Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
An update on Paddy's Raw Meaty Bones diet
We have now been on RMB for nearly 6 months and Paddy is doing extremely well. Last year at this time, he had had one long, continuous ear infection -- we'd get it treated and cleared up, then as soon as we finished the treatments, we'd be back at the vet's with another one. This year, since January, he has had only one ear infection, and that was in, I think, March. Yes, he still itches pretty regularly, but he has no hot spots, very little discoloration on his feet and around his mouth, the compulsive licking is about gone....I do give him an antihistamine just about every day, but I was doing that before. And this spring and early summer have been about the worst for pollen in my memory -- everything bloomed at once. I myself have had to double up on my allergy meds.
So, overall, I'm thrilled. Feeding him has become relatively simple. He is still a picky eater, but I don't worry about it now. I just leave the food down for 30 minutes and it goes back in the fridge for the next mealtime if he doesn't eat it. He will eventually eat it. And, he has begun to eat chicken, which I'm thrilled over because it's a much cheaper food for him than beef or pork. He is eating beef liver and heart every week, and he loves canned sardines (haven't found a source of fresh ones yet), plus he has seal oil capsules every day.
I would say that this is the best thing I've ever done for my dog. And by the time I add up what I've spent on vet bills and premium kibble over the years, I think I'm coming out less than even with the meat, bought on sale at the grocery, BJ's and Costco. Once I'm able to branch out and find cheaper sources, it will cost significantly less.
And, watching Paddy get into the "zone" while he chews his food and his bones -- well, that's worth everything. He loves to eat his food now. He might look like a little lamb, but he's really a wolf in sheep's clothing! :o)
Comment
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Comment by Trudy Harlow on June 23, 2012 at 5:07am -
LOL, Elizabeth, I did too -- well, I already had the freezer, but now it's primarily filled with Paddy's food. I don't feed mince because Paddy needs the "ripping and tearing" exercise for his jaws and his teeth. The RMB diet discourages mince as well, so we've just never fed it. I certainly would in an emergency, though. He's never had a chicken wing and I probably wouldn't give him that because he might try to swallow it whole. When he eats chicken, he gets a quarter at a time (he weighs 50 lbs) -- so he'll eat a chicken leg and a thigh, or a large breast -- plus a piece of another type of meat, such as a beef shank. I try to feed him large pieces, but he still doesn't quite know what to do with them, so he gets smaller chunks that make up the large pieces. He's still getting a lot of ripping and tearing exercise though.
Good to hear your Maltese has improved so much on the diet!
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Comment by Elizabeth & *Kosci*. on June 23, 2012 at 3:02am -
My girl was Born and raised on a raw diet and will eat anything, I find the cheapest is chicken wings but not enough meat so will feed beef mince and kangaroo mince in combination with the wings.
Chicken legs are our next favourite and a lot more meatier.
I have a Maltese as well and has had to have teeth removered due to rotting before the switch to raw and she has had a huge improvement in the condition and overall health contributed to the raw diet..
So with vet bills in concideration a raw diet would work out cheeper than kibble. But I did buy a freezer to hold the meat in bulk...lol
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Comment by Trudy Harlow on June 21, 2012 at 7:06pm
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Ricki, definitely when we first started, he was a messy boy. He never learned to clean himself, but now he does better. He does not have long mustaches, and I do keep his muzzle trimmed closer now. But occasionally, if I see a need, I'll wash his muzzle off with a little light vinegar water, which is what I learned to do when we first started out.
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Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on June 21, 2012 at 5:57pm -
I'm so glad that all of your efforts have resulted in improvement for Paddy. WTG!
I'm curious as to how you keep your doodle's face clean when he ius eating raw meaty bones? Doesn't he end up with a greasy muzzle?
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Comment by Andrea Johnston on June 19, 2012 at 3:58pm -
Kaytlin, now calling Sudbury the middle of nowhere is not nice :-) but yes I agree it is. The seal oil is great and made from harbour seals in Nfld. I used to have the suppliers email but lost it when my system crashed. It's great stuff and just as good as oily fish. Think Inuit dogs who live on raw which includes oily seals. I will try to find the email address and supply it if you are interested. This guy is really old school. I ordered a case of his oil and he sent it without out prepayment for either the order or the shipping. Just sent me an invoice, which I promptly paid.
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Comment by Andrea Johnston on June 19, 2012 at 3:52pm
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Kimmy I just love that photo. I have a few as well, Molly and Riley eating what is called here pork riblets:
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Comment by Andrea Johnston on June 19, 2012 at 3:48pm
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Trudy my girl I am so thrilled at Paddy's turn around. I remember months ago telling you that it would help just give the natural method a chance. You and Paddy are poster material for a raw meaty bones diet and how it can help once your dog has "detoxed" from commercial foods. Good on ya.
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Comment by Kaytlin and Cooper on June 19, 2012 at 8:01am -
Unfortunately we live in a small city in the middle of nowhere in Norther Ontario - no halal or asian markets here! I am going to check prices of beef hearts at the local butchers though
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Comment by Trudy Harlow on June 19, 2012 at 6:47am
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Love that picture, Kimmy!
Actually, I think Paddy likes to have what we're having. If we are eating chicken, he wants chicken. If we're eating pork, he wants pork, and so on. He's a funny boy, but I love all his little quirks!
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Comment by Kimmy & Chewie on June 18, 2012 at 10:18pm -
Great news indeed! Glad to hear that Paddy's on the mend :)
I know exactly what you mean about them being in the 'zone' while eating raw...I can't take my eyes of him when he's eating either. He just looks so happy. Chewie's been on raw diet since I got him a year ago. He's staple diet is chicken. He loves chicken and beef, but does not like pork. He used to get dry/flakey patches on his bum/back legs, but that all disappeared after I start giving him fish oil supplements :)
Here's Chewie tackling a whole chicken (usually he gets chicken quarters/halves).
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