Wondering Something About Feeding Rmb

[Guest belgian.blue]

So everyone knows raw bones are great for dogs but I've heard/read from a few sources that too much fat can cause pancreatitis. Or is that from too much salt as well?

Does this concern anyone else?

Do you feed less fatty bones or cut most of the fat off before feeding?

[hopenfox]

Pancreatitis isn't caused by too much fat, but dogs with pancreatic issues can react to too much of it.

So unless a dog is prone to pancreatitis, normal amounts of fat can be fed without problems.

I rarely trim fat, and then only if there's a shocking amount, like a 2 inch layer on pork or heaps of excess skin hanging from chicken frames.

[tyra20007]

I find the best bones to keep to avoid most of the fat are

Lamb Chine Bones and Beef Chuck Bones.

I have now "trained" my butcher into leaving a lot of good

quality meat on the bones (he saves them & calls me!)

- costs a tiny bit more but the dogs love them.

[MiniMum]

I am careful up to a point. Some bones do have a lot of fat, and if I can pull it off easily, I will do so, as I don't want my boy to have a weight problem. I feed different types of RMBs as I think variety in his diet is both enjoyable and good for him. Some bones are fatty, but most are lean, so it kind of balances out.

I believe overweight dogs are more prone to certain diseases (as are humans) such as pancreatitis.

ETC

Edited January 29, 2009 by MiniMum

[BC]

Mine get bones fat and all :D

[~Midniara~]

Unless I am trying to lose weight on a dog I never trim fat off anything. I have no reason to.

I've never had any problems doing this with any of my dogs. Ivy shouldn't have any problems either as her mum and dad are both very healthy and so are her grand parents.

edited to fix a typo

Edited January 29, 2009 by ~Midniara~

[Dogsfevr]

in our breed yes & it has increased the pancreatitis issue ten fold.

They are highly predisposed too it & thats why as breeders we suggest a diet that is suitable for that risk.

[Guest belgian.blue]

Hmm I wish some people would get their facts straight before being so sure of themselves!

[persephone]

Hmm I wish some people would get their facts straight before being so sure of themselves!

Did I miss something?

[Ravyk]

as both my dogs run off their food in the blink of an eye, they normally get the fat on the RMBs, except in one instance where there was about a cupful of fat hanging off a chicken carcass-which i removed.

i only cut the fat off RMBs when my OH mother is down-her dogs are fat, so they get little fat on their bones

[cm64]

in our breed yes & it has increased the pancreatitis issue ten fold.

They are highly predisposed too it & thats why as breeders we suggest a diet that is suitable for that risk.

What breed are you talking about ?

[Guest belgian.blue]

Hmm I wish some people would get their facts straight before being so sure of themselves!

Did I miss something?

People (not on DOL) telling me not to feed too many RMB with fat as it can cause pancreatic issues.

I was baffled as many DOLers swear by feeding a completly raw diet :D

[Guest belgian.blue]

in our breed yes & it has increased the pancreatitis issue ten fold.

They are highly predisposed too it & thats why as breeders we suggest a diet that is suitable for that risk.

What breed are you talking about ?

Setters?

[persephone]

People (not on DOL) telling me not to feed too many RMB with fat as it can cause pancreatic issues.

Oh :D

I guess IF the breed is predisposed, or that 'family' has had problems- then, feeding a lower fat diet would be the way to go

Boy---- many years ago- when money was tight, and droughts etc... our dogs were fed on fat... melted down, with stale bread mixed in!!! and survived til better times :rolleyes:

[Guest belgian.blue]

The way of the canine lupis has defiantly changed ..

Reminds me of a lady at a BBQ recently .. she has two aussies. Apparently she knows everything there is to know about dogs .. following this she allows a few people to feed her dogs small cooked bones :D

[paddles]

First and formost, I would like to say, a few years back (2) I lost my 8yr old sheltie to pancrititis, i had repeatedly taken him to the vet, saying "The dog is sick" I got the whole you are a paranoid person, the dog is fine, (There is a long story to go with this, but I won't bother with it) until the dog went critical, and died after 3 days hospitalisation. He was fed a healthy diet, was perpetually on a diet (Ok, he was slightly overwhieght, but not grosely so) so I would like to say, that if your dog is prone to such things, they will get it. (Unless you are fanatical, and possible a vet), Now with the dogs I havve now, I am fanatical about thier wieght exercise etc, however, I see many a dog, fed the most appaling diet doing really well.

