The Benefits Of A Prey Model Diet

[abbie's mom]

Originally Posted by AngelWorks

The most profound results are with the older lab, Zack.

Do I recall correctly that Zack is the one that was holding you back from the plunge? It's hard to convince people of the possible improvements you know will happen, until they see it for themselves.

When he came back to us with my DS six weeks ago he was very arthritic, his eyes were very cloudy and looking every bit his 14 years.

Three people have commented on the clearing of his eyes and his stiffness is nearly gone. He runs freely and can turn on a dime again.

Most wonderful. Reports like this make me weep with joy. Now, watch for noticeable improvement in his teeth . My 14 y/o Mozart was very poor shape in his 8th year, when we made the switch to PMR. Arthritis so bad in his hind quarters, he would drag his leg. He still has bad days mid-winter; but, he moves about better than most his age, and will even use the stairs to get on the bed, now. It is SO GOOD to have him back, GALLOPING through the house on good days. Most here, know our story of how PMR saved his life when we made the switch , as he suffered severe digestive problems.

His poops however are still loose so I'm trying to sort that one out.

Any suggestions?

Less organs and fat, a little more bone.

[AngelWorks]

Originally Posted by abbie's mom

Do I recall correctly that Zack is the one that was holding you back from the plunge? It's hard to convince people of the possible improvements you know will happen, until they see it for themselves. Most wonderful. Reports like this make me weep with joy. Now, watch for noticeable improvement in his teeth . My 14 y/o Mozart was very poor shape in his 8th year, when we made the switch to PMR. Arthritis so bad in his hind quarters, he would drag his leg. He still has bad days mid-winter; but, he moves about better than most his age, and will even use the stairs to get on the bed, now. It is SO GOOD to have him back, GALLOPING through the house on good days. Most here, know our story of how PMR saved his life when we made the switch , as he suffered severe digestive problems.Less organs and fat, a little more bone.

It was more of a, "Is this too good to be true?", thing holding me back.

I am so glad I finally did it--just the changes so far are unbelievable.

[cococalypso]

I have been reading these posts and ya'll convinced me! Tonite Coco and Maggie had there first raw meal! Maggie tore into it, she loved it! It took Coco a little bit and I had to separate them but she took well to it! I'm excited, it was nice seeing how much they enjoy it. So will it be ok if I just do chicken for breakfast and dinner for a week and then add more variety?

[omega]

Originally Posted by cococalypso

I have been reading these posts and ya'll convinced me! Tonite Coco and Maggie had there first raw meal! Maggie tore into it, she loved it! It took Coco a little bit and I had to separate them but she took well to it! I'm excited, it was nice seeing how much they enjoy it. So will it be ok if I just do chicken for breakfast and dinner for a week and then add more variety?

I have heard (and it's what I did, too) that they should stick to one kind of meat for a few weeks when just starting out. While their bodies are de-toxing and getting used the new diet, it can cause problems to feed them different kinds of meat too soon.

Also, it's good to know if one certain meat may cause a problem for them. By feeding one for a while, you'll know if it works ok for them. If they started eating 2 or 3 different kinds over a few weeks and a problem came up, you wouldn't know which meat was causing it.

I know it's fun at first and you want to try everything, but you have their whole lives to feed them and it's best to take it slowly.

[tortoisekeeper]

After reading this entire thread and all of the links I have decided to switch my babies to raw tonight. I will start them on chicken legs . Thanks everyone for all the useful information.

Betty, Jack and Mia

[tjdmom]

Good luck! I think you'll be very happy. My 2 dogs love dinner time now and believe it or not, they did not really used to. My collie used to stand over her bowl of kibble guarding it until she got tired of that and ate it but more because she didn't want Zoe to eat it. Now they both enjoy the dinner meal so much more. And I never thought it would be a miracle cure but my collie came down the stairs this morning on her own for the first time in about a month so I'm becoming a real convert!

