Raw vs higher qualitydog food.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by lhczth

I'm not going to tell you how to feed your dog. I am a raw feeder and have been for almost 13 years. Just a comment, though. Unless I read what you wrote wrong, you are not feeding raw. You are feeding a home prepared COOKED diet plus kibble. Chicken breasts would be expensive for anyone to feed. OUCH.

Friend of mine has a dog with EPI that eats a raw diet. He removes all of the fat and the skin from the leg quarters (what he feeds the most) and only uses lean cuts of other things.

Your right. I cook chicken breats, rice/barley and usually greens and mix w/yogurt. My dogs get kibble at night,Daisy a cup Lucky a cup and 1/3. The cost is the main thing but time is another.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Ever notice how packaging on dry food can be confusing. I picked up a bag of blue buffalo and didnt read it throughly ,it looked like what i bought before . Some of you might remember that daisy and lucky are eating lowfat. they started on Blue Buffalo Chicken /Rice and this time i bought what i thought was the same thing but instead bought Chicken and Oatmeal as a result i found im feeding 18% fat,not good .I just rechecked this older thread I started and saw I needed to buy adult Large breed Blue Buffalo.Do you guys ever feel overwhelmed trying to find dog food in stores?

[GrammaD]

Have you looked at this product line? Natural Dog Food, Cat Food and Puppy Food for Pets With Food Sensitivity ? California Natural

This formula looks like it might fit your needs
Natural Dog Food, Cat Food and Puppy Food for Pets With Food Sensitivity ? California Natural

I like how simple they are.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by GrammaD

Have you looked at this product line? Natural Dog Food, Cat Food and Puppy Food for Pets With Food Sensitivity ? California Natural

This formula looks like it might fit your needs
Natural Dog Food, Cat Food and Puppy Food for Pets With Food Sensitivity ? California Natural

I like how simple they are.

Thanks GammaD.Im going to save that to my docuement file.Tryring to find a food both dogs like,that meets their senior needs and does not break the bak and is localy available. They loved blue buffalo ,even daisy the picky princess will eat it w/ no episodes of refusal. Ok l;ook at my dogs they dont refuse much!!(LOL)

[Jen&Bear]

I found this last night - i wanted to make sure i made the right choice when i switched to raw at 3 months - very informative - esp about the definition of 4D meat and traces of euthanizing chemicals found in some pet foods...in good conscience, i cannot nor will not feed my pup commercial pet food.

For the entire article, see:
What's Really In Pet Food? The Top 12 Ingredients to Avoid & Who Uses Them Article | Optimal Pet Foods Calgary

"Many of us have been convinced that the "healthy", "natural", "premium" and "recommended by" labels on pet food must mean that the food inside the bag is good for our pets.

Alongside these words are claims of 100% complete and balanced that leave us to assume we are providing the best food for our dogs and cats, feeding the same dry cereal based diets day in and day out.

Yet, most people do not fully appreciate what goes into these pet foods. Pet food manufacturers place images of fresh cut chicken breast, fresh fruits and vegetables and wholesome grains on their packages, yet this is rarely what is actually inside the bag.

What's the truth? Chances are you are feeding a pet food which contains more than one of the ingredients discussed below. The pet food industry has a broad range of unsavoury options when it comes to what substances may be used in pet food and freedom to print enticing pictures, however misleading, on their packaging.

It is only when our pet's health begins to degrade and eventually fail, that most people begin to question why. After all, a healthy body can only be as good as what is put into it

To promote the best health you can in your companion, read and understand the uses of the common ingredients below, learn who uses them, and make sure to always read your labels!

Top 12 Pet Food Ingredients to Avoid
- Corn, Corn Meal, or Corn Gluten Meal
- Wheat
- Soy
- By-products
- Animal Fat
- Meat meal
- Meat and Bone meal
- Sugar
- Chemical preservatives: listed on website
- Propylene Glycol
- Artificial colours

Who Actually Uses These Ingredients Anyway?
You may be surprised to learn just how tightly the wool has been pulled over your eyes. The following are just a few pet foods that use these ingredients in abundance in their various formulations........."

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Jen&Bear I would love to switch to raw however my vet is not recommending that for Daisy after the pancreatitis episode this summer. She rebounded nicely lost another 5lbs ,last blood work again every thing normal. She is 12 and Im terrified of doing anything that might hurt her. I cooked Boneless/skinless chicken breasts and rice and green for almost 4 months. I agree and when the time comes ill feed raw to the next dog. I need to find a local vet who isnt afraid to say try it. Actually my vet will never reccommend raw. Maybe keep looking for a vet but Daisy loves this guy.

[Jen&Bear]

Yea...my vet made a funny face when i mentioned raw. But you know...everything i have read about this topic always says that "vets are sponsored by these commercial pet food companies therefore will always push for commercial pet food and/or during their training and studies and whatnot, they have not been taught much about raw simply because again, those big companies are behind that too."

Have you tried getting a second opinion and perhaps a holistic vet i was told. Those should support raw.

Now i am not sure what conditions and/or disease your dog has but you should feed what she needs and requires for her to maintain better health or whatever her condition involves....if i were you i would just do as much research as possible and do what you think is best and how u feel

If u have a question google it and make sure your findings are credible
Thats what i do
And if u know the type of diet she needs because of her condition then try and formulate it in raw and try it. Again i am not sure what she needs but research is the best thing u can do. Pros cons and all.

My pup had the typical first days home runs and what did the doc do? Sold me bags of "special" food found in that list i posted and a dewormer that he didnt even need. I felt like i couldnt say no because i was unsure and purchased it. I was waiting for the fecal test results (which were clear btw-thats why i question the dewormer he "felt relieved that i agreed to administer the meds) I said no thanks and returned the food. I Added pure pumpkin and his stools were fine. At the end of the day its what u say goes not ur vet. So either u let them scare u and emotionally cause u to do things their way or u educate yourself and feed accordingly as YOU see fit. And its not as if raw is bad either it is ten times better than kibble or maybe cooked food because its REAL
So whatever u chose, make sure it at least makes sense and that its sensible to YOU nobody else