Pet food shocker

[fenwoman]

Is the food you're feeding your pet killing it? (and making your vet rich) | Mail Online

[biohazard156]

An interesting read for sure...

Actually Fenwoman, what do you feed your animals? Is it a RAW diet? with so many animals, you must have a good diet to feed them all on and to have minimal problems

I have cats under 4 and a 9 month old pup.... now the pup has a dodgy stomach and is currently on ProPlan puppy sensitive, and one of the cats has a sensitive stomach too and is on the equivelant brand cat food. I did notice that the cats teeth are not as good as they could be and the vet confirmed this but gave no suggestions as to what could be done.
I was thinking of trying them with a RAW diet, but am not really sure of how to go about it?

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by biohazard156

An interesting read for sure...

Actually Fenwoman, what do you feed your animals? Is it a RAW diet? with so many animals, you must have a good diet to feed them all on and to have minimal problems

I have cats under 4 and a 9 month old pup.... now the pup has a dodgy stomach and is currently on ProPlan puppy sensitive, and one of the cats has a sensitive stomach too and is on the equivelant brand cat food. I did notice that the cats teeth are not as good as they could be and the vet confirmed this but gave no suggestions as to what could be done.
I was thinking of trying them with a RAW diet, but am not really sure of how to go about it?

They have mainly raw meat and bones with other stuff besides like stale bread occasionally, they pinch the stock feed carrots, cabbages and potatoes too. No idea how they can eat raw spuds but they do and with relish. They also enjoy things like marrows and pumpkins when they are in season and I get them for the livestock and rabbits etc. They do have a hopper of kibble available too though.
I am very lucky to be able to get as much meat and bones as I want from a butcher. And a local baker lets me have their stale bread which gets shared between the dogs and the fowl.
The cats get some kibble but tinned meat daily, plus raw meat and bones, plus bantam cockerels, raw eggs, fish occasionally and whatever rodents they catch.
It's more time consuming to feed raw as you have to source it. Otherwise you need a big freezer and order it from a supplier like landywoods. Then you have to be happy having chunks of meat or bones laying about in the garden or kitchen floor. Probably if you are squeamish or a clean freak, might be easier sticking to nice clean kibble lol.
Yesterday saw me digging in the waste bin at the butchers pulling out what I wanted. Loads of meat trimmings, some fat, whole pig ribs, masses of beef bones. No lamb this time and no chicken. Up to my elbows in blood and gore and freezing my hollyhocks off.
Even my (soon to be) 16 year old dog has clean white teeth with not a trace or tartar on, and Chalky, who had horrible brown teeth when he was chucked out of a car outside my place 3 years ago, now has nice white chompers.
I feel that with the large and giant breed dogs, it's vital that they have mainly raw meat and bone diets in order to get proper nutrients to allow for slow and steady growth with good strong bones.
When I get my rottie, it'll be on raw meat and bones just like Ursa was.
The other thing is that I don't agree with putting down a dish of food, the dog gobbling and gulping, at it's the last thing it eats until the next day. Wild canids eat a big load, then for the rest of the next few days, lay about, gnawing on bones and scraps while digesting their big meal. This is more or less how mine eat, so I generally always have bones laying about outside. Then, the following Tuesday afternoon, I come home and dump the fresh lot, collect up the previous week's bones and put them in the rayburn to get burned. In high summer I do a twice weekly collection and disposal.I also keep bones in the freezer to offer frozen to help the dogs keep cool. I have a keen interest in diet for me and for my animals, and every species gets a lot of thought and time going into their diet to ensure they get variety and stay happy and healthy.
There are good books on the market and plenty of websites and the landywoods website also has a page giving info about the BARF diet too which is easy to read and understand.
I think the minimal health problems I have with my animals is not solely down to diet BTW. I think it's a combination of diet, plus excersize, plus being happy and content mentally within the secure pack structure, plus plenty of fresh air as my home isn't central heated and me being a cold fresh air freak and having windows open. There is a huge dog flap so they can come in or go out as they please. It's as natural a life as I can offer them.

[Marinam2]

i know of someone using that i might forward the link.

Personally i'd never touch the stuff its like £30 a small bag but obviously in this case extortionate prices don't mean quality!!

Marina

[biohazard156]

Thanks very much for the detailed reply. I am not squeamish in the slightest, I used to be a biomedical scientist, so used to have to guddle around in all sorts of human fluids/tissues etc...so some animal parts will be no different!

I have tried a few different kibbles for the cats and dogs, and some wet foods...but I feel that the RAW diet might benefit them more. Our bengal is a natural hunter, so I think he would relish the chance to chomp into some proper meat and bones (though I think I might laugh at the ragdoll eating that sort of stuff!).

I shall have a read about it and see if I could place an order for some and gradually switch them over. The dog seems to like veg, and gets treats of carrots etc and seems to love them. It's our first dog, so I want him to be as healthy as he can be, and after his poor start with his tummy I want to get a right balance for him. There was me thinking Labs had the constitution of a concrete elephant....

Thanks again for the help though

Anna

[Myth]

Thought I'd already seen it mentioned

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/other-pets-exotics/447224-pet-foods-uncovered.html

[diamondlil]

This is almost exacty what was revealed by Tom Lonsdale when he started promoting the Raw Meaty Bones diet. His assertions that feeding raw would reduce the incidence of dental disease and improve the whole health outlook for pets enraged the Australian Vet. Society.
So the only real shocker is that Vets still promote unhealthy diets and actively sell them.....or is that shocking at all?

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by biohazard156

Thanks very much for the detailed reply. I am not squeamish in the slightest, I used to be a biomedical scientist, so used to have to guddle around in all sorts of human fluids/tissues etc...so some animal parts will be no different!

I have tried a few different kibbles for the cats and dogs, and some wet foods...but I feel that the RAW diet might benefit them more. Our bengal is a natural hunter, so I think he would relish the chance to chomp into some proper meat and bones (though I think I might laugh at the ragdoll eating that sort of stuff!).

I shall have a read about it and see if I could place an order for some and gradually switch them over. The dog seems to like veg, and gets treats of carrots etc and seems to love them. It's our first dog, so I want him to be as healthy as he can be, and after his poor start with his tummy I want to get a right balance for him. There was me thinking Labs had the constitution of a concrete elephant....

Thanks again for the help though

Anna

You should be able to get ox heart cheaply from your butcher. Heart is pure muscle meat and muscle meat is where the taurine is which is what cats must have. It might be the way to start with BARF. It's sort of a whole package really. You shop better and more cheaply if you buy your own meat from your butcher, who will make sure he also keeps you supplied with bones etc for your pets. Supermarkets are overpriced and the range is very limited and expensive. I've never seen beef skirt in a supermarket for example. It's a cheap and lean cut for stews and casseroles. Supermarkets sell only prime cuts. And they don't offer recipes and advice on how to cook things either. So get to know your butcher. Ask if they bone out the meat or buy it in already boned. You might need to phone around a few as proper butchers who do butchering (boning out) are much better than meat sellers who call themselves butchers but could not bone out a carcase if they tried. Ask for a big beef bone for your dog, and some nice ox heart for the cats. Always ensure that when you first offer fresh meat bones, that the bone is too big to get inside the dog's mouth in case he goes mad and tried to gulp it down like he might be used to eating his 'meal'. Get him used to savouring the food and learn to gnaw about on it and lick the marrow out from inside the bone. I start my puppies off on raw bones when they are only 3 or 4 weeks old.
Cats with bones.

[hogs'n'hisses]

love them pics the bones are bigger then the dogs bless

[Jczreptiles]

So is dry food in general bad for them? My cats have been on dry food for a while now what would people recomend the best possible diet is for them please?