monique
Hound Nut
That's Leo in the red!
Posts: 1,318
|
Post by monique on Feb 13, 2012 13:22:09 GMT -5
As a follow-up to my other post about colitis, I've changed Leo's food. He's eating the Iams "green bag" (I think it's called ProActive Health) and is doing better (soft-ish but formed poop, seems to be improving a bit each day).
But, he likes to chew on things (ex: bones) and I'm not sure what to give him. I used to give him raw marrow bones, but I don't want to give him anything raw because his digestive system won't be able to handle the bacteria. My vet had suggested a tartar bone, those round ones that are smoked or cooked or whatever that you see in pet stores. I don't know if that would even be good for Leo's stomach, but I did try one and he didn't touch it. I tried a deer antler my sister game me, and he wouldn't touch that either.
A couple of days ago I gave him a pressed pork hide "bone". The pork hide is digestible unlike rawhide, and he likes those much batter than raw(beef)hide (the white-coloured ones). He loved it and had a great time chewing it, but he had diarrhea after, missed his breakfast today, and his stomach has been gurgling very loudly. He's eaten the pressed pork hide quite a few times in the past and never seemed to have a problem with it.
I tried a nylabone once, shaped like a corn cob. He didn't touch it for the longest time (like, about a year!) but then one day he "discovered" it. At first he just chewed on it a bit, but then he actually took big CHUNKS out of it (about the size of small grapes), which isn't supposed to happen (and would be a hazard). I thought about getting the more durable nylabones designed for stronger chewers, but since Leo didn't even like the other nylabone, I doubt he'd like it. Plus, they're about $20 which is a lot to spend if I'm not sure he'll like it. But, I might end up trying one if nothing else works out.
I could just give Leo nothing to chew on, but sometimes he just seems to be looking around for something to chew, and once in a while he will find something but not what he's supposed to find (ex: a Wii remote!) and he'll chew on that a bit; not eat it, but tear it up or wreck it and leave tooth marks on it. And he is happy when he has something to chew, he often chews happily for quite a long time.
For dogs with sensitive stomachs, IBD, or colitis, what do you give your dog to chew on? What do they do well with (that doesn't upset their stomach)?
|
|
|
Post by angelollie on Feb 13, 2012 20:24:33 GMT -5
Monique .... you had mentioned not giving Leo raw marrow bones because of the bacteria but what about the cooked ones. That's what I give my pack. I buy them in WalMart. They are called Roll-Over Cooked Meaty Marrow Bones, there are 3 to a package and they cost about $8.00. I just feel the package to make sure I get 3 good sized bones (the packaging is black and red so it's hard to see the bones). My guys love them and they've never had an upset stomach or loose stools from having them. I hope you find something that agrees with Leo.
|
|
|
Post by luvastorm on Feb 14, 2012 16:32:15 GMT -5
I read somewhere recently that if you want to kill all bacteria in raw meat or bones, FREEZE IT first.
|
|
monique
Hound Nut
That's Leo in the red!
Posts: 1,318
|
Post by monique on Feb 14, 2012 19:17:47 GMT -5
angelollie -- thanks. I had thought of that but I wasn't sure if they were hard on the teeth, but maybe I'll try them. I did see some Rollover bones but I thought they were stuffed with something else, not what was originally in the bone. I didn't really look at the ingredients though, I should do that.
luvastorm -- I usually did give the marrow bones to Leo frozen. I'm not sure if that kills all the bacteria though, does it? If it did, wouldn't that mean humans could eat raw meat after it was frozen? It probably lessens the bacteria though. I might be able to go back to giving him the raw marrow bones once his stomach settles down. He's been better again today after I took the pork hide "bone" away.
|
|
Redhead
Grey Lover
Teague (Natural Red Head)
Posts: 823
|
Post by Redhead on Feb 14, 2012 22:31:46 GMT -5
Freezing can kill off some parasites (if I feed wild meats like deer, I always freeze first) but it won't kill off most bacteria. Having said that, beef really shouldn't have enough bacteria in it to do any harm (humans can eat it raw)...if he has eaten it before with no problems it should be fine. If there is tummy upset it is usually from all the marrow, not the meat. I feed large meaty rib bones when they are on sale as well. Personally, I find the "au natural" bones by far cause the least amount of tummy problems, in fact they actually firm things up.
I do sometimes buy a brand of chew bone from No Frills called PC Nutrition First. They kind of look like Denta Bones but the ingredients are actually not too bad for this type of chew (Chicken meal, rice flour, quinoa flour, rice, potato protein, calcium carbonate, ground flax seed, canola oil, natural flavour, mixed tocopherols (preservative), rosemary extract, green tea extract). There are 2 in a package and I think they cost around $2-3 per package which is WAY cheaper than most brands. There is a bone in Pet Valu which is basically the same thing which is $5 for one. Plus they have a strong smell that seems to attract dogs.
|
|
monique
Hound Nut
That's Leo in the red!
