# Supplements



## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Now, understand that I still have 4 more days before we let the raw feeding begin, but I was reading this article and found their mention of supplements to be funny.

The article is called "Raw food or Kibble. Who's Right?" It does not give an author and the site has nothing to do with dogs as far as I can tell. I only posted the last bit as the first part is all about kibble and from what I have seen, it won't be telling anyone anything they don't already know.

"Many people have become interested in feeding raw since the pet food recalls in 2007. They like having the feeling that they are controlling what their dogs are eating and that they are fixing the food themselves. They can assure themselves that the food comes straight from a butcher or from the meat counter of their own supermarket -- the same places where they buy their own food.

On the other hand, feeding dogs a raw diet does require some extra effort. In order to keep costs down it’s often necessary to buy in bulk. This means, for many people, that they need to purchase a small extra freezer to store meat. Feeding raw also means that you may need to purchase a meat grinder to grind meaty bones for your dogs. You may have to make some investment in these appliances if you wish to continue to feed your dogs a raw diet.

In order to make sure your dog is having all of his nutritional needs met you will also need to provide supplements to his diet. Your dog can’t live on protein and the calcium in bones alone. He’ll also need vitamins and minerals.

As you can see, there is no one right way to feed your dog. Your dog can receive good nutrition from both a kibble diet and from feeding raw if you are prepared to go some research and make the effort."

As I have read from many of you, you don't feed your dogs supplements and your dogs are the picture of health! Wolves and other canines are not fed supplements...

That said, are there any instances where a dog may need to be fed supplements? I don't see a reason to, but many dogs have health issues.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Dude and Bucks Mamma said:


> As I have read from many of you, you don't feed your dogs supplements and your dogs are the picture of health! Wolves and other canines are not fed supplements...


That says it all. I've been feeding PMR for 9 years and never used a supplement other than glucosamine for a few years, then stopped it. You MIGHT want to give salmon oil or fish body oil. I feed fish instead.



> That said, are there any instances where a dog may need to be fed supplements? I don't see a reason to, but many dogs have health issues.


Thats possible but not very common.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

The only supplement we give is omega 3-6-9 fish oils, because none of ours are real thrilled with fish. They loooove the oil capsules! I give them after a meal, and its like desert for them.


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## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

I add a capful of Dream Coat and give 250 milligrams of Ester C daily. The Ester C was suggested by my vet as a possible preventative to help to avoid future disk issues.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

If you are able to feed a nice variety PMR diet there is no need to feed any supplements, other than fish oil if you'd like. My dog Lucky, who eats PMR only gets a fish oil supplement. Duncan, my BRT, is on a barf/home cooked diet due to a health condition that keeps him from eating a PMR diet. He does get supplements (B vitamin, E vitamin, kelp, fish oil, folic acid, and cod liver oil plus added calcium from powdered eggshells) because he is not able to eat a variety of meats and organs. I am sure to cover my bases so he gets what he needs. 

Those that can and are able to feed PMR.....you don't know how lucky you are! LOL! :tongue:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

we give our dogs emu oil...which, for some reason, is bringing back the coat they blew and never really came back....i doubt highly if it had anything to do with raw....

since our dogs eat fish, they don't get fish oil....

as to giving dogs supplements....it's the same with humans..if you eat a healthy nutritious diet, then you should not need supps, but it can't hurt, since most are water soluble...

if you eat a crappy diet, then absolutely you should take supps.

for instance, we take vitamin d, along with some others that complement and help vitamin d do its work, plus we don't eat grass fed/grass finished beef, so we take other vitamins....we could probably live without them, but human food ain't what it used to be....

plus, we don't get a whole lot of sun where i live.....and i don't eat dairy products....

for a dog, however....if said dog is eating a nutritious diet of mostly meat, bone and organs...plus fish...they should be in the pink of health....

there are dogs, however, who need a little help or a different diet, such as duncan, sara's dog...and she does what she has to do to keep him healthy, whilst staying true to raw as much as she can. 

it would be the same as my husband who cannot eat spinach (uric acid)...so he has to either substitute another veggie or take a vitamin that takes its place.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I figured there may be a few instances such as the dick issues and with Duncan, but for the average, healthy dog, I see no reason to supplement.

I don't think I will even be needing fish oil. I plan on introducing fish to my pup when I introduce it to Dude, but while I'm sure Buck will take to it with ease, the old man might not. He sure surprised me with his trial raw meal last week though! I thought he was going to look at me like "What the heck is this?" at first but he gobbled it down with no hesitation!

We live in the Pacific Northwest though so I think I will be steering clear of any salmonids. I know you can freeze them for a few weeks to kill the parasite, but that's just not something I want to risk. There are other fish options.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Where exactly are you located? If you are in WA or OR you have available one of the best raw feeding co-ops there is out there, and I highly recommend you join it.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

We are right across the Sound from Seattle in Bremerton. I have not managed to locate this co-op/ You are the second person to tell me about it. I would love to join it if I can find it.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

WAzzuOR_BARF : Washington/Oregon BARFHere is the link, you need to join Yahoo groups which is no big deal, and answer some questions and wait to be approved, but is the best co-op out there. Once you are approved search the files and you will find a local supplier right in Seattle for many poultry products and then look at the calendar for upcoming orders.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Thanks a ton! That is going to help me immensely.


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