It tastes like DOG FOOD!

[PineRidge]

Andy I think that when it comes to appetites dogs are a lot like kids. When they are hungry they will eat, and when they are real hungry they will eat just about anything.

We have two dogs that are pampered house dogs. At times they play the same games and the wife worries to death because of it. It gets to the point at times where she will put small pieces of cooked chicken on top of their regular dog food to make them eat. I think they have the plan all figured out and swear when she leaves the room one of them even winks at me. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

As long as they eat I wouldn't be too overly concerned. When your wife is doing all that fussing over them watch the dogs eyes for that little wink or nod.

 

[Boondox]

We get around that problem with our six goldens and occasional rescue by sprinkling a homemade mix of brewer's yeast, garlic powder (not garlic salt), and kelp powder on top of the kibble. Full of essential stuff for great coats, and also full of flavors that all dogs (at least all we've met so far!) seem to love.

By the way, the sixth golden is a recent addition. Some of you may remember little Oliver, the pup with the severe heart defects that lived out his four months in happiness with us before passing away last April. Canisius is his brother, also with a heart defect, but one not so severe as to kill him quickly. With diet and exercise he has a good shot at a relatively long life. His human, a Jesuit priest, was sent to Eastern Europe for six months so Canisius is with us. And he looks just like our little Oliver!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pete

 

[Freds]

As long as the dog is acting normal otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it too much, but keep in mind that acting sick is a sign of weakness and some dogs are very good at masking illness.

Switching dog foods causes a finicky eater, I would try to avoid doing that if you are feeding a good dog food.

Switching a dog to a GOOD dog food (holistic) does not cause an upset anything. Switching to a grocery store dog food will and someone was right. The cheaper it is, the more they like it. Why? Because cheap food would taste cheap if it weren't for all the syrups and sugars in it to make it appetizing. If you feed Kibbles n Bits you might as well be feeding twinkies. Just look at the ingredients.

Most people feel that dogs cannot get salmonella because of their stomach acids. I fed two of my dogs a raw diet for 3-1/2 years which among other things included raw turkey necks, chicken backs, whole raw eggs plus the shell and never had a problem, an upset stomach or loose stool.

All that being said, if it isn't normal for your dog to skip this many meals, there may be something wrong with her. It wouldn't hurt to have her checked out and maybe she's close to needing her Rabies vaccination anyway, but I wouldn't let the vet talk you into his Hill's food. There are foods out there just as good and much cheaper.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> garlic powder </font>

Now give daddy a kiss! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I suppose garlic breath beats dog biscuit breath. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PBinWA]

Best solution to a healthy dog that isn't eating their food is to take them on a long long walk. It's good for you and good for them and I bet they will eat their food when they get home.

Bland boring food is what we are all supposed to be eating. If all we had around the kitchen was grains, un-spiced meats, fresh fruit and vegetables then none of us would have that extra little paunch (or huge paunch in my case). Now don't get me wrong - I'm a big fat guy who likes to eat. I just know that I'm doing the wrong thing.

Take your dog out for an hour or two long hike - it works wonders for my dogs appetites and mine too.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Not to get into an unrelated discussion about feeding raw eggs to dogs, but I have to respond lest people start feeding their dogs raw eggs.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Most people feel that dogs cannot get salmonella because of their stomach acids. I fed two of my dogs a raw diet for 3-1/2 years which among other things included raw turkey necks, chicken backs, whole raw eggs plus the shell and never had a problem, an upset stomach or loose stool. )</font>


Anecdotal evidance isn't really helpful. Just because I can eat turkey that's been in the fridge for a week and a half and not get sick, doesn't mean my wife can (we've proven that by accident). Just because some people have been feeding chocholate to their dog for years and never had a problem, doesn't mean your dog won't curl up and die a day after it shatches a holloween candy bar off the table. Both of these things have happened to dogs.

From pethealthcenter.org
"Additionally, you should not give raw eggs to your dog. Raw eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella, which can cause a serious infection. Additionally, egg whites also contain a protein called avidin that binds biotin, part of the B vitamin complex; feeding raw eggs may result in a vitamin B deficiency that could be detrimental to your dog’s health."

Note that your kids can get salmonella poisoning from the dog, even if the dog shows no symptoms. This is a remarkably common ocurance and is warned against in all the government salmonella brochures and web pages. Google salmonella and dogs and see what you find (spell salmonella right, I probably don't)

There are some web sites that claim none of this is true, but provide no reason to actually believe them. They are mostly raw food promoting sites, and it is in their interest not to believe the evidance.

That said, although dogs can get sick from it, they are at relatively low risk for getting sick from salmonella. It all depends on where you want to put the risk in your and your dog's life and how important you think it is to feed your dog raw eggs.

Cliff

 

[Freds]

Whoo boy.

