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Feeding A Raw Diet, Without Bones?


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I'd like to find out if it is possible to easily feed a raw diet, but without giving any bones. Most of the reading I have done suggests that bones are an important part of a raw diet.

I am unable to feed my dog bones as she nearly died from having one perforate her intestine. She does not chew properly and giving her bones is therefore highly risky, and I just can't bring myself to do it given her previous incident :(

She atopic and has done 2 food trials already, initially we thought she was allergic to chicken and beef, however now I believe that this not the case and the improvement seen in the first trial just happened to be coincidence with changing seasons. There was no improvement or relapse in the second food trial and subsequent re-challenge leading us to believe she is actually not food allergic.

I have heard some atopic dogs benefit from a raw diet.

If people could suggest some resources about feeding raw but with no bones I would be grateful.

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You could feed BARF patties - I make my own with various minces, some apple/banana/carrot/zuchini, flaxseed and coconut oil. You can also get mined chicken frames which contain the chicken bone, but minced (obviously lol) so that the goodness is eaten without any dangers of injury.

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I am unable to feed my dog bones as she nearly died from having one perforate her intestine.

This happened to my Stafford twice. She is fed raw but seems to cope okay with one chicken neck each night. She is fed the Dr B's BARF patties and minced chook frames plus other goodies - vegies, fish, eggs, yoghurt, leftovers etc. She dropped a lot of weight when I first did the switch but we seemed to have worked a good balance now.

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just add calcium powder or calcium sandoz syrup at the ratios on the container to any raw diet you make or just use the VAN mix which will balance it out. Bones are for teeth too, get big meaty bones she cant eat and remove them when she's done tearing the edible bits off.

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Or feed thick, edible bones straight from the freezer. Charlie is a shocker when it comes to gulping large chunks of bone so he gets the thick,knobbly end of brisket (not the thin rib part) still frozen solid. He takes ages to grind all the little bits off and I've never had an issue. Delta lived on frozen bones for the first few years until she learnt to chew them properly, even now if I suspect she is quite hungry I will feed frozen.

Egg shells are a good source of calcium too :)

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My lot do get chicken wings a couple of nights a week, but for their raw meat meals (which I mix with raw vegetables/oil vinegar/herbs/egg/etc) I mince turkey necks.

I have a moulinex mincer which is just big enough to stuff a turkey neck into. I buy a 15kg box from the pet food store, Ingams brand is pretty good as the necks are not too big, the store has another brand at one time and they were incorrectly marked as turkey necks, instead they were Sauropod necks and had to be chopped up longwise with the hatchet.

The mincer crushes the bone up ok.

edited to say that I looked up the mincer on ebay and there is one for $14.95 buy now here--> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Moulinex-Electric-Mincing-Sausage-Making-Machine-/121004499007?pt=AU_SmallKitchenAppliances&hash=item1c2c6e203f

Edited by Boronia
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My lot do get chicken wings a couple of nights a week, but for their raw meat meals (which I mix with raw vegetables/oil vinegar/herbs/egg/etc) I mince turkey necks.

I have a moulinex mincer which is just big enough to stuff a turkey neck into. I buy a 15kg box from the pet food store, Ingams brand is pretty good as the necks are not too big, the store has another brand at one time and they were incorrectly marked as turkey necks, instead they were Sauropod necks and had to be chopped up longwise with the hatchet.

The mincer crushes the bone up ok.

Slightly OT, but not really as it could be helpful to the OP - could you chop up frames and mince/crush them in the moulinex?

We're looking to get a mincer, as the mincer attachment for my KitchenAid is only plastic and won't do bone but whenever we get has to be able to at least do chicken frames without having a meltdown.

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My lot do get chicken wings a couple of nights a week, but for their raw meat meals (which I mix with raw vegetables/oil vinegar/herbs/egg/etc) I mince turkey necks.

I have a moulinex mincer which is just big enough to stuff a turkey neck into. I buy a 15kg box from the pet food store, Ingams brand is pretty good as the necks are not too big, the store has another brand at one time and they were incorrectly marked as turkey necks, instead they were Sauropod necks and had to be chopped up longwise with the hatchet.

The mincer crushes the bone up ok.

Slightly OT, but not really as it could be helpful to the OP - could you chop up frames and mince/crush them in the moulinex?

We're looking to get a mincer, as the mincer attachment for my KitchenAid is only plastic and won't do bone but whenever we get has to be able to at least do chicken frames without having a meltdown.

It'd be really easy to chop up frames, especially the backs, as they sit on the chopping block easily and are heaps softer than turkey necks. When you are doing the chopping-with-the-hatchet stuff it is easier if the necks/frames are 1/2-->3/4 frozen as it prevents all the blood splattering over the yard (though the dogs do lick it up :laugh: )

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Both Big Dog and Dr.B's BARF patties do have crushed bone in them BUT the bone is ground so small you can't even see it.

I get Big Dog and it just looks like meat & tiny bits of green or orange in it from the veg. but you certainly can't see any bone.

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I would like to share this experience on what my vet said about balance diet for dental care.

I recently get Snowy desexed and had him for an overall check up. Vet saw how the tartar has build up in few of Snowy's teeth and asked what I am feeding him. I told him raw diet / human grade food and the vet was so against it. She was insisting that it is not a good choice and Snowy should be fed good premium kibbles so that there will not be any tartar build up frown.gif. I asked about bones and she said it's ok if it is safe... And told us to start giving kibbles from then on.

Vet cleanse Snowy's teeth when she desexed him. So everything looks good now ..

I didn't change the diet (raw , human grade , biscuits) and I do feed Advance Puppy Kibbles in Snowy's diet. And I am slowly introducing some rawhide for him to chew on. Snowy is a swallow-er and giving bones is a no-no. He shocked me once eek1.gif when he swallowed the greenies whole! eek1.gif

It just surprises me how vet was so against it and told me to change it right away.

Then I did some googling and look what I've found confused.gifhttp://rawfed.com/myths/damage.html (graphic image)

Hmmm, so many mix messages!!!! frown.giffrown.giffrown.gif

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kibble wont prevent tartar build up at all, I am yet to see a dog on even premium kibble with shiny white teeth.

Get bones bigger then your dog can possibly swallow. Teeth cleaning has to involve ripping of bits of meat, connective tissue etc and using ALL the teeth, not just those gluten and glycerine laden dental chews that only the molars chew. A dog doesnt use its canines or incisors to chew kibble either so how do they get clean?

The smallest dog I have on a raw diet is a pug who had a dental. No more dry food it's rubbish, she even gets nice big bits of bone to molest lol no smell and her teeth are staying clean

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hmmm no idea why vet said so but she was very sure kibbles is much balance food.

Will look into bigger bones. I bought the Antler online and will see if that is safe enough for Snowy to get on with it

Because most vets have not much education in the field of nutrition. The kibble companies tell vets (and everyone in general) it's a balanced food and everyone believes them.

Edited by minimax
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