[Tala]

Ok, this may be a dumb question, but is it ok to mix some canned meat in with regular kibble? I don't mean dog food canned meat, but things like canned tuna, salmon, turkey, chicken and ham?

Tala's Mom

 

[GSDgirlAL]

Not a dumb question!

I don't see why you couldn't mix some of that yummy stuff in with the kibble. I would just give a little bit to start off with and then maybe increase the amounts - a lot of something knew might lead to an upset stomach or an upset GI tract.

 

[Fodder]

i do it all the time.
with dogs, cats & meat eating reptiles - everyone gets surprises in their dishes!

 

[KCandMace]

I heard that Tuna gives the runs so that I would avoid. Anyone knows different fill me in.

 

[Tala]

Thanks for the feedback!

I watched a program on tv the other night about the production of kibble and canned dog/cats food and was not impressed. I decided I wanted to start introducing some higher quality meats to Tala's diet, but she's a VERY picky eater. She turns her nose up at raw food, but seems to like the canned meats. I'd like to start mixing he regular kibble (Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul) with some real meats.

The reason I'm hesitant to push her harder toward a raw diet is my aunt lost some of her animals to e-coli poisoning when she switched her cats to the diet. I really don't want to risk it with Tala now that she is *gasp* a senior (Nine years old!).

The one thing I noticed on the can label is that there is salt added and I wasn't sure if it was in an amount that could be problematic, or if it would be ok.

Any further thoughts?

Thanks!
Tala's Mom

 

[Fodder]

Originally Posted By: KCandMaceI heard that Tuna gives the runs so that I would avoid. Anyone knows different fill me in.

any canned meat could. i think its the way its packed and something to do with the salt content. i dont know for sure. but my dogs have been okay eating tuna.

 

[GSDgirlAL]

a trainer friend of mine gives his dogs tuna, he said they love it and it's healthier than the canned dog foods.

I'm not sure about the salt content ... hopefully someone else will chime in that knows more about it than I do.

 

[Barb E]

There are a couple things you'll want to think about.
Is it enough to throw off the nutrional balance of the kibble, if so how will you suppliment? (What that is, I'm not the expert

)

Tuna can be high in Mercury, I wouldn't feed it often, I'm not sure about the other canned fish, I know raw folks often feed Mackerel.

Personally, I'd find a good quality canned if you want to add something.
http://www.evangersdogfood.com/dog/

 

[IsisUnselke]

I've fed canned tuna in the past, but it did give my dogs fairly runny poop, but I've fed canned salmon much more often with no ill effects on digestion.
I'd love to feed canned chicken, but it is more expensive than fresh chicken! Next time I do a trip to costco I think I'll check to see how much they charge for canned chicken.

However, as Barb E. suggested you could try Evangers canned dog food. Seriously, they have products that are real meat. You can see the difference from any other brand of canned dog food. It does not look or smell like dog food! The one that my dog loves the most is called (I know

)"Hunk of Beef", and it is a chunk of beef slow cooked to incredible tenderness. It flakes apart like a roast that has been cooked in a crock pot! They do not add anything to this recipe, it is strictly meat.
If you can find a store that carries it, you should buy one can and see how your dogs like it.

Anyway, I think canned meats are fine to feed as long as they don't have too much sodium. I've seen that some companies will can without salt, but the products are usually more expensive. Of course!