Help! Raw, homecooking, or what? - Page 3

AbbyRoad · #25 27th April 2010, 12:06 PM

Its a bit pricey... but some pet boutiques or animal feed stores carry frozen pre made Raw patties and nuggets. There are a few brands out there and they come in a variety of flavors. But you do pay for the convience.

I used these when first starting out feeding raw after watching my poor girl struggle with eating a chicken thigh. Her underbite wasn't allowing her to cut threw the skin. Poor girl.

After that epoisode, we remove the skin and she does just fine.

I still buy the rabbit and bison to include in my chicken, beef, lamb, venison rotation. She has never looked better, gastoral upset is rare (in my opinion some kibble can be too rich) and her seasonal allergies are pretty much gone.

kathysboxer · #26 27th April 2010, 03:35 PM

I just got the go ahead from gmacleod for the link post. Here is the link to the yahoo group that the moderator is a supplier for raw in Cleveland. Her prices are good too.

NEO_PA_RawFed_Dogs : NorthEastOhio_PA_RawFed_Dogs

Her name is Gayle. There is the raw group there also. Just look it up under the search. It is called raw chat and one is called raw feeding.

kathysboxer · #27 27th April 2010, 03:45 PM

How much are you feeding him? Just wondering. You honestly don't need to take it apart. He will do fine with it. It will take him a bit longer too, which will satisfy his chewing need. It may take him a couple times, but they do get the hang of it quickly.
The leg quarters I use are about a pound each, so mine get 1 at each meal plus I give them a snack Bailey's is bigger since she needs weight put on. The snack is usually a raw meaty bone and it's in the evening when they need to wind down for bedtime. I usually give it to them around 7 or so, and they munch on the bone most of the evening off and on.

I was just thinking, how bad are the hicups? I remember Tyson having hicups when he was little. It was so darn funny!! How old is Griffin? I'm sorry, I don't remember. It could be the hicups are just the puppy thing most of them due. They grow out of them.

I am so glad he enjoyed his breakfast! I am still amazed when I watch my 2 eat their meals. They enjoy them so much. I was cutting up the 50# of meat today, and gave them some for breakfast. Tyson kept coming over to me wanting more. He NEVER does this LOL. I know this was fresh meat even though it was frozen. They now have a huge spine bone to munch on this evening. I won't let them knaw on the bone (can break a tooth) but there is a lot of meat on it I couldn't get off. I'll have Mike saw it in 1/2 with the sawzall. LOL

kathysboxer · #28 27th April 2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathysboxer

I just got the go ahead from gmacleod for the link post. Here is the link to the yahoo group that the moderator is a supplier for raw in Cleveland. Her prices are good too.

NEO_PA_RawFed_Dogs : NorthEastOhio_PA_RawFed_Dogs

Her name is Gayle. There is the raw group there also. Just look it up under the search. It is called raw chat and one is called raw feeding.

Let me know when you join up. I'll let Gayle know you'll be on yahoo and possibly wanting to order off her. I know quite a few people do. I know she just got some stuff today and in the last day or so.

griffdiz · #29 27th April 2010, 04:37 PM

Griffin is 3 years old. Well, that is his estimated age. We got him from a shelter and he was a stray and already an adult. I don't think he is actually hiccupping, that's just the only way I can think to describe it! It's like he is swallowed air over and over again while licking his lips. Like when someone is trying to burp and they swallow air, but he never burps he just does it over and over while licking his lips and pacing the room and licking the carpet. Occasionally I will see him drooling a little too and he literally never drools.

Anyways, he just got done with his dinner a half an hour or so ago. He is about 63 pounds, so I measured out bags of about 1.5 lbs each and I plan to just split whatever is in the bag between breakfast and dinner. I figure it doesn't need to be split exactly in half. He had one big piece and a medium sized piece for dinner, both with bones in them. The first piece he worked on for a few minutes and kept trying to eat the whole piece and then spitting it out. He finally realized he had to chew up the bone! I think it took him about 5 minutes to finish, as opposed to his usually 5 seconds! So far he seems totally fine.

