Trying to be proactive when it comes to arthritis

[sriley]

I just called to order more ground chicken for my pups and asked about the bone content. It's pretty much all bone. The poultry place that prepares the ground chicken simply grinds up whole chicken carcasses, so the majority of what I'm feeding my pups is bone and cartilage with whatever meat is left on the carcass at the time of grinding. This is a good thing, correct?

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Murp, just make sure the ACV you're giving says "with the mother" on the bottle and it's kind of chunky or has "floaties" usually sold in the health food store or in the special aisle of a grocery store. Braggs is the most common brand. it typically isn't with the "normal" ACV and is quite a bit more expensive (although still not what I would consider expensive but it's about 3 times the price of filtered ACV).

Good luck with the surgery!

[gmacleod]

Originally Posted by sriley

The poultry place that prepares the ground chicken simply grinds up whole chicken carcasses, so the majority of what I'm feeding my pups is bone and cartilage with whatever meat is left on the carcass at the time of grinding. This is a good thing, correct?

Well, I guess its a good thing when its cartillage/bone that you're aiming to give them for the glucosamine/chondroitin content. That is certainly the source of it, so indeed, your dogs are getting what you're trying to give them.

From a wider nutrtional perspective, its not so great. That is, carcasses that have been stripped of their meat content really don't make a meal. Whether or not that's a problem depends on what else you feed and whether you're giving them this as food or just as a bone source/dietary addition. If the former, you need to add meat (and preferably offal now and then). If the latter, it will do just fine.

[sriley]

I supplement their Orijen kibble with 1/4 pound of ground, raw chicken (per dog) usually once per day. I hope that's enough bone content to keep their joints healthy.

[sriley]

Thanks for the detailed menu, Sinsa. I'll have to give that a try. Being new to raw can be overwhelming at times. There's so much information out there and some of it is questionable. It really helps to have someone break things down like you have done. Do you add any supplements to the raw when you prepare it? Someone at a pet store told me once to add fish oils and other things (I can't remember what else was suggested) to raw. Apparently, this is done to ensure that all of the dog's nutritional requirements are met. That's why I decided to stick with a nutritionally complete, premium kibble and supplement with raw. I hate the thoughts of providing an inadequate diet.

[sriley]

Originally Posted by sinsa

I've thought about adding some actual furred skin to their diets as the hair from the animals that they kill are a dog's true "fiber" It's the hairs that will scrape their insides the way leaves and such do for us. But I don't know where I would even look for such things.

Hmmm, do you have any hunters in your area? It's deer hunting season in Ontario right now. Would your local butcher have any animal fur available? If hunters are taking meat in to be processed, I would think that the butcher would have some skin/fur to discard.

[Lizzie]

With both of my dogs there have been absolutely no side effects from the Pentosan Polysulphate injections - that is what has been so good about them. Good luck with the surgery

[Murp.mm]

Originally Posted by BxrMommieNAZ

Murp, just make sure the ACV you're giving says "with the mother" on the bottle and it's kind of chunky or has "floaties" usually sold in the health food store or in the special aisle of a grocery store. Braggs is the most common brand. it typically isn't with the "normal" ACV and is quite a bit more expensive (although still not what I would consider expensive but it's about 3 times the price of filtered ACV).

Good luck with the surgery!

Gee thanks for the info on the ACV. I use ACV regularly for little cysts she gets between her toes and find it great. It such a good antiseptic. I tried putting it in her food just recently and she doesn't mind at all. I will however get the better quality one as you suggested. I just tried her on the reg. one that I bought at the supermarket.

I also put her on Omega 3 for canines with vitamin E included. When my reg. vet returned from holidays I asked him about putting her on Omega 3 and he told me that was a good idea compared to the previous vet who had a different opinion. I emailed the research division of the company that the Health Store buys it from and they told me that there was enough vitamin E included but I'm still wondering if I should put her on extra vitamin E besides that.

I know you use it for both of your dogs and find it works great for them. I'm thinking I should have her on a higher dose than 1200 a day. I don't have any experience with using Omega 3 or anything else for that matter. It's only since my girl has this problem that I even considered putting her on anything. Maybe I should have started early and I wouldn't have this problem now.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

[Murp.mm]

Originally Posted by Lizzie

With both of my dogs there have been absolutely no side effects from the Pentosan Polysulphate injections - that is what has been so good about them. Good luck with the surgery

Thanks. Glad to hear there are no side effects and that it works for your babies. Maybe it's something I can try for my girl if need be.