We are doing well with the barf feeding. Safi is improving, I'm sure. She isn't itching half as much and her digestion has improved 100%!!
Just wondered are nuts classes as a fruit? Can you give them to dogs if you blitz them with the veg? If so what nuts can you use? I bought some pine nuts yest. but not sure if I shoud give them.
I also yest. started giving a bit of cottage cheese as I read somewhere its a good means of sulphur and isn't sulphur cooling for the blood, so wouldn't that help with an itchy skin?
Must say both dogs are relishing their meals times with all the vareity :-)
I've learnt such a lot from Julia.julibob's threads. Thanks

We do not feed nuts, but if you life in an area where their is a selenium defficient soil, it would be beneficial to occasionally feed brazil nuts as they are a rich source of selenium. Selenium defficiency is not however a problem in the UK as far as I am aware.

Anndee,

Just make sure you do not give your dogs macadamia nuts, they can make dogs very ill.  They are toxic and can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, in coordination, tremors, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness.

Stacey

How likely is that?! I've never eaten macademia nuts myself!

Jeangenie,

Not sure what you mean, it's very likely dogs will get ill if they eat macadamia nuts.   It you mean they are too expensive to buy to purposely feed to a dog, probably. 

You may never have eaten macadamia nuts, but I have. They are mostly tasteless very oily things, yuch.

Stacey

Yes, generally, nuts are nutritious for them. Pumkin seeds are anti parasitic, so if you can get hold of them blitz a few in with the veg a couple ot times a week :)

Christine, Spain.

I thought I'd read somewhere that pine nuts or sunflower seeds were good to use, so when I saw some in Sainsbury's I got the pine nuts, but haven't dared to use them yet, till I asked. I haven't seen any pumpkin seeds though, or sunflower seeds. Might I get those in health food shops?
I must just tell all of you who advise and feed raw, that I am really, really pleased with the raw meat, veg and bones diet. I can't believe the difference its making to my two and it's still early days. (2 weeks they been on it). And I so enjoy finding different things that I can give. I got some spinach and watercress today so they can have some of that tomorrow. I also intend in another couple of weeks to start fasting them 1 day a week. Can anyone recommend what to give them on the day of the fast or day before, any supplement that helps to clear the toxins out of the system. You've all been so helpful, I know you'll come up with something.
Thanks Anne

Err, Anndee why are you planning to fast your dog 1 day per week?

I've been led to believe that as wild carnivores don't eat every day in the wild and don't get the same amounts when they do feed, that giving them nothing to eat for one day in 7 to 14 days will benefit their digestive system.it gives it a chance to work on clearing itself out without having to digest food as well. therefore helping to get rid of any toxins :)
.

I bet they'd eat every day in the wild if they had the opportunity! ;) I would guess it's only on poor hunting days that they 'fast'.

Has no-one else read about fasting then. I thought it was a well known thing to do. I used to do it every week when I had Irish Wolfhounds. Admitedly a long time ago know but its something most people did then. Its just that I'm a bit rusty now on what to give them prior to fasting. Perhaps its not done as much nowadays, but it did keep them in good health. Admitedly that was before raw food was known about like it is now. So maybe its not so important to fast these days like it was :D

I gather it was the 'trendy in thing' to do about 20-odd years ago, but I don't know anyone who does it now.
:)

It was in 1974 we got our first wolfie so that was well over twenty years ago!!
I just thought it would have done them good even in this day and age, but maybe I'd better have a rethink on that one :D

Think on it this way. If a dog is fed once a day he waits 24 hours for a meal. If a dog is fed 3 times a day and fasts he waits 36 hours for a meal, where he would be expecting a meal every 6 hours. By the time 36 hours is up he will be so hungry that food will be gulped along with far too much air, which could result in indigestion, upset tummy, vomiting (eating too quickly on an empty stomach) With raw there is be no need to fast, you are giving no additives, or preservatives, so no need to "detox".

Kayc, surely only a pup/juvenile dog would be fed 3 times a day, unless it`s a dog with a medical problem. Why feed adults 3 meals a day?

Christine, Spain.

*I gather it was the 'trendy in thing' to do about 20-odd years ago,*

I`ve got books published in the twentys J/G that suggest it J/G & as far as I can see by the breeders who did it then, it was the norm, not something *trendy* Also know of quite a few who still do it today :)

Christine, Spain.

I have books from the 1960s which inform me that a 10-week puppy should be fed cows' milk and Farex, and that burns should be thickly covered in ointment. Information changes over time, and we still have to carefully pick and choose what we believe.
:)

I`m just talking about things that seem to have passed the test of time tho J/G, not farex & ointment for burns :)

Christine, Spain.

There are still people who feed their pups Weetabix for ages ... Are there any modern dog-care books that recommend fasting?
:)

Think Billinghurst does? And Kymathy Schultz? Christopher Day? All pretty modern day & vets too! Juliette Barriacli de levy, of course she`s in her nineties now but her books are still in great demand! There again just because her teachings are not *modern day* doesnt mean they are wrong. :) She doesn`t mention weetabix by the way :D

Christine, Spain.

It`d depend on how much energy they had for the chase surely J/G? If they had stuffed themselves they wouldn`t bother eh ;) :) Also don`t forget we`ve heard of a number of dogs who don`t bother eating even when it`s put on a plate for them! :D

Christine, Spain.

A large marrow bone on the day of fasting is recommended, also a drink of veg/meat stock. You can make your own by boiling beef bones for a few hrs or boiling root veg for half to an hour :)

Christine, Spain.

Yes, you`ll find most things in the health shop :)

Christine, Spain.

Thanks Christine for both pieces of advice. I did think fasting wouldn't do any harm. Call me old fashioned.
I will see about getting the seeds from local health shop. Plus some big juicy marrow bones. By the way have you heard of giving pine nuts at all? Or anu nuts for that matter. I'm beginning to think I've dreamt it :D

You`re welcome Andee :)
We have lots of pine nuts here & when I have some over I put a handful in my lots veggie mix to be ground up,not a lot tho :)
I`ve got a link somewhere of nuts, if I find it I`ll put it on.

Christine, Spain.

Thanks for your help Christine. I'd appreciate that :)
Anne

I read somewhere that dogs shared 98% of a wolfs DNA, which sounds really high - until you think that humans share 98% chimpanzee DNA! Maybe wolves do fast on a roughly weekly basis, but dogs have been domesticated and IMO do not need to be fasted at all. My dogs have a built in body clock of dinner time, which admittedly can be anywhere between 5pm and midnight, and would be beside themselves if I tried missing it out.

Anyone for a swing through the trees?! :D

I thought we shared 98% orangutan DNA, and 99% chimpanzee, which makes us even more like chimps than dogs are like wolves ...

*starts swinging*
;)

Hey you 2, check out the brazil nut link if you`re not too busy swinging :D :D

Christine, Spain.

Heres a link but it`s for brazil nuts, can`t find the other link I had yet :)
http://www.mercola.com/2004/dec/18/brazil_nuts.htm

Christine, Spain.

Thats a coincidence. I've just got my Canine Health concern newsletter, and the very same article is in that. Very interesting it was too. I shall now give my two some brazils left over from Xmas :)