbs. & I’d like to keep her at that weight preferably.

    Thank you both, so much, for your help!

    in reply to: Help with starting my dog on a raw diet. #16408 Report Abuse
    Cyndi
    Member

    And, I forgot to mention, I don’t have a whole lot of money. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to keep up with what I just started feeding her. So, if someone can help with the cheapest raw things that I could feed my dog, with the right variety that would really help me alot!

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