all the advice about dog foods is wonderful, and generous. but is anyone else bothered by 1. the fact that the dog was bought from an online breeder (i know we're pro-adoption here - but only for guinea pigs?!); and 2. that there was no research done about something as important as food PRIOR to buying this dog?!
HannibalLecter (06-26-12)
I read that review and it only did the chicken kind. There is 0 corn in the kinds I buy which is the Turkey for my cats which has no grain what so ever because one of my cats has an intolerance for it. My dogs are on the lamb kind which has wheat in it but no corn. That review also said corn is not neccasarily a bad thing which shocked me and made me question the person who wrote it! I am sticking with this brand because I have read the ingredients myself and I see no issues with it at all. My one dog sasha has allergies and she kept throwing up Blue Buffalo and hasn't done it once on Authority.Originally Posted by MrWhistles
Corn is not the only ingredient you need to steer clear of. Honestly, the best thing for a cat/dog with allergies would be a raw diet. Even the best commercial diets don't even come close to the quality and benefit of feeding a diet that is natural and whole.
Are you not able to get meat at a grocery store? That's what I started with and it worked out perfectly well.I want so bad to feed Emma RAW. But everyone near me is either TOO expensive, or the group gives me WAY too much meat(even tho they know I have only a pug/6lbs cat), or the group's pick up location is located an hour away from me!
Yes, of course it's troubling that the OP acquired the animal without proper research, online. However, what's done is done and there's not much point dwelling on it at this point. Better to just try to help her find the answers to her questions now that she's finally getting around to looking into it.all the advice about dog foods is wonderful, and generous. but is anyone else bothered by 1. the fact that the dog was bought from an online breeder (i know we're pro-adoption here - but only for guinea pigs?!); and 2. that there was no research done about something as important as food PRIOR to buying this dog?!
mikegreenwe (09-30-12)
Is there any way to make the raw diet cheaper, and to make Bellatrix eat it? I really don't have to money to spend $20 a meal for her, however she has been having really bad skin issues lately, she will itch herself until scabs form all over her, we have tried the raw diet, but she wouldn't eat it, and just scratched at her dish for her Blue food, which also has not been helping her with that problem, we have gone to the vet about it also, but they couldn't figure it out, we've also tried tons of lotions and potions, ect, ect but nothing has worked, so I'd love to see if the raw diet helps her.
I have dogs that weigh 60 and 80 lbs. I am generally able to feed them for around $1 a day, buying largely from local butchers and farms and local grocery stores. I do get some meat from a local co-op but am generally not a fan of doing that (at least for what's generally offered through the co-op here), because I prefer the quality of the meat that's produced and sold for human consumption.
As for coaxing her to eat it, it might just take time. Offer it, and leave it out for a while. When/if she doesn't eat it, pick it up and offer it again at the next meal time. Eventually she'll be hungry enough to give it a try. A healthy dog won't starve herself to death if food is available, although I know the prospect of letting them go hungry seems a little cruel initially. You could also try offering different types of meat (some dogs like chicken better than beef, etc.) although chicken tends to be the best starting point.
mikegreenwe (09-30-12)
What kind of puppy? If it's a large breed you don't want to be feeding it normal puppy food. If it's not, then normal puppy food is fine. Look for a food where the first ingredient is a source of protein, I prefer to have at least 2 meat products in the first 5 ingredients. Don't buy anything with corn, wheat, soy or any by-products in the ingredients, avoid beet pulp, toy breeds who get tear stains get it from the beet pulp!
There are tons of good foods out there so it's hard to list all the ones that are good! I prefer a grain-free food. I feed Fromm. There are a lot of good dog review websites, check them out! It's so important to feed a high quality kibble, so good for you for researching it.I wouldn't worry about soaking the dry food. You can mix wet food with dry food if you desire to. I do occasionally for my dog and he loves it.
Just wanted to say, that reading all these replies made me realize how little I knew about our dogs growing up! We never researched their food - as long as it didn't give them bad gas or make them sick it was acceptable. My mom still has our old yorkie, and she'll change his food so he doesn't get over weight but I'm not sure if she actually looks at the ingredients :/
I'm so glad that there are people on here who are willing to help with animals other than guinea pigs, mice, rabbits, etc.
The price varies but I spend no more than $10 a month on my 15 pound dog. I get most of the meat from the grocery store. I only buy meat when its a good deal and I stock up. I also get some free meat from a hunter.
