Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

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kingalls
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Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by kingalls »

I switched Nahkohe and Shiloh's diet to grain free Happy Dog Food with raw green tripe from the local store, The Green Tripe Company. They both love this combination. I feel so fortunate that the Green Tripe Company is located in my home town. The Happy Dog Food is fairly local - the company is less than 30 minutes from where I live. The Green Tripe is available as just the green tripe but also with the trachea and gullet - which is what I get for my two. I get the trachea & gullet version because "I think" that it helps with their teeth because of its rubbery texture.
The BARF diet includes the raw bones. I read somewhere that the nutritional value of raw bones was near zero. Is that true? I have not gone the route of raw bones because I just so fearful of the bones.
My questions are:
1. Would the trachea & gullet tripe help with their dentures?
2. Are there any benefits to giving them raw bones? The Green Tripe Company sells some of the calf ribs which are softer and can be consuemd easier than the bigger cow bones.
3. I still put out Wellness kibble for them. The staff at Green Tripe say most clients eliminate the kibble. I also read that they will digest the kibble and green tripe differently - is that a problem?

I just want to add that their poops are more solid and we don't have the runny poop problem which meant soiled breeches.
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by kiwani »

kingalls wrote:...I just want to add that their poops are more solid and we don't have the runny poop problem which meant soiled breeches.
I think that the natural probiotics in the green tripe is mainly what contributed to solving their soft poop situation.

I'm not an advocate of grain-free diets, for reasons given in archived threads. I wasn't impressed with the ingredients/vitamin list of Happy Dog Food that I've read so far. I'm not a fan of Wellness either and I'm also not an advocate of raw feeding, for several reasons.

I've raised my Chows within holistic traditions, and haven't had problems with their health, feeding the way that I have. I think what's more important is that I've concentrated on building their immune systems, and that included not neutering, not vaccinating adults, not casually dosing with meds, not using oral pesticides, etc.

Factory farmed livestock is not the same kind of creature that a wild animal is/was. For example, wild fowl had/have more delicate bones, while farmed
chickens have thicker more brittle bone to support meatier bodies (they're so meat-heavy that they can't even fly as their wild ancestors did). Wolves would eat the feathers and fur of wildlife they captured too, and that helped to protect their innards from any shards. And if it were really true
that fresh bones don't shard, there wouldn't be such a thing as compound fractures.

Here's a site which includes several links:

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/wolfexrep.html
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by Mia »

I don't want to hi jack this thread, but...

Kiwani - what have you thought of Solid Gold Hundenflocken - to which I add some of their Solid Gold Green tripe?

My babies are healthy, but, if you have ever read any of my food threads, you will know that I have researched this "what to feed my chows" issues until I have almost exhausted the resources. And, I still feel like I know nothing.

I would have no problem keeping them on this, except that Mia's hair just doesn't look great.

Whatcha thinK?
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by kiwani »

Mia wrote:Kiwani - what have you thought of Solid Gold Hundenflocken - to which I add some of their Solid Gold Green tripe?....I would have no problem keeping them on this, except that Mia's hair just doesn't look great.
If you've ever read the two food survey threads started by willowchow years ago, you'll know that I've mentioned using the Solid Gold as a base, to which I add a rotation of fresh foods daily. Do you ever add eggs
or fish/omega-3 fish oil to the diet? Do you use probiotics or the Solid Gold digestive enzymes or the seameal?
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by kingalls »

Thank you for your feedback, Kiwani. I'll double check the Willowchow posts, too.
I do add cooked brown rice a few times a week and I still add the Omega-3.
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by Mia »

Kiwani,

Yes to almost all.

I add sea meal to every bowl and flax seed oil or omega 3 fish oil (I alternate on those) to every bowl.

Then I add ONE of the following every other day: egg, little yoghurt, chicken, banana, a very small amount of natural dried cranberries, organic blueberries, Tri-Cran C powder (which has vitamins), Tripe, all natural free ranch chicken hearts and livers. And, a couple of other thing which I can't rememer at the moment.

All of their treats are usually home made from yoghurt, chicken hearts and flax powder (freshly ground to add consistency).
Sometimes I make chicken livers rolled in freshly ground flax seed. I even make their own ice-cream treats using yoghurt, blueberries, freshly ground flax seeds and banana frozen in cups.

