Barf/kibble mix - help me out please!

[Mel]

Tali had 2 raw chicken wings a week with the breeder. My vet says no yet I know she is not adverse to BARF diets. I want to ask advice on raw for pupsters. I am considering eventually putting him on Healthy Paws but not sure when I should. Would like to bring in raw veg and fruit -he stole a pear the other day and so I have to share now, and some BARF but I'm quite scared about interfering with his growth and developement.

Really want some sound advice please.

Thanks

[Karma]

Did the vet say why no?
We didn't start Honey on chicken wings until she was nearly 4 months, just cos I didn't know anything about BARF before then, so can't advice from experience.  But she demolished them very easily at that stage!
But I know there are raw feeding breeders who wean pups straight onto raw food, including chicken wings... and I would certainly have no concerns about an occassional chicken wing for any future puppy (in fact I'd likely move over to a fully raw diet as soon as I could...).

[Mel]

No she didn't say why. However we have been treating Tali for some form of conjunctivitis where his right nostral is very encrusted with snotty gunk. He's been on eye drops for a bit and the eye is better idh but the nostral still is all encrusted with stuff even though it is being cleaned with water regularly. Vet not wanting to use steroids at such a young age. It's cost me over £100 in vets bills already. He is ok but I want to change his diet in case the Royal Canin starter is aggrevating it.

I am not fond of a lot of branded foods like RC, I prefer a more natural diet but as I said I don't want to interfere with his developement.

[ElaineH]

Morgan came from the same breeder, and like Taliesin was already used to raw chicken wings, and we've just kept it up from the day we brought him home. I'm puzzled as to why your vet said "no" Morgan demolished them very easily at 8 weeks but we kept a close eye on him when he was eating them at first.

Healthy Paws do a puppy version so why not start changing him from RC quite soon?

[Mel]

The local butchers around here have wised up to people buying chicken wings for dogs and no longer sell them. I can only think they have issues about BARF. A lot of the vet nurses have issues with it too. I don't see the problem myself but everyone goes on about salmonella poisoning. Some people even suggested steaming the raw chicken saying the bones are not cooked that way.

I am confused.

[rwasinski]

I am waiting for my delivery of Heathly Paws ordered from the website - RC really doesnt agree with Welly, and we have ruled everything else out, our two seemed to enjoy the HP sample we received though it wasnt enough for a whole meal. I really can't wait to try it out and hope to see a huge improvement in Llew's tummy.

I think you could change over to Healthy Paws as soon as possible. Maybe then take some time to research BARF a little more (there should be plenty of info here if you use the search function under the feeding section of this forum).

[ElaineH]

The local butchers around here have wised up to people buying chicken wings for dogs and no longer sell them. I can only think they have issues about BARF. A lot of the vet nurses have issues with it too. I don't see the problem myself but everyone goes on about salmonella poisoning. Some people even suggested steaming the raw chicken saying the bones are not cooked that way.

I am confused.

Look at it this way, do you know anyone whose dog has contracted salmonella from eating raw chicken? As i understand it dogs' tums are quite different from ours and it's not a problem for them. I certainly wouldn't steam the wings, the bones are going to get cooked aren't they?   Why should your butcher STOP selling chicken wings just because people want them for their dogs? that doesn't make any business sense.

[tigs71]

Hi Mel

Dog have a much shorter and faster digestive tract than humans and salmonella from raw chicken just isn't an issue for them.  The only reason I would be extra careful is if you have young children at home.  As long as you leave around half an hour after feeding your dog raw meat before allowing them to be around the young family members.  Both my kids are older and know to leave Mason for a while after he has eaten.  He has been eating chicken wings 3 times a week since he was 15 weeks old.  Steaming the wings would cook the bones so it is not advised.

[elaine.e]

Louis has had raw chicken wings a couple of times a week from when he was weaned. My vet isn't against raw feeding but said that his worry is salmonella being passed on to humans, as tigs71 has said. I buy my chicken wings from Sainsbury's and haven't had any problems so far.

Louis was on Burns mini bites when he came to me, which suited him and me too, as William is on adult Burns, so when Louis was 6 months I switched him to adult Burns too. William is on it because he has a sensitive tum and after trying several different types of kibble I found that Burns agrees with him.

They both have Burns in the morning and Natural Instinct raw food in the evening. I order it by email and the slight inconvenience for me is that the minimum order is 10kgs, which takes up a lot of space in my freezer. It's a convenient way of feeding BARF as it includes bones, ground up, within the mix, plus fruit and veg. It's made with human quality ingredients, so nothing like chicken feet.

[tigs71]

They both have Burns in the morning and Natural Instinct raw food in the evening. I order it by email and the slight inconvenience for me is that the minimum order is 10kgs, which takes up a lot of space in my freezer. It's a convenient way of feeding BARF as it includes bones, ground up, within the mix, plus fruit and veg. It's made with human quality ingredients, so nothing like chicken feet.

This is how I feed Mason but he is on AG in the morning.  To say that he loves Natural Instinct raw food would be a very big understatement 

[bajoleth]

Monty has been eating chicken wings since he was 8 weeks old, I always supervise him whilst eating and he loves them and polishes them off with no problem at all My local butcher does a large order for me every month I then bag them in pairs and freeze them, my two have them most days

[Mel]

Yes I am thinking of doing a kibble with Natural Instinct. With regards the butchers I have no idea what their problem is but they just won't sell it. I actually got my head blown off for asking.

I will try another butcher tomorrow and see if I can get some to try him on.

I just get a bit confused with it all. Thanks all for your input.

[lindseyp]

I've recently switched my girls to a BARF diet Mel & I can't praise the lady that I deal with highly enough.....she really knows her stuff
Not sure where you are Mel but I'm in Bournemouth ........ not sure if she does mail order  but I'm sure she'd be happy to give you the advice you need (or put you in touch with someone who can.) Can PM you if you want    Lindsey x

[Mel]

Yes please PM me. That would be great.

[Mel]

Sent off for some Healthy Paws to try and have been recommended a local butcher to try for chicken wings. Will let you all know how I get on.