I recommend a raw diet for your puppy. My husky started going down hill when she was thirteen we started giving her cooked meat with a little rice and veggies and then a raw diet made for dogs and she lived to be sixteen and a half and huskies normally live to be eleven or twelve. We feed my cat a raw diet and she is thriving she is five and has been eating raw since we got her when she was about two months old. You can get raw dog food at natural food stores or online. The primal brand is a good one to use my cat loves it and they make a dog version as well. You can also get freeze dried raw food to mix in with the regular stuff.
Yes. I have.
That is why I said one of my reasons is it is too expensive.
Corn is not bad because their body doesn't process it. OUR own bodies do not process corn. It comes out the same way it came in. The brand DOES in fact have grains in them. Brown Rice. Right there in the ingredient list.
Also, 1st ingredient is chicken. Chicken is 80% water. I'd rather see Chicken Meal THEN Chicken. Not Chicken then Chicken Meal. Why? Because chicken meal has SO MUCH more protein than chicken.
Oat Groats....again, another grain item.
Your dog may had been throwing up Blue Buffalo because she was fed lower quality food for so long. Her body needs time to adjust to what is good for her. How long was she on the food? If she was fed it only a few time I'd highly recommend trying them out again. BUT with their recent dishonest recall. I'd rather you try out Simply Nourish or Natural Instincts.
Yes I highly recommend the OP start their pup on a RAW diet as well.
Veggies and rice really are needed because dogs are carnivores. They don't process veggies and grains.
Is there somewhere online that lists a good daily diet for my dog's size/age? She's a mix of a pug and shih-tzu and is about 4 years old I think. She also has lots of skin and ear issues if there is any raw diet that helps that more. She also doesn't seem to like eating a raw diet, so I need foods that would seem very tasty to her. I'd also love to switch my cats to raw if I can, so I'm looking for the same kind of diet list online for them also. The one cat is seven years old, and the other cat is 15, he's been shot before we rescued him, and has breathing issues, for some reason he also goes to the bathroom all over the house. So if anyone could show me what to feed them that's cheep and easy, I'd be very happy! xD
RAW period is best.
RAW diet means every meat you can get your hands on is fed to your dog. Chicken, cow, duck, deer, bison, pig...ANYTHING.
Chicken is the best thing to start your dog on when switching to RAW.
I have a pug. She is about 2-3 years old. I feed her 1/2 cups of kibble twice a day.
Have you ruled out her flea/tick protection as the cause of her allergies? I tried so many different foods and so many different oils. Then a young lady asked me to rule our her flea medication/put her on Apple Cider Vinegar.
I haven't seen an itchy day.
ALTHOUGH, ear issues.....sounds like a yeast problem to me. What are you currently feeding her. Name everything that goes into her mouth/onto her skin.
Yeah, we've tried everything, nothing has worked, though I will try that and see how it goes. I want to feed her and the cats a raw diet, I'm just asking what is best to give them every day, especially for their issues like her allergies and ear problems, and Jack's going to the bathroom all over the house.
I'd take the cat to the vet/get a diagnosis on whats going on with his bladder.
Anything you give your pets for allergies is just going to band-aid he problem. You need to find the source/get rid of it.
I don't know if it will help with litter box problems but raw will help with allergies. Here is a guide
The Holistic Ferret Forum - General Raw Feeding Guidelines For Cats and Ferret
You feed dogs the same way but the bone should be inbetween cats and ferrets. Dogs need around 10% bone.
Catinfo has a recipe. Its a little different than the other guide.
Making Cat Food by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM :: homemade cat food, cat food recipes
We have taken them both to many vets, and no one can find out what's wrong, the last option would be to try a raw diet and see if that might help.
Hm, it all just seems very confusing to me. xD I wish there was some where that just gave me a list of what to feed everyday. Haha
If you look at the second post on holistic ferret there is an easier guideline
8-9 edible bone in meals
3-4 muscle meat meals, at least one of which needs to be heart, preferably two
1 meal organ(half liver, half other organ)
Thats for ferrets. Dogs need less bone and cats need even less than dogs. So for a dog you could feed 1 less bone in meal and one more boneless and see if that works for your dog. For cats maybe start with 2 less bone in meals and 2 more boneless and see if that works.
For bone in meals I usually feed chicken and turkey but I sometimes feed game hen. For boneless its usually deer and heart but sometimes beef and pork. For oragns its liver, kidney and lung.
Also dogs do not need heart. Cats and ferrets do not make taurine so they need heart which is high in taurine. Dogs make their own. For the cats I think unless you supplement you need to feed 2 heart meals a week.
Its confusing at first but it gets much easier.
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