Another Question about the RAW diet

[{97702}]

What do you do with the bags which the meat comes in when you feed raw? I put the empty bags in the outside dustbin (which is also used for dog poo!) but with the recent warm weather, and our council moving to fortnightly collections, I opened the bin the other day to find a thriving collection of maggots.....

I dont want the bags in the inside dustbin because they always have traces of meat/blood on them, and I dont want the hassle of the dogs constantly trying to get into the utility room to empty the dustbin? Is it unfair to expect the bin men to put up with it?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yeah, that's been an issue for us this week, I still just throw the bags in the black bin and try to ignore it I am sure the binmen have to deal with maggots, it all goes into the truck and then into landfill anyway.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Rinse out the bags. Simples!

 

[{97702}]

Rinse out the bags. Simples!

LOL, sadly I dont think I am that nice to the bin men to be faffing around doing that

 

[Cinnamontoast]

LOL, sadly I dont think I am that nice to the bin men to be faffing around doing that

Mostly I'm not either! You could wrap them in a clean plastic bag so you avoid the maggot issue!

 

[cremedemonthe]

Or just scoop the maggots up with your fingers and chuck them in the fish pond for the fish, like I do!!

 

[NeverSayNever]

interesting reading the 'starting a puppy on raw' advice

the natural instinct working puppy complete contains -

British duck with bone (35%)
British chicken with bone (35%)
British beef heart (10%)
British beef liver (5%)
Butternut squash
Apples
Carrots
Spinach
Sea kelp
Scottish salmon oil



my pup is 8 weeks and is a little runny since going on this... they do do a plain chicken puppy version and now im wondering if i should have started her on that instead but have a freezer full of the working puppy

just as an aside - i noticed someone previously in this thread said natural instinct doesnt contain offal - some of them do, just check the ingredients.

 

[CarolineWilson]

Scottish Salmon oil? That is interesting as I feed mine flax or linseed oil. I've been buying it from here:

http://www.pegasushealth.com/product/flax_oil_for_dogs

and it is amazing stuff! I see salmon oil recommended on other sites too but am quite happy with flax.

 

[s4sugar]

I don't often pop in here but deal with bloody wrappers by keeping a carrier bag in the dog freezer -put used wrappers into this & then bin just before collection.

 

[kerenza]

I have a query about allergies.

A few months ago, around about the time that I started feeding Holly raw, I started to notice a problem with her feet. At first it was just a bit of licking, chewing - that I thought might be down to her anal glands (which she has had problems with in the past). Trip to the vet who agreed, sorted glands and gave me some antibiotics.

Feet don't seem to have cleared up, however, and are now getting worse. I am preventing her from licking them at night (with socks) and have tried washing with hibiscrub and malaseb shampoo.

No improvement so I am off to the vets again later in the week.

The skin between her toes isn't infected or scabby or anything - but she has turned the fur pink/reddish with licking. The feet don't smell so don't think it is yeast. It is just on her feet - nowhere else.

So I think it may be some sort of allergy - previous experience with these is that they are tricky!! My last dog had a reoccurring rash (twice a year) that numerous vets never really got a handle on - just used to have to treat the symptoms with steroids etc (which I'm not keen on using much in all honesty).

It could be a complete coincidence that problems occurred (or I first noticed them) around the time when she went onto a raw diet. I am walking her in a new area as have moved - much more walking through grassy fields and land with livestock rather than the usual cliff paths. I have wondered about a pollen allergy (I know my hayfever has been terrible this year!!).

But if it is the diet - any idea which food source it is likely to be? Is there a protein that dogs are more likely to be allergic to?

She eats a variety through the week: chicken and chicken wings, beef, lamb and pork mince, pilchards, green tripe and occasionally liver. A mixture of what is going cheap at the supermarket, freebies and cheap bits from my local butchers and also some Natural Instinct stuff which I have tried for the first time.

I'm really hoping it isn't diet related as she loves eating raw and seems beautifully healthy in other respects (teeth are looking great and she hasn't had any more anal gland problems since changing from dry food). But if the vet thinks that it could be this...what should I do? I guess feed her one thing and introduce others? Where should I start?!

Ideas, experiences would be really welcome

(Sorry for the really long post!)

 

[Cinnamontoast]

You'd only find the food were you to feed only one protein source for some time. It may well be the grass: can you ask for tests at the vet?

