I am curious as to what you can feed to your dog as far as raw foods go. From what I've read, it seems that most people think that fruits and vegetables are bad for them...But how can that be if they eat grass to soothe their tummies?

I suppose the question I'm trying to pose is this: Is it just meat that dogs should eat, or are fruits and veggies included in the recommended diet as well?

Oh, and I have a second query as well: If my dog is elderly, is raw chicken alright for her, or will the bacteria take advantage of her weakened condition?

Thanks.

I have the same question. I just logged on here for the first time. Can you buy raw dog food or do you guys make it for your pets? My dalmation is 10 years old so I'm wondering what changing her diet NOW would do to her.

Changing your dogs diets would make her live even LONGER and HEALTHIER and more ACTIVE! It's never too late to start! With older dogs, just go slow. Starting with chicken which will be fine. Don't give too much variety at first. Don't worry about the bacteria thing, dogs are different than people. Start with things like chicken wings and boneless breast. Raw diets should be about 60% Raw Meaty Bones, 35% boneless meat and only 5% organs. Too much bone can make them constipated and too much organ will give diahreah.

The vegetable thing is debatable. Personally, I don't feel they "need" it. In the wild any vegetable matter they might eat would be in something like a rabbit's stomach. Rabbits raid vegetable gardens; not dogs or cats. Dogs can't even digest it which is why the pro-veggie people say you need to blend it to break down the fibers that a dog's stomach can't. They don't have the teeth that herbivore/vegetarian animals do either. Stomach aches aren't normal. They usually eat grass to make themselves throw up when they have one. It also points to digestive problems the same way some dogs eat their own crap. Just because a dog eat something doesn't mean it's healthy or they need it, figuring they're attracted to chocolate and anti freeze too.

Here's a few links on all the basics of raw feeding. Yahoo also has some great raw feeding groups.

[dogaware.com.hosting.domaindirect.com]
[rawfed.com]
[community.livejournal.com]
[www.rawdogranch.com]

Ground is easy but what sucks is they don't get the chewing action and they lose the enzymes. It's basically just like us living off of blended food or "smoothies".
I also don't believe in supplementing to death. A lot of those premixed ground foods contain a bunch of supplements. Dogs should get their vitamins right from the food just like we should. I only supplement with Salmon Oil for the EFAs and one dog gets supplements for his joint problems and that's it.

www.bravorawdiet.com is good to start with. It's the most popular for premixed because it doesn't have any supplements. It has vegetables in some of the blends though..which when I've used it.. it comes out in their stools anyway.

If you don't live far from PA or can find a co-op that buys in bulk - www.hare-today.com is great. (gross website if you're meat sensitive)

For supplements this website is great. And has some good articles even on vegetables..
[b-naturals.com]

the veggie thing is an ongoing debate. personally i don`t think they need many vegees...any vegees given must be cooked or pureed to break down the cellular walls of the plant. dogs don`t produce amylase which is the needed enzyme for the digestion. you also have to be careful what to give them as far as that goes....nightshades are usually toxic as well as onions, grapes, raisins...all i can think of at the moment

as far as the age goes most seniors take to it fairly well. your dog may look at you like "what the heck am i sposed to do with this stuff?" because they`re so conditioned to kibble. start with raw chicken and let your pup go to town. it`s great exercise for their jaws and a natural tooth cleaner...hopefully yours doesn`t have any chewing problems you`ll want to feed 2-3% of their ideal weight in raw food. my dogs love their raw mals hope i helped a bit
patty

My pup has recurring yeast infections in her ears. They have a foul odor and are sensitive to the touch.The vet prescribed some medicine plus an antibiotic that makes her really sick so I don't know which is worse...the ear thing or the meds! All of this happened before my own raw experience. She also has blood in her urine, although doesn't display any physical discomforts from that. So I was wondering if a raw diet would be best. She seems to have a lot of allergies and is very sensitive. Right now she eats Dick Van Paton's food and Duck & Potatoe are the only two ingredients. I just bought a $50 bag, so I need to use it down before transitioning her to raw. She weighs about 42 lbs...if I understand you right, that would be about 9lbs of chicken a day???

Duh...I mean 9 oz a day...which would certainly be more manageable. Likeitornot, I looked at the links you provided...thanks! I was surprised that the raw diet was mostly chicken WITH the bone. I had always heard that dogs shouldn't have chicken bones. I really want to try this. My pooch is overweight in addition to the other things I mentioned.

uh uh...not 9 lbs...is she at an ideal weight at 42 lbs? if so feed her about a pound a day maybe a bit more...not per feeding but per day. dick van pattens is one of the lines i used to feed years ago also. the blood in her urine i`m not confident enough to suggest anything for but it may have something to do with the meds or the infections. if she`s constantly on meds it`s having some effect on her system. do some reading on the yahoo forum i mentioned. for a carnivore raw meat vs kibble is like comparing stones to tomatoes so she may have no allergic reactions to raw chicken where as kibble has so many other things and is dead food the dogs will react to it more. a good cleaning solution i use for my dogs is called the purple power solution it consists of

