I have often wondered about that. I know I am on several yahoo groups that are about Raw Feeding, Natural Care etc, and have come across many dogs who are 13 or 15 who do not look nor act their age. Most are raw fed from birth or shortly thereafter, limited or no vaccines, no chemicals (flea/hw etc). This link was shared on one of the groups I am on and I am excited to share it with you, as it PROVES that dogs fed a Natural Appropriate Diet live longer....
Clicky for Lippert-Sapy Study on Canine Longevity
Click on the link then it is the 3rd section down, click on it to read the study
"Lippert-Sapy Study on Canine Longevity: The findings of this study present convincing evidence of the importance of an appropriate natural diet on health and longevity. Statistical analysis of data from the study showed that animals eating a more species appropriate diet lived almost 3-years longer than pets eating commercial pet food products."
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Salmon Oil Supplementation
Unless you are feeding meat/food that is entirely grass fed you should be supplementing with Salmon Oil or Fish Oil, as foods are deficient in fatty acids otherwise. I feed Prey Model Raw and supplement with Nupro & Salmon Oil, & Vitamin E.
http://dogaware.com/diet/
Recommended dosage is 1000 mg fish oil (containing 300 mg combined EPA/DHA) per 30 pounds (14 kg) of body weight. Maximum dosage for dogs with health problems would be 1000 mg fish oil (300 mg EPA/DHA) per 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of body weight. You can also use sardines in place of fish oil supplements; one small sardine supplies over 100 mg EPA/DHA.
Vitamin E should also be given whenever oils are supplemented (even small amounts are adequate, but highest recommended dosage would be 100 IU per day for small dogs, 200 IU for medium-sized dogs, and 400 IU for large dogs). Note that fish oil is not the same as cod liver oil, which is high in vitamins A and D.
http://dogaware.com/diet/
Recommended dosage is 1000 mg fish oil (containing 300 mg combined EPA/DHA) per 30 pounds (14 kg) of body weight. Maximum dosage for dogs with health problems would be 1000 mg fish oil (300 mg EPA/DHA) per 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of body weight. You can also use sardines in place of fish oil supplements; one small sardine supplies over 100 mg EPA/DHA.
Vitamin E should also be given whenever oils are supplemented (even small amounts are adequate, but highest recommended dosage would be 100 IU per day for small dogs, 200 IU for medium-sized dogs, and 400 IU for large dogs). Note that fish oil is not the same as cod liver oil, which is high in vitamins A and D.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Mercedes takes matters into her own hands....
Mercedes (the one on the right) saw the Vet aka Grandpa yesterday for excessive dirty ear wax & eye discharge....she was diagnosed with allergies and put on a special diet (Natural Balance) at $1.50 per can per day...which is WAY expensive and going to kill our critter food budget, so hubby is strongly considering letting me switch at least Cedes to raw....well apparently our little mouse problem wasn't gone like we thought...she found this little guy in our office tonight. Tiglet is the tabby who is helping. I have a container over the mouse and am waiting for my hubby to wake up so he can do something with it as I'm not touching it lol. I can handle touching the whole prey mice I feed the dogs but not a live little nasty critter lmbo.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Raw Food Myths
Someone on dogster posted this link about Raw Feeding...well Below is my response to it as well as someone elses.
http://www.purinaone.com/CoolTools/Nutrition101.aspx?ArticleId=A1423FE9-FAB2-4DC6-8ADA-1FF34CFE76C8&species=Dog
Whoever wrote this article wasn't very informed about what feeding raw is all about.
Although meat is a source of protein, it has very
low levels of calcium, a mineral our pets require for proper bone and tooth development. Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses. But simply supplementing with calcium won't work. Mineral nutrients are interrelated. Calcium and phosphorus have a scientifically established relationship in the formation of bones and teeth, provided a proper balance is maintained. This balance is usually not present in meat. If large quantities of raw meat are fed over time, skeletal problems may develop.
That is why it is necessary to balance the diet with 80% meat, 10% bones, 5% liver 5% other organs. That's kind of a 'duh' of course a diet made entirely of meat and nothing else wouldn't be balanced.
Liver is often thought of as a "healthy" meat because it has a high level of Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored by the body. And for humans who eat other things as well, it can be healthy. But when liver is fed to pets in excessive quantities over a period of time, Vitamin A toxicity can result. This can lead to improper bone development, lameness and bone decalcification.
Again, whereas liver is only 5% of the diet, I think you would have to eat a heck of a lot of liver to get Vitamin A toxicosis.
Raw meat carries the threat of bacteria and parasites, including salmonella. The risk of salmonellosis is always present when pets are fed raw meat diets. Certain species of tapeworm can be found in raw meat and passed on to a pet who ingests the meat.
Dogs systems are equipped to handle the bacteria. Clicky: Raw Food Myths Bacteria & the worms Raw Food Myths Parasites
Raw meat diets do not replicate the diets of dogs in the wild. While it's true that dogs consume muscle meat when they eat wild animals for survival, they also consume the bones, intestinal contents and internal organs, which come closer to providing a complete and balanced diet. Wild dogs are also known to eat grasses and other vegetable matter.
Wolves eat the stomach contents only when needed, most of the time they shake out the contents and eat the intestines.
Picture Proof
Clicky: Pictures Do Wolves eat stomach contents
& a report from someone who observed wolves eating:
Cicky: A day with the wolf pack
The truth is that good quality pet foods are backed by years of canine nutrition studies. They are the result of scientific studies by researchers in veterinary colleges and animal nutritionists in Animal Science programs and at reputable pet food manufacturers. They are also carefully processed to protect against salmonella or internal parasite infection.
Well seeing as how Iams/Eukanuba just recalled a whole bunch of their kibble because of Salmonella contamination....I don't trust that it is protected because it's processed. As well as there was a report where kids were getting Salmonella from the dogs kibble bowls.
When people eat, they combine meat with vegetables, fruits, breads and other foods to give them the balanced nutrition they need. If we were to eat one particular food consistently, chances are we would become malnourished or develop health problems. No single food or food group can provide all the nutrients we need in proper proportions.
I know VERY few people who do not offer a wide variety of meats for their dogs. I myself offer chicken, beef, turkey, fish, pork, mice, venison, buffalo.
low levels of calcium, a mineral our pets require for proper bone and tooth development. Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses. But simply supplementing with calcium won't work. Mineral nutrients are interrelated. Calcium and phosphorus have a scientifically established relationship in the formation of bones and teeth, provided a proper balance is maintained. This balance is usually not present in meat. If large quantities of raw meat are fed over time, skeletal problems may develop.
That is why it is necessary to balance the diet with 80% meat, 10% bones, 5% liver 5% other organs. That's kind of a 'duh' of course a diet made entirely of meat and nothing else wouldn't be balanced.
Liver is often thought of as a "healthy" meat because it has a high level of Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored by the body. And for humans who eat other things as well, it can be healthy. But when liver is fed to pets in excessive quantities over a period of time, Vitamin A toxicity can result. This can lead to improper bone development, lameness and bone decalcification.
Again, whereas liver is only 5% of the diet, I think you would have to eat a heck of a lot of liver to get Vitamin A toxicosis.
Raw meat carries the threat of bacteria and parasites, including salmonella. The risk of salmonellosis is always present when pets are fed raw meat diets. Certain species of tapeworm can be found in raw meat and passed on to a pet who ingests the meat.
Dogs systems are equipped to handle the bacteria. Clicky: Raw Food Myths Bacteria & the worms Raw Food Myths Parasites
Raw meat diets do not replicate the diets of dogs in the wild. While it's true that dogs consume muscle meat when they eat wild animals for survival, they also consume the bones, intestinal contents and internal organs, which come closer to providing a complete and balanced diet. Wild dogs are also known to eat grasses and other vegetable matter.
Wolves eat the stomach contents only when needed, most of the time they shake out the contents and eat the intestines.
Picture Proof
Clicky: Pictures Do Wolves eat stomach contents
& a report from someone who observed wolves eating:
Cicky: A day with the wolf pack
The truth is that good quality pet foods are backed by years of canine nutrition studies. They are the result of scientific studies by researchers in veterinary colleges and animal nutritionists in Animal Science programs and at reputable pet food manufacturers. They are also carefully processed to protect against salmonella or internal parasite infection.
Well seeing as how Iams/Eukanuba just recalled a whole bunch of their kibble because of Salmonella contamination....I don't trust that it is protected because it's processed. As well as there was a report where kids were getting Salmonella from the dogs kibble bowls.
When people eat, they combine meat with vegetables, fruits, breads and other foods to give them the balanced nutrition they need. If we were to eat one particular food consistently, chances are we would become malnourished or develop health problems. No single food or food group can provide all the nutrients we need in proper proportions.
I know VERY few people who do not offer a wide variety of meats for their dogs. I myself offer chicken, beef, turkey, fish, pork, mice, venison, buffalo.
& someone else's rebuttal: http://manteega.com/packlunch/articles/rebuttals/purinarebuttal.htm
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Rejected for Recommending Raw
GRRR! Just a little Vent, I am on a yahoo list where pet owners can ask questions and get help from other owners, vet techs, vets etc and someone asked what the best possible nutrition for their cat was, so I gave an honest answer. My message didn't go through/was deleted/rejected whatever because the list owner is closed minded. I have 20 years experience working as a Veterinary Assistant/Technician as well as my father has been a Veterinarian for 40+ years....I don't feel I was hard core pushing Raw on the person, just giving my honest to goodness opinion.
This is what I got told was the reasoning for rejecting my message:
no raw recommending
This is what I 'tried' to reply.
> IMO, NONE of the dry foods are best for cats, cats need moisture in their
> diets, their natural 'prey' is the mouse which is 70-75% moisture, dry food
> only contains about 10% moisture, canned foods are about 78% moisture. Cats are also Obligate Carnivores which means they NEED meat to survive, a lot of the dry cat foods out there are loaded with carbohydrates (grains/veggies etc) that cats don't need & can't utilize. The 'optimal' diet is Raw, but if you can't do that then high quality grain free canned is next best. Here is a website with loads of information on cats & their nutritional needs: www.catinfo.org That being said I do have 1 of my 5 cats who absolutely refuses raw & canned food (have tried every; trick in the book & then some to get her to transition), she has Cerebral Hypoplasia so pecks like a chicken when she eats, so I feed her a high quality grain free rotation diet (Wellness Core, Blue Wilderness, Solid Gold Indigo Moon) I also fed Innova EVO before they sold out to Proctor & Gamble. The rest of my cats eat canned food and are transitioning onto raw.
This is what I got told was the reasoning for rejecting my message:
no raw recommending
This is what I 'tried' to reply.
> IMO, NONE of the dry foods are best for cats, cats need moisture in their
> diets, their natural 'prey' is the mouse which is 70-75% moisture, dry food
> only contains about 10% moisture, canned foods are about 78% moisture. Cats are also Obligate Carnivores which means they NEED meat to survive, a lot of the dry cat foods out there are loaded with carbohydrates (grains/veggies etc) that cats don't need & can't utilize. The 'optimal' diet is Raw, but if you can't do that then high quality grain free canned is next best. Here is a website with loads of information on cats & their nutritional needs: www.catinfo.org That being said I do have 1 of my 5 cats who absolutely refuses raw & canned food (have tried every; trick in the book & then some to get her to transition), she has Cerebral Hypoplasia so pecks like a chicken when she eats, so I feed her a high quality grain free rotation diet (Wellness Core, Blue Wilderness, Solid Gold Indigo Moon) I also fed Innova EVO before they sold out to Proctor & Gamble. The rest of my cats eat canned food and are transitioning onto raw.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Ziva was 'partially' spayed today....
After much research I decided to go with the 'hysterectomy' on Ziva. She came through surgery just fine. She also had 2 retained puppy teeth removed. We had her uterus/cervix removed and left the ovaries. She will still come in heat just won't bleed & can't get pregnant. Will maintain her feminine hormones so won't have the weight gain issues, the urinary incontinence issue etc. I have done extensive search on it and just felt this was the best option. She is 6 months old and only weighs 4.1#, my 5 year old chi weighs 4.3#. Ziva is so tiny.
Here's tidbits from the research I have been doing. I work for a Veterinarian who also happens to be my father, so this is total foreign soil here to me as well, but I'm on a couple of natural care groups on yahoo, and they were talking about it and it got me thinking so I have been researching it for several weeks before coming to this decision.
Benefits:
Hormonal Imbalance resulting in obesity, cardiac stress & urinary incontinece won't be a problem.
