Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Thread For Making Your Own Dog Food (In Light of the Recalls)
Free Republic ^ | 3/31/07 | Myself

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?


TOPICS: Food; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: cats; dogfood; doggieping; dogs; pets; recalls
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-115 next last
To: girlangler; sinkspur; 88keys; DugwayDuke; sissyjane; Severa; the OlLine Rebel; naturalman1975; ...
Ping!


Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04

41 posted on 03/31/2007 10:48:37 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lastchance

I feed all three of my dogs a raw diet as well. I buy beef, pork, goat, rabbit, green tripe from Hare-Today -- a family farm in PA...


42 posted on 03/31/2007 11:17:53 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek

Flaxseed oil isn't as good for dogs as fish oil... more Omega 3 in fish oil. Cottage cheese and flaxseed oil is a very popular recipe for dogs (and humans) with cancer beacause of the way the two ingredients interact with one-another. I give cottage cheese or yogurt to my dogs with their raw food.


43 posted on 03/31/2007 11:19:23 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

There is a good list on yahoo for feeding raw.. go to yahoo groups and search raw dogs... don't allow people to get you into only feeding chicken.


44 posted on 03/31/2007 11:20:36 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

The recipes I've seen begin with "catch ten cats"


45 posted on 03/31/2007 11:20:58 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. Abby is my girl....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

There is a good holistic cat list on yahoo.. I recommend joining it. The most difficult is getting cats off the commercial foods high in sugar and salt -- taste buds are not just a human thing.


46 posted on 03/31/2007 11:21:57 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Mercat
Read the article What's really in pet food

Science Diet is sold in vets offices so people think of it as healthy. In actuality vets get as little training in nutrition as doctors do and vets are trained by vets hired and trained by Science Diet and Purina... they also receive lots of scholarships from Hills and Purina and in return sell their products. Science Diet contains BHA, BHT and Ethioxin.. google those terms....

47 posted on 03/31/2007 11:24:47 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

She was correct. Cats are carnivores (dog's too) and they do not digest grains the same as we humans... they turn to sugar in their systems.... they don't need diet foods, they need species appropriate food.


48 posted on 03/31/2007 11:26:15 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: girlangler
only if the bones are cooked, raw bones digest just fine. I've fed raw for nine years now. If you are feeding meat without bone you add 1/2 tsp ground eggshells (grind in coffee mill) to one pound of meat....

and don't let vets tell you it's too high protein... you'll find with all the moisture in a pound of meat there is lower protein than kibble, but it is more readily available protein since it digests more efficiently. Dogs have a digestion tract that digests much faster than we and it's more acidic, too.

49 posted on 03/31/2007 11:28:30 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

got mice? Mice are truly the perfect meal for a cat.


50 posted on 03/31/2007 11:29:15 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Sally'sConcerns

Grind up some kidney, liver, heart, etc., and then slowly start adding to kitty's dry food and as kitty starts to eat it then slowly decrease kibble and increase the beef heart and the organ meats... you can lightly steam the meat, the smell will sometimes tempt them more if steamed.


51 posted on 03/31/2007 11:32:39 AM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

Many top breeders feed their pooches raw chicken or turkey, bones and all. Keep in mind though that if the poultry is cooked, the bones must be removed before feeding the doggie.

As for treats, there's always the mailman.


52 posted on 03/31/2007 11:36:52 AM PDT by KingSnorky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lastchance

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance food?

How many should I order? Eight Is Enough? :)

(sorry...couldn't resist.)


53 posted on 03/31/2007 11:48:44 AM PDT by KingSnorky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

Dad fed his Walker hound coyote dogs on cornmeal mush for decades.

Take a metal five gallon can/bucket. Hang it over an open fire. Get the water boiling, add some leftover lard from frying bacon in the morning, some scraps/tripe from the local slaughter house and about five lbs of cornmeal. Bring back to a boil, stir a few times until it thickens.

Let cool. Pour enough in a trough for the size of your pack of dogs. Save the rest for the next day.


54 posted on 03/31/2007 11:52:34 AM PDT by rock58seg (Conservative American skeptics: The worlds last bastion of sanity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

Is chocolate really bad for dogs?

What about white chocolate?

Or baking chocolate?


55 posted on 03/31/2007 11:52:49 AM PDT by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: girlangler; Chena; mnehrling; lastchance

My pets seem to be dying less of natural causes and
more of extreme causes these days. Does anyone think
there is a connection to the introduction of so called
"healthy" processed pet foods?

Our cats and dogs seemed to live much longer when I
was a little girl. My sister's cat just died of old
age. It lived over 20 human years. Our last four
cats didn't make it past three. They died of leukemia,
aids, kidney disease and ... er ... coyote. All were
restricted to pure diets and routine vet care.

Since I love conspiracy, thought I'd throw this into
the petfood mix.


56 posted on 03/31/2007 12:37:22 PM PDT by Jo Nuvark (Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: girlangler; mnehrling

My dogs eat the large chicken bones just fine. However,
turkey bones make them throw up and gag. go figure.


57 posted on 03/31/2007 12:40:26 PM PDT by Jo Nuvark (Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Jo Nuvark

I would guess that the more we inbreed the common breeds you find at pet stores, the more you will have genetic errors which would make them more prone to cancer and other disease.


58 posted on 03/31/2007 12:41:18 PM PDT by mnehring (Hillary-Care is not a solution, for medicine or our military!!!!!!!!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: mnehrling

Agree. Over breeding is a problem.
Dogs are garbage eaters like sharks
and catfish. Dogs were created to
clean the land the way sharks and
catfish were created to clean the
oceans. Perhaps their bodies are
designed to digest left overs better
than "designer" foods.


59 posted on 03/31/2007 12:48:34 PM PDT by Jo Nuvark (Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: girlangler

Processed "pet foods" are a modern novelty. For centuries, people just fed their dogs table scraps and let them rummage around outdoors. For cats, they don't have much trouble getting all the mice and birds they can eat. My cat even eats spider webs so evidently they have nutritional value too.


60 posted on 03/31/2007 12:52:29 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (Today I officially outlive Steve Irwin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-115 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson