Raw dog food and Homecooked dog food meat question

[dogs4life]

So I usually buy chicken leg quarters, whole chicken, turkey necks and bone-in cheaper cuts of beef. I'm not feeding an exclusively raw diet but I hope to someday. Right now I supplement with kibble mainly Wellness & Innova varieties.

In an attempt to keep my food bill reasonable, I have a couple questions for all you that feed raw diets and/or home cooked meals.

Where do you all get your meat? Butcher, a hunter, supermarket, ethnic market....?

What cuts of meat do you buy? What ever is cheaper that day or do you get routine cuts?

Do you have any tips for keeping meat cost low or as low as possible?

Thanks

[Rivsky]

I get 95% of my meat from a local food market in town near where I work because there's a greater variety to chose from there. The other 5% comes from the butcher.

I try and provide as much variety as possible but I try and make sure at least one of his raw bones a week is a red meat since he gets chicken necks every morning. Things I have bought are chicken carcuses, chicken necks, chicken wings, turkey necks, quail, baby chickens, ox tails, sheep necks, lamb shanks, marrow bones (though he doesn't get these any more than once a month as it's really hard to find meaty ones), duck leg quarters, rabbit leg quarters, mince, barf patties and lamb flaps. I think that's about all.

I'm not so interested in keeping cost down as making sure what I buy him are good quality but having said that I found that the best place to buy chicken frames and necks is the chicken shop at the market. They are comprable to the prices charged by pet supply shops but they are much bigger and have a lot more on them. I think it really just takes a bit of time to look around and find a place your happy with.

[dogs4life]

Thanks for your advice.

One reason I asked for tips on keeping costs reasonable, is that a friend of ours adopted 2 bull mastiffs and finances are tight. They choose to feed less than premium food and now the male might have lymphatic cancer. He's nearly 8 yrs and is in poor shape. They don't really exercise but the male is really having a hard time. I was hoping to make the raw food diet suggestion but I cannot in good faith since the dogs are so big and finances are a big issue for them. They know we feed raw foods but it's like a lot of issues surrounding dog care, can get heated.

But you gave me some great ideas. Thanks!

[k9hullio_sam]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I asked my vet about the raw food diet/homecooked food for Mandi (prob. will never happen...I am too lazy lol) and he was adamant that it would ruin Mandi's teeth and with the raw, there is a possibility she could get salmonella. Is he right??

[Kuchi]

No your vet is wrong. Raw diet is great for their teeth because it contains bones. Bones is a natural teeth cleaner. Some vets are still against raw diets, usually the ones that are still for Science Diet and other commercial brands that aren't good for dogs, they do get checks from these companies. I have finally found a vet that suggests super premium dog food or raw food as being the best option.

I do not feed raw because it never really handled well with my dog, even after a few weeks his stool just wasn't consistent, so he's on canidae. But he still gets raw bones everyday, and raw eggs a few times a week.

You can search for the BARF diet if you want to read more about it.
http://www.barfworld.com/

And as for salmonella, the food/treats have to be infected by the bacteria to actually spread to the dog, I found a recall from this April on dog treats.
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-news/s...og-treats.aspx

But not to be one sided, here's an article on how dogs being fed raw chicken to be a "carrier" of salmonella. So if you do feed raw chicken, think of their feces as being contaminated with salmonella. I'm not sure who doesn't wash their hands after pooper-scooping, but anyways... But the dog doesn't get sick from it, it does go through their digestive system.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...i?artid=339295

I also believe you do therapy work with your dog, they do not want raw food to be fed because their mouths may contain salmonella, e. coli, etc. and with immunocompromised people in the hospital, you don't want to take a risk.

[calgal]

Originally Posted by k9hullio_sam

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I asked my vet about the raw food diet/homecooked food for Mandi (prob. will never happen...I am too lazy lol) and he was adamant that it would ruin Mandi's teeth and with the raw, there is a possibility she could get salmonella. Is he right??

My friends dog died of salmonella poisoning from eating raw chicken. My Vet. is all for a home prepared diet and has given me some recipes as well, so he doesn't push dry dog food but is totally against feeding raw poultry, but isn't against raw free range beef and lamb two or three times a week with some fresh diced green beens mixed into it.
Since your friends dogs health is comprised from feeding dog food, I wouldn't step in to tell her about feeding real food. It's a bit late now.

[dogs4life]

Originally Posted by Kuchi

I also believe you do therapy work with your dog, they do not want raw food to be fed because their mouths may contain salmonella, e. coli, etc. and with immunocompromised people in the hospital, you don't want to take a risk.

Great point!

I'd also like to add, with dogs who's immune systems are weak, there might be at risk for bacterial contamination from meat, but properly handled meat and vegetables will not have high enough levels of "bad" bacteria to cause any problems. I'd be most worried about feeding a puppy raw food who is not nursing or was not able to wean on it's own. The mother dog's milk will protect the puppy but milk replacers will not.

Personally, I'd find another vet to talk about nutrition with. You don't have to change vets, just pick and choose which vet's you trust will specific health issues. It's like the difference between going to a family physician or a clinical nutritionist for your own nutrition needs. I'd rather hear what the clinical nutritionist has to say not my general physician. JMO

[dogs4life]

Originally Posted by calgal

Since your friends dogs health is comprised from feeding dog food, I wouldn't step in to tell her about feeding real food. It's a bit late now.

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing but I also was also thinking I'd suggest giving raw snacks or 1/2 raw. Also as I read my post, I remembered about the link between lymphatic drainage and exercise. Maybe he doesn't have cancer but just a lymph system that is under stimulated.

But back to my original questions.

What cuts of meat do you but for your dogs?