Here is an article from the early 1970’s written by a man who was waaay ahead of his time- Dr. Wendell Belfield. http://www.belfield.com/pdfs/Partial_Spay.pdf
This is an excellent article talks about the importance of hormones:
Emails to Clients About Spaying « DogtorJ.com :: Food Intolerance in Pets & Their People :: Home of The GARD
A study which basically pointed out dogs with ovaries lived longer:
Exploring mechanisms of sex differences in longevity: lifetime ovary exposure and exceptional longevity in dogs - Waters - 2009 - Aging Cell - Wiley Online Library
Hysterectomy
Clip from Dr. Belfield :
I once performed this procedure on a bitch that was permitted to run loose, needless to say all of the males were tearing down fences, fighting one another to win the prize. This infuriated all human members in the neighborhood, the owner insisted I remove the remaining ovary. These are the ones I do not recommend for the procedure. As a rule, estrus alternates between the two ovaries twice annually. The first animal I performed the
surgery on was my own German Shepherd, she had a wonderful long life. It also has a tendency to minimize fat metabolism. The gonadotropic hormones definitely play an important role in immune function. Most of the dogs with allergies tend to be those that have been altered compared to whole animals. I do agree, it does offer a more normal life for the female. I have also performed vasectomies on males with the same positive results.
Wendell O. Belfield, DVM
This talks about long-term health effects of spay/neuter dogs:
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longt...uterindogs.pdf
On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially
immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated
with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.
On the positive side, neutering male dogs
• eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
• reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)
On the negative side, neutering male dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
• increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may
exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the
odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the
relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.
On the positive side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common
malignant tumors in female dogs
• nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female
dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• removes the very small risk (≤0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors
On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by
a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits associated of spay/neuter in dogs.
Here's tidbits from the research I have been doing. I work for a Veterinarian who also happens to be my father, so this is total foreign soil here to me as well, but I'm on a couple of natural care groups on yahoo, and they were talking about it and it got me thinking so I have been researching it for several weeks before coming to this decision.
Benefits:
Hormonal Imbalance resulting in obesity, cardiac stress & urinary incontinece won't be a problem.
Here is an article from the early 1970’s written by a man who was waaay ahead of his time- Dr. Wendell Belfield. http://www.belfield.com/pdfs/Partial_Spay.pdf
This is an excellent article talks about the importance of hormones:
Emails to Clients About Spaying « DogtorJ.com :: Food Intolerance in Pets & Their People :: Home of The GARD
A study which basically pointed out dogs with ovaries lived longer:
Exploring mechanisms of sex differences in longevity: lifetime ovary exposure and exceptional longevity in dogs - Waters - 2009 - Aging Cell - Wiley Online Library
Hysterectomy
Clip from Dr. Belfield :
I once performed this procedure on a bitch that was permitted to run loose, needless to say all of the males were tearing down fences, fighting one another to win the prize. This infuriated all human members in the neighborhood, the owner insisted I remove the remaining ovary. These are the ones I do not recommend for the procedure. As a rule, estrus alternates between the two ovaries twice annually. The first animal I performed the
surgery on was my own German Shepherd, she had a wonderful long life. It also has a tendency to minimize fat metabolism. The gonadotropic hormones definitely play an important role in immune function. Most of the dogs with allergies tend to be those that have been altered compared to whole animals. I do agree, it does offer a more normal life for the female. I have also performed vasectomies on males with the same positive results.
Wendell O. Belfield, DVM
This talks about long-term health effects of spay/neuter dogs:
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longt...uterindogs.pdf
On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially
immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated
with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.
On the positive side, neutering male dogs
• eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
• reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)
On the negative side, neutering male dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
• increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may
exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the
odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the
relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.
On the positive side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common
malignant tumors in female dogs
• nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female
dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• removes the very small risk (≤0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors
On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by
a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits associated of spay/neuter in dogs.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Benefits of Feeding Raw
I just wanted to share some of the benefits I've noticed since feeding raw, we have been feeding raw for 4 months now:
1- No doggie odor Zoey & Ziva do not smell, my golden's ears don't stink like they did on kibble.
2- Softer coat, their coats are so soft & luxurious, I think my goldens coat is more radiant than it was on kibble, definitely noticed less shedding
3- Better health, granted Zoey's having issues at the moment, but this is NOTHING compared to her normally getting throat infections every other week, this is the first one in 4 months which isn't bad in my book.
4- Allergies, Zoey is no longer chewing/licking herself, the white on her front legs is coming back, she is also completely off of her antihistamines & urinary acidifier, and we've been able to drop her steroid down to every 4th day now, the steroid is for hydrocephalus
5- Ziva seems to respond better to training than most of the kibble fed pups I've trained in the past, she has more focus
6- Hyperactivity my golden is an obnoxious twit sometimes, but since feeding raw her energy levels are more stable, and she's not nearly as obnoxious or hyper
7- Teeth, while I haven't seen the completely clean teeth I have noticed a difference in the amount of tartar on Zoey's teeth. She just hasn't wanted to eat bones in a while so it's hard getting that benefit.
8- Fewer collapsed trachea episodes, they don't seem to be as severe either.
What are some of the benefits you've seen with raw?
1- No doggie odor Zoey & Ziva do not smell, my golden's ears don't stink like they did on kibble.
2- Softer coat, their coats are so soft & luxurious, I think my goldens coat is more radiant than it was on kibble, definitely noticed less shedding
3- Better health, granted Zoey's having issues at the moment, but this is NOTHING compared to her normally getting throat infections every other week, this is the first one in 4 months which isn't bad in my book.
4- Allergies, Zoey is no longer chewing/licking herself, the white on her front legs is coming back, she is also completely off of her antihistamines & urinary acidifier, and we've been able to drop her steroid down to every 4th day now, the steroid is for hydrocephalus
5- Ziva seems to respond better to training than most of the kibble fed pups I've trained in the past, she has more focus
6- Hyperactivity my golden is an obnoxious twit sometimes, but since feeding raw her energy levels are more stable, and she's not nearly as obnoxious or hyper
7- Teeth, while I haven't seen the completely clean teeth I have noticed a difference in the amount of tartar on Zoey's teeth. She just hasn't wanted to eat bones in a while so it's hard getting that benefit.
8- Fewer collapsed trachea episodes, they don't seem to be as severe either.
What are some of the benefits you've seen with raw?
Our Weekly Menu
So I am switching up our schedule/menu a little bit, I have been overfeeding a bit on organ days since they need roughly .7 oz of both Liver & Kidney per week, I am going to start offering both the organs (liver & kidney) twice a week each that way their meals won't be quite so big on organ nights. We will try this for a week or two and see how it goes, we will watch poops etc. I should mention I am still having to slightly sear Zoey's organs in butter/parmesan cheese otherwise she won't touch them.
Sunday: AM Turkey
PM Bone in Cornish Hen .35oz Liver
Monday AM Boneless Beef or Beef Heart
PM Boneless Pork
Tuesday AM RMB (Beef Ribs, or Turkey Neck, or Pork Neck or Rib Bones)
PM Whole Prey Mice & .35 oz Liver
Wednesday AM 1 Egg & Shell
PM Boneless Beef or Beef Heart
Thursday AM Ground or Boneless Chicken
PM Whole Prey Mice & .35oz Beef Kidney
Friday AM RMB (Beef Ribs, or Turkey Neck, or Pork Neck or Rib Bones)
PM Boneless Pork
Saturday AM Fish
PM Bone in Cornish Hen .35oz Beef Kidney
Sunday: AM Turkey
PM Bone in Cornish Hen .35oz Liver
Monday AM Boneless Beef or Beef Heart
PM Boneless Pork
Tuesday AM RMB (Beef Ribs, or Turkey Neck, or Pork Neck or Rib Bones)
PM Whole Prey Mice & .35 oz Liver
Wednesday AM 1 Egg & Shell
PM Boneless Beef or Beef Heart
Thursday AM Ground or Boneless Chicken
PM Whole Prey Mice & .35oz Beef Kidney
Friday AM RMB (Beef Ribs, or Turkey Neck, or Pork Neck or Rib Bones)
PM Boneless Pork
Saturday AM Fish
PM Bone in Cornish Hen .35oz Beef Kidney
How I feed my little dogs:
Lately I've been asked a few times what I feed my little dogs, so here's how I feed my 2 little guys.
I feed mine mostly chicken bones/cornish hen bones for their bone in portions. My dogs only require bone 2 meals a week, sometimes 3 depending on what I feed. The rest are boneless in which I use the beef, pork, ground hamburger, turkey & chicken as well. I also feed 1-2 meals of fish (smelt, mackeral, salmon). For the beef/pork I generally buy either steaks or roasts on reduced for quick sale, or I will buy pork chops as well, cutting out the bones if they have them (because they are cut, they are too sharp). I also have started giving them beef hearts (that's something you have to work them up to as it's rich) I also sometimes throw in a raw egg, shell & all. When I give organs I feed a boney meal with it, that helps with any loose stools from organs. A lot of people feed chicken backs/thighs for their boney portions. I do also give whole prey a few times a week (mice with fur & all). I give them pork neck bones, turkey necks, beef ribs, pork ribs for bones they can gnaw on. They don't eat much of the bones of those but they do eat/tear/rip the meat off which is a great workout for them.
I feed mine mostly chicken bones/cornish hen bones for their bone in portions. My dogs only require bone 2 meals a week, sometimes 3 depending on what I feed. The rest are boneless in which I use the beef, pork, ground hamburger, turkey & chicken as well. I also feed 1-2 meals of fish (smelt, mackeral, salmon). For the beef/pork I generally buy either steaks or roasts on reduced for quick sale, or I will buy pork chops as well, cutting out the bones if they have them (because they are cut, they are too sharp). I also have started giving them beef hearts (that's something you have to work them up to as it's rich) I also sometimes throw in a raw egg, shell & all. When I give organs I feed a boney meal with it, that helps with any loose stools from organs. A lot of people feed chicken backs/thighs for their boney portions. I do also give whole prey a few times a week (mice with fur & all). I give them pork neck bones, turkey necks, beef ribs, pork ribs for bones they can gnaw on. They don't eat much of the bones of those but they do eat/tear/rip the meat off which is a great workout for them.
Here is how I started:
1st 2 weeks: Boney Meals (except Zoey who only got them for the first 4 days then we went to twice a week). I used Cornish Game Hens, Thighs for a pomeranian I had.
3rd week: Started adding a little bit of pork in addition to the boney meals, increasing the pork amount daily until they were getting a whole meal of pork
4th week: Started adding a little bit of beef in addition to the boney meals, increasing the beef amount daily until they were getting a whole meal of beef
5th week: I added organs to the boney portions again increasing the amounts each day.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Eggshells N Organs Question
We have been battling a severe throat infection/eosophagitis with Zoey, the past week it got really bad & she didn't eat for 48 hours. So Tuesday back to the Vet we went, we are giving her a different (3rd) antibiotic, sprayed her throat with a topical numbing stuff 15 min before eating until last night JUST so she would eat, and are feeding her soupy ground meats 3 times a day. She lost 3oz which is a lot for such a little dog (4#). Anyways we normally do organs on Tuesdays & Fridays, and I was going to give her ground eggshells for her bone/calcium since she can't have bone for 2 weeks so her throat can heal. Would the eggshells counteract the rocket butt from organs? She's never had a problem with organs, but I've always given her bone with her organs. Also noticed this week she is red again, would being sick/under the weather make her skin red (head/legs)? I hope it's not allergies flaring up again, she's been doing so well. Her gums/mouth is really red too, but I think that's due to the infection going on.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Are dogs Carnivores or Omnivores?
That is the question :-) In the research I have done, based on their anatomy (teeth to cut with etc) I have to agree that dogs are carnivores. You can look at their teeth to know that they were designed for chopping not grinding like an omnivore does. Yes dogs can eat plant/grains but they don't 'thrive' on them and they aren't required for life. Dogs/wolves are opportunistic carnivores.
Evolutionarily speaking, dogs are classified as carnivores:
Kingdon: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus Canis
Species Lupus
Subspecies Familiaris
Here are a couple of links to support:
The 1st 2 are written by a Veterinarian
Dogs Are Carnivores
http://www.thewholedog.org/NHMVTheOm...ivoreQuest.pdf
http://www.vetbalance.com/index.php?/carnivore-vs.-omnivore.html
http://britfeld.com/dietry-care-specie-differences.htm
Evolutionarily speaking, dogs are classified as carnivores:
Kingdon: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus Canis
Species Lupus
Subspecies Familiaris
Here are a couple of links to support:
The 1st 2 are written by a Veterinarian
Dogs Are Carnivores
http://www.thewholedog.org/NHMVTheOm...ivoreQuest.pdf
http://www.vetbalance.com/index.php?/carnivore-vs.-omnivore.html
http://britfeld.com/dietry-care-specie-differences.htm
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Does Raw Make them easier to train?
So I have been working with Ziva on training and OMG she's stubborn in some regards but smart as a whip in others. In just a few (less than 5) very short sessions, she has 'grasped' the concept of sit, down, puppy push-ups (sit/down quickly), roll over, army crawl, give me 5, other paw, & stick em up, working on smiles (she smiles & shows her teeth) & get those fleas (scratching) & army crawl. A lot of these we are just shaping with the clicker as she offers them, but she is catching on quicker than I've ever had a dog catch on. Is raw to attribute to that? I've heard lots & lots that Min Pins are VERY difficult to train as they are very stubborn.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Zoey & Ziva eat their first whole prey meal
This is a short video of Zoey & Ziva eating their first whole prey meal (mice)
Monday, October 25, 2010
Zoey's Fishy Birthday Cake
Mom made me a Mackeral & Smelt Birthday Cake (Grandpa said it was okay cause fish bones are soft)
It is really yummy!
