Asking for an update
 

I was wondering about your dogs that have had mucous in their stools. How are they doing now?

Nadia

Ok, I bought pork hocks one day and thought they might be good for the dogs. But then someone told me they were too fatty and not a good choice but I hate to just throw them out. Could I feed them with something else that would sort of counteract? Or should I just throw them out? Also, they are pretty big and my yorkie would never eat the whole thing in one sitting but my collie would, just thought I should add that.
Any advice?

This is the second day of trying the pork necks. They still wont' touch them. Should I try something different. So far all they want is the chicken. They must be very hungry. I did not even give them treats yesterday. How long should I hold out. Jack is only 3.5 lbs and Mia is 1.5 lbs. They are still running around playing but I am starting to get worried.

Betty

To Hock Or Not to Hock
 

I wouldn't throw the hock out just yet....

Pork hocks are cut from the hind or front leg of the pig and since it's a "working muscle" the meat is very tough, therefore requires extensive cooking for human consumption and it is sort of fatty but so is most pork anyways. Have you fed pork to any of your dogs before? How was the poop afterwards?
In my situation, even if my oldest had just a little fatty pork, he gets gas and globby poops regardless even if that wasn't his only meal that day and the only way I can counteract that is to not feed pork again for a few days but chicken bones instead, until things are firmed back up again. Most other dogs can handle pork just fine though.
You can let your dogs just chew on the hock for a little while and then replace it with chicken RBM's. Or feed the hock at one meal then something not pork related at dinner. Then take the "and now we wait and see" approach. Worst case scenario: runny poops and gas for a day but it won't kill the dogs. Feeding new things can be scary!
Please provide an update if you decide to feed the hocks anyways! :)

Nadia

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Hunger Strike
 

Sometimes the "eat that or starve" approach is not practical with small dogs as there could be low blood sugar issues. My 7 month old weighs 24 ounces and she needs to eat at least 3 times a day! Some dogs never take to certain types of meat, mine won't touch rabbit for example but hope is not yet lost in your case. Let your dogs have their chicken, but take it away before the half way mark and replace the chicken with the pork necks. Sometimes during a feeding frenzy, dogs won't even notice the difference and just eat whatever is in front of them. Either way, your dogs should eat *something* right now! You can re-freeze any meat and try again at a later time to re-feed.

Nadia

I was talking to someone who has a therapy dog today, and I mentioned that I was feeding a raw diet. She said that she could never consider this for her therapy dog, as it works with children, and her vet told her that it would transfer e coli to them from her beard or kisses or something I suppose. I told her that many vets are against raw diets, so their opinion is likely biased. Do you think that there's any truth to this? I've heard that it doesn't transfer through saliva, but what about beards?

Myths that just won't die
 

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/1992924-post178.html

Bacteria
 

The bacteria scare mongering is usually the first line of defense for adversaries to raw. My response to this usually is that unless somebody is a Microbiologist, most people (that includes Vets) just don't have a clue about "germs". I did my research, how come a Vet can't do the same???? E.coli is a bacterium that lives in the lower intestine and really has NOTHING to do with raw meats. How do people get it? By NOT washing their hands after using the bathroom. Walking around the house, touching things, E.coli can be found on door knobs, telephones, all over the kitchen, shaking the hands of that "Dirty Bird" person. Even if you keep your bathroom very clean, flushing an open toilet sprays these germs all over your bathroom, toothbrushes, anything exposed.
That's why WE have an immune system to deal with the daily onslaught of germs against our body. Every dog and cat licks his/her privates but we never stop and think about that whenever our pets come over and give us kisses and frankly I find it really strange when a raw fed dog is treated as a health hazard when a k*bble fed and overly vaccinated dog with a weakened immune system is so much more vulnerable to attract all sorts of diseases that could pose dangers to its humans. What about the average k*bble eating gingivitis ridden dog that licks his handler? I'll take my dog's healthy gums and teeth over a k*bble fed dog's tartar mouth any day!

Salmonella is a bacteria as well, commonly found in raw poultry and raw eggs, all things we prey model feeder give our dogs to eat. I don't let my dogs kiss/lick me in or on my mouth or nasal cavities. But that has nothing to do with them being raw fed but rather that I just don't like it and find it gross and since they know this and have been trained not to lick people there, they won't and just leave it to other more acceptable parts, lol.
I have read plenty of articles about dog food recalls due to salmonella so it's not just a RAW specific agenda!

Nadia

...:thumbup:....:thumbup: As would I!......Like this one!

Salmonella Outbreak from Dry Doog Food!!!!!!
 

Great Link! Thanks, Ada!

My pack got some beef kidney this morning and that pungent urine smell is still lingering in my nose, lol. Needless to say that I don't feed this often. I honestly think that I prefer the tripe smell now, rofl.


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Freezing Eggs!
 

Good Saturday to All Prey Modeler's!

Just wanted to pass on a nice discovery and just in case you're not already doing it, you CAN freeze eggs!
I had gotten a good deal on a rather large amount of eggs from free range, pasture grazing hens and I was trying to figure out how to make them last longer. I cracked the eggs and including the shells, put them in my kitchen blender. I spooned the mixture in silicone ice cube trays. As soon as they were frozen solid, I just popped them out and into a freezer bag. Now, whenever I want to feed egg, I just take out one cube per dog. Egg thaws fast so they're able to lick it up out of their bowls!

Nadia

Thanks for checking back with me Nadia!! They are doing well now!! For the last 2 days or so, all the poops are small and white and crumbly, just like they should be!! I went away for a day and my hubbie fed them NV while I was gone, which they wolfed down but when I came back and gave them some chicken breast with bone in, you should have seen them!! It was like "Yes, I get my meat with bone!!" The most amazing thing is still my 3 lb. chi who is like a little tiger!! She steals others meat if they walk off and get a drink of water!! It's so cute! My hubbie is starting to see how much they like it and he might be coming around to it! Thanks again for all the info!!

heartworm preventative
 

Huh? What's miserable and deadly about heartworm preventative? Getting heartworms is what's miserable and deadly.

eeeeewwwwwww! Thanks, Nadia, for the heads-up on that one! That's a bullet I will definitely dodge. I think we can live without kidney.

Good idea on the egg. Mine won't touch them; but, maybe frozen for the summer, they will. Also, this might be a good travel tip, if they could be kept frozen.

That's a good idea. I gave Marley and my golden some scrambled eggs last week because I couldn't seem to find a definitive answer about raw eggs and salmonella and what not. I take it raw eggs are alright to give?
When I gave her the scrambled eggs, they made her sick, and I'm guessing it was just the change.