Puppy Food

What/how do you prepare these meals for her?

 

I don't have time for a raw diet, but Innova Evo is nutritionally very close to one and I LOVE the results.

 

http://www.barfworld.com/

http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html

Definitely the best choice for any dog, but I'm afraid it may cause problems with my older dog's kidney stones, so we'll continue with the prescription food for now.

 

Because it is a prey-model diet (the most natural, unlike BARF, prepared, and other raw diets), I feed her mostly meat and organs. If the meat I feed is not a ground carcass with the bone already mixed in, I will feed her one RMB (raw meaty bone) with one meal. Every couple of days she gets vegetable and/or fruit. Dogs in the wild do not eat alot of bone and vegetable matter, contrary to what most raw feeders believe. Their main diet consists of meat and organs, and so a prey model diet generally consists of just this, with the other stuff added moderatly in low quantities. I also add other things, not vitamins as I feel this is unecessary, but things like fish oil, cottage cheese, 6% yogurt, eggs, BioVet Skin&Coat, BioVet Sport, etc. She gets many kinds of fruits and veggies (though not every day) though her favourites are tomatoes and frozen brussel sprouts (she will only eat them frozen lol).

There are many different way to feed raw, the majortiy of people feed an RMB style diet, but while I feel it is better than kibble, I disagree that this is the best way to feed a dog -- way too much bone. Then there is BARF, which also has too many RMBs and way too many unecessary supplements in my opinion. I understand that it's somewhat contradictory for me to say that I try to feed most naturally and then give my dog cottage cheese which they normally wouldn't eat in the wild, but I also must fit the diet to my dog's specific needs, and I feel that extra nutrition form natural sources is also important.

 

Interesting. My vet, BTW, hates Science Diet. He likes Nutra or IAMs. If you know what you are doing, by making your own food, more power to ya! I also have an entire house full of kids and a husband to feed, so it isn't something we can do for our dogs right now.

I am a bit curious about the cottage cheese. I know dogs LOVE cheese, but they lose their ability to digest lactose when they are about 4 to 6 months old (just like most humans do between the ages of 4 and 7 years old, when they normaly would wean) I don't give my dogs cheese, because I am afraid of pain, gas and the shits for them. Last night our Lab puppy stole a piece of riccotta pizza off of the table (she was a street dog, she still is learning manners) and I immediately gave her a LactAid in a small piece of bread, as most dogs are lactose intolerant. She was Okay, but I was wondering what it was that the cottage cheese did for the dog?

I also had a question about a lot of organ meat. One of our Malamutes a few years ago died from Pancreatitis, from eating all the organs and fat from a near hibernation WoodChuck. I have never seen a poor animal in so much pain, and despite our best efforts (including artificial plasma and over $2,000 in vet care) she died. I did some research and it all agreed with what the Vets had told me (we had a team of them, from two different hospitals) that the overload of organ meat caused most of the pancreatitis, as her pancrease tried to digest it, and threw out enough enzymes to actually start digesting HER internal organs. Wolves do eat organ meat, but they also balance it with muscle meat. Organs just make me nervous, since the horror that happened to our Akasha a few years ago.

 

My parents are set that they will never give our dog table food. Mostly because it creates really bad habits (begging and such), but yes wouldn't want to start playing russian roulette with his health just because he does the 'cute puppy thing' [will do research before I give new foods to our rabbits too].


Friends of ours give their dog cheese, even though they know full well what the after effects are. Harry just likes the taste and has leant to beg [or just be a pain] so he gets it. Madness really. Knew it wasn't good from his experience but not how truly bad it could be. Does make sense though, it is so odd and unnatural to be feeding a grown animal of one species the milk of another [in whatever form].

 

Here is a link. If it's already been posted I'm sorry. http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring04/Perhach/PetFood/Processing.htm

I tried a raw diet but couldn't stand the smell. I now feed Nutro oatmeal and both my dogs are doing weel on it.

 

Sage, I wasn't advocating what Luna did (stealing the pizza off the table) In fact, I was quite worried, being lactose intolerant myself. IMO, I don't think cheese is a great food for dogs, either. I was wondering what the other poster's rational for using it was.



Hugs,

Maggie

 

I dont think organ meats would be a problem if they are cooked. The heat would destroy the live enzymes, and make it less "potent".