Is that it mom? I know there has to be more....
I also's got some nummy treats but I am bery cold in this picture
Cedes & Tigger thought if they were cute mom would share my burfday cake...boy were they wrong, it's MINE!
I is also bery excited mom's says I am getting another Tiger Dreamz bed! Big ole mean Shellie dog ate my last one
**Mom's getting a good deal ($40 + shipping) on the trundle snuggle bed normally $58-$68, she's willing to pass it on to anyone who's interested they come in all sorts of colors
http://picasaweb.google.com/cprcheetah3/TigerDreamz#
It is really yummy!
Is that it mom? I know there has to be more....
I also's got some nummy treats but I am bery cold in this picture
Cedes & Tigger thought if they were cute mom would share my burfday cake...boy were they wrong, it's MINE!
I is also bery excited mom's says I am getting another Tiger Dreamz bed! Big ole mean Shellie dog ate my last one
**Mom's getting a good deal ($40 + shipping) on the trundle snuggle bed normally $58-$68, she's willing to pass it on to anyone who's interested they come in all sorts of colors
http://picasaweb.google.com/cprcheetah3/TigerDreamz#
Thursday, October 21, 2010
What's the difference?
I've been asked several times, what makes feeding a 'little' dog different than feeding a big one. Well for one thing Zoey my 4# chihuahua only eats 2oz per day whereas Shellie my golden retriever eats 20x that much at 22oz per day. Little dogs I have found don't need bone in their meals as much once they are off of the introductory period. Zoey only gets bone 2x a week, Georgie gets bone every 3-4 meals, Shellie (who has a sensitive stomach) has to have bone every other meal to regulate her stools. Another difference, is feeding 50% red meat (which I've heard is the ideal) isn't that difficult to do since a 2# roast will make 32 meals for my little Zoey and I got one for $3 so that made each meal less than 10 cents, you can't argue with that. As far as organs go, Shellie gets them daily, my little dogs get them once a week. Those are the main difference I am finding, as well as what 'boney' meals they can handle. Zoey won't attempt to eat anything other than a pork neck bone, a cornish hen bone or the meat off of a beef rib bone. She doesn't like the bigger cuts of meat either.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Refusing Organs...
For the past 3-4 weeks Zoey has absolutely been refusing to eat organs. I have tried searing them, feeding frozen, feeding 1/2 frozen etc. The only way I get her to eat about 1/10th of them is to dice into pin point size pieces and hand thfeed, she still spits 1/2 of it out. Tonight I even tried mixing them in with the canned tripe, she ate all the tripe stuff and left the organs after she licked them clean! GRRRRRR Any suggestions? I will stuff them down her throat if I have to as I know she needs her organs, but she's being a pill about them. She's eating Calve Liver & Beef Kidneys as her organs, and she normally just loves them. Apparently stuffing isn't going to be an option, I tried...even if I stuffed all the way in the back of her throat to where you couldn't see it anymore she hacked it up...the little stink! So last night I tried just searing it and added a little butter & parmasan cheese, she still wouldn't touch it so I cooked it all the way through, then had to hand feed it to her like a treat....what a stubborn little diva!
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| You Want me to eat that? |
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| Oooh....I'll gladly eat it cooked though |
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| This is good stuff maynard! |
I need to switch my cats to raw
The other day I heard a loud crash in the kitchen, I was in the pantry at the time organizing shelves...so I go out to the kitchen and this is what I found:
My ever so helpful Siamese, Munchie got on top of the freezer then somehow knocked over my dog storage drawers (they sit on top of another drawer system next to the dog cages) where Zoey had her organs she was refusing to eat...Munchie was trying to get to them...the little stink!
***If and when I do switch the cats to raw (waiting for hubby's approval) they won't be a problem, they are EVER so helpful when I'm feeding the dogs, I have to really watch Mercedes or she will walk off with their dinner. So far they like just about EVERYTHING, pork, beef, chicken, sardines, smelt etc.
My ever so helpful Siamese, Munchie got on top of the freezer then somehow knocked over my dog storage drawers (they sit on top of another drawer system next to the dog cages) where Zoey had her organs she was refusing to eat...Munchie was trying to get to them...the little stink!
***If and when I do switch the cats to raw (waiting for hubby's approval) they won't be a problem, they are EVER so helpful when I'm feeding the dogs, I have to really watch Mercedes or she will walk off with their dinner. So far they like just about EVERYTHING, pork, beef, chicken, sardines, smelt etc.
My little pro
Ziva our new little Miniature Pinscher is eating raw like a pro, this week I ran out of Cornish Hen and we are squeaky tight on the budget so couldn't go run & get some so had to cut up some chicken thighs and Ziva is eating them like a pro! She was diagnosed with Ringworm last week, and I really think the Raw and no vaccines is helping her immune system fight it quicker. My cats took almost 2 months to get over it, her areas are already starting to look better. GO RAW!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A day with the wolf pack
I am on a Raw Feeding Yahoo group and Beth Hostetter was nice enough to allow me to share her AWESOME experience with you!
"I am spending the day at the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN. Below are the answers to the questions I rec'd before I went. I am going back for feeding the pack this evening, so private email me any other questions (I can pick up from my phone on the run)
They feed whole prey to the pack. Typically white tail deer and beaver. The natural diet for wild wolves in this area is 60% deer, the rest beaver, moose, and small mammals. Nearer the Rockies the natural prey is more elk.
They feed the pack in a group. The alpha male and female feed first and subordiinates feed in dominance order. The large prey is proportioned by the pack. Different parts of the animal are eaten by different wolves over time.
They do NOT eat the stomach contents. They shake it out and eat the stomach lining. The wolves can eat all parts except the stomach contents, but often will not eat the vertabrate or skull (but will eat the jaw bone). They can eat them, but they are more difficult to eat, so they will pick clean and might bury/cache for future in case of extreme hunger
They feed the pack as they eat in the wild gorge/feast- once per week. They might supplement with addtitional small feedings if the staff deems necessary. They determine this by watching their scat daily. The scat is usually hair and some bone. (Yep, they watch the poo too!)
The staff freezes the meat for 2 weeks prior to feeding to kill parasites. Most the deer is road kill that they gather. The DNR pays trappers to bring in beavers and the DNR gets rid of them by donating them to the Wolf Center. They said check wtih your locall DNR to see if they have collected carcasses they want to get rid of. Many are thrilled to have someone else dispose of it.
There is an area in British Columbia where the wolves fish, a habit they think was learned from observing the bear in the area. It would be rare for others to fish, but as opportunistic animals - they will eat fish.
Wolves are only successful in making a kill 15% of the time, so on average a wolf will hunt and monitor their territory 30 miles a day, days a week.
The strongest dog breed jaw strengths (like pit bulls, GSD, etc) have a jaw strength of 600#/inch pressure. A wild wolf's is 1500#/inch. An adult wolf can sheer a moose femur in -10 bites. The staff I talked to raw feeds her dog and doesn't feed the leg bones of the animals because the domesticated animals jaw strength isn't there.
Wolves are very efficient at digestion and convert 95% of eaten food into energy. Only undigested is hair and a little bone.
Finished with the Feeding of the pack tonight.
Chris, you are correct, the correct term is breeding adults or dominant male or female. The dominant males and females discourage breeding of younger wolves in the pack, as they are usually related such as younger wolves from the breeding pair. The dominant wolves lead the hunt and usually select the prey in the herd, the wolves then work in relay the running, and wearing down the prey, usually by tiring it and making it weaken by bleeding. The speaker said she was not aware of them having differnt managers for different prey, but might use more experienced hunters for more challenging or dangerous prey, such as moose.
This pack just "retired" their dominant male due to arthritis. (Moved to a non-public viewed site) There is a dominant female who currently runs the pack. Her name is Maya and she is 6. Her brother, Grizzer, is a loosely dominant male, but not doing his job,so he is getting challenged by Denali- a 2 year old male just reaching adulthood. Grizzer has not submitted, but likely will have to raise to the challenge or step down soon. The smallest is Aidan, the lowest ranking male.
Tonight's dinner was beaver. 6 beaver and a rib cage of deer were brougt in. Maya and Grizzer ate the beaver tails first. The tails are primarily fat and considered the best prize. While they were eating, Denali snuck out some of the deer ribs. Aidan sniffed around, but didn't touch anything for a long time. Maya marked several of the beavers. The funniest thing was that Aidan finally stole a small piece of deer rib- about the size of a chicken leg. Maya came over and he dropped it. She stood over the piece and marked it then walked away.
We watched for 1.5 hours during that time Maya and Grizzer dragged away beaver and were eating in the distance. Denali stole a beaver and was eating it in the distance. Aidan was the only wolf left in the food area, and he just sat next to his peed on piece of meat and didn't eat anything. The staff said that Aidan usually would not eat until the next day when he was allowed to eat. Even if Maya chose not to eat for hours, he wouldn't eat. All the other wolves were at least 50 yards away and he didn't touch anything.
They ate slower and less frantic than I expected. They weigh between 60 and 100 lbs and each will eat about 20# of meat tonight. They will sleep most of the next 2-3 days.
We did see one wolf up close tear open the belly after the tail was gone and pull out and eat the guts. One organ was pulled out and left alone. It looked greenish so we suspect it was the stomach.
I asked about the deer and chronic wasting disease- there is a fair amount around here. They said it doesn't affect the wolves, so not a concern.
Laura, I got your email after the feeding, so I didn't get to ask about eating apples and berries. They did say that they are opportunistic, so perhaps that has something to do with it."
"I am spending the day at the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN. Below are the answers to the questions I rec'd before I went. I am going back for feeding the pack this evening, so private email me any other questions (I can pick up from my phone on the run)
They feed whole prey to the pack. Typically white tail deer and beaver. The natural diet for wild wolves in this area is 60% deer, the rest beaver, moose, and small mammals. Nearer the Rockies the natural prey is more elk.
They feed the pack in a group. The alpha male and female feed first and subordiinates feed in dominance order. The large prey is proportioned by the pack. Different parts of the animal are eaten by different wolves over time.
They do NOT eat the stomach contents. They shake it out and eat the stomach lining. The wolves can eat all parts except the stomach contents, but often will not eat the vertabrate or skull (but will eat the jaw bone). They can eat them, but they are more difficult to eat, so they will pick clean and might bury/cache for future in case of extreme hunger
They feed the pack as they eat in the wild gorge/feast- once per week. They might supplement with addtitional small feedings if the staff deems necessary. They determine this by watching their scat daily. The scat is usually hair and some bone. (Yep, they watch the poo too!)
The staff freezes the meat for 2 weeks prior to feeding to kill parasites. Most the deer is road kill that they gather. The DNR pays trappers to bring in beavers and the DNR gets rid of them by donating them to the Wolf Center. They said check wtih your locall DNR to see if they have collected carcasses they want to get rid of. Many are thrilled to have someone else dispose of it.
There is an area in British Columbia where the wolves fish, a habit they think was learned from observing the bear in the area. It would be rare for others to fish, but as opportunistic animals - they will eat fish.
Wolves are only successful in making a kill 15% of the time, so on average a wolf will hunt and monitor their territory 30 miles a day, days a week.
The strongest dog breed jaw strengths (like pit bulls, GSD, etc) have a jaw strength of 600#/inch pressure. A wild wolf's is 1500#/inch. An adult wolf can sheer a moose femur in -10 bites. The staff I talked to raw feeds her dog and doesn't feed the leg bones of the animals because the domesticated animals jaw strength isn't there.
Wolves are very efficient at digestion and convert 95% of eaten food into energy. Only undigested is hair and a little bone.
Finished with the Feeding of the pack tonight.
Chris, you are correct, the correct term is breeding adults or dominant male or female. The dominant males and females discourage breeding of younger wolves in the pack, as they are usually related such as younger wolves from the breeding pair. The dominant wolves lead the hunt and usually select the prey in the herd, the wolves then work in relay the running, and wearing down the prey, usually by tiring it and making it weaken by bleeding. The speaker said she was not aware of them having differnt managers for different prey, but might use more experienced hunters for more challenging or dangerous prey, such as moose.
This pack just "retired" their dominant male due to arthritis. (Moved to a non-public viewed site) There is a dominant female who currently runs the pack. Her name is Maya and she is 6. Her brother, Grizzer, is a loosely dominant male, but not doing his job,so he is getting challenged by Denali- a 2 year old male just reaching adulthood. Grizzer has not submitted, but likely will have to raise to the challenge or step down soon. The smallest is Aidan, the lowest ranking male.
Tonight's dinner was beaver. 6 beaver and a rib cage of deer were brougt in. Maya and Grizzer ate the beaver tails first. The tails are primarily fat and considered the best prize. While they were eating, Denali snuck out some of the deer ribs. Aidan sniffed around, but didn't touch anything for a long time. Maya marked several of the beavers. The funniest thing was that Aidan finally stole a small piece of deer rib- about the size of a chicken leg. Maya came over and he dropped it. She stood over the piece and marked it then walked away.
We watched for 1.5 hours during that time Maya and Grizzer dragged away beaver and were eating in the distance. Denali stole a beaver and was eating it in the distance. Aidan was the only wolf left in the food area, and he just sat next to his peed on piece of meat and didn't eat anything. The staff said that Aidan usually would not eat until the next day when he was allowed to eat. Even if Maya chose not to eat for hours, he wouldn't eat. All the other wolves were at least 50 yards away and he didn't touch anything.
They ate slower and less frantic than I expected. They weigh between 60 and 100 lbs and each will eat about 20# of meat tonight. They will sleep most of the next 2-3 days.
We did see one wolf up close tear open the belly after the tail was gone and pull out and eat the guts. One organ was pulled out and left alone. It looked greenish so we suspect it was the stomach.
I asked about the deer and chronic wasting disease- there is a fair amount around here. They said it doesn't affect the wolves, so not a concern.
Laura, I got your email after the feeding, so I didn't get to ask about eating apples and berries. They did say that they are opportunistic, so perhaps that has something to do with it."
Monday, October 11, 2010
Why are organs important?
Over on Dogster, someone asked the question as to why organs are necessary for a raw diet, I've never really known the answer to that other than they need nutrients from them, & it helps balance out the diet. So I did some research and this is what I found:
Liver
In this one product is a vast range of important nutrition. Liver is the most concentrated source of vitamin A and should be fed in small amounts on a regular basis. It also contains vitamins D, E, and K in substantial quantities. Liver is an excellent source of the minerals zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. It also contains all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts and is a good source of vitamin C. Liver provides a source of good quality protein and the essential fatty acids, both the omega-3 and omega-6 type.
Kidneys
Not unlike liver, kidney supplies good quality protein, essential fatty acids and many vitamins including all the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Kidneys are a rich source of iron and all the B vitamins. They also have good levels of zinc.
So even if your dog is having a harder time adjusting with organs, they are still a good idea to give, otherwise you'd have to supplement with tons of vitamins etc. We have found that with Georgie he needs a bone meal before, during & after all organ meals, Zoey only needs the bone meal with her organs. Shellie also needs the bone meals, before, during & after her organs. Each dog is different but that helps eliminate the splarts/rocket butt etc.
Liver
In this one product is a vast range of important nutrition. Liver is the most concentrated source of vitamin A and should be fed in small amounts on a regular basis. It also contains vitamins D, E, and K in substantial quantities. Liver is an excellent source of the minerals zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. It also contains all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts and is a good source of vitamin C. Liver provides a source of good quality protein and the essential fatty acids, both the omega-3 and omega-6 type.
Kidneys
Not unlike liver, kidney supplies good quality protein, essential fatty acids and many vitamins including all the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Kidneys are a rich source of iron and all the B vitamins. They also have good levels of zinc.
So even if your dog is having a harder time adjusting with organs, they are still a good idea to give, otherwise you'd have to supplement with tons of vitamins etc. We have found that with Georgie he needs a bone meal before, during & after all organ meals, Zoey only needs the bone meal with her organs. Shellie also needs the bone meals, before, during & after her organs. Each dog is different but that helps eliminate the splarts/rocket butt etc.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Ugh.....we may have Ringworm....
Ziva has a circular bald spot on the back of her neck, then this morning her neck had welts on it and was red & she's been super itchy since we brought her home, I gave her an oatmeal bath today, and still she was rubbing her neck on the ex-pen, and my elliptical machine. We thought she was having an allergic reaction to the nylon in her collar but I'm thinking it may be ringworm. The 'scaly' parts do glow under the purple light :-( We gave her some benadryl this morning, but as you can see it's still red & inflammed & scaly. It appears the skin folds are swollen & inflammed. I will be having my dad/Vet do a skin scraping tomorrow to check them. Both spots are red & scaly. So I think it may just be starting. She's had the bald spot on her neck since I got her it's just been growing and now it's red.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Ziva being cute!
Ziva is the cutest puppy, here she is last night "trying" to get out of trouble, the cats were eating canned food on the floor....
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Zoey Update
One of our friends (Rylee & Frida) on one of our Chihuahua forums/groups made this for Zoey just because, it's an adorable harness dress, anyways I took these pictures and was noticing Zoey really is looking great. Her front legs are really white now, even on her toes. I am so happy! For so long they have been stained brown/red from her looking. Not to mention her figure is looking very svelte and trim.
Here is a 'before' picture taken when she first started eating raw:
Here is Zoey now:
Friday, October 1, 2010
Zoey inhaling Smelt & Mackeral
I FINALLY figured out how to upload videos that work :-) This is from September 2nd I think this is one of her favorite meals. I need to find more smelt :-)
Learning to Feed Raw Educational Videos.
Over on Dogster raw feeding there was a contest to make videos on educating people about Raw Feeding: Here are the winners and some excellent videos:
Mississipi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb47M2kyWRk
The Hounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-T7iVYbkLw
Lincoln:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmaBe9vpTcg
They are really good, really educational as well. I am working on one geared towards feeding 'Little Carnivores' it's in the works, so bear with me, I will post it when I have it completed. One thing I will show is how to 'properly' cut up a Cornish Hen as I seriously had no clue when I started...Rob (hubby) taught me how.
Mississipi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb47M2kyWRk
The Hounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-T7iVYbkLw
Lincoln:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmaBe9vpTcg
They are really good, really educational as well. I am working on one geared towards feeding 'Little Carnivores' it's in the works, so bear with me, I will post it when I have it completed. One thing I will show is how to 'properly' cut up a Cornish Hen as I seriously had no clue when I started...Rob (hubby) taught me how.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sorry for not posting
I have been really busy for a while, but promise I will do better about posting the pictures of "My Little Carnivores" eating their raw food. We have been feeding raw now for almost 3 months and I seriously am so happy with it. Zoey is THRIVING on it, she eats it with ease, and has not had to be seen by the vet for anything, except food poisoning (she found a rotten carrot on my kitchen floor somewhere). She's been healthy, has a lot more energy, is more playful and just doing great! Raw feeding has mellowed my spaz attack Golden Retriever Shellie out IMMENSELY, she probably has 1/2 the energy she did before. She even was able to walk 20 miles with the majority of it loose leash while she helped me search for my sister's standard poodle whom was lost and on her own for 3 & 1/2 weeks. I'm so proud of Shellie!
