more questions for those feeding raw

[honeybears]

Hi, jake has been on his raw diet now for a week. He just loves it. has had no problems with his digestive system. And his stools are so much smaller!

question - the vet didnt recommend a kelp alfalfa supplement, and doing some research most sites recommend this. Do you feed this??

The vet did give him a vitamin supplement,

most sites say to do both

honeybear

[Samsintentions]

I don't feed alphalpha. I do feed a suppliment to my dogs called NUVET plus. I also sell it. ITs much cheaper through me, I sell it whole sale.
And it provides everthing that dogfood and raw don't. They eat it just like a treat, or if they are picky like Char, they are easilly crumbleable, and can be disguised int their food.

[Jas]

Hi Honey that is great news about Jake.

I feed my dogs kelp & alfalfa usually 3 times a week. Some people give it some don't.

[Jamiya]

I have seen it very often on a lot of raw feeding sites. It seems to be the most popular supplement. I don't feed it, because I use the prey model and assume the dogs are getting everything they need that way. Dogs in the wild don't eat kelp. Then again, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't do them some good!

Sams, what is in your supplement?

So is Jake's itchiness gone? What about the mouth ick?


Jamiya

[honeybears]

Jimiya, here are the ingred of nuvet. you are too funny "they dont eat kelp in the wild" I think its good beause of the B vitamins in it
And jake is getting better, the Nzymes are clearing it up. will keep my fingers crossed

Nu-Vet

Alfalfa
Alpha Amylase
Beta Carotene
Blue Green Algae
Brewer's Yeast
Cat's Claw
Desiccated Liver
Evening Primrose Oil
L Methionine
Oyster Shell
Papain
Potassium (Citrate)
Selenium (Yeast)
Shark Cartilage
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc, Dipeptide Chelate .

[Jamiya]

Are you sure it's the Nzymes clearing it up.....or the new diet?


Jamiya

[honeybears]

I noticed it was getting better, before raw, but he has only been on it a week longer. Interesting, - the Nzymes say things usually get worse for awhile and the same when switching to raw. Jake hasnt had any problems so far, except some scratching and he is doing a lot right now. You know I still think he may have chicken allergy because I bought both beef and chicken and gave him the chicken starting Monday and that is when he started scratching more than he has been

honeybear

[honeybears]

okay I am bored at work and this is what I foudn on the BARF site



I like to add a bit of Kelp every now and again for its trace elements. Modern soils have been depleted by over-cropping etc and Australian soils in particular are low in iodine. Kelp adds back these trace elements into the diet.


Alfalfa contains vitamins A, B1, B6, B12, C, D, E, K AND U, plus beta-carotene, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, protein, amino acids, trace elements and fiber. It reduces tissue damage from radiotherapy, helps bleeding disorders, has antibacterial action against salmonella and has a protein with known anti-tumor activity. It's used as a general tonic, to detoxify the body and to treat colon disorders, hemorrhages, diabetes, ulcers and arthritis. Use the alfalfa leaf and stem in powdered or liquid form. Do not use alfalfa seeds as they contain a natural toxin.

Kelp contains vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C and E, plus zinc, viotin, bromine, calcium, choline, copper, inositol, iodine, PABA, potassium, selenium, sodium and sulfur. Its iodine content is very good for glands and organs, especially the thyroid and liver. It can bind with chemical pollutants in the gastrointestinal tract and prevent their absorption by the body. It increases the contractile force of the heart, improves circulation and is often used for hair loss, goiter, ulcers, obesity and mineral deficiency. Equal parts of alfalfa and kelp in your dog's or cat's food provides a vast array of health-enhancing nutrients as a complete vitamin and mineral supplement.

Other green foods you may use include algae (chlorella, spirulina, blue-green), aloe vera, grasses and sea greens. Since these are plants, they should be fed to carnivores in fairly small amounts, proportionately"

[loves-da-pits]

Samsintentions: I've started feeding my dogs a new product, Nutro Natural chioce ULTRA. It has Kelp, alphalfa, flax seed, sunflower oil, oatmeal, marigold extract, taurine, cranberry, Tomato Pomace, garlic, whole brown rice, and other natural minerals and ingredients that help with joints and digestive tract. The meat is chicken meal, lamb meal, and salmon meal. It doesn't have any synthetic preservatives. I also give the 90% raw beef heart with it. I would like to give liver as an other organ food, but not quite sure about the purity of liver since cattle are given so may anti-biotics and such which is filtered through the liver. Have you heard of this food and what do you think of it as a nutritional diet? I haven't gone totally raw because I don't trust myself to do it properly and they may be lacking something really important. Also, is NUVET provided only as a RX through a Vet?

[Jules]

I have kelp and alfalfa powder, and I give it to my dogs occasionally. Once I run out of alfalfa, I won't be buying it again. It is quite expensive here.
Tom Lonsdale in his book "Raw Meaty Bones Promeote Health" thinks that supplements are unnessecary, and that it is too easy to overdose on vitamins and minerals. He just recommends adding some fruit and liver to the diet. Apparently you can feed your dogs fruit and can be beneficial, although it's definately not essential. (Don't feed the stones or pits which can cause blockages- he also points out that feeding too much liver can cause an excess intake of vitamins A & D. Once a week for liver I heard is a good guide to follow...). Another good point he makes is that doctors recommend people eat more quality natural foods, not artificial supplements. He states that the nutrients provided by these supplements can be found in foods from a raw diet of raw meaty bones and table scraps.
Once again it is a personal choice, checking out all the info then deciding what you feel is best.

[Jamiya]

I always worry about feeding too much liver. I feed liver (beef or chicken so far) about every other day - but it is a small amount. Some dogs get the runs from too much liver all at once. I'd say I feed maybe 2-3 oz. of liver approximately every other day. The total amount of organ meats (including the liver) ends up to be about 10% of the total diet (over time).

I would be interested sometime to get Nala's (and Bonnie's) blood tested using the BNA (Bionutritional Analysis) developed by Dr. Martin Goldstein. I wonder if I can send him a sample...


Jamiya