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Raw feeding

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  kontiki 
#1 ·
Hi we have a 13 week old toy Poodle puppy .when we brought him from the breeder she was feeding him bulmers complete minces which is raw food, we decided to keep Angus on that food. When we took Angus to the vet for his vacation they told us to take him of raw food and to put him on kibble. They said he was not getting all the right vitamins he need. Help should we take his advice or stay on raw. Our other dog was always fed kibble .
 
#3 ·
Vets see a lot of dogs fed incomplete home made diets, and advise accordingly. It is possible to feed a good home made diet, raw and/or cooked, but it takes research and care, especially with puppies. Looking at the Bulmers foods the complete minces look about right as a starting point, but I would be a bit concerned at the very high levels of bone in the basic chicken minces - they are listed at 20-25%, and you really need to aim for around 10% overall, so don't be tempted to swap to those. You may want to consider adding a little well cooked or pureed vegetable mix (something green and leafy, something orange, some green beans). Dogs thrive on a wide range of food, and in the end it comes down to how comfortable you are managing raw - be ready for your vet to blame it every time your pup has the collywobbles, though!

www.dogaware.com has good advice on feeding a home made diet.
 
#4 ·
I feed raw and would advise sticking to what works for him. Vets that know raw diets are few and far between. I believe Bulmers is known to have a higher bone content. My dog requires around 15%. I use guides from Raw Feeding Advice and Support. There is a website and Facebook group. They have lists of recommended pre-made completes if you want to switch to a lower bone content one. In regard to veggies, I do not feed them for nutrition but do give a small number of Timothy pellets for fiber so my dog won't eat grass. Fur and feathers would be better fiber but I can't always give that.
 
#5 ·
It is difficult feeding raw if your vet does not approve. They can't help you. This has been my experience. However, a holistic vet/chiropractor/feeds raw bought the business and she is very helpful. I also changed the mind of another vet when she saw how well my dog and my rescues do on raw.

It might be easier to just work out your dog's diet yourself. Raw meaty bones in a variety. Liver twice a week. The size of one front paw seems to be a good size. Feed it as a training treat. The other days of the week add another organ (kidney, pancreas, etc), again the size of one front paw. You can do it and you will know exactly what your dog is getting.

You don't need to grind the bone. Chewing bones helps to set the teeth, especially important with a toy. If she can't manage bones yes, use a mallet and smash up the portion. This is what I do for my cat.
 
#6 ·
My spoos relatives had been fed raw back 5 generations. I switched him to kibble at about a year upon the advice of my vet. My dog got so sick he almost died. He was literally on IV fluids and lost almost 1/3 of his body weight. His breeder said to go back to raw, and he was eating again within a day, and off IV fluids. He soon gained back his weight, and now my vet totally supports raw. That was about 9 years ago. I do not use those expensive raw premixes, but do feed fruits, vegetables, and kefir also. I can't afford all of his meat organic, but do feed totally organic raw organs, like liver, heart, kidney. I think eating chicken leg quarters, bone in, is what kept him from ever chewing on things he shouldn't like shoes, furniture, etc. He has never even chewed up a toy!

Yes, do research raw and other ways of feeding. It is very educational.
 
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