Pet Owners Are Making Dog and Cat Food

[PhilipShore]

Source: Associated Press

ATLANTA — Some worried pet owners are grinding up meat in their kitchens and making their own dog and cat food because of the contamination scare blamed for numerous animal deaths.

Sales of pet food recipe books have also shot up since the nationwide pet-food recall began two weeks ago.

Amy Parish, 40, stopped giving her two aging chow chows canned food. Instead, Parish mixes dry food with a mash of chicken, rice, oatmeal and cottage cheese that she prepares twice a week.

"I'm very suspicious of any large-brand manufactured dog food," said Parish, who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Tucker.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Apr03/0,4670,HomemadePetFood,00.html

[renate]

1. I'd be interested in what people who know about animals think about this:

http://www.naturesmenu.com/

Makes sense to