Folklore, Feeding, Supplements & other ?'s and Suggestions... - Page 2

crazee4gsds,  I have not looked into EVO,  though I too heard the protein was way up there,  Don't know if that would be overboard or not,  some people think 30% is too high,  others beleive 26% is too high,   Which actually leads to another question,  but I don't know I want to start that debate...LOL

My vet is happy with anything over 28% less he feel is too much "filling" 

Trailrider,  Thank God the hubby loves the dogs as much as I do,  LOL.    I'll talk to the local butchers here,  there are a couple I beleive.  I used to get bones from them,  But the dogs decided they much like to burry they're bones,  and that was just ugly !!  LOL   My concern in doing this is...  How would I know what the protein levels are, Meaning are they consistent enough...  and there are alot of feedlots around feeding all sorts of that good stuff to the cattle.  YUCK.   But I'm open to it.

LMH (good to see you again) I was warned about RAW eggs,  and was told to cook them even if only in the microwave to prevent salmoninla.  Was that wrong ??

Echo I think different meats as well as the different cuts have different protein values. The thing about meat protein I like is that it is better suited to the canine digestive system. You are right about some of the meat out there, the stuff we buy and eat ourselves can be full of antibiotics and hormones maybe worse  !! I just always go back to variety and the fact that dogs have survived living with man for alot longer than dog food companies have been around. Supposedly they lived longer lives too. Its what I am shooting for! I know a guy who swears his dog lived to 19.5 years and ate mainly a diet of venison.... recently on this board someone said they had been feeding much like I do (it sound like) and incoperated some grains, veggies, eggs, fish, etc. and their last dog that passed was 17.5, this was great news to me that their dog lived so long!

I feed 2-3 raw eggs a week per dog too and no problem for 3+ years. There was some belief the egg whites would bind with biotin making for a problem, but I believe it was disproved. Old timers use to say an egg a week for a nice coat. I remember it when I was a kid. I can't help but think of dog food as being over processed and it has got to get so boring day after day...(also how do I know for sure whats in it)  but thats me. We all do the best we can for these critters. I am sure mine eat better than me!

Hi Echo.  I started feeding raw eggs 2 yrs ago.  Immunity problems with puppy---did some research---and read about the benefits of adding colostrom and raw eggs with the addition of ester C, vit E, kelp, etc might be the answer and boost his immunity.  Never gave much thought to salmonella poisoning at the time------good thing, too------might not have gone that direction.

I never had a problem and figure with the guys, I've given them at least 1000 raw eggs (750 to my young male, alone). The acid in a dog's stomach basically kills any potential problem......not like us humans, who are far more susceptible to poisoning.  The whole raw egg, including shell, is the perfect food.....being the precise balance between protein and posphorous.  Avidin in the egg white, though, can be a potential problem.  It can adhere to biotin in the intestine and deplete your dog's supply.  To counteract this act, I add vit B-Complex WITH biotin (about 30mg) daily to the diet.  The B-Complex also restores energy to a very drivey dog whose stress level is constantly being aggravated.  Without the vitamin, his immunity would be further compromised. (For this dog, every morning  I put 1, whole, raw egg in the blender with a little milk  and beat till it's a shake.  Put in the fridge and give in the afternoon as a treat.  By then, the foam has subsided. I did this daily up until a month ago.  Now, I give the shake every other day.)

This has been my experience with raw eggs.  It's working for me...........Is it wrong?  Don't know how to answer that..............................................

Trailrider---I, too, always wonder how dogs survived before 'dog food' was invented. (LOL).  If the biotin theory has been disproved, I'm still out of luck.  I'll still be forking out the money for B-Complex to deal with stress.  Just can't win.(LOL)

LMH  When I was showing horses, cattle, goats, and dogs in 4-H when I was a kid,  I fed a raw egg to my goat, dog,  and 4 to my Market Steer and My Horse,  No One could ever figure out how I got them to shine like that,  LOL.    I recognize the benfits,  but wondered if the risks outweighed them,  I am inclined to think they do not,  after hearing what you have posted..  So Thank You very much for that,  It's nice to know an egg a couple times a week can be added as I've always liked to do it.   Thanks  :-)

What a diet!

Puppies of the size of a GSD should not be fed puppy food after 4 months of age, never mind adults. The way the food you mention is formulated is for growing pups the the specific needs for growing pups and do not meet the proper needs of fully grown adults. Switch to an adult food and only feed puppy formula when you wean pups and then up to 4 months.

• Solid Gold Steamed Bone Meal - throws off calcium : phosophorous balance in the food you are feeding. Why are you giving grown dogs extra calcium? Because if you feed puppy food it does not supply enough for the food vs an adults dogs body weight and amount the adult eats. Hence the need to feed an adult formula. Why are you giving growing pups extra calcium that will throw off the carefully balanced diet that they are getting? This supplement also contains some phosphorous but not in the appropriate ratio. If the food is a quality food, do not mess with stuff like that, it can very easily do more harm than good.
• Satin Finish Rice Bran - I guess you feed this extra to provide excessive amounts of phosphorous to make up for the unnecessary added calcium you are giving via the bone meal. Dogs are not horses. Rice Bran is THE in-food with horses right now, but read the research, long term feeding with horses is not working, and dogs should not get too much rice bran. Most certainly not growing pups because Rice bran can also throw off the calcium : phosphorous balance as it is very high in phosphorous. Never mind that Rice Bran is already in the Solid Gold SeaMeal which you are also giving and also in the food you are already feeding. So this is redundant.
• Solid Gold SeaMeal - Kelp and seaweed is also a fashionable supplement, but also already in the food you feed. If you feel you must feed it, at least cycle it and do not give daily, ie one day on/one day off, or 5 days on/2 days off. Not quite sure what the lactose in this product is supposed to do. Maybe the cause for occasional loose stools? You can pick up non-irradiated kelp powder at your local natural food store for 2-3 bucks for an 8oz bag. Instead of kelp or seaweed of unknown origin, a good blue-green algae or spirulina or red algae or similar product without any fillers and bells and whistles that do no good would be more beneficial.
• Solid Gold MSM - you are already feeding MSM with the NaturVet MSM/Glucosamine/Condroitin, which I assume has been balanced to work in proper synergy as they have formulated it. So why add MSM as a separate supplement? Redundant. 
• Never mind that the NaturVet MSM/Glucosamine/Condroitinis laden with sugar and chemical preservatives all of which your dogs do not needs and should not go into your dogs food at all. If you must feed such a type of supplement look for something better, something that is free of fillers, sugars, preservatives, etc. Regular supplementation of Glucosamine alone can have an affect on blood sugar/insulin, most certainly no extra Corn Syrup needed to put more stress on the system. Poor choice of product IMO. Ask your local compound pharmacy if they will make you a powder for your dog use without any cr*p in it. Probably much cheaper and more effective.