Member

Posts: 18
From:Perry,Iowa, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-04-2004 03:25 PM         

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Hello-I have a question about the barf diet,this is something very new to me,I have a male pitbull and male bulldog with alot of skin problems will this raw meat diet help?Also i always thought chicken bones were very bad for dogs that they splintered in their stomach,this diet says to give them chicken wings {raw},is this ok?Any feedback would be greatly appreaciated!
thanx,amanda

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Member

Posts: 150
From:Western Pennsylvania, USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 02-04-2004 03:45 PM         

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Hi Amanda, I am not a BARF person, nor will I ever be, but, so I hear, if the chicken bones are RAW, not cooked, they do not splinter. Of course this makes sense if you think about it. Once you cook any bone, it becomes brittle. This is what tears up the inards of the animal.

The reason I don't do BARF is because I'm too lazy to make enough to feed 9 dogs. My dogs do great and live beyond old age feeding them 'store-bought' dog food. Of course, I would stay away from generic sh!t.
Different people are ALL over the Internet. People will 'swear on their dying mother' that BARF is the only way to go. I say, "Whatever makes you happy" ....

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Member

Posts: 18
From:Perry,Iowa, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-04-2004 03:54 PM         

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thank you chickee for replying to my question,maybe i will start researching it a little more before i decide.I do think i should start giving all 4 of my dogs vitaman E though,it is stressed that it is very important,does anybody give their dogs vitaman E or omega 3?I feed my dogs raw carrots and potatoes they love it!Pretty silly huh!

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Posts: 536
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 02-04-2004 05:30 PM         

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Hi Amanda, there is a wealth of information about the Raw food diet, just use a search engine like google and type in BARF or RAW MEAT & BONES FOR DOGS. I belive it has also been discussed quite a bit in the ALL DOGS FORUM so try using our search and it should bring up some links, and info for you. I would highly recommend researching this diet beforehand.

Omega oils are very good for dogs. Cod liver or mix fish oils and always give oils with Vit. E Oils are great for skin and coat.

Raw bones - ok - cooked - NO!

Skin problems could be the result of diet, enviroment, products. Best to see your vet first to get it looked at. After that analyse current diet etc.

If you have further questions feel free to ask!

Cheers,
Jas

[This message has been edited by Jas (edited 02-04-2004).]

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Member

Posts: 227
From:Perth, Western Australia
Registered: May 2003

posted 02-04-2004 06:32 PM         

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amanda, i started feeding raw chcken necks to my dog about a week ago. at first i was a bit suspiscious about doing it because the last time i gave my dog a bone [beef]she managed to turn it into little splinters and vomit it back up. but the chicken necks were quite soft for her to chew on and she loves them. weve had no problems so far.

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Member

Posts: 136
From:CT.
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-04-2004 09:18 PM         

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Below on this page is a post called Barf For Begginers. It should answer a lot of your questions.

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Posts: 136
From:CT.
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-05-2004 03:58 AM         

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Why Feed Raw?
More and more professionals in the world of dogs and cats (breeders, veterinarians, breed ring handlers, sports competitors) are advocating a second look at what we feed our animals. Why? Because there is a growing belief that dogs and cats need a raw, natural diet in order to be healthy, and that commercial pet foods cannot supply the nutrients necessary for good health and long lives.
What Should Carnivores Eat?
Proper nutrition is vital to good health. In nature, it is live foods that truly nourish both people and animals. If your animals are to thrive, they need the live enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and unadulterated amino acids, vitamins and minerals that only raw food can provide. While commercial pet foods are convenient, most contain sub-standard or condemned meats. And because they are also highly processed at extreme temperatures, they are devoid of many of the building blocks of good health, and often full of questionable preservatives. So, commercial pet foods may sustain life, but unlike raw diets, they do not contain the life-enhancing nutrition that promotes health.
Cats and Dogs Are Carnivores
Cats and dogs are carnivores, or meat-eaters. Yet ALL dry commercial pet foods are at least 60% (or more) grain because the carbohydrates are needed to hold the food together. But as The Merck Veterinary Manual (8th ed., pg. 1628) tells us, dogs and cats have "no dietary requirement for carbohydrate." Does it make sense to feed our carnivores a diet that contains at least 60% of a substance they don't even need? Additionally, carbohydrates are metabolized by the body to glucose (sugar) which is known to feed cancers, diabetes and many other disorders that now plague our companion animals. If grains and vegetables were a primary nutrient source, you'd see cats and dogs stalking ears of corn and heads of wheat.

Raw diets simulate the menu that nature intended carnivores to eat. When a carnivore eats an herbivore like a rabbit, the carnivore eats some meat, some bone, some organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, etc.), and some green vegetation contained in the herbivore's digestive tract. That's nature's perfect meal - the meal that raw diets replicate.
Are Raw Diets Safe?
Dogs and cats are NOT humans. They have a very different digestive tract and process. For example, we can eat all the onion we want without harm, but some dogs can get anemic from a single, small portion of them. We can eat a pound of baker's chocolate and merely get fat or nauseous, while dogs can die from even a lesser amount. We can get very sick from raw meat, while dogs thrive on it as their natural diet. Again, they are NOT human.

Compared to us, dogs and cats have a very short digestive system, which means that foods are processed quickly -- before harmful bacteria have a chance to multiply and cause problems. Also, carnivores have a very high level of acidity in their digestive systems. This high acidity, which allows them to break down the nutrients in raw meats and bones, is also hostile to bacteria. We've all seen dogs eat true garbage (rotten foods, decaying squirrel carcasses, etc.) without any ill effects. Nature did not evolve carnivores to eat a diet that would kill them. And remember, we aren't suggesting you feed spoiled, contaminate foods. A raw food diet consists of good quality, USDA-inspected and approved meats and bones - the ingredients used by Bravo.
Protect the Health of Your Animals with the Diet Designed by Nature
A high-quality, raw food diet can provide the nutrients that will help insure that your animals lead a long and healthy life. Some animals with existing health problems, when switched to a raw food diet, may experience an improvement in their conditions. Healthy animals on a raw diet are likely to avoid some of the illnesses that are now becoming common in our companion animals. Lifetime picky eaters, when given the diet designed by nature, may suddenly turn into chow hounds. Raw diets for almost every animal significantly reduce, or even eliminate the need for veterinary dental work. While you are spared the cost of that dental work, your animal will not be subject to the risks of the associated anesthesia.

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From:Perry,Iowa, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-05-2004 02:13 PM         

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thank you so much to everyone for responding,it has really helped me to understand this topic a little better,and i am definately going to start giving my babies vitamin E and omega 3 ,hopefully this will help with the skin problems.My male pitbull has been to the vet numerous times for his skin itching and him eating his paws,but the vet cannot figure out what is causing his problems.Hopefully i can help him.
thanx,amanda

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Member

Posts: 136
From:CT.
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-05-2004 06:35 PM         

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My Vet told me that paw chewing is the result of a mineral deficiency. It’s also another reason some dogs mouth and sometimes swallow rocks.
I use Solid-Gold Sea Meal witch takes care of most of there vitamin and all of there mineral needs. I’m sure there are other products out that will do the same thing but this what I use. Also read up on the Flaxseed Oil for those skin probs.
Always go natural,You vet will hate it but your pockets will love it lol.

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/

Hope this helps
Deus

[This message has been edited by Deus (edited 02-05-2004).]

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