Putting your pets on raw foods for a longer life...

[Bathsheba]

It's all very well and good to say "that's what they'd be eating in the wild" but these aren't wild animals, they've become domesticated over thousands of years and their dietary needs have adapted along with them.

I agree, however animals and humans haven't evolved to require man made additives. I think this raw food diet is probably similar but without the unnecessary "extras" that the pet food companies need to add to make their products keep well and look good despite not using premium ingredients.

[BellyBelly]

This is from the FAQ's page, bearing in mind again this is devised and supported by Vets

Raw Meaty Bones

Why change to a more natural diet?

Q. My previous pets all lived to a ripe old age on commercial food and my current pet dog and two cats seem fine. Why should I change their diet to more natural foodstuffs?

A. Are you sure that your previous pets were healthy? What were your vet bills like? Just how healthy are your current pets? Until we face the facts that our processed-food-fed-pets are not so healthy it is difficult to persuade ourselves that a natural diet could be better. First we must be honest with ourselves - fair treatment of our pets then follows, automatically.

Q. I want to feed my pet a 'complete and balanced' diet

A. People living on wartime rations were found to suffer from an incomplete and unbalanced diet, they lacked sufficient fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and milk - hence the preoccupation with the term 'complete and balanced'. Carnivore needs are different to human dietary needs. The term 'complete and balanced' has been imported into discussions on animal diets, but tends to be seriously misused - instead of food types the chemical constituents, carbohydrates, proteins, etc are emphasised. Best to treat the commercially inspired notion 'complete and balanced' with suspicion and ensure that your pet is fed according to nature's teaching - whole carcasses of raw meaty bones.

[Rouge]

This is brilliant... how you seen how much garbage is in commercial pet food... sheesh! Its disgusting.

[BellyBelly]

Well you've seen the difference in Simba haven't you Cai? He's much bigger, stronger and active than he used to be (although you would question that since he got hit by the car LOL). Maybe its one of the reasons he survived, his body was strong and healthy.

[Rouge]

He was sooooo teeny before.. now he's like a brute! I like it because as I said the amount of crude fats that are *NOT* good for your pets that is found in pet food is shocking. Whiskas is the worst.

[Jennifer13]

Hi all

We have ALWAYS fed our pets this kind of diet. I worked at a vets when I was young and learned a lot there. Plus, to me it kind of made sense to feed them a 'natural' diet. And since dogs are omnivores, I save up scraps during the day (say from fruit Lucy doesn't eat, vegies left over, etc) and add this to raw meat. We then supplement with bones from the butcher (and if anyone thinks this is a more expensive diet - go to your butcher and ask how much for a bag of leftover bones. For $3 we get enough bones to last both of our small dogs for a week!). They also get raw chicken wings and legs (also cheap when they're on special). The only processed food they get is when I buy dry food (Eukanuba, which has a meat base, rather than what you buy at the supermarket) in bulk (15 kgs costs $80 and lasts us about a year, since we don't use much very often). I usually use the dry food if I've run out of bones with some raw meat so they have something to chew on.

Our dogs have never smelt, their poo is always firm (and easier to clean off the grass or pavement when we go for walks!) and have never had any health problems, even though both were rescued from the pound. One was in a very bad way when she was rescued, both were recovering from parvovirus and both gained weight after we'd had them a while, before it plateaued to a healthy weight.

Before our dogs, I always had cats and the best thing you could ever give them was raw fish. My first cat loved it so much it would gorge itself whenever it had one and even ate the tail. But cats are a bit easier, especially when you live in a more country setting and there are tons of mice around!

So I say go for it, it won't cost extra (except a little time) and your pets will be a lot happier (and smell better!) for it!

Thanks for putting this up, Kelly.

[Naru]

I don't need a bigger, more active dog! I think we will stick with our current diet. It's 1 cup of dry food, a chicken drumstick/wing each night, and scraps/bones for treats when we go out and leave him at home.

Anyway, I can't see how dogs are carnivores and not onmivores, after watching my dog. He eats pretty much anything, from grass, bread and avocado to chilli and curry!

[Bathsheba]

I wonder if animals can become hyperactive due to artificial additives in their foods like children do?