16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol

4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder

16 drops Gentian Violet Solution


Mix all ingredients in the alcohol bottle and shake well and administer it 2 times per day for the first 2 weeks, 1 time per day for the next 2 week and 1 time per month thereafter. Fill your dog’s ear with the solution and gently massage it in. Warning though, be sure to do it outside or in a room that is not finished in the basement as the Violet Solution will stain.

the violet is a natural antibiotic so it helps not only to clean out dirt and stuff but also to kill germs. dogs canals are pretty deep so you can get in pretty far without damage. just make sure there are no foreign objects in there that you could push down further. what i do/did as i don`t have to clean much anymore is i would take a paper towel and wrap it around my pointer finger and use that to clean. never stick a q-tip or anything like that down there though. when/if you use the cleaner stand back cuz the dog will shake its head and the violet will stain. i used to massage it for 15 seconds or so to work it in and give it a chance to make contact before they shake it out. i have never had it permanently stain their fur so i wouldn`t worry about having a purple pup how old and what breed is she

raw bones are fine for dogs. raw raw raw! cooking changes the molecular structure and they will splinter and such and that`s dangerous. chicken bones are the softest and easiest to chew and digest. the bones are great for cleaning their teeth and gives their jaws a workout also. it also represents the calcium needed in the diet. just keep reading and you`ll get it. i`ve heard of alot of pup problems disappearing because of a raw species appropriate diet.
patty

Thanks Patty

your welcome
patty

Islandgirl id seriously get your dog off the dog food its loaded with fat (bad for prediabetic conditions in dogs) and sugars (potatoes) , the ear yeast is the similar as us people dealing with candida .. get her/him some probiotics to start fighting the infection and good raw food ! [www.thewholedog.org] if any vegetables i would choose wheatgrass to start with as this is about as natural to a dog if anything


A yeast infection is caused by a yeast called Candida albicans. Candida albicans is an opportunistically yeast that normally inhabits the body and intestinal tract of our dogs. The job of candida albicans is to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria. In a healthy body, candida albicans is controlled by a properly-functioning immune system and "friendly" bacteria.

However, if the immune system is weakened, the number of friendly bacteria decreases, and candida albicans will shift from yeast form (a non-invasive, sugar-fermenting organism) to fungal form (invasive, mucosa damaging) - the yeast infection starts.
Yeast infection symptoms can hit all parts of the dog skin and the mucous membranes but humid places are the preferred area.

Symptoms for a yeast infection are itchy scalp, skin rashes, inflamed pimples with flaky edge.

A yeast infection can breake through in two different types:

Primary yeast infection happens if the ill-making yeast
bacteria strike healthy dog skin and the dogs immune system cannot resist them. The yeast infection is caused by contaminated items or other dogs.

Secondary yeast infection results from penetration of yeast into skin that is damaged by scratching or injuries. Thus, constantly scratching dogs are prone to yeast infections!

Skin rashes can be the result of external or internal parasites. So, keep your dog parasite free to prevent yeast infection.

Frequently bathing the dog dries out the natural oils in the dog skin and stimulates steady scratching, this creates yeast infection.

Poor nutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiency leads to skin rashes and resulting yeast infection.
Other factors that increase yeast infection:

Previous pet medication with antibiotics or steroids

Diabetes mellitus

Immune system deficiency
A therapy should start at the roots of the yeast infection, your dogs immune system. Many times it is not at all necessary to use prescription medicines.
Feed your dog a well-balanced natural diet. Avoid commercial dog foods, carbohydrates, preservatives, and other artificial fillers.
Keep your dog dry after swimming, bathing, and walks in the rain.

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2007 01:16AM by Jgunn.

I only gave her the meds for one day. They made her so sick, I couldn't bear to give them to her again. I have a topical for the yeast infection which has manifested on the inside flap of her ear. She scratches and it seems painful to the touch. No other skin rash is present. She is an inside dog so isn't bathed very often. I have some probiotics for humans. Can I give her those? If so, what would be the dosage. She is about 42 lbs (overweight). I am going to get some raw chicken to transition her onto. It just kills me that we just bought a NEW 50 lb bag of food. I hate waste and certainly can't afford waste, but I'm concerned for her health.

so use up the food ... remember too just like us .. a topical ointment is just a temporary solution ..it just masks the problem not take care of it yes try the probiotics that certainly wont hurt

how old is she btw too?

whatever the adult size dose is ..id give her half as she is roughly half the size of an adult

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2007 03:18AM by Jgunn.

you are probably going to have to use up the food anyways while transitioning her to raw as that is what she is used too and upsetting her tummy with a radical abrupt change in diet might be rough on her too ..by the time you go thru the 50lbs she should be happily munchin on raw feast