New Little Carnivore Joins our Family!
We have a new "Little Carnivore", her name is Ziva and she is a Miniature Pinscher Puppy. She is taking to raw like a pro and already eating through Cornish hen bones, and she doesn't even have any adult teeth yet :-) She is getting 10% of her weight per day (as she's a puppy) so we are feeding her about 5.6oz per day divided into 4 feedings:
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| Here are some pictures of her 1st Raw Meal: |
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Friday, August 27, 2010
Zoey has worms in her water dish!
UPDATE: We figured out these little buggers are Mosquito Larvae!!!! So it had NOTHING to do with feeding her raw food, which I didn't think it did. My dad said he's never seen that happen in a 'fresh' water bowl before.
So was getting Zoeys water dish (ceramic) to clean it out for the day and noticed a whole bunch of floaties in it beyond her hair lol, took a closer look at they were moving! EEEK! They are less than 1/4" long and about the width of a pin. Hubby is a little upset/freaked that feeding raw is giving Zoey worms. He wants me to worm her & quit feeding raw immediately. Hubby's thoughts were bloodworms or mosquitoe larvae, although they are all at the bottom with a few at the top. He did say it looked like some had a 'casing' around them and were developing into something else. His thoughts are maybe I accidentally spilled a drop of blood in her water last night when feeding? Has anyone else every seen this? This happened in about 24 hours as I clean out her dish every day. I have not seen any worms in her stool at all. Do I need to take her in for a fecal? Here are her meals for past 24 hours:
Wednesday morning: boneless chicken breast
Wednesday Evening: Boneless Pork Chop (was short sale but frozen for 2 weeks +)
Thursday Morning: Ground Beef (fed at work so no way touched bowl)
So was getting Zoeys water dish (ceramic) to clean it out for the day and noticed a whole bunch of floaties in it beyond her hair lol, took a closer look at they were moving! EEEK! They are less than 1/4" long and about the width of a pin. Hubby is a little upset/freaked that feeding raw is giving Zoey worms. He wants me to worm her & quit feeding raw immediately. Hubby's thoughts were bloodworms or mosquitoe larvae, although they are all at the bottom with a few at the top. He did say it looked like some had a 'casing' around them and were developing into something else. His thoughts are maybe I accidentally spilled a drop of blood in her water last night when feeding? Has anyone else every seen this? This happened in about 24 hours as I clean out her dish every day. I have not seen any worms in her stool at all. Do I need to take her in for a fecal? Here are her meals for past 24 hours:
Wednesday morning: boneless chicken breast
Wednesday Evening: Boneless Pork Chop (was short sale but frozen for 2 weeks +)
Thursday Morning: Ground Beef (fed at work so no way touched bowl)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Hubby has to go grain free!
We went to the Dr today for a follow up on my hubby's blood pressure, well we found out a specialist didn't tell us the truth last year after hubby had an ECG they told us it was normal, well it turns out it wasn't his heart is enlarged with slight function issues, but not enough to warrant meds yet. Then we found out my hubby is most likely sensitive/allergic to grains (Celiac Disease kind of) so we were told that we had to cut out all grains out of the diet including rice, we are both Carbohydrate addicts, but since I have PCOS it is probably for the best that we cut out grains, sugars etc. So it will definitely be an adventure...but since we are already stocking up on meats etc for the dogs, hopefully it won't be too difficult....although definitely going to have to do more research on it.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Eggcellent!
For those who don't know me, raw eggs absolutely disgust me lol, now I LOVE cooked eggs (well done "dead" as hubby says), I can't stand having any runny egg yolk left at all it literally makes me gag. Hubby loves them sunny side up so it took a lot for me to be able to feed my dogs raw egg. Georgie likes eggs but not the shell (yet). Here are some pictures of Zoey enjoying the egg, I had to break up the shell for her but she ate about 3/4 of the shell. She loves crunching things!
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| Before I realized she needed the egg shell broken up a bit |
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| I broke the egg shell up into little bites for her |
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| Enjoying some crunchies! |
Thursday, August 19, 2010
He's Eating My Food!
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| Just sharing as I thought it turned out really cute...she is enjoying a few licks of my homemade banana 'creamie'. She LOVED it, Hubby said he's going to buy some doggie popcicle molds and make liver pops or something along those lines lol! |
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| Nomming on some cornish hen bone in chicken |
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| Zoey using her feet to hold the bone (cornish hen leg bone) |
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| "Mom! Munchie's eating my dinner!" Munchie is our little 'piglet' of a cat, he has 6th sense when it comes to food, the tastier the better. I had just cleaned out Georgies crate and put down a large matt, Munchie was in there, I kicked him out but as soon as he say Georgies dinner he went back in lol! |
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Mr. Picky Butt!
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| George is being a picky butt, he is a very sensitive boy, and we 'borrowed' his crate for a few days as one of our cats has a bladder infection and needed to be confined, he doesn't like any changes in his routine so hasn't been eating very well since about Sunday, so I held his chicken leg tonight so he'd eat...the big baby! I love him to pieces though! |
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| Zoey enjoys some chicken gizzards |
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Zoey's Improving
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| The vultures circle Munchie who's eating....DeeJay is the solid blue, | Baby is the tabby and Mercedes is the blue cream |
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| Munchie enjoying a chicken leg |
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| Her belly used to be bright red, I know you can't really see it in this picture, she HATES being on her back and assumes a 'stiff' position...this is her 'play' dead trick. |
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| Look at how great she looks, I knowq it's hard to tell from the 'lighting' but she's no longer red |
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| Zoey doing one of her 'tricks' bowing |
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Zoey's First Beef Rib
Zoey had her first beef rib on Thursday, she had a blast with it! It was truly amazing to watch her eat it, and 'strip' off the meat, what a work out! I had to put her out of the ex pen as Georgie thought he needed to have 2 of them even though he was still working on his own. Zoey just loved it!
Georgie's First Beef Rib
Georgie had his first beef rib on Thursday, and he was totally thrilled with it. He loved it....so much that he thought he needed to steal Zoey's as well lol. They get to go to work with me and I keep them in a large exercise pen in my grooming area for safety and so Georgie doesn't claim the whole area as his (lifts leg on everything). I had to put Zoey on the outside while she ate his. It was totally fascinating to watch his tear the meat off the bone.
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