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Post by amyjo on Mar 2, 2004 10:53:41 GMT -5
Nicki - I guess what I would be curious about is WHY raising the bowl supposedly reduces bloat? Does the position of the head when the food is swallowed really effect whether the stomach will turn? How? My guess is it is more about what happends after the food is consumed ( though I am no expert)....
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Post by Nicole on Mar 2, 2004 11:09:28 GMT -5
I think the theory was that the dog gulped less air with the bowl high thus reducing the gas buildup which contributes to bloat. I just wish that they (whoever they are) would make up their mind. It is like margerine and butter. Every other decade one is good and the other will kill you. The constant changing of opinion really makes me wonder if anyone really knows what the heck is going on. And I have seen vomited kibble. It is 10 times the amount that went in.
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Post by Richard on Mar 2, 2004 11:22:17 GMT -5
I know this is a barfy subject but we've seen occasionally too....Rocky doens't hurl that often, but it is a small amount and you can see its grown in size from dry.... I also know that GSD's have a finicky stomach and digestive system to begin with....I mean, hey, he doesn't mind the occasional timbit (little round donuts from Tim Hortons...he likes the glazed kind like me) or a french fry but the majority of the time its his regular food and treats (milk bones and marrow bones). That brings up another question: treats? are they allowed with the raw diets? Seeing we're on the food thing, I just want to let you all know I'm digesting this all in!! -Richard
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Post by Richard on Mar 2, 2004 11:52:35 GMT -5
Richard - my dogs drink alot less water now. I have one of those five gallon dispensers and they barely put a dent in it now before I need to dump it and get fresh. Ok, that would make sense then that the raw diet requires the dog to drink less water cuz they're not consuming any dry food (like after eating a bunch of ritz crackers....oh, you need something to wash them down after a few of them that is for sure...!). I wouldn't think so, I would tend to think that it is the dog's physcial makeup i.e.: age, health ect, that would be more a determination of when bloat could hit. As well, we covered the excercise before/after eating part and I would also say that if a dog in this catagory would have a less than strong stomach lining or something to that effect, it could happen as well - genetics and stuff like that...... A 2 yr old poodle in our SAR group (yes, they'll come and find lost people too...they just look fancier than a GSD doing it!) had an occurance of bloat....for an unknown reason, part of his stomach and digestive track twisted....his handler got him to a vet in time and they ended up sewing his stomach back along with some of the digestive track to the walls of his chest cavity (to prevent it twisting again)...sorry, didn't mean to be gross here...but I would of never included poodles (large size) in this catagory..so it can happen in many different varieties it appears. -Richard
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Post by amyjo on Mar 2, 2004 11:59:33 GMT -5
Nicki - about the position of the bowl - my guess is it is more about the type of eater your dog is, than it is about the bowl position.
Both of my dogs are sort of laid back eaters and don't gulp food. If the ingestion of air is the concern - then I think if the dog eats like a vaccuum cleaner - that is the problem and not really whether his head is up or down...but that is just my opinion and you know everybodys got a different one!
I always thought those raised bowls where just for the comfort of really big dogs (like Reign) who didn't live close to the ground!
Richard - I still feed my dogs some occaisonal biscuits but I am guessing the folks on the rawfeeding list who throw a raw sheeps head into the back yard every few days - would NOT feed a dog biscuit.
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Post by Richard on Mar 2, 2004 12:03:10 GMT -5
raw sheeps heads? whoa, back the sheep truck up here.....
Oh I think I'll just throw up now......or my neighbours would.....
I could see my backyard of my townhouse now.....skeletal remains of sheeps heads, large bones and other exciting animal stuff that Rockford's chewed on....oh yeah, I'd be getting a letter from the condo board in no time!!
I think we'll be moving out to the country before I try the raw thing.....or at least the sheeps heads thingies...
