Grooming question for raw feeders I have a dumb question for all the raw feeders. I have started topping Macy's kibble with some Primal lamb at night. Do you clean your furbaby's beard after they eat? I know she has lamb all over her face and beard because her face was buried in her bowl. I have read that I need to be careful handling raw and cleaning her bowl after she is done but I have never read anything about if you need to clean the face and beard after eating. What are you supposed to do? |
When I fed premade raw, I'd just use a warm washcloth to wipe off the mouth/beard area. |
OK, that was my first thought on what to do but I didn't know for sure. One thing I was surprised was her breath didn't smell bad. I thought it would, but it actually smells better than when she eats straight kibble. It's just her face that I think needs to be wiped off. Thanks. |
That's one of the perks of raw - no more stinky breath (or farts lol). Zeus has short hair so it doesn't get nasty. But I would also wipe with a warm cloth. |
We've never cleaned ours afterward, and it's always been fine. But there's no down side to cleaning them if it feels better to do so. The breath thing is nice, isn't it? Also, their poos don't really smell w/ raw. |
She has been on raw for about 3 days using only as a topper for dinner until I see if she can tolerate raw. The last time I tried to switch to raw I did it cold turkey and she didn't handle it well. Just in 3 days I notice her breath doesnt smell and her poopies are so much smaller and they don't smell at all. I'm still trying to get used to the idea of her eating raw but she gobbles it down and whines for more. So..... if she loves it and I can stomach it, we are switching. |
Ok, call me stupid, but isn't that a high risk for people in your home? Warm washcloth is not going to kill salomonella. I guess if you all have been lucky and not gotten it, I should keep my mouth shut here....but it just jumped out at me. I had salmonella once and it was so dreadful that I felt I should just post/ask. |
I have been feeding raw for almost 2 1/2 years now. I am very careful with the handling of the meat - wash, wash and wash. There was a time when Zoey's beard smelled terrible and I would clean her beard everyday after eating but I haven't noticed any smell for months and months now. I haven't washed her beard and there hasn't been a problem. I feed Nature's Variety and vary the meats but I don't feed the rabbit as it comes from China. All the other meats come from USA or New Zealand. |
I don't clean their beards afterward, unless there is an obvious clump of food stuck in their beard, which rarely happens. No problems here. I think whatever you feel comfortable with is fine. |
I guess. I just don't understand that it is important to clean the bowl but not the face. Oh well...does not apply to me anyway as it is not within my comfort level at all...just caught my eye. |
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A lot of people don't realize, that really salmonella is pretty much everywhere. And our bodies handle small doses of it all the time. It's when there is an overabundance of it that it creates a problem for us humans..... |
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There are many types of bacteria that are all around, but there also are ways to minimize risk. That is what I don't understand about washing food bowls and not faces of the pups. If it is so important that soap and water be used on the bowls, why not the faces? As for the topic of salmonella, the source is either raw meat, eggs, egg products, meat products, unpasteurized milk, or other unpasteurized dairy products and it is there due to improper cooking and/or handling. I hear people swear it is in all bags of kibble...the bottom line is that, if it is in kibble, it is there due to improper cooking and/or handling. |
I think people are more likely to get salmonella from handling kibble...just bc some don't wash their hands after handling it. It sure doesn't say it on the bag loll. When Mimi was eating NV raw, I never had to wipe her mouth. But I do have to wash it everyday now that she's eating honest kitchen. It's just different textures, THK being the messier...I never found premade raw to be messy. She'll be back on it next summer, silly girl doesn't want to eat anything cold right now! |
I don't really wash the dishes to get rid of salmonella but to clean it out period. I wouldn't want flies etc to be attracted to the dirty dishes it just sounds gross to me. I don't worry about washing my dogs faces either. After all, these are dogs, they lick their butts and even eat poop on occasion. I just try to make sure they are relatively clean and if they had dog food stuck to their face I might wipe it but I don't think that has actually ever happened..... |
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Of course, there would not be a warning on kibble, because it is not raw. I mean...anything COULD have it but they don't put warnings on everything for every possible bacteria...only the ones that are likely to have it such as raw food. |
Kibble may not be as safe from salmonella as one would think.... CDC- Healthy Pets Healthy People - Dry Pet Food Risks Salmonella Schwarzengrund Outbreak Investigation | CDC Salmonella |
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Again......my question was why clean the bowls so well but not the faces?? I have yet to understand any of the answers. |
Linda actually I have never looked on the bag of kibble or raw food prepackaged. I've home cooked for some time now - 6+ years. Mostly over that time raw food, now I've taken to cooking the meat a bit; when Zoey got cancer and I wanted to be ultra safe. but I have always washed the beard down, and after the third day they go into a bath for a thorough scrub. I also wash all kitchen surfaces down daily. I wash hands before feeding, and after feeding; just a routine I've gotten into. Their bowls are washed daily as all our dirty dishes are. I think that in some ways the great concern over feeding raw, is overstated. But hey I have dogs that need to go at times to vets and emerg; and it is much easier to say you home "cook" then to say you feed raw. |
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I'm not 100% sure about this, but it would make sense to me that bacteria would proliferate more easily on a surface rather than a few hairs on a dog's face. We fed raw for years and only wiped off their faces when there were big chunks of food. Never had a problem. |
I read most of this thread earlier and recall a statement made that there are no warning labels on dry dog food. Here is one from Eukanuba's bag: Safe Handling Tips for any Pet Foods and Treats: Please wash your hands before and after handling any pet food or treat. Wash pet food bowls with soap and hot water after each use. For further information and tips please go to the following FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm048030.htm The only time I had a bit of an issue was due to my dog jumping in my bathtub to get at a case of defrosted pork ribs. That was a bit messy. Otherwise, no special cleanup at all. No face washing. He eats on a towel in the kitchen and after he's done, the towel goes in the washing machine. |
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It's like how the FDA allows a certain percentage of insect parts to be present in all of our spices..it's just the way it is. They can't get insect parts to zero, so they figure out a generally safe percentage. I can't answer your question about bowls bc I don't clean my bowls after every feeding; I clean them as I would any dog bowl - every few days or whatnot. I'd be concerned about the salmonella (the small amount, that is, if present) if someone in my house was immuno compromised or pregnant...then I'd prob be more persnickety. I just used the word persnickety...I don't know where it came from :p. |
Here's a nice link from the CDC listing all sorts of things I can come down with, although EXTREMELY rare, due to having pets. Animals: Dogs | CDC Healthy Pets Healthy People They state "To best protect yourself from getting sick, thoroughly wash your hands with running water and soap after contact with dogs, dog saliva, or dog feces (stool)." I cannot imagine washing my hands every time after I touched my dog. That's a bit over the top. |
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