Depending on what your definition of anecdotal is, Cliff, I find subjective evidence to be very helpful. I would tend to believe something that a person has experienced firsthand rather than something I've read. Another good example would be fuel mileage. Ask me what my Durango gets and I'll bet Dodge disagrees with me...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There are some web sites that claim none of this is true, but provide no reason to actually believe them. They are mostly raw food promoting sites, and it is in their interest not to believe the evidance.
)</font>
Sure there are. Just as the website you quoted claims it is true. I believe most sites and books DO provide the reason that dogs do not get salmonella. As I stated above, it has something to do with a dog's very strong stomach acids. While a dog is domesticated, their digetive system is still very much like wolves and other species of Canis (not sure of the plural family name).

I find that the growing number of people feeding their dogs a raw diet, hunters offering their dogs a "treat" from freshly killed game, the dog that catches mice as well as a cat and eats them to be very strong evidence that it is OK and your dog won't die from it. I guess you would call it circumstantial evidence, but there are tests that have been conducted on the benefits of feeding raw. Heck, even my vet gave his dog a quail leg when we were out hunting, but he does not promote feeding a raw diet. He knows there's nothing wrong with it either.

As far as "not in their interest"...you're right it isn't. They have absolutely nothing to gain by explaining the ins and outs of feeding raw as most people make or conncoct their own version. As opposed to commercial dog food sites that have everything to gain by giving their reasons not to feed raw food. As a matter of fact, Innova just came out with a kibble called Evo, which advertises itself as comparable to feeding a raw diet. So now you have companies trying to emulate feeding raw.

And yes, people and kids can get sick from handling raw food and not washing up afterwards. I will admit that this could include a dog's saliva that just ate a raw egg. I never said it was without side effects, but you never heard of a dog being fed a raw diet dieing from bloat either.

Let's not get personal here, Cliff. Let's just realize that feeding a dog a raw egg once in a while let alone an entire diet composed of raw food is acceptable based on fact, not "anecdotal evidance". That is if you mean anecdotal to mean sketchy or unreliable evidence.
And stay away from that turkey! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jfh230]

If she is only eating once every three days I would get her to a vet and do a basic run of blood work and check of parasites (this means bring a fresh poop sample with you). You need to rule out medical reasons for this. Turning her nose up to one meal is being picky, not eating for three days is cause for concern. Depending on the breed, dogs can hide their discomfort very well.

Jack

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Sorry, I did not mean to imply that all raw elements in a dogs diet are bad. I didn't think I said that. I was only talking about eggs, nothing else. What's more, I was thinking (and did not say, I admit) about store bought eggs. Store bought things are much more dangerous because they are stored longer, may not be as carefully handled, and more likely to get contaminated.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Depending on what your definition of anecdotal is, Cliff, I find subjective evidence to be very helpful. )</font>

Anecdotal evidance is evidance based on anecdote, that is, an example rather than a study. For instance, you talk to ten people who each say they took a particular drug and never had a problem This is anecdotal evidance. If you study them (or more likely a much larger population) and measure their whole health you may find that the incedance of brain tumors is extrardinairly high in this group. No one would report this. From an anecdotal point of view, the drug is perfectly fine.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I believe most sites and books DO provide the reason that dogs do not get salmonella.)</font>

I've never seen any evidance that the harsher climate in the dogs stomach kills all salmonella, and since dogs do get diagnosed with salmonella poisoning, I think it's clear that it's not absolutely true. I would not doubt they have a harder time getting it than humans, in fact I believe it is quite rare. Consider also the issue of the B vitamins I noted in the last post.


</font><font color="blue" class="small">( that the growing number of people feeding their dogs a raw diet . . .. Heck, even my vet gave his dog a quail leg when we were out hunting, but he does not promote feeding a raw diet. He knows there's nothing wrong with it either. )</font>

Eggs are the issue here. Raw game is unlikely to carry salmonella like poultry barn chickens handled and moved to market are.

By the way, in england I understand that processed dog food is much less popular and they usually feed a raw diet just as they always have.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( you have nver heard of a dog being fed a raw diet dieing from bloat either. )</font>

I never heard that. That's interesting. Is it because they can't eat it as fast as they can eat processed dog food? There are many things about a raw diet that are appealing (well, for the dog that is), I just have a problem with the store bought eggs.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Let's not get personal here, Cliff. )</font>

I sincerly appologise if anything I wrote sounded like a personal statement. It was not my intention at all. I think debate is always informative and useful. I sugest only that people should know the value and the risks of any food they give to their dog and by the way, just because you use store bought dog food doesn't mean there aren't risks. There are many including an increased likelyhood of having alergiic or chemical reactions to their food.

Respectfully,
Cliff

 

[Boondox]

MossRoad: Let's just say in our house there is no mistaking who has been fed and who has not!