As for cooked bones, there are many a dog, that has lived a long and happy life being fed cooked bones (As a child, I remember feeding the dogs the chop bones from the bbq) however i feel that the slight cost, of buying a suitable bone for the dog, is minimal and well worth the dogs life, however Ihave had vets tell me not to feed bones at all, and to use such things as, what are they called? dentabone?

I lost 3 dogs over 3 yrs to various things (None my fault (I hope)) and with my two that I have now, hopefully they will have a long and lovely life. I consider the risks, ooked bones, fat etc), too much to risk my dogs, I cut the fat off, I feed a good food, I watch thier whieght, but sometimes things just happen.

Ok, rambling a bit here, what I'm trying to say, is, love your dog, feed it to it's energy requirements (Ie, if you are a marathon rjunner, and you take your dog with you....) a bit of fat won't hurt your dog if you,and dog are active (Like chocolate is good for you, unless you are obese...) but if yyou and your dog lead a more sedentary lifestyle, then cutting the fat back is a good idea.

[poodlefan]

Settlvr has Mini Schauzers - a breed prone to pancreatitis.

I know dogs on non-raw diets who have it too. It's not as simple as too much fat = pancreatitis although fat can be a common trigger and avoiding a fatty diet is essential to managing a dog with this condition.

Medications including steroids, infections, toxins, kidney disease, metabolic disorders, hypoglycemia and other factors can contribute to the onset of the condition. Obesity is also linked to it. Some research suggests that a diet high in cereals is linked to hypoglycemia so its not as simple as avoiding raw feeding to lower the risk of pancreatitis.

There are far too many myths and fables about diet and disease in the dog world. It's not an exact science to feed a dog but I like to feed a diet that's got some science behind it.

I'd not feed anything based simply on the recommendation of an internet forum or a dog owner. Do your homework first. Google can provide access to some very good scientifically based research on canine health and diet.

BB, I strongly recommend you stop listening o unsolicited advice and reacting to what people tell you is best for your dog. You'll go insane. Same goes for training advice - there are opposing views on any aspect of dog ownership you care to name. Listen to your breeder, do your own research and look at your dog. If she's healthy, stop worrying. You can't please everyone.

Edited January 29, 2009 by poodlefan

[Guest belgian.blue]

I lost my english pointer to this too .. she ate 1kg of schmackos and overdosed on salt which then sent the liver cancer we didn't know about over the scales.

She had to be pts about a week after eating them. She was always on the chubby side of life. When she died we were told by the breeder that the breed were known to get liver/cancer

Opps my mistake Settlvr.

[poodlefan]

I lost my english pointer to this too .. she ate 1kg of schmackos and overdosed on salt which then sent the liver cancer we didn't know about over the scales.

She had to be pts about a week after eating them. She was always on the chubby side of life. When she died we were told by the breeder that the breed were known to get liver/cancer

Opps my mistake Settlvr.

Salt toxicity in dogs creates neurological issues. That's why you never dose a dog who's eaten something bad with it. It's absorbed through the kidneys and if the sodium levels in the blood get too high, it will result in cerebral edema. Your dog will lose control of its motor functions and suffer from seizures.

Maybe fat, not salt may have been the trigger. What happens to the pancreas also affects the liver.

I suppose without a necropsy, its all guesswork. Was one performed?

Edited January 29, 2009 by poodlefan

[Guest belgian.blue]

I lost my english pointer to this too .. she ate 1kg of schmackos and overdosed on salt which then sent the liver cancer we didn't know about over the scales.

She had to be pts about a week after eating them. She was always on the chubby side of life. When she died we were told by the breeder that the breed were known to get liver/cancer

Opps my mistake Settlvr.

Salt toxicity in dogs creates neurological issues. That's why you never dose a dog who's eaten something bad with it. It's absorbed through the kidneys and if the sodium levels in the blood get too high, it will result in cerebral edema. Your dog will lose control of its motor functions and suffer from seizures. ;)

Maybe fat, not salt may have been the trigger. What happens to the pancreas also affects the liver.

I suppose without a necropsy, its all guesswork. Was one performed?

No a necropsy wasn't done .. pts and cremated.

Must have been something else in the schmackos that made her ill if it wasn't the salt?

She did have pancreatitis.