One Year On Raw - Our Experience (re-posted)

[Berna]

a clove of garlic until it was recommended to not do so by the vet.

One clove of garlic is okay for a dog of Moby's size.

[Berna]

Cookie's Lab results are in - as some of you already know, we are dealing with an infection right now, so the white blood cell count is off. However, I am very happy with everything else. His liver levels are within the normal range, finally! They were slightly off the last two years. Also, the creatine kinase levels are off, but the vet said this is due to stress (he was very stressed with vets handling him). If it were something more serious, some other things would be off too.

Overall, I am very happy!

[Snowshoe]

Thank you for re-posting and especially thank you for keeping such good records. We head to the Vet today for our third post IBD visit with Oban. I think we may be going raw, whcih this Vet endorses. At the very least home cooked.

[Berna]

Thank you for re-posting and especially thank you for keeping such good records. We head to the Vet today for our third post IBD visit with Oban. I think we may be going raw, whcih this Vet endorses. At the very least home cooked.

Whichever you feel more comfortable with, raw or homecooked, both are way better and healthier than kibble. Hope the transition goes smoothly.

[DuryLane]

I've been feeding real food through several dogs now, and now it is second nature for me. I don't obsess over any one method of feeding, as long as its real food. I will generally alter the feeding method to fit an individual dog's needs. I'll do raw, cooked, leftovers, fruits, veggies and everything except the kitchen sink! If's it's got some nutritional value in it, I'll consider feeding it to the dogs.

Because I have been feeding real food diets for years now, I have become completely relaxed with the regimen. I've had good results with real food and feel that it is the best feeding method to help them to live long, healthy lives.

What I like about real food is you don't have to be exact.....there is so much flexibility, it makes the feeding method quite easy to do. If I don't have this on hand, I feed that!.... I'll go scrounging through the freezer, pantry, or frig to find something to feed the gang.

I will admit that it is more expensive than some kibbles, but doesn't have to be as expensive as some of those super kibbles. I am completely shocked when I go to a pet store and see the price of some of those super premium kibbles. There is no way a real food diet needs to cost as much as some of those kibbles.

You feed according to your budget. I shop around for sales on meat and stock up big time when some great sales are on. I grocery shop for the dogs like I do for myself. We have necessities that we always get, we have foods we only pick up when they are on sale and we have foods that we buy more or less for treats.

It does take more time to feed a real food diet, but I have no regrets and feel it is well worth the time and money spent. Far less health problems and vet bills than I had to deal with back in the day when I fed commercial kibbles, that's for sure.

One thing I can say is that I have not had a dog have skin problems while feeding a real food diet.....that's just been my experience. I tend to have to pay attention to waistlines more when they are on real food diets. The dogs love their food and I tend to be a bit heavy handed when it comes to portions, which makes for an overweight dog if I don't watch myself and monitor how much I feed them.

[Georgie]

. I'll do raw, cooked, leftovers, fruits, veggies and everything except the kitchen sink! If's it's got some nutritional value in it, I'll consider feeding it to the dog......

What I like about real food is you don't have to be exact.....there is so much flexibility, it makes the feeding method quite easy to do. If I don't have this on hand, I feed that!.... I'll go scrounging through the freezer, pantry, or frig to find something to feed the gang.

You feed according to your budget...

.

Totally agree with above! I am now comfortable with all different ways of feeding a dog- PMR, BARF, RMBs and home cooked that nothing is too much bother or stress and I'm relaxed that I don't have a need for a plastic bag of processed kibble in stock if I don't have any food. It has taken some time but it hasn't been too difficult to reach this stage. The beauty of feeding like this is that there is no need to plan for the "balance over time" because it naturally happens feeding this way.
Everything is human grade bought at the supermarket, leftovers and whatever I have stocked up on and no additives, no vitamins or manufactured products. And feeding to a budget is always a consideration.