I am going to go check out that link right now. Thanks!

kathysboxer · #30 27th April 2010, 06:36 PM

If he seems to be hungry, you can go with the 3%. Sounds like he's doing well so far. Silly boy, thinking he can just hog the whole thing without chewing LOL.
Bailey does that with meat only meals. I have to chunk it for her, or it comes right back up

griffdiz · #31 27th April 2010, 06:58 PM

I figure if Griffin ends up throwing parts back up I will cut it up, but if not I won't bother. He ate over 2 hours ago so I think he would have by now if he was going to! It was funny though watching him spit the piece out over and over and just looking at it and looking at us like what am I supposed to do with this? LOL! He seems happy, he had a normal poop after dinner, still kibble from yesterday's dinner I assume. He has just been chewing his kong since then pretty much. I hope eventually I can give them after dinner bones too, since thats when they both chew their kongs or nylabones. That way Nija won't feel so left out. Griffin has been eating his meals outside and she knows he is getting something special. She kept sniffing his lips and mouth afterward lol. But I have a 30 lbs bag of Fromm I want her to finish off before I start her on raw. Nick wants to feed them outside all the time now since Griffin takes the chicken out of the bowl, but in the dead of winter in Cleveland that's probably not going to happen!

kathysboxer · #32 27th April 2010, 07:10 PM

I have about 6 old towels that I use. I just put 1 for each of them on the floor and use that. I use it for a couple days, then wash it. Bailey is really good at leaving her's on the towel. Tyson is a typical messy boy LOL. I constantly have to put it back on the towel and tell him "on the towel".
He will do so well on the raw. You will be surprised I think. It is funny to watch them sometimes. I gave Bailey a little bit of liver today, she doesn't really like the slime, and she would put it in her mouth then let it just slide out of it. She looks at it like, you expect me to eat that slimy stuff? But if Tyson is eating some, she'll eat it right up LOL.

griffdiz · #33 27th April 2010, 07:20 PM

Griffin just got his kong stuck behind the couch, but we couldn't see him and he started scratching at the carpet trying to get it and both me and Nick were like OMG is he puking?! Think we were on edge much lol? Thanks for giving me that link on Yahoo. I think it will be very helpful!

kathysboxer · #34 27th April 2010, 07:26 PM

LOL. I can picture that whole thing in my mind!! I know it's hard not being paranoid, but just try to relax.
You can also stuff his kong with some raw meat. He'll love it! To make it last longer, freeze it. I do this with Tyson and Bailey all the time. Once in a while I'll do some peanut butter and yogurt.
Just make sure when they are done, all the meat is out of it. I use a bottle brush to wash them out. Once a week I put them in the dishwasher to sanitize them.
Your very welcome for the link. Gayle beat me to the punch to get you added in

There are also lists of suppliers if you do a search for them too. Just do a search using CarnivoreFeed-Supplier.

griffdiz · #35 27th April 2010, 08:48 PM

I am so stressed out right now. Griffin was kind of hiccuping in his sleep and swallowing air. It smelled like he burped or farted and then he woke up and was full on licking his lips and doing the hiccuping all over again. What is going on! Ugh! Should I fast him? Or stop the raw? Also he is still getting flagyl, which I think kills bacteria in the intestines or something but the vet wants him to take it for the antiinflammatory properties. Could it be causing a problem with him digesting the raw? I don't know what to do!

kathysboxer · #36 28th April 2010, 05:39 AM

I am sorry, I don't know what to do about the hiccups. Have you tried researching any of the symptoms?
I personally don't know much about flagyl. You could always post that question on here under a different topic.
You could try fasting him and see what happens. The worst that will happen is it won't work. You can resume the raw then.
Keep us updated!!