Posts: 1,318
|
Post by monique on Feb 15, 2012 6:34:12 GMT -5
Freezing can kill off some parasites (if I feed wild meats like deer, I always freeze first) but it won't kill off most bacteria. Having said that, beef really shouldn't have enough bacteria in it to do any harm (humans can eat it raw)...if he has eaten it before with no problems it should be fine. If there is tummy upset it is usually from all the marrow, not the meat. I feed large meaty rib bones when they are on sale as well. Personally, I find the "au natural" bones by far cause the least amount of tummy problems, in fact they actually firm things up. I do sometimes buy a brand of chew bone from No Frills called PC Nutrition First. They kind of look like Denta Bones but the ingredients are actually not too bad for this type of chew (Chicken meal, rice flour, quinoa flour, rice, potato protein, calcium carbonate, ground flax seed, canola oil, natural flavour, mixed tocopherols (preservative), rosemary extract, green tea extract). There are 2 in a package and I think they cost around $2-3 per package which is WAY cheaper than most brands. There is a bone in Pet Valu which is basically the same thing which is $5 for one. Plus they have a strong smell that seems to attract dogs. Can humans actually eat raw beef? I knew it didn't have the amount of salmonella etc. that chicken had, but I didn't realize it was that safe. I have definitely found that eating bones in the past has firmed up Leo's stools. One problem is that I found out that the excess fluoride that animals like cows have in their diet accumulates in their bones, and when dogs eat the bones they're getting a lot of fluoride, which apparently isn't good for THEIR bones and could contribute to osteosarcoma. (I don't know if it's in the marrow also or just the actual bone). I have to look into that further but I'd rather not take a chance. I know fluoride is an issue in our drinking water, and that's what Leo drinks. I don't want to add more because a lot of people think there's too much fluoride even just in the water. I think chewing on a bone would be okay (with marrow bones he would barely even leave any marks on the bone, he'd just scrape his teeth on the bone a lot to get any marrow/meat he could get, and that would make him happy and help keep his teeth clean.) He has eaten marrow bones in the past and it didn't make things worse, but he just has a very sensitive digestive system. When he had hookworms, he couldn't eat any kind of treats or anything different; I think the hookworms irritated his intestines probably. Now, especially when he's just recovering from another bad bout of diarrhea, I'm just afraid to give him any amount of raw meat/bone. Even if humans can handle raw beef, probably humans with intestinal/digestive problems can't, and it's probably the same with dogs. I should ask the vet about that though, maybe you're right, maybe he could chew on raw bones. I had just assumed that he wouldn't been able to handle even a small amount of bacteria. But, you gave me an idea; if I keep the marrow bones in the freezer, the bacteria should stop multiplying. In the past I'd give him a marrow bone and he'd eat it, and sometimes it would be out for many hours. I should probably only let him have it for an hour or so, then put it back in the freezer. That should help. Leo has had those types of "bones" (like the PC ones), a few different brands that I'd found that didn't have wheat or anything like that. He does like them, but he crunches them up in just a few short minutes; they don't take him any longer than eating his food. You're right, the ingredients aren't bad if they would last a bit longer.
|
|
xtrawld
Grey Lover
Both thirsty....can't wait for their turn....
Posts: 625
|
Post by xtrawld on Feb 15, 2012 11:09:47 GMT -5
If you order steak from a restaurant you are allowed to order it blue.....from our friend Wiki - "Seared, Blue rare or very rare β Cooked very quickly; the outside is seared, but the inside is usually cool and barely cooked" So yes, you can eat it raw, but do I? Nope.
Chews that don't agree with them is anything rawhide like, although my boys tolerate (quite well I might add) pigs ears. I REALLY want to try feeding them RAW pigs ears, just haven't gotten there yet. We do feed bones alot, I buy the smoked variety from Global. Takes a bit of trial and error (some softer bones splinter into little bits and I won't buy those again), but for the most part is a good chew and lasts a long while. We only give them 20 minutes to chew and then it goes away for next time.
|
|
Redhead
Grey Lover
Teague (Natural Red Head)
Posts: 823
|
Post by Redhead on Feb 16, 2012 19:21:44 GMT -5
I have eaten beef raw (well it is seared on the outside but pretty much raw on the inside)...some (expensive!) cuts of beef are really tender and the only real way to eat them is very lightly cooked or seared. Not that beef doesn't carry bacteria, but I have never, ever heard or a dog getting sick from bacteria in it (or from chicken for that matter). I'm pretty sure they ingest more bacteria licking their butt or eating out of the kitty litter box . But...it is really what works for your dog and what you are comfortable with. Most greys eat raw beef on the track and should be used to it.
|
|