On 6/2/2010 7:30 PM, Phyrie wrote:
Why the raw feeding is helping, I
have no idea, since when we started, we gave him a great deal of
chicken. Until the allergy tests came back positive to chicken! I still
give him chicken, just less, although he doesn't seem to react to it.

Just so you know, chicken doesn't have enough zinc and iron in it for a
dog's needs. Red meats do. That is why it is recommended that 80% of the
meats fed should be red meats, 10% should be chicken and 10% should be
fish. However, diets heavy on chicken are still way better than any
kibble. A leg quarter has an almost perfect phos/cal ratio (meat to bone).

The vet doesn't understand it either, and it really makes the testing
process suspect. I assume it's because he's not being subjected to a LOT
of reactors at the same time. In the Orijen there is four or five things
he tested positive to, so perhaps stopping that was enough for him to
remain symptom free, even when the pollen count is very high. I don't
know, but heck, it's working; who cares why?

Imagine that! Raw feeding made the allergies go away. Who would have
thunk it? I mean, it's just unbelievable! Maybe that is why I posted
exactly that over and over again on here.

Char

"Char" wrote

Just so you know, chicken doesn't have enough zinc and iron in it for a
dog's needs. Red meats do. That is why it is recommended that 80% of the
meats fed should be red meats, 10% should be chicken and 10% should be
fish.

Query, where does 'pork' fall in the schema? Also are there any particular
type of raw bone that should be avoided other than the obvious in some fish
bone types?

"Glenn Lyford" wrote in message
...
I think so, too. Both my vet and I think Kiba's allergies are
environmental
and seasonal.

I know of at least one human case where there were a half dozen things
that always caused a reaction, but it turns out that none of them were
the real culprit, the gentleman in question was allergic to wheat
gluten. When he stopped eating gluten, his body stopped reacting to
all the other items that used to set him off, even though the gluten
by itself didn't cause much of a reaction. Sort of a compound effect.

Perhaps something similar is going on with Kiba, one or two things are
the real culprit, and once those are taken out of the diet, his
reaction to all those other things that used to cause problems is much
less...?

Just a thought,
--Glenn Lyford

It's the same thought we've had, Glenn, thanks. Even though Kiba's kibble,
Orijen, is of the highest quality, it DOES have three of his reactors in it:
chicken, potato and carrots. Carrots are pretty far down the list, but
chicken is first and second and potato is fourth. I am willing to believe
that being slightly reactive to MANY things causes just as many reactions as
being badly allergic to ONE thing. By removing, or limiting, his exposure
to too many at once, he reacts less. Today he is licking his paw a bit, but
at the same time last year, he was full to the ears with drugs, with raw hot
spots on his back and front feet, and a e-collar on his neck to stop him
from trying to chew his own skin off because he itched so much. It took
very little for us to achieve this year's change: raw feeding, frequent
rinses in the shower (NOT with shampoo, just plain water), a better vacuum
cleaner used more often, and I wash his bedding more often too. That's it.
He hasn't had a single allergy med since early March! And that makes
everyone here very happy. :-D

Phyrie

On 6/3/2010 5:04 PM, cshenk wrote:
"Char" wrote

Just so you know, chicken doesn't have enough zinc and iron in it for
a dog's needs. Red meats do. That is why it is recommended that 80% of
the meats fed should be red meats, 10% should be chicken and 10%
should be fish.

Query, where does 'pork' fall in the schema?

It's a red meat.

Also are there any
particular type of raw bone that should be avoided other than the
obvious in some fish bone types?


Some people avoid large weight bearing bones. Some people even avoid
turkey leg bones. I've fed them and they did just fine. There is no set
rule on this. If they can chew it up it's a source of calcium and if not
it's recreational fun.

Char

"Phyrie" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I also own a shepherd's whistle, but I'm not very good at it.

I gave up after a long time trying. With Maybe on sheep, I have
to whistle through my fingers. Not very palattable after even a
few minutes on a working ranch.

--
--Matt.