 

Cottage cheese is low-lactose and doesn't cause an upset stomach -- in fact, it is so bland that it is often reccomended for dogs with tummy troubles. It provides healthy bacteria for the intestine and promotes digestion.

Pancreatitis is generally caused by very rich food --- my guess would be that your malamute was not used to eating so much fat and his pancreas just couldn't produce the enzymes to digest it. I've known a few dogs who've died from pancreatitis, it's such a horrible thing. I've never had a problem with organs, myself --- I feed it raw. You just need to be careful with the proportions. Too much liver can cause vitamin A toxitity, too much heart (which is technically a muscle, but anyways) can cause copper toxitity, etc. But in general, raw is alot easier than most people think. There isn't a whole lot of "balancing" and "supplementing." I really enjoy it, I look forward to making meals!

 

Actually, cottage cheese is really high in lactose. And the way it is made in the USA, there is more Citric Acid for flavor than enzymes from actual "healthy bacteria" as European Cottage Cheese has. (But, none the less, even European Cottage Cheese has plenty of lactose in it.)


I really don't know much about the organ meats, but cottage cheese, especially the way it is made in the USA is heavy with lactose.

Here is a chart from the American Dietetics Association

Lactose Content of Common Foods and Beverages
Product
Lactose (g)
Milk, whole, 2%, 1%, fat-free (1 cup or 250 ml)
11
Buttermilk (1 cup or 250 ml)
10
Evaporated (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
12
Sweetened condensed (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
15
Ice milk (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
9
Ice cream (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
6
Half and half (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
5
Yogurt, low-fat (1 cup or 250 ml)
5
Sour cream or light cream (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
4
Cottage cheese, creamed (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
3
Whipping cream (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
3
Cottage cheese, uncreamed (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
2
Sherbet, orange (1/2 cup or 125 ml)
2
American cheese (1 ox or 30 g)
2
Other cheeses, including Swiss, blue, cheddar,
and parmesan (1 oz or 30 g)
1
Cream cheese (1 oz or 30 g)
1
Butter (1 tsp or 5 ml)
Trace
Source: Adverse Reactions to Foods. Chicago, Ill:
American Dietetics Association, 2000.

The amount in cottage cheese is enough to certainly make me ill. (There is 6 grams of lactose per cup of cottage cheese, as this list has it's lactose content in half cup, that is nearly half as much lactose as a cup of fluid milk) I am assuming it is the same for dogs, who, from everything I have read and known, should not have the milk of any animal after weaning. as their intestines simply do not make lactase after weaning. (just as humans also do not.)

You seem to know what you are doing. But, for me, I'll keep my dogs away from milk from a bovine animal.

JMO.

 

That's interesting, as cottage cheese is the main recommended food along with boiled chicken and rice to be given to dogs with upset stomachs and parvo dogs. It was the only food my dog could keep down when she had parvo. I wouldn't ever give a half cup like on that diagram though. I only give one or two tablespoons. It is also a good way to add calcium but not have to worry about the constpation that bones cause. I also give my dog 6% yogurt without any problems. The only food that ever gives her an upset stomach and diahrrea is kibble.

 

Cat food is REALLY bad for your dogs. My dog is recovering still from a loving friend who was feeding her small amounts of cat food every day. She gained 15 pounds. Her energy level went down and she was generally unhealthy. I feed my cats in my office (no dogs or kids allowed) It gives them a quiet place they can get away and keeps the dog out of thier food. The dog has her own get away spot where she is fed. We feed Iams she's been on the weight control, but is now being slowly put back on the adult small bites. We do give her some table scraps, mostly bland meat or cooked grains, I put them in her food dish and don't like her to be fed anywhere else as I don't like a dog that begs.

Definantly don't feed your dog cat food, dogs are not meant to eat like a cat! The health problems from the extra weight are not worth it.

 

I agree, cat food is one of the leading causes of pacreatitis in dogs. It is much too rich.

I just talked to my friend who told me that all dogs are born with the ability to produce lactase, as lactose sulfate is found in dog's milk. However, about 50% of dogs lose it. If the dog is lactose intolerant, feeding cottage cheese is alright as long as it hasn't been creamed. It is also fine to add to a person's lactose-free diet.