I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

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Secret Someone
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:50 am

I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

Post by Secret Someone »

Hi,

I haven't posted here in a while, but I'm having serious problems right now and my dog is suffering for it.

To start with, important information - I am homeless at the moment and living in a hostel. I have been since September. I have a little kitchen with a fridge and a tiny freezer drawer, but I can hardly fit anything in it. I can fit natures menu packets in there, about 10 small 450g packets, or four packets of mince from the supermarket. I'm seriously disabled and can't go out regularly to buy meat. I managed before because I had a big freezer and ordered loads of raw meat, offal and bones and put them in the freezer.

So at the moment he isn't getting bones or offal. He's eating 450g-500g mince (I try to mix it up), raw eggs and vegetables (lightly steamed) per day. With bones and offal, this amount of meat used sustain or make him put on weight but without the bones or offal he's losing weight. There's also the possibility he's ill. The vet wants a urine sample and to check him over so that's getting done soon. But I think he needs feeding more.

I need ideas. So far I'm thinking if I can get to a butchers once a week he could have one bone or one carcass per week. I don't have room in the fridge or freezer for it so I'd have to get it in time for his dinner. Is a boiler chicken too much for one small border collie to eat? Secondly I need to feed him more mince, although I'm not sure how much. His healthy weight is between 14.5-15kg. With regards to offal I'm thinking if I buy some liver and cook it all I could use it as training treats? How long does it last?

Does anyone have any other ideas? I can't feed him kibble. He gets so ill. Right now he's bouncy and playful and aside from some weight loss you wouldn't know anything was wrong. I feel so guilty. :(
JudyN
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Re: I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

Post by JudyN »

I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time right now - it's wonderful that you are putting Pan's needs first, but please don't feel guilty - you are doing the very best you can!

You seem to be feeding the right amount now going by Pan's weight, so it's definitely worth getting the vet check. But assuming that's OK, simply be guided by his weight, and how he's doing.

Some Nature's Menu packs are complete, so if you feed these you wouldn't have to worry about 'other stuff'. But all apart from one contain rice or maize, so I'm guessing you don't want to feed them. But I reckon if you fed a good variety of the 'just meat' ones, including the chicken and liver so he gets a bit of liver, you'll be doing just fine. Cooking the liver and using it as treats will be a great way to supplement him - you could do the same with heart.

A whole chicken would last him 2 or 3 days, I think - but if you just give him a carcass or a bone once a week that will be great for his teeth. If they look a bit stained you could consider brushing them with dog toothpaste if he'll let you.

Your 'messed up' diet is much better than a whole load of raw feeders give their dogs, so you've absolutely no reason to feel bad! Some raw feeders give their dogs nothing but chicken, and though it's not what most would recommend, the dogs seem to thrive.

I hope your health picks up soon (((((hugs))))).
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Nettle
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

Post by Nettle »

Good to hear from you and I hope very much that life picks up soon.

Not only are you feeding well, you are feeding far better than most kibble-fed dogs are fed.


My dogs don't get the same amount of food every day. Sometimes they have a large meal, sometimes (such as tonight) they have a small one. That mimics the way predators eat. I'm not saying everyone should do that at all, just that it doesn't hurt dogs to have different-sized meals just as one day we might have a big meal and another day we just have soup and toast. So for instance you coild buy a small chicken, have it cut into half or quarters and feed whatever amount you can't get in your freezer that day.

A few tins of fish will keep indefinitely and make a good topping to a mostly-vegetables meal. I feed pilchards or sardines in tomato or oil, but if you can only get fish in brine, just rinse well to get rid of most of the salt. You might be able to get some tinned meat too but read the labels and make sure it isn't full of cellulose or additives.

You can also ask friends to freeze their leftovers for your dog. My sister does this for mine.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Secret Someone
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:50 am

Re: I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

Post by Secret Someone »

Thank you so much for such helpful and thoughtful replies.

I'm glad I'm not doing as badly as I thought I was. You've both given me some good ideas to be getting on with too.

Today I picked up rabbit and chicken mince, white fish mince and a pound of liver. He's also got eggs, bananas and apples and I'll pick him up some other vegetables tomorrow. The butcher said he'll save me some bones if I can get them mid-week so yay. I am exhausted. He's got the vets tomorrow which means I have to attempt to catch his pee first. Expect a topic about that in a minute. ;) I'm trying to improve his diet since posting this.

So tomorrow I think he will have:

Rabbit and chicken mince (450g across 2 meals)
An egg
A piece of liver
Half a banana

Does that sound okay? We do training do he gets treats too.
JudyN
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Re: I've messed up Pan's raw feeding

Post by JudyN »

Yes, it sounds very healthy :D
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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