Question Relating To BARF

[Michele]

I have over the last fortnight changed my 3 over to a more natural form of feeding, I wouldn't say it was totally BARF just yet but we're getting there. Anyhow, my question is this...

Those of you who now feed this type of diet to dogs who had previosly had ear/skin/anal gland problems etc. how long was it before you saw any amount of improvement in the condition?

My old girl Meg (12) has suffered from ear problems for years, we've tried all the different ear drops, and although successful for a while, the problem soon comes back.
My vet identified the bacteria as pseudomonas, which like e-coli and MRSA is an opportunist, and once it takes hold is very difficult to shift (vet said even if she gave her a GA and flushed the ears out she felt it would be back within a couple of weeks).
I'm wondering if the ear infection could be the result of an allergy, thus lowering the immune system, so this is why I've decided to give BARF a go, as I've tried quite a few of the quality complete foods with no outward difference between them.
I'm having some success with colloidal silver, but I really would like to sort them out if possible.

Oh, and I've tried Thornit too 

[Penel]

If the condition has been going on for years it's going to take a long time to clear it.  I would say at least 6 months before you'll really see a big improvement, although I'd hope to see a slight improvement within 3.....
CS is great stuff - are you cleaning out the ears with it, or giving it internally ?
Are you avoiding giving any grains ?

[Michele]

If the condition has been going on for years it's going to take a long time to clear it.  I would say at least 6 months before you'll really see a big improvement, although I'd hope to see a slight improvement within 3.....
CS is great stuff - are you cleaning out the ears with it, or giving it internally ?

Thanks for your reply Penel, until today I've only been putting it directly into the ears but I gave her a 5ml syringe full this morning, along with Halle who has got an upset tum at the moment (not sure if its diet or the heat  ) and I'll give them another dose in a while (I'm using separate bottles  )

Are you avoiding giving any grains ?

I've cut out pasta and rice, the main of their diet is as follows

plain wholemeal biscuit (laughing dog)

chicken wings
beef mince (previously frozen)
tuna in sunflower oil

spring greens or similar>
carrots>
beetroot>                           all blitzed up together in the food processor
1-2 cloves garlic>
parsley>

Is there anything anyone can suggest I need to add or avoid?

[Cob-Web]

Michele - just thought I'd say that Laughing Dog has a main ingredient of wheat; which the company pride themselves on as it has "a high proportion of wheatgerm" - so if you are trying to avoid grain this may be undoing the good work 

laughing dog food

[Penel]

Ditto what Rachel said but otherwise it looks great !

[*Jay*]

I'm just going to tag my question onto the end of this if thats ok

How many chicken wings would constitute a meal? Aspen is now on 2 meals a day and with his second one he gets a couple of chicken wings in with a handful of Arden Grange. Now I know I'm not supposed to mix processed and non-processed food so I'd like him to just have the chicken wings for his afternoon meal but want to make sure he gets enough for a growing boy

[Cob-Web]

I'm just going to tag my question onto the end of this if thats ok

How many chicken wings would constitute a meal? Aspen is now on 2 meals a day and with his second one he gets a couple of chicken wings in with a handful of Arden Grange. Now I know I'm not supposed to mix processed and non-processed food so I'd like him to just have the chicken wings for his afternoon meal but want to make sure he gets enough for a growing boy

Gill, I give Molo three large chicken wings for a "meal" - it seems to satisfy him  I tend to balance his meals over the course of a day rather than at each meal, so if he has chicken wings for one meal, he will have perhaps tripe and veggies for another; or Burns if I've run out of raw 

[*Jay*]

Thanks Rachel

[sarahp]

Daisy has two 3 joint wings as a meal but she's been a bit podgy recently so she is on a semi-diet    Dill is chicken intollerant - so completely no help