-Richard
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Post by amyjo on Mar 2, 2004 12:04:22 GMT -5
Ok, that would make sense then that the raw diet requires the dog to drink less water cuz they're not consuming any dry food (like after eating a bunch of ritz crackers....oh, you need something to wash them down after a few of them that is for sure...!). That and the raw food itself actually contains quite a bit of water as well.
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Post by amyjo on Mar 2, 2004 12:11:48 GMT -5
Yeah - I don't know where those sheep head people live...but I'm glad they don't live by ME!!!! I love my dogs but I don't think i would ever take raw feeding quite that far. My husband can barely handle it when I feed turkey necks and pigs feet...he says it makes him sick!
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Post by Brooke on Mar 2, 2004 16:41:28 GMT -5
Nicki - about the position of the bowl - my guess is it is more about the type of eater your dog is, than it is about the bowl position. Thats what I think. I worry about Peeka sometimes because she eats SO fast and I swear if she had the chance she'd eat herself till her stomach exploded. It really bothers me. Every single day after she eats she lets out a HUGE blech as soon as she's done and I don't have to remind everyone about the gas. It's no wonder she and Shen get along so well.
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Post by sibemom on Mar 2, 2004 17:16:04 GMT -5
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Post by Brooke on Mar 2, 2004 17:23:18 GMT -5
I think I've heard that before but I never thought to do it. I forgot about it ;D I will definately start doing that.
Thanks Ann!!
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Post by Laura on Mar 2, 2004 18:37:35 GMT -5
My five cents (accounting for inflation ;D). Almost every dog that suffers from GVD seems to be a deep chested dog, not any breed in particular. I wasn't surprised to hear about a standard Poodle having it either Richard, underneath all those poofballs is a big solid pooch! And you're right Nicki, I too, wish they would make up their minds about what contributes to it, but nobody really knows .
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Post by Brooke on Mar 2, 2004 20:51:07 GMT -5
We did it tonight Ann ;D Worked like a charm. No belching!!! Woo hoo! Now does this work for husbands too? ;D
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Post by boxerlover on Mar 10, 2004 22:09:30 GMT -5
Hello Everyone! I have read every post on this thread! I have done my best to learn about commercial dog foods. I have to say...RAW sounds very interesting! I want to learn more. I am going next to read Amyjo's new thread! First, I have ?'s 1) Location of meal times? Crate? 2) Prep time per day? 3) You make a week worth of veggie mush at once? 4) Canine aggression over the RAW bones? 5) How much does prep time cut down once you have experience?
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Post by ohclueless1 on Mar 11, 2004 4:14:51 GMT -5
1) Location of meal times? Crate? I wouldn't feed in the crate. Myah knows she must stay in the kitchen.
2) Prep time per day? So far it takes no time at all. I just separate the meat into ziplock baggies when I come home from shopping. Then I just take out a bag for the day. Thaw it and feed it. Granted at this point we are only on one item... I am sure it will take more time to prepare and plan as we continue.
3) You make a week worth of veggie mush at once? I don't give any veggies at all.
4) Canine aggression over the RAW bones? I haven't had problems with that... If it becomes a problems I am sure someone here can give advice.
5) How much does prep time cut down once you have experience? no idea yet lol
Question for you all....
My hubby not thinking or whatever gave Myah a chicken leg the other nite when he was cooking dinner. Now I have tried and tried to get that girl to eat chicken and she won't. I guess he wasn't paying attention. Well as it turns out she left it in the corner of the kitchen in the back. So the next nite after she had eaten I saw her chewing on something and thought it was a crayon or whatever and I grabbed it from her. It was the chicken leg and she ate it!!... I only got a stub of bone away from her. Now how odd is this???
I recall something from the email list that had talked about old meat and how we wouldn't eat it but that it may not necessarily be bad to the dog and they might actually enjoy it more stinky. I am wondering if thats the case with Myah?? But I am afraid to try to duplicate it due to bacteria and stuff. What if it really isn't good? She seems fine.. no runs or anything.
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