[omega]

Originally Posted by BakersDozen

Ahhhhh. Well, I feel a little better for not knowing what it is! I will ask the butcher, but it sounds like I would have to stick with the more common offerings. Chicken legs are relatively inexpensive here, compared with the other parts.

LOL So you didn't have the "ick" factor to deal with Actually, I am not very squeamish about the raw meat...the only things I've seen that I really don't like to look at or touch are the feet. Those actually look like they used to be an animal, the other stuff doesn't to me. My husband is a paramedic, and I look through his books all the time, and hear the gory stories while I'm cooking supper.

Butchers can usually order them by the case. If you have room in your freezer, that's a good way to go.

[cococalypso]

I asked this on the group page, but I'm gonna ask it here to. Can you feed free range raw eggs to your dogs and do you just kinda crack the egg shell and all into their bowl? I was thinking of doing this for their breakfast since I read to feed them once a day, but Coco is a little pig who gets mad without breakfast.

[RawfedYorkieLuv]

Yes, raw eggs is a part of the "menu". The first time I fed this, my dogs vomited right after. Second time, they didn't. They will play with the egg for a while but haven't figured out how to crack it as their little mouths don't fit over the entire egg so I crack it for them with shells and all. I would start by hard boiling the egg for about a minute, to get the white cooked a little, but the yellow is still runny, without the shells to put in their bowls a little mashed up. If they tolerated this well for a couple of times, move on to raw cracked without the shells. If all goes well, then by all means give them the whole thing raw, shells included!
I would not really call that an everyday breakfast item though. I only feed eggs about once a week. If you need a quick meal in the AM because you're in a hurry or whatever, just feed them their organ meats and the RBM's in the PM. This approach is great for many working prey model feeders!

Nadia

Originally Posted by cococalypso

I asked this on the group page, but I'm gonna ask it here to. Can you feed free range raw eggs to your dogs and do you just kinda crack the egg shell and all into their bowl? I was thinking of doing this for their breakfast since I read to feed them once a day, but Coco is a little pig who gets mad without breakfast.

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[cococalypso]

So organ meats are livers, hearts, and gizzards, am I right? Just like a few for each of them? They are splitting a chicken quarter each evening, alternating who gets the drumstick each time. Maggie weighs about 6 lbs and Coco weighs about 8 lbs. Is this enough food or too much? Thanks for the info on the egg, I will wait on that a bit, cuz hubby is still kinda skeptical about this diet and if they puke he'll freak if he sees it right now. He keeps calling them salmonella breath. Crazy man He'll get used to it though.

[abbie's mom]

Originally Posted by cococalypso

So organ meats are livers, hearts, and gizzards, am I right?

Yes, except that heart is considered a muscle meat, too. But, my experience has been that too much heart results in upset tummies.

Just like a few for each of them? They are splitting a chicken quarter each evening, alternating who gets the drumstick each time. Maggie weighs about 6 lbs and Coco weighs about 8 lbs. Is this enough food or too much?

Well, my Abigail is around 8lbs, and she never eats a whole thigh or dumstick at one sitting. But, yours are still regulating. I wouldn't let them eat all the bone each time. I'm guessing poo is rather dry.

Thanks for the info on the egg, I will wait on that a bit, cuz hubby is still kinda skeptical about this diet and if they puke he'll freak if he sees it right now. He keeps calling them salmonella breath. Crazy man He'll get used to it though.

Mine won't eat egg - at all. I've tried them cracked, opened, sort of scrambled all up with shell. Just won't eat it. Thank goodness it's not a staple. Once hubby gets a few after-meal kissies, and realizes he's survived, he'll relax. Abigail delights in coming in right after a meal and slapping a sweet yorkie kiss right on my mouth. Now, you might wonder why I would allow that in the first place....?? I think I wanted personal knowledge, that this is safe for my family. Now, I wouldn't want her rolling in it and then rolling all over my furniture; but, her external coat does not have the bacteria-fighting enzymes that her mouth does. Food enters, and bacteria (if any) are neutralized.