[~Debbie~]

Of course i am in...
I have 1 rotti, and 1 rotti x lab. My rotti x was diagnosed with lymphoma on the 23rd of october. Thanks to Kelly, i researched raw food diets, and was amazed by the information i found, and upset with myself at the thought that my doing what i thought was best, may actually be the cause of the lymphoma. On the 31st off October, my dog was given 1, 2 weeks tops to live. We started her on a raw food diet on the 24th of october, have not looked back. My not sick dog has not had any major change just yet, but, she is abit over weight, so am expecting to see something. She is also quieter due to the other dog being not as active. But, my dog that has cancer, by gosh, she is a different girl. Admittly, she is on homopathic type medication to treat the cancer, but, she is alot more active.
The research i have done into raw food diets, and lymphoma, i fully fully support raw food diets for all cats and dogs. I know it is the way we will go for all our animals from now on. It is not expensive once you know what to look for, and where to shop.

Also, my sil dog had alot of skin allergies, process of elmination in her food, found the cause to be commercial pet food. She is now on raw food, and requires no more medical treatment for her allergies.

My dogs are Abbey (rotti) and Chelsea (rotti x) - with cancer - watch this space, i hope it may be many many months before i have to say that the cancer got the better of her.

[BellyBelly]

Debbie, my friend Deborah helped a friend who had a cat with a severe skin condition, from memory it had lost lots of hair, was very unwell and given the death sentence by the vet. She took the cat off dry food (which is just as bad as tinned) and it started getting better. She put the cat on Deb's raw foods diet and the cat has made a full recovery. So much for advice to have the cat put down...

It's not just about having active pets. But well pets, free from preventable cancers and disease. How would a human feel on a Maccas diet all their life?

[~Debbie~]

Kelly, i agree, i know i cant save Chelsea from teh cancer, it is to late. But, i can help to extend her life without having to resort to chemo. But, the main thing is, that i have learnt, and i can do the right thing by other dog, and future dogs from day one.

This whole experience with Chelsea, and the change in her diet, made me realise that now, the dogs are eating better then me and DH, so, have really started to look at what we eat as well..abit like what Bath said, what do all those additives do to us, and to our kids. The increases in adhd and asmthma etc...
Anyway, way off the topic, but, i have become abit passionate about it.

I hope everyone is enjoying the challenge... i noticed that my girls looked more glossly in their coats today. They love their sardines for breakfast, and its doing them wonders. Also great for their hips.

[Billy Ocean]

Kelly, I have just read all the info and would like to take part. Please count me and Ocean (my dog, a Coolie x Border Collie) in.

[BellyBelly]

Great to see you join us Kate

Come on everyone, we're starting Monday!!! I think the most exciting thing for me was chucking that old food in the bin!

[Billy Ocean]

All dodgy food is gone from our place. Ocean had bones this morning. Will have to go shopping after work for some more stuff.

[Indadhanu]

I'd love to do this (I just saw it today) but Shel reckons its too expensive... I will persist though. Our butcher promotes raw food diet for animals, and is really cheap too.... probably not as cheap as cat food, but i do wonder if it is good for them. My cats have a healthy glow, but Tux has really runny poo (sorry!) and has been vomiting, and is always eating grass (to get more nutrients I am guessing?), so I have been worried lately that his diet is the cause.

I have question about the copper pipe in the water... is that for nutrients/minerals?

[Snowy Love]

My cats are enthusiastic going by the first meal - chicken necks which disappeared very quickly. DH works at a hardware store & I've been on to him for a week about the copper pipe - he's (finally) go it so that goes in the water tonight. Have to pick up the liver when I go for a walk.

I don't think it'll be more expensive than "cat food", could even be cheaper!

[BellyBelly]

Woo hoo great to see people have started! Don't forget with the copper pipe, you need two bowls of water, one with the pipe and one without. Yes it's for trace elements, I will get Deb to post about it and explain cos I forget really LOL.

Our cats' first raw foods meal was devoured too. They love it which makes it so easy.

[Astrid]

Really should do this for my cats. One of them is a gorger and it causes problems with her teeth. She does not chew properly so they do not get cleaned. She was on a special oral care food, but I have been bad and a bit slack in buying it. She has been throwing up a lot recently, so she is obvisiously not doing well on the supermarket food. Just have to convince DH that it is worth giving a try. I am wondering though if it is better to start now or after our move?