holidays

Goldiegirl8, it not to die.

Dragon

As a Veterinary Office Assistant I have to put my own 2 cents in here.
First - Corn gets a bad rap, it's actually an excellent source of fiber and antioxidents and is not a cheap filler. The problems Coho's friends cat suffered sound like food allergies and it is probably wise of them to continue on the diet which works for them.
Second - I can't speak for all vet clinics but most don't recommend feeding raw diets for the simple fact that dogs and cats are just as susceptible to salmonella, listeria and other such things as humans are. Anyone who is feeding raw diets should be extremely careful about handling foods themselves and vigilant on making sure it is absolutely fresh and has not had time to sit out.
Commercial pet foods made by reputable brands are safe, healthy and fully formulated to meets all your pets dietary needs. I'm not talking about the crap you buy at Wal-mart, I mean high quality brands endorsed by veterinarians. Your best bet is to use a brand that can only be purchased at a vet clinic and discuss your pets special needs with the doctor and staff, I garauntee they are more knowledgable about pet food than "Bobby" at Wal-mart who usually works in garden supplies but is covering in the pet dept.
Third, - Dogs should never be given bones. They may eat them in the wild but let's face it, when was the last time you saw a Chihuahua or a Great Dane in the wild. We've domesticated them to the point where they are not the same as their wild cousins. Bones can lodge in the throat or digestive system, I cannot tell you how many dogs we've had to do surgery on to remove an obstruction of the bowel. Not all of them survive it and these surgeries are usually extremely expensive and require a long recovery period.

Coho, please don't think I'm coming down on you because I know you are trying to offer helpful information. I just felt I had to let people know of the other side of the story.

GOLDIEGIRL8

Why did we let this forum die before we could use it a lot?

coho

Ps. Human Quality Cornmeal is Not Bad in Treats for Pets. Just not the main ingredient for a life time diet. Imagine only eating pretzels or cornchips as your entire diet for your whole life. Nothing else. Thats what a lot of pets diets are like. the biggest problem with grains in pet food, is that pet food companies buy rancid, moldy old grains that are unfit for human consumption and all the downer cows and diseased chickens get turned it into animal feed.

coho

This is great I'm not the only one who makes food for my pets,. here is the best bad breath remedy i know provided ones animal friend doesn't have serious dental problems. Feed a real diet with fresh raw meat, some vegies and fruit. There are a lot of good books and info on natural dog and cat, raw or lightly cooked diets. If you feed kibble avoid , soy , wheat, corn,corn syrup, gluten, meat by products, which means feathers and beaks,( not a good quality protien) many dogs and cats are allergic and have a hard time digesting, these things especially corn and soy. Gives em the farts, and other smelly problems. cats especially don't have the digestive enzymes for grain. they are true carnivores. My friends cat Dion was vomiting constantly, his kibble was corn and soy based, as soon as we took him off that food his condition immediately improved. My friend is a cheap skate and switched Dion back to really cheap crap kibble and he started vomiting again. My friend was convinced after that and happily Dion's diet and health has improved. Years ago I switched my border collie, golden retriever, Lass, over to raw meat & she stopped having that doggie odor. I took her on a road trip and fed kibble for convienience, the doggie smell returned in just 2 weeks of commercial food. What we associate as doggie B.O. is created by dog food. Halshans is a company that does raw whole ground chicken for pets. The entire chicken, bones, gizzards everything. It is naturally well balanced between protien and calcium. Animals can eat raw bones but not cooked. Raw bones helps keep tartar off the teeth. Just think, a dog can easily digest a whole bone. They are made for that. It is reasonably priced per pound of frozen meat. You can make your own pet food cheaper than a moderately priced kibble and way cheaper than canned food. I make a bunch and freeze it in mouse sized portions for my cats. My vet tells me my 17 year old cat Tempest looks and acts half her age. My dog who was a large dog lived untill 16 1/2 and neither her breath or coat ever smelled bad. Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcaiarn dvm is a good start for learning about natural diets for pets.