[RawfedYorkieLuv]

Here's the list of animal organs, also known as offal;
heart, lungs, brain, eye, stomach, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, liver, intestines, skin, urinary bladder, testicles and uterus. Gizzards as well, yes.
You don't have to feed ALL on that list. For example, I don't feed brain, eye (only in fish) and the sex organs. I have never had the bladder available and the stomach only as stomach lining in the form of tripe. I DO feed the trachea and the gullet as those are natural carriers of chondroitin sulfate. I'm currently debating if I should order a half a cow or pig, that way I could get all of those "weird" things to feed my dogs while I get to keep the good cuts to cook for my family.
As far as your hubby goes; you could tell him that only because a dog eats k*bble, does not mean his poop or saliva is sanitary or even sterile, lol.

Originally Posted by cococalypso

So organ meats are livers, hearts, and gizzards, am I right? Just like a few for each of them? They are splitting a chicken quarter each evening, alternating who gets the drumstick each time. Maggie weighs about 6 lbs and Coco weighs about 8 lbs. Is this enough food or too much? Thanks for the info on the egg, I will wait on that a bit, cuz hubby is still kinda skeptical about this diet and if they puke he'll freak if he sees it right now. He keeps calling them salmonella breath. Crazy man He'll get used to it though.

[cococalypso]

Thank you both so much for the answers. I guess they kinda have been stuffing themselves. I haven't gone on poop control because they go outside in the backyard alot and it has been raining and the grass needs to be cut so I'll never find it. I will be vigilant this weekend and do poop patrol though. It's hard when you are at work all day. So I guess they will quit pigging out soon? I will leave the bone off tonite then to give them a rest. Thanks again ya'll! This is really great because they just love it sooo much! Oh yeah, and I had noticed Maggie's teeth were getting a tad bit dirty and today I looked and they were totally pure white! Cool! I really wasn't wanting to start brushing their teeth. Their is a rabbit farm here a friend of mine's sister works on and later on I will check into getting them some meat from their.

[tjdmom]

Originally Posted by RawfedYorkieLuv

Here's the list of animal organs, also known as offal;
heart, lungs, brain, eye, stomach, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, liver, intestines, skin, urinary bladder, testicles and uterus. Gizzards as well, yes.
You don't have to feed ALL on that list. For example, I don't feed brain, eye (only in fish) and the sex organs. I have never had the bladder available and the stomach only as stomach lining in the form of tripe. I DO feed the trachea and the gullet as those are natural carriers of chondroitin sulfate. I'm currently debating if I should order a half a cow or pig, that way I could get all of those "weird" things to feed my dogs while I get to keep the good cuts to cook for my family.
As far as your hubby goes; you could tell him that only because a dog eats k*bble, does not mean his poop or saliva is sanitary or even sterile, lol.

Where are you able to find the trachea and the gullet? I'm just wondering and hoping that might help my older collie. Her back hips bother her but I'm hopeful as this a.m. was the first time she's been able to come down the stairs on her own in a month. I'm hoping it wasn't just a good day but that her new diet is the reason.

[RawfedYorkieLuv]

sorry, I didn't address that one; My boy Toy weighs 10 pounds and he *can* eat an entire chicken drumstick in one sitting if he's really hungry, but if he does, then he'll only get a little organs and a few bits of boneless meat that night. My Gia weighs over 5 pounds and I chop her drumstick in half which is plenty for a meal for her! But every dog is different and has different needs. A younger dog or puppy will consume more than a senior dog. How do your dogs look to you? Feel the dog's ribs, not see them is the rule! I also agree with Abigail's mom; your dogs are learning to self regulate, as I'm surprised to hear that your dogs can actually put that much food away every night! LOL
Are you feeding once or twice a day?

[quote=cococalypso;1973210] They are splitting a chicken quarter each evening, alternating who gets the drumstick each time. Maggie weighs about 6 lbs and Coco weighs about 8 lbs. Is this enough food or too much? [quote]

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