 

[kerenza]

How do the tests work? Are the really reliable?

 

[{97702}]

I don\'t often pop in here but deal with bloody wrappers by keeping a carrier bag in the dog freezer -put used wrappers into this & then bin just before collection.

Sorry about the delayed response s4sugar, I dont usually bother logging in to look in here, but thanks for this idea - brilliant

 

[Cinnamontoast]

How do the tests work? Are the really reliable?

I think they're normally skin scrape tests. Ask s4sugar, Cayla or Aru, they're all vet nurses or vets.

 

[{97702}]

Another query please....

I\'ve always thought I couldnt feed my oldest girl on a raw diet because she has literally no teeth, and obviously cannot crunch bones. I was speaking to my butcher today and he tells me that their chicken mince is the whole chicken minced, bones and all, so there is definitely bone content in there.

Would this be enough for me to feed a raw diet to my oldie? My instinct says that minced bones wouldnt provide enough roughage in the diet for her; other than the minced chicken I feed tripe, heart, kidneys, tongue, and liver which I would cut up into small pieces for her.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sounds fine with everything else on top. I feed the whole chicken mince as well, great stuff. Made the mistake of going into the back room where the mincing machine/bagging machine is the other week, puuuke!!!

I'm just feeding chicken carcass, minced chicken, tripe and, er, Happy Dog at the mo.

 

[{97702}]

Thanks CC But sorry, nothing but nothing can compare to feeding tongues.......instant nausea....

Although I fed liver tonight and little white greyhound ended up looking like something out of a horror film, I had to clean her off with baby wipes Blood gets everywhere...

Bugger, I have just ordered a bag of Skinners for oldest dog, I should have asked the question first

 

[CorvusCorax]

Did you see the nice picture I posted of the tongue?

















**don't look if squeamish**







I take a size 6 shoe

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Chicken mince with none will be fab (but do meander to that nice chicken factory and ask if they do it cheaper )

Oddly, for an ex veggie, I'm not bothered about chopping up lungs, plucking and chopping pigeons. Weird. I d find cutting a whole bunny in half a bit icky after someone said she chopped one only to find out it was pregnant

 

[{97702}]

CC that is gross, a cows tongue presumably? The ones I feed are pigs, so just greyhound sized....

I havent ventured into rabbits yet CT as my yard managers OH hasnt been ferreting for ages! I dont think they would bother me at all....I suppose time will tell

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep, a big prickly cow's tongue. Bought five of the buggers and ended up giving them to a friend, I wasn't strong enough to cut them up and the pup runs to fat very easily so no chance was he getting a whole one!

 

[{97702}]

As you do...."hello friend, I happen to have 5 cows tongues going spare, would you like them?" "well thank you CaveCanem, that is very nice of you, I will accept them with pleasure"

 

[CorvusCorax]

Hmm, something like that - your dog is recovering from an op, is living with a bucket on his head in case he eats himself and is very skinny, I have JUST the thing! Aren't I kind!!! And can you help me wrestle the buggers out of the freezer while you're at it...

 

[Toffee44]

Did you see the nice picture I posted of the tongue?










**don't look if squeamish**







I take a size 6 shoe

Dylan is officially jealous!!!

 

[Odd Socks]

sorry for the thread hijack and some of you may have seen my other thread so apologies if this is the wrong place to post.

So... I want to go RAW BUT... My dog is in renal failure AND from his renal prescription diet, he has got pancreatitis. From what I've read on the internet it would be fairly easy to do a renal variation of RAW but with the added 'bonus' of pancreas problems, a lot of food has been crossed off as the two seem to contradict eachother and I am thoroughly perplexed! Do any of the RAW guru's have any ideas on what I can feed to get him started?

He needs:

• low quantity, high quality protein
• low phosphorous
• low fat (for pancreatitis)

so far I'm pretty sure he can have... egg whites
and definitely can't have...bones

as you can see, im an absolute RAW numpty (and vegetarian lol!)

 

[KarynK]

With the problems your dog has I would seek the advice of a holistic vet, their numbers are growing rapidly and most advocate some kind of raw diet, they would be your best bet to get the diet right. You might well see an improvement after a while on the raw diet and at that point you might be able to introduce more foods, but with those problems Veterinary Guidance is your best bet.

 

[NeverSayNever]

sorry for the thread hijack and some of you may have seen my other thread so apologies if this is the wrong place to post.

So... I want to go RAW BUT... My dog is in renal failure AND from his renal prescription diet, he has got pancreatitis. From what I've read on the internet it would be fairly easy to do a renal variation of RAW but with the added 'bonus' of pancreas problems, a lot of food has been crossed off as the two seem to contradict eachother and I am thoroughly perplexed! Do any of the RAW guru's have any ideas on what I can feed to get him started?

He needs:

• low quantity, high quality protein
• low phosphorous
• low fat (for pancreatitis)

so far I'm pretty sure he can have... egg whites
and definitely can't have...bones

as you can see, im an absolute RAW numpty (and vegetarian lol!)

i know i sound like a salesperson for them, but honestly im not. Give Natural Instinct a call and ask for their advice - they do complete raw packages and I’d bet money they will bend over backwards to help your dog.

 

[jennywren07]

hi, i'm thinking about going RAW with out 2 dogs but struggling to get my head round it a bit.

We have a lab x (apparently shes 5 but looks much older -rescue) and a staff whos 3. The lab has a stupidly sensitive stomach and we've tried literally eveything with her in the way of wet/dry food. The only thing that doesnt go straight through her is wagg but i hate feeding it coz its rubbish and she doesnt hold her weight on it. The staff is a "good doer" with guts of steel lol.

So what do i feed them chicken? beef?
whole? asin literally a whole chicken?
and how much?!
also are they likely to fight more over meat than they do dry food? i've got a toddler and although shes kept out of the way i dont really want scrapping dogs every meal time!

 

[{97702}]

So what do i feed them chicken? beef?
whole? asin literally a whole chicken?
and how much?!
also are they likely to fight more over meat than they do dry food? i've got a toddler and although shes kept out of the way i dont really want scrapping dogs every meal time!

I go to a butchers which has its own abattoir next door, so I stock up once a month on chicken carcasses, minced tripe, chicken mince (which is the whole chicken, bones and all, minced up), hearts, kidneys and tongues (all from pigs I believe). The usual guide is to feed 2 - 3% of the dogs body weight per day, feeding 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal (kidneys, liver etc) over the course of a week.

As for fighting, well I have found that my 4 greyhounds are much more likely to fight over raw food. My smallest greyhound had severe food aggression when I got her 4 years ago as she was a starvation case when she was rescued, but this wore off after 6-12 months when she realised she would be fed regularly Since I changed them all to a raw diet the food aggression has come back, even though she is a perfect weight, still fed regularly etc.

I would have thought two dogs would be quite easy to manage, but I do find that four are a little more difficult

 

[liveryblues]

hi, i'm thinking about going RAW with out 2 dogs but struggling to get my head round it a bit.

We have a lab x (apparently shes 5 but looks much older -rescue) and a staff whos 3. The lab has a stupidly sensitive stomach and we've tried literally eveything with her in the way of wet/dry food. The only thing that doesnt go straight through her is wagg but i hate feeding it coz its rubbish and she doesnt hold her weight on it. The staff is a "good doer" with guts of steel lol.

So what do i feed them chicken? beef?
whole? asin literally a whole chicken?
and how much?!
also are they likely to fight more over meat than they do dry food? i've got a toddler and although shes kept out of the way i dont really want scrapping dogs every meal time!

Jenny I have a 2 year old lab who had a v sensitive stomache beore he came to us (rehomed him at 1year) apparently everything went through him All my other are raw fed so the lab was going to be too He has never had an upset stomache on raw Chicken carcasses are best.. speak to your local butchers of phone around. I think a whole (meat on chicken) would make then fat V quick!
If your not to confident in sourcing all the stuff youself you could try one of the raw feed specialists that get recommended on here?
My lab gets 1 chicken carcass for breakfast and 1 in the eve. 3 or 4 times a week I sibstitute the carcass for either liver, heart, fish. raw carrots as treats, raw eggs cracked onto meat or by themselves (they eat the shell aswell)
If your dogs put weight on, cut back, if they lose weight up it a bit
edited to add I am careful at feed time. the younger two eat in their crates, the older two in the kitchen, if they were all toegether is would be carnage lol