Going to BARF

[Cheri McDonald]

I have had it with itchy dogs. We have tried everything short of regular allergy shots, which I don't want to do. I have started reading "Give Your Dog a Bone" and anything else I can find on the net. Contacted and joined the So Cal BARF co-op (very nice people) and we place our first order on the 29th. Any suggestions starting out and what best to order would be greatly appreciated!

[border_collie_crazy]

yay! another BARFer! well for one thing, before switching, fast the dogs for 24 hours to get the kibble out of their system. then start with turkey bones, dont add veggies just yet, turkey bones are a good way to start, after turkey bone meals, for about a day or two, then you can start with the vaggies and egg, and other types of bones, oh organ meats are good from the start too

[Cheri McDonald]

The only issue I have with the fasting is Briar is on Pheno for seizures and must take it with food twice a day. Can we just go cold turkey with her and not fast?

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

We didn't fast. We gradually switched the older dogs on a plan that a friend of ours helped with, slowly reducing the kibble and adding the more "challenging" types of food over the course of a few weeks. I'd recommend something like that for a dog with health issues. In fact, you definitely would want to check out some of the books that are out there - there are some specific recommendations for epileptic dogs.

[HerdinGal]

Please don't go "cold turkey" with an unhealthy dog. You can make your dog really sick!

 

She's been itching for this long, a few more days to make sure you don't give her pancreatitis or a blockage with your switch is well worth it. Remember when a dog has been on one processed food for a long time it's a lot like a human being being fed only rice or cereal for months (I have friends who's kids do missionary work...believe me, "native diet" is tough!) and then suddenly handing them steak tartar. Ick! Add to that an underlying health condition - double ick!

 

Why don't you start with reducing her kibble and adding some bland boiled beef or chicken to it? Then start adding small quantities of steamed vegetables and replacing the kibble with cooked oatmeal, rice, or sweet potato. Then slowly starting giving more raw foods, after a week or so trying raw chicken bones (necks or wings) or turkey necks. In this process you can also start adding some supplements - fish oil and vit E especially.

 

I'd go for a switch over a 2 to 3 week period, followed by another month long period in which I weaned out all grains and gently experimented with what caused any "itchies" so I could remove it.

 

The grain free plan is not neccessary for all dogs, but in your case it has been shown that for some dogs, grain free is the key to no further seizuring.

 

Email me privately if you need more help

 

Oh...one extra note: We feed 15 dogs here either full or partially raw diets. None of them - from 30 to 60lbs - can any turkey bones greater in size than the neck. They just don't have the jaw size to properly masticate them and end up passing shards. So if they get them...they are ground!

 

Barfing working dogs since 1998 ~ W

[Cheri McDonald]

Wow and am so glad I asked! Thanks for the advise.

[border_collie_crazy]

oh sorry I did not know he was sick :eek: yes with an unhealthy dog, and with puppys gradually reduce the kibble, only switch cold turkey if the dog is an adult, and is healthy

[diane allen]

I'm following Dr. Pitcairn's diet - you could do a search for his book. He has various recipes, which are nice for variety and for getting different ingredients in season, on sale, whatever. His book is: Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn. July 1995 About $18 I think. His web site also has more info: www.drpitcairn.com.

 

We switched gradually, probably taking a month or so to replace kibble with other ingredients. We add lots of supplements too.

 

I don't do much in the way of bones - though am considering a meat grinder to get a few more into the dogs, without the possible problems that bones can cause.

 

I also have one on an incontinent-prevention medication. Because her moisture balance seems so delicate, I rarely fast any of them anymore. I know its good for all of us, but I don't do it myself very often, and figure the dogs will be fine without it too.

 

diane

[BARTASBORDERS]

I don't fast my dogs at anytime anymore either Diane. And hey-definately a good economical grinder is the one I got at Northern Tool for $100.It grinds turkey necks,chicken necks and backs(if I cut them to fit the shoot).With my co op group charging $26 for a 40lb case of ground backs or turkey necks it was cheaper to get my own grinder and buy the pieces whole at $9/40lb.Works nifty too if you splurge and get beef heart or tongue and just throw in grinder.I forgot who the original poster was,but keep us posted how the diet goes.

 

Sue Barta

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I do necks and wings tips for the toothless wonder and for emergency and travel provisions. I've been scared to put the backs in my grinder - I get these monster chicken carcasses now! I used to get frames from the folks who supplied Whole Foods in my area, no drugs, free range, but they stopped selling "outside".

 

Nice though, my current supplies are more complete, with organ meat inside. Would be nice if I could grind them for my oldster.

 

I love my grinder for veggies though. And I'll be figuring out how to do sausage when our current ram has outstayed his welcome. :cool:

[trailrider]

I`m looking for a grinder to make hamburger for myself from sheep meat. Can that grinder from Northern Tool do that? or is it a coarse grinder for bone like consistency?

[HerdinGal]

If all you want to grind is a little meat into burger a Northern Tool is a little pricey. A Pierce or Maverick grinder for around $95 can do that and chicken necks and backs.

 

Northern Tool is great, all except the chute size, which is no bigger than the above. It's around $260 If you can get what you want in the chute it can grind all domestic poultry bones, some smaller lambs bones. For burger it is obviously faster than the P or M.

 

I use a Cabella's grinder with a 3.5 inch (?? bigger than the NT) that can grind all poultry, whole rabbit, all lamb body bones except the very hardest legs bones and the base of the shoulder blade. It's very fast (1.5 hsp) and whips out many lbs of burger in an hour. It also has a reverse switch not available on other models which allows me to prevent jams without having to take apart the machine. it's expensive though, $600+ Well worth it if you grind a lot (for older dogs and puppies) or if you have friends who are interested in renting it to supplement the initial cost.

 

All of them make hamburger, size of grind dependent on the plate in front of the blade. Speed and versalitity are what you have to decide on.

[LeeH]

I also gradually got my dogs on BARF. My Golden had the itchy's too, and WOW what a difference! We only grind the meat for our BC though because he is simply too lazy to chew up the bones. My Golden eats all of her meat whole.

 

Also, be sure to puree the veggies...dogs can't digest them properly when they are in a whole form. Good luck!

[trailrider]

We`ve been getting ground feed for the dogs from a processor. It was tripe, chicken, eggs, liver, cod. We can`t get the tripe now, because of the ban on BSE and their products go to the US so they can`t have tripe in the plant. The alternate feed is the mink feed with the above plus lunch meat, plus trout shells, plus 15 percent cereals. That`s why I`m wondering if this ban keep up, I may have to get a grinder.