Hi there everyone,

Sunday is the big day and our new puppy will be with us:)
I've just had the Oscar rep call round to deliver some food as he is on Oscars Large Breed growth. She was lovely and gave me all the info, etc and we got talking about raw feeding. I got the usual, 'you shouldn't feed bones!' which I've come to expect but what surprised me was that she said pork was as poisoness for dogs as chocolate was!
The new dog will start off on Oscars but I'm sure when he's settled I'll switch him over but any thought would be appreciated.

An excited Ruth:)

If pork is poisonous for dogs, then mine are all dead!! That'll cut down the food bill I suppose - I must tell them! :)

Hi
What I Know about oscars food in its very good as a dry food goes,but it will be interesting to see what response about the pork you get from others posters I would like Know my self,hope your new arrival is happy and healthy.GOOD LUCK.

Milly my weimaraner used to have Oscars, It is one of the best cry complete foods IMO. The only thing you need to watch for is bloat, especially if you have a deep chested large breed dog. With Oscars, fats& oils tend to be in the top 4 ingredients of most of their foods, and this apparently is more likely to make a dog bloat???

As for pork, it is perfectly fine to feed a dog. Milly has pork ribs for her brekkie some days, as well as trotters. I emailed the people at Naturediet& asked about pork being harmful& why they dont use it in any of their feeds. Their reply basically said that there was no health reason why pork shouldn't be fed, and the reason it isnt used in pet foods is because it is too expensive. Most of the pig is used for human consumption, so it would be far too costly for the companies to buy in vast quantities to use in their foods.

Vicky

Yup - that one's new on me too. My two always have roast dinners on a sunday and pork is often on the menu. No signs of death kicking in yet....

I have been told that pork is quite difficult for a dog's body to digest....that's all I know, it was an ex-stepfather who told me that!!!!

(Cor, that makes my mum sound like Liz Taylor!!!! ;) )

Yep new one on me too. My lot had pork ribs yesterday & the day before.....all still alive & kicking or barkin rather :) :)
Christine, Spain.

Hi All,

I thought that was the case but I wanted to check with you experts:)
It's amazing what reason people give for not feeding natural/raw but to be honest all the ingredients in Oscar's sound okay. Sonny never did well on dry stuff but this little one's been weaned onto it so he may be okay......I'll still feed raw though!:)
Ruth

Hi Ruth ...you might find this older thread interesting :

[link http://www.champdogs.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?tid=15986&hilite=Pork#111447]Barf and Pork?[/link]

;)

Melody

Thanks Melody,

I remeber reading that a while back when I was researching raw feeding. My feeling is that if it's safe for us it must be safe for our dogs!

TTFN
ruth

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. The better quality dark chocolate is the worst and the more they eat the more dangerous it is. Though my spaniel did eat a box of ferrero rochets once - the rotter - and she was ok, I was lucky though.

I only found out choc was poison to a dog when I went on net.
The thing is I have been very lucky as I always prior to finding out it was poison gave my dogs chocolate as a treat.
and thankfully they did not even get sick
However now I do know I tell my friends not to give it to their dog and some dont believe me as they say and truthfully it has not done them any harm up to now.
I wonder why myself
Mari

It's the theobromine in the chocolate that's toxic to dogs - the darker the chocolate [the more cocoa] the more theobromine. A good site to get an idea of exactly how much can be lethal is http://www.idir.net/~wolf2dog/chocolate.htm
You'll have to copy and paste, i still can't get to grips with links on here yet!

Annette

Thanks Annette , I must print it and have it on hand ,
nice to have back up for what you say , Mari

I read somewhere on another thread, that someone had used the new environmentally friendly mulch made out of cocoa shells in their garden. The dogs ate some and were very ill. Worth knowing.
Annie.

The only thing that we were told was that neither man nor beast should eat raw pork because of tapeworm cysts, but I guess that may have changed with modern pig wormers??????

Oh, while we're at it - did you know onions and grapes aren't much good for dogs?

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

...and macademia nuts!
Lara x

Has anyone mentioned chocolate too?

Umm ..the title of the thread?

:D

Melody ;)

Ops! That's what comes of reading only new messages..... :-{

:D :D

Thats why I read Active Topics rather than New Posts ;)

Melody

Oh dear, Charlie will be upset - he adores grapes!!?? Are they harmful to dogs then??

Charlie turns his nose up at choccie anyway, but we cant feed him pork, much as he loves it - even the *tiniest* of amounts gives him the most unbelievable vomiting and diarohea, literally a few mouthfuls can have him ill for days.

the occasional grape is OK - many dogs love them but only the odd one now and again - too many and they are dodgy

Pam n the boys

Found this info that may be of interest:

Pseudorabies (Aujeszky's Disease)

Pseudorabies is a viral disease that affects primarily swine, but also rodents and infrequently many other animal species including dogs and cats. It is characterized in older swine by a usually inapparent infection and in younger pigs and other animals, including the dog and cat, by an acute, fatal encephalitis.
Etiology - It is caused by a herpesvirus, porcine herpesvirus 1.
Distribution - The disease is endemic in the swine of many countries and regions throughout the world. It occurs in the United States but not in Canada and Australia. The incidence varies with regions.
Susceptibility - Swine are the reservoir of the virus. Virtually all animals are susceptible; humans are not.
Mode of Infection - Most animals become infected by direct contact with pigs that are shedding virus in nasal secretions or saliva. Infection can also be by ingestion and inhalation. Dogs and cats usually contract the disease by eating pork.

Clinical Features - When dogs and cats are infected, usually as sporadic cases, there is an intense pruritis at the external entry site of the virus followed by self-mutilation leading to an acute fatal encephalitis.
Signs include: changes in behavior, anorexia, over excitement, pruritis, self-mutilation, paralysis and coma with death usually within 48 hours of the first signs.

Apparently it is a rare disease but obviously something to be aware of. I understand the disease is contracted through feeding raw or undercooked infected pork.
Jacquie.

My puppy loves pork, so if it is properly cooked is it ok. Mind you he also got hold of some chocolate when he was about 10 wks, luckily he was not that keen on it and left most of it. He also loves apples and yoghurt, any one know if these are ok for him.
Loraine

Hi Loraine, yes he should be fine with them :) Just remember when you introduce any new food to his diet to do it slowly as he`s still young.
Christine, Spain.

Many year's ago when we had a pig farm, when the carcases were draged out for the knacker man our whippet used to feed off the carcase, we were warned not to let them because of Aujeszky,s and that that tape worm was rife. and one of the nearby farmer dog's was lost through it.I am not up with modern pig wormers but some of the young stock were not wormed after the first time, after they had left there mothers because they gained weight very quick to get them to market