RAW FEEDERS QUESTION - Page 1

Hi to all:  Was wondering what you do for your senior dogs that might not be able to chew those raw bones and meat any longer,  I have a 14.5 year old girl that is having trouble chewing and eating the bones.  Ground meats are OK here but what about the calcium intake?  For sufficient calcium?  Thx  Nan

Get a grinder and grind the rmb's for her, or you can buy bone meal and add it. I also use ground egg shells for calcium. Personally, rather than worry about how much of everything, I'd just get a good grinder and throw the prey into it and voila! Ground prey model. 

Thx Jen;  I looked into that a short while ago but could not find a grinder to do the bone.  That is what I would prefer grinding my own but grinding bone is another story.  Maybe I did not look in the right area, lots of grinders to do meats but bone seemed to be another story.  Will search further.  Nan

PS:  just thinking how easy it would be to try the preground stuff,  Bravo, K9 Kravings, etc.  what do  you think.  I would of course get the ground stuff with bone already in; and a combo at that.  Seem to have it all.  Just am not sure about quality of meats and mixtures.??  And the expense,  JHC.  Nan


 

Leerburg used to have several threads on grinders- which to buy, etc. I can't remember the name of the one everyone raved about off the top of my head. Sorry. Do a google search for Leerburg meat grinder and I'll betcha find it;-)

My dogs eat chicken quarters and they have a grinder called teeth.  Even 3 month old puppies with baby teeth seem to handle the soft boned chicken coming out of broiler houses just fine.  Whole chickens cut up into leg-thigh, back, wings, and split breast portions seem to be no problem even for puppies.  I think about a grinder from time to time then I think why??  I am more interested in adding sweet potatoes but I am not sure what they add except carbohydrates and some vitamins??  I also feed some liver (chicken and beef) from time to time along with some good quality (but not great quality) beef and rice kibble and it seems to work well.  I feed young puppies up to 4 months some Blue Ridge Beef puppy mix but after 4 months that stops.  I also feed puppies evaporated milk full strength just after weaning.to 3 months.  Mother dogs get lots of commercial cows milk to keep up milk production and give a good calcium/magnesium source while nursing her litter and two weeks or more after weaning to keep her bone density and strength up.

Bubba, do you ever READ what people wrote or do you just look for the opportunity to spew the same thing over and over and over and over?

Nan's dog is 14.5 YEARS OLD!!! 
 

Yes I found it, Maverick grinder or Northern Tools grinder.  I will look into those and see if they will grind bone also.  Thx again,  Nan

My dogs are not all puppies and I have fed senior dogs chicken quarters.  If a three month old puppy can eat a chicken quarter with puppy teeth I would think a senior dog with sound teeth could too??  My dogs like chewing on the bones be they any age.  Better to buy pre-ground like Blue Ridge Beef Natural Mix (same as puppy but coarser grind) rather than getting a food grinder to clean and maintain.  I am more worried about my dogs not chewing on bones to keep their teeth clean.  The chicken back has very small bones and my dogs eat those so I am sure a senior dog could too!!  I also think evaporated milk has lots of calcium and magnesium .. a $400 food grinder buys a lot of evaporated milk.  Do you ever think before you start bashing Jenni78 .. ever occur to you that if a 3 month old puppy with baby teeth can eat a chicken quarter so can a older dog.  I mean is it going to take too much time out of the dogs busy schedule to chew on the bones??  I just don't see the point of a food grinder.

No she cannot handle the bone anymore, her teeth are only fair and missing several ( like 6 or more) plus I think her esphagus is giving her some issues.  I have found a couple of whole drumstick bones and thigh bones in the yard from her and this goes back several months ago.  I went to feeding necks and all has been good until recently and for whatever reason she can seem to chew and grind those up herself anymore.    I am giving her a couple days to settle down and try again with chicken necks, meanwhile trying to locate a grinder.  Like the idea of doing all at once and you can mix any type meats, organ meats included and grind all together with vegi's oil's, vit's/minerals, etc.  Thx to all  Nan

Would Nan be posting if her 14.5 yr old dog could still handle bones by herself? I don't see her asking for opinions as to whether she SHOULD be able to handle them, or if Bubba thinks that it's appropriate. She knows her dog can't handle them anymore and is trying to see to it that her health doesn't suffer because her teeth are shot and/or missing. I'm not trying to "bash" Bubba, I'm just pointing out that you don't seem to really listen to anyone...you just look for places to post your opinions. Do you think she decided on a whim that she'd go spend money on a grinder for a dog who could grind them herself? Makes no sense. Rather than second guess her, just help for crying out loud.