Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > Dog food forum > Feeding raw food to dogs & cats - B.A.R.F - RMB - Homecooked diet

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old November 4th, 2008, 04:54 PM
ShiroPower ShiroPower is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 34
Generalized Raw Questions

Hello,

Our 8 month old lab/ Great Pyrenees cross puppy has been on raw for about 5 months now. He is gaining weight and muscle well, growing well, eyes and teeth and ears all look really good, vet comments on how healthy he seems (doesn't know we're doing raw, though). I just have a few questions!

We're trying to do a good mixture of different kinds of meat, but he eats mostly chicken and pork, some beef or lamb as a treat when we can get it cheap, and that's about it. Is this a problem?

We can't get him to eat organ meat from the store, at all. Frozen, blended with wet cat food, etc- he won't eat it. We found some dried beef and lamb lung from petsmart, and the ingredients just list "dehyrdated beef (or lamb) lung" and he LOVES those, so we've been using them as treats. Should I keep trying to integrate other organ meat? I don't know what else to try, he won't even go near a dish no matter how well I try to "hide" the organ meat.

We just moved to a new house and he had some weird digestive issues for a bit, so we put him on kibble. We had him on Wellness and his gas and digestive problems were insane. He was on it for probably about 3 weeks with no improvement. Also, his ears almost instantly got really gunky and I'd have to clean them every few days, and his eyes started getting runny crusty stuff. We put him back on raw, and within days both had cleared up. Is that normal? If we need to or decide to put him back on kibble at some point, should we just expect that? Or should we shop around and try different kibbles?

I know this is a lot of questions at once, sorry if it's overwhelming! Overall I'm thrilled with how healthy and energetic he is on raw, I just don't want to be accidentally wrecking his health, you know?

Thanks so much!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:12 PM
dlpipes's Avatar
dlpipes dlpipes is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 18
I can't help you with your post but all good questions. I was wondering what Raw is.. and how is it better than dog food.
__________________
Momma of
2 teenagers plus 1 who lives here
4 Cats, Missy, Mojoe, Millie, Daisy (Molly RIP)
5 dogs, Murry --Dashund
Marley --Pitbull
Stuart little --Dashund (the baby)
Chance --pomeranian
Kasar ?? --its a mystery
Mika --chow...16 when she died, RIP
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:26 PM
totallyhip's Avatar
totallyhip totallyhip is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC CANADA
Posts: 550
I am a big advocate of raw. We started with kibble with our boy too. We were at the vet every 2 -3 months with him. Then we made the switch. We haven't looked back since. That was 5 years ago! Why are you considering switching back to kibble?

Variety really is the key to the raw diet. Some dogs like certain thigns and others don't. With our boy he is allergic to poultry. But we feed him other things such as lamb, pork, beef, sardines, mackarel, salmon, rabbit, green tripe. He also gets things such as liver, heart and kidney. How much of the offal are you giving at one time? I dont' give alot of liver because some dogs can't handle it. Also Luke doesn't like the smell so I just give him small slivers mixed in with his other food. I don't think there is anything wrong with the variety you are feeding him. I usually feed whatever is on sale too. My other 2 get chicken, turkey and occassionaly duck.

Why are you feeding him cat food?
__________________
Owned By:
Han Solo - Male Flashy Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Chewie - Male White Boxer (RESCUE)
Lovey - Female Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Anakin - Male Brindle Boxer (RESCUE)

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi -

~Until there are none, rescue one ~

Boxer Rescue - www.rescueaboxer.com
Scentsy - www.ilovescents.ca

Last edited by totallyhip; November 4th, 2008 at 05:31 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:29 PM
ShiroPower ShiroPower is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 34
I'm not really considering kibble at all- he was on that because once we moved he couldn't seem to handle the raw (just stress related stomach problems, I'm sure) and he did so poorly on it that now I'm thinking he can never go on kibble again. I like the idea of having a back up in case something with raw goes weird.

He was being given cat food as an attempt to get him to eat offal. He will NOT touch it, even if I mix it with cat food (which he loves).

He also doesn't like fish, and won't touch it. Weirdo.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:30 PM
ShiroPower ShiroPower is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 34
the only offal he's getting is a chunk of dried beef or lamb lung - usually about the size of the palm of my hand, and about as thick as my hand, twice a day. Any more and he gets the runs.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:34 PM
totallyhip's Avatar
totallyhip totallyhip is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC CANADA
Posts: 550
Raw is just exactly what it is. Raw meat and bones.

I find its alot better because I can control what my babies are eating. With commercial dog food there is sometimes so much filler and chemicals that go into the food. Esp. with the pet food scare I feel much safer feeding raw to my gang

do a search on the forum for raw there is alot of info
__________________
Owned By:
Han Solo - Male Flashy Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Chewie - Male White Boxer (RESCUE)
Lovey - Female Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Anakin - Male Brindle Boxer (RESCUE)

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi -

~Until there are none, rescue one ~

Boxer Rescue - www.rescueaboxer.com
Scentsy - www.ilovescents.ca
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:38 PM
totallyhip's Avatar
totallyhip totallyhip is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC CANADA
Posts: 550
Yep exactly. If I feed too much offal they get the runs too. We only feed it minimal.

If your baby has upset tummy troubles try adding 1 tablespoon pure 100% canned pumpkin. This is fiber and helps.

Also we add plain yogurt. Its a probiotic and helps in digestion.

I would not recommend feeding cat food. I hear that its not very good to feed it to dogs something about the protein levels?
__________________
Owned By:
Han Solo - Male Flashy Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Chewie - Male White Boxer (RESCUE)
Lovey - Female Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Anakin - Male Brindle Boxer (RESCUE)

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi -

~Until there are none, rescue one ~

Boxer Rescue - www.rescueaboxer.com
Scentsy - www.ilovescents.ca
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:44 PM
ShiroPower ShiroPower is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 34
I've tried him on yogurt and it normally helps his stomach problems. I forgot about the pumpkin, but I've heard good stuff about it.

He's not getting cat food now, it was just an attempt to get him to eat offal.

Should I be feeding him more variety of offal though, or is dried lung enough???
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old November 4th, 2008, 05:50 PM
totallyhip's Avatar
totallyhip totallyhip is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC CANADA
Posts: 550
I think it should be fine. It does sound like you have a fussy eater too! Luke is the same way. Sometimes he just loves certain foods and other times not! DH says he has never met a dog that wouldn't eat everything under the sun! Our other 2 are that way What we do to entice Luke to eat is put green tripe on everything. I guess similiar to what you did with the cat food.

I would try to experiment with other foods with him though too. I'm always on the look out for sales on stuff.

He sounds like he is thriving on the raw diet you have him on
__________________
Owned By:
Han Solo - Male Flashy Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Chewie - Male White Boxer (RESCUE)
Lovey - Female Fawn Boxer (RESCUE)
Anakin - Male Brindle Boxer (RESCUE)

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi -

~Until there are none, rescue one ~

Boxer Rescue - www.rescueaboxer.com
Scentsy - www.ilovescents.ca
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:03 AM.