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Yeah...that was my thought. Katie will be 10 years old in Dec. She is a Dalmatian mix (Dalmatian and sneaky neighbor dog...we think maybe pit bull). Other than the recurring ear problem, she seems to have some arthritis in her back legs. If she could lose weight, I think it would help her pain level. She still is very playful and most people think she is a puppy because of her playfulness. The first time I noticed the blood in the urine was about 6 months ago after the vet prescribed the antibiotics and other meds for her yeast infection. I stopped the drugs immediately, but the bleeding continued. I heard dogs in my area get a lot of kidney stones because of the water, so I started giving her filtered. She doesn't seem to be in any physical distress with the bleeding. I don't notice it when I just take her out to pee, but if I walk her any distance at all, she will pee straight blood. I am really hoping the raw diet will clear up these things. Thanks for all your input. I'm going to start transitioning her today. The website mentioned one day raw...one day kibble, but I was thinking of mixing the two and then gradually reducing the amount of kibble while increasing the raw. What do you think? That is what I have done in the past while changing her food.

it is ok to transition but you can also do a cold turkey thing. i transitioned my dogs also between kibbles but not when i went to raw or homemade food. kibble digests at a different rate of speed because it is harder for them to digest since it`s foreign where as raw meat/chicken digests quickly. you might get more digestive upset transitioning......but then again maybe not LOL. and remember, there is a detox with dogs also. they also will need time to get those enzymes back up to speed. she`s been on kibble for 10 years so it may take a little bit
patty

i think the one day raw / one day kibble might be a better way to go .. or give her the raw first then the kibble later .. like dewey pointed out .. both foods are going to digest differently so moshing it all together is our version bad food combining lol

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

That makes sense...thanks for the input.

no problem just wanna save you from the wicked doggie farts that are sure to happen if you cause digestive disorder =p

peeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww ~!!!!

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

So if I do an every other day raw / kibble, how to you transition after that?

hmm well how long does a 50lb bag last you? maybe after a week go 2 days raw 1 day kibble .. then another week 3 days raw 1 day kibble .. untill no kibble an all raw

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

thanks jodi

I didn't get a chance to go to the market yesterday so I went today and got all the raw chicken for my dog. My daughter and I weighed her and couldn't believe how much weight she had gained. No wonder her little legs hurt her. She weighed 47.8 lbs. so I decided to give her about 1 lbs a day, divided into 2 meals. I'll see how it goes from there. I know the dog is getting old but I want to make her last few years her best, and hopefully alleviate her suffering.

Funny thing...my teenage daughter was watching me cut up the chicken and got really grossed out by it and said, "I think after watching you do this, I'm going vegetarian." It was quite cute.

that`s great island girl!! just a suggestion to save you heartache and time and energy. you don`t have to cut it up..at least not into bite sized pieces. just throw her a hunk..the bigger the better because of choking issues. dogs jaws can`t move side to side, they are hinged and strictly move up and down so they really don`t chew...not like us anyways. they crush and swallow what breed did you say she was? mine are: 1 golden retriever weighing about 63 pounds and almost 12 years old and a papillon weighing about 7 pounds who is around 3 years i think. as she loses weight her hips and joints will be better and she`ll move easier as you move into complete raw make sure she`s getting adequate raw meaty bones....meaning alot of meat wrapped around a bone...for her calcium.
patty

funny...since i started this i see chicken as dog food and that`s it so i understand your daughter LOL

Funny about the chicken! LOL!

Katie is a dalmatian mix...part dalmatian, part sneaky neighbor dog... adopted her from the pound 5 years ago and she has been the best pet our family has ever had.

I decided to give her the chicken tonight, even though she had kibble this morning. Then I will give her the chicken in the morning and kibble tomorrow night. My thought was having the long over night in between might be helpful to her digestion. I cut the chicken legs in half. She chewed for a while and then swallowed. I was afraid she might choke as she gobbled it down. She seemed pretty happy with it.

i find that if i sit and watch my golden i get paranoid LOL. i`m so afraid she`s going to choke, and she did on a turkey neck once. scared the crap outta me! i was all ready to do cpr on my dog LOL. she got it back up though and dealt with it. i haven`t given her a turkey neck since! i do make sure that i feed them and glance their way every few minutes to make sure everything is ok. dalmations are so awesome! i love the breed.
patty

Well...she tolerated the chicken last night and this morning quite fine and seemed to really enjoy it. So far her bowel movements have been normal and no apparent upset. Tonight I'll give her the kibble, just to be on the safe side.

good another thing you`ll notice on raw i less @#$%&
patty

Well here's my update...her @#$%& was a little loose today. I gave her kibble for dinner. She just looked at it and looked at me as if to say, "Where's my chicken." She still hasn't eaten.

lol sseee she knows what she wants lol

dont worry about the @#$%& they will normalize .. just like ours

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist