question

[rack_123]

thanks everyone who answered some of the questions (and plus) i was wondering when the topic of raw diet came up.

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by lara2913

I know of breeders who wean their pups straight onto raw. Some of the healthiest pups i've ever seen.

I have already posted links about parasite concerns, are you just going to keep parotting yourself? Honestly you have no need to be 'concerned' about something you know next to nothing about.

The breeder of my youngest cat weans her kittens straight to raw. She said they take to raw much easier than kibble or canned food. And of course the raw is better for them so why not? I've never worried about parasites. None of my pets have ever had worms except for Lacy who had tape worms when I got her as a puppy (got them from fleas at the breeder).

I've been feeding Lacy raw for a year and a half with no problems at all. She's very healthy. She even had a complete blood work-up a couple months ago and everything was perfect.

And again, about bones, carnivores (including dogs) have a special tough lining in their stomach and first part of their intestines. They have a layer called the lamina subglandularis made up of a dense layer of collagenous connective tissue. Carnivores have this special structure because they were designed to eat raw bones. Because they have this, it is not likely that a raw bone will puncture the stomach and intestines.

[dabrat76]

Very interesting My Fair Lacy. Do you think I could entice you to move to Montreal - I want you to be MY vet!!

[lara2913]

Forget montreal, she should move to the UK

[Ellie May]

I do understand that dogs have different digestive systems then us and may be able to handle bones. Wolves in the wild would not eat much chicken and turkey and lamb... These are the animals that are usually fed in the raw diet. So what I am saying is it doesn't duplicate the diet of a wolf at all. The animals they eat are completely different for the most part. I am not saying that you shouldn't feed a dog chicken..., but it is different then what a wolf would eat.

Raw feeders are careful with the type of bones they give. You say that a dog should have chicken bones and turkey bones which wolves wouldn't eat in the wild but dogs should not have deer bones which wolves do eat in the wild. It is fine to be safe and only give the bones you think are safe but that makes very little sense if we are trying to duplicate a wolf's diet.

Just thinking...

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I do understand that dogs have different digestive systems then us and may be able to handle bones. Wolves in the wild would not eat much chicken and turkey and lamb... These are the animals that are usually fed in the raw diet. So what I am saying is it doesn't duplicate the diet of a wolf at all. The animals they eat are completely different for the most part. I am not saying that you shouldn't feed a dog chicken..., but it is different then what a wolf would eat.

Raw feeders are careful with the type of bones they give. You say that a dog should have chicken bones and turkey bones which wolves wouldn't eat in the wild but dogs should not have deer bones which wolves do eat in the wild. It is fine to be safe and only give the bones you think are safe but that makes very little sense if we are trying to duplicate a wolf's diet.

Just thinking...

I mostly feed Lacy rabbit and venison. I've never seen anything on this, but I've always thought about coyotes also, and not just wolves, when I think about raw diets. Dogs and coyotes are very closely related too, and I know where I live Coyotes kill chickens, turkeys, lambs, and basically whatever they can get their paws on. Now beef, I don't see too many canines eating beef naturally, but I think we have to remember that even wild canines are scavengers as well and will eat what they can get. I think it's important to give a wide variety of protein sources, but I don't think the exact source is that important because dogs are scavengers.

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by lara2913

Forget montreal, she should move to the UK

LOL When I was younger, I always said I wanted to live in England. I think it was during my "Spice Girl" phase I'm still dying to visit sometime.

[lara2913]

Actually most wolves do not eat deer bones or any other very large, hard bones. They strip them of the meat and chew on them. They are too dense. They eat soft smaller bones such as those from small prey, birds, fish, rabbit etc.

Depending on where in the world they are, no, they probably don't eat much chicken because its not available. But, they do eat other birds that have a very similar make up to chicken, same goes for other meats you mentioned. Some wolves live off almost nothing but fish, others never eat a fish in their entire lives. They eat what is available to them, and I feed what meats are available to me.

[Ellie May]

This is what I was looking for. So, where can I read about what bones and animals wolves eat from an unbiased site? Do you have one you could link me to?

[dabrat76]

Originally Posted by lara2913

Forget montreal, she should move to the UK

Ok, I'll let you have her... lol But only because I'm half English

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by dabrat76

Ok, I'll let you have her... lol But only because I'm half English

LOL I think I'll probably stay right here in the USA. I think my family might miss me if I move that far away

[dabrat76]

Originally Posted by MyFairLacy

LOL I think I'll probably stay right here in the USA. I think my family might miss me if I move that far away

Montreal is only a 4 hour flight from Dallas

[abbie's mom]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I do understand that dogs have different digestive systems then us and may be able to handle bones. Wolves in the wild would not eat much chicken and turkey and lamb...

ONLY because the farmers/ranchers where one would find chicken, turkey and lambs are taking precautions to protect their stock against predators.

These are the animals that are usually fed in the raw diet.

Because the domesticated dog's humans mostly live in urban areas, where we have to 'hunt' from the supermarket. However, many of the prey model feeders on the list we've asked you to visit, do have opportunity to feed wild game - and do so with gusto!

So what I am saying is it doesn't duplicate the diet of a wolf at all.

Yes, it does. It is a prey model diet.

The animals they eat are completely different for the most part.

No, they aren't. They are protein sources.

I am not saying that you shouldn't feed a dog chicken..., but it is different then what a wolf would eat.

I don't think I'd bet on if a wolf would eat a chicken if given the chance.

Raw feeders are careful with the type of bones they give. You say that a dog should have chicken bones and turkey bones which wolves wouldn't eat in the wild but dogs should not have deer bones which wolves do eat in the wild. It is fine to be safe and only give the bones you think are safe but that makes very little sense if we are trying to duplicate a wolf's diet.

We've made no 'bones' about the types of bones that are suitable for pets: soft, consumable bones -NOT dense, weight bearing bones of large animals. A wolf pack eats what they can of a large kill. The rest is left to larger predators and carion.

[lara2913]

Rebuttal 13- http://rawfed.com/myths/rebuttal2.html

[BamaFan121s]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I do understand that dogs have different digestive systems then us and may be able to handle bones. Wolves in the wild would not eat much chicken and turkey and lamb... These are the animals that are usually fed in the raw diet. So what I am saying is it doesn't duplicate the diet of a wolf at all. The animals they eat are completely different for the most part. I am not saying that you shouldn't feed a dog chicken..., but it is different then what a wolf would eat.

I get what you're saying and it makes sense in my mind too.