But they don't get too many treats.

I am such a tough mommy! LOL!!
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by kiwani »

Mia wrote:I add sea meal to every bowl and flax seed oil or omega 3 fish oil (I alternate on those) to every bowl.

Then I add ONE of the following every other day: egg, little yoghurt, chicken, banana, a very small amount of natural dried cranberries, organic blueberries, Tri-Cran C powder (which has vitamins), Tripe, all natural free ranch chicken hearts and livers. And, a couple of other thing which I can't rememer at the moment......
Well, it is possible to upset the vitamin/mineral *balance* with so many different supplements. Is there a reason for the decision to give daily Tri-Cran C, flax seed oil, and some of the other things? Do you ever take a break from the sea meal? What do you consider is the problem with her coat?
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by Mia »

Ah,

I spoke to Solid Gold and they said to keep giving the sea meal with every meal. I did stop for a couple of months and just started again. I wasn't sure if Mia's coat wasn't looking so good because I had stopped on the Sea meal for a while.

Tri-cran C usually only once a week or once every two weeks because Chutters had gotten a couple of urinary tract infections. (it's not one of the things I usually repeat, but once every week or two, because their food should have adequate vitamin C.)

Flax seed oil or fish oil - because I take at least one a day.

And the other stuff, just for the heck of it?
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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by Dorothy06 »

kingalls wrote:I switched Nahkohe and Shiloh's diet to grain free Happy Dog Food with raw green tripe from the local store, The Green Tripe Company. They both love this combination. I feel so fortunate that the Green Tripe Company is located in my home town. The Happy Dog Food is fairly local - the company is less than 30 minutes from where I live. The Green Tripe is available as just the green tripe but also with the trachea and gullet - which is what I get for my two. I get the trachea & gullet version because "I think" that it helps with their teeth because of its rubbery texture.
The BARF diet includes the raw bones. I read somewhere that the nutritional value of raw bones was near zero. Is that true? I have not gone the route of raw bones because I just so fearful of the bones.
My questions are:
1. Would the trachea & gullet tripe help with their dentures?
2. Are there any benefits to giving them raw bones? The Green Tripe Company sells some of the calf ribs which are softer and can be consuemd easier than the bigger cow bones.
3. I still put out Wellness kibble for them. The staff at Green Tripe say most clients eliminate the kibble. I also read that they will digest the kibble and green tripe differently - is that a problem?

I just want to add that their poops are more solid and we don't have the runny poop problem which meant soiled breeches.
I will ask a veterinarian for your problem and I will tell it to you what does this veterinarian will say.



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Re: Semi-raw diet - question for Kiwani

Post by Merlin »

The BARF diet includes the raw bones. I read somewhere that the nutritional value of raw bones was near zero. Is that true? I have not gone the route of raw bones because I just so fearful of the bones.
A raw diet is not just about bones and ver y little bone is needed in that diet. What the bones do offer is calcium and that is an important element to any diet. Also, the bones and mastication of bone is what makes for healthy teeth and gums.
My questions are:
1. Would the trachea & gullet tripe help with their dentures?
No. Trachea is loaded with needed vitamins and minerals but will not necessarily contribute to dental health, but certainly will contribute to overall body health.
2. Are there any benefits to giving them raw bones? The Green Tripe Company sells some of the calf ribs which are softer and can be consuemd easier than the bigger cow bones.
Again, a raw diet is not about bones. the appropriate diet calls for 80% meat, 10% bone matter and 10% offal.
I still put out Wellness kibble for them. The staff at Green Tripe say most clients eliminate the kibble. I also read that they will digest the kibble and green tripe differently - is that a problem
Frankly I'd say no. You can always use common sense as a good rule of thumb. If you ate the exact same food day in and day out, would that be good enough for you to stay h ealthy, interested and feel well rounded at meal time? Any quality menu consists of a variety of foods, and even with kibble feeders, personally I think it's important that you change your brand and make and flavour from time to time to hopefully allow for more complete nutrition. and yes, always stick to grain free. Dogs and grains have no love affair going.


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MM
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