Posted on 03/31/2007 9:49:22 AM PDT by girlangler
I think we need a thread on making our own dog/cat food, in light of the current recalls of pet food.
While there are several threads on these recalls, these threads become bogged down with posts that go off in so many directions it is confusing.
Since reading all these threads I have decided to start feeding my animals homemade food. I have clicked on several links in posts and read a great deal about what is in pet food, and have come to the conclusion I won't be feeding my animals this horrific stuff anymore, even if it is not on a recall list.
I think this thread should be an educational one on the diet needs of cats and dogs, and hopefully any freeper veterinarians will offer some advice. Also, freepers can share links to legitimate sources of info on diet needs for various pets.
I am sure pets, like humans, have different diet needs related to various health problems, so this will enable us to share our personal experiences with our pets needs, and success/failure stories.
I also will consult with my vet, because I think that is important, since he knows my dogs/cat's health history. But I do think we can all benefit from such a thread.
What do you freepers think?
Source:
Dr. Bernadine Cruz, DVM
Laguna Hills Animal Hospital
Laguna Hills, CA
LOL. I live in the country, and have a cat. He is pretty devastating to the ground squirrel populations here. And he always brings them to the back door as a present.
Maybe I'll start skinning and cooking them for him.
I actually like cats. But mine kept killing the robins and not the darn starlings.
raw chicken bones are okay, not brittle and our vet approves. Absolutely no on cooked chicken bones. Turkey might be okay but it's so much bigger that I prefer not to feed it to them. Oh, almost forgot, if you can find chicken feet, my dogs love them and it's so amuzing since they look like little hands hanging out of the mouths.
Our dogs love veggies. I mentioned carrots on the BARF diet but any orange veggie such as sweet potato is good. It is funny how some dogs have a sweet tooth. Two of our dogs begin the " who can drool the most" contest whenever I have cinnamon toast or pastry for breakfast. The others couldn't care less.
For a small dog like our miniature poodle (Scoobie Scooberino, the Pride of Astoria, the Triborough Wrecking-Ball), the recipe is Wal-Mart Black Angus burger mixed with rice and perhaps some yam. It makes him a powerful little dog and if you're not careful, he'll rock you like a hurricane.
This diet is a bit expensive, so if you have a big dog, good luck.
Dog should never have cooked bones. The bones splinter. But think about it. What do dogs eat in the wild. They sure as heck don't have access to a bbq grill. Raw bones are fine. If your dogs are small or wolf down their food you might have to cut the chicken parts into smaller pieces. You can even grind them- the chicken not the dogs.
Yep and that is a big plus. Especially if you live where there is a strict pooper scooper law.
Here is a link with lists of human food items that are poisonous to dogs and cats.
My Vet said raw chicken wings are fine. Never feed cooked bones of any kind.
I know Melinda, that's one thing that prompted me to start this thread.
I don't trust any of it anymore, and read on another website today that none of the commercial products provide enough nutritional ingredients.
"She recommended a special diet which included feeding my cat fresh fish"
THAT DOES IT. LOL, Now I have an excuse to go fishing more often.
Great -- I have two big dogs in a fenced in yard and navigating my yard is like walking through a mine field, you watch where you step. This is enough to make me put my Old Man (huge lab) on this diet.
Thought you all would want to check this out.
Can you hit your doggie/cat ping lists?
If you find any suggestions on what to do for a cat that turns her nose up at anything other than dry cat food, let me know. She's a good mouser but always gives them to me as presents. The only thing other than her dry food she's ever expressed the slightest bit of interest in was vanilla ice cream. Even then she only licked at it a couple of times and then walked off.
Does your kitty like a variety? Mine is stuck on Purina Dry only, won't eat anything else.
When frying eggs ... do one for the dog, or not ... give it to him raw ... he don't care.
Clean out the fridge, feed the dog.
Try not to keep him inside or tied up too much .. he's a great mouser, if given the chance.
Don't panic if he eats grass ... you should try it sometime ... it ain't so bad.
It's the cooked bones that can cause a problem. Cooked bones can become brittle and break up into sharp pieces. That's also true of cooked pork bones and to a certain extent steak bones. Neither cats or dogs are supposed to be fed cooked poultry bones.
I had him on the pouch stuff from Iams he liked that. But when I fed him Fancy Feast after the recall he promptly threw it back up.
He does like the raw chicken livers, raw eggs and tuna I have been giving him for snacks.
Thanks for this thread. After reading there's a recall on Alpo canned, which is what my Irish Red & White Setter eats with kibble, I decided no more store bought food.
Last night I made a pot of brown rice, mixed in some cooked chicken, cheese, wheat germ, carrots and some corn oil. She loved it.
Tonight she's getting pasta with ground beef, green beans, cheese, wheat germ and olive oil.
I'm also going to check with the little country butcher down the road about getting uncooked bones for her.
I'll be reading your thread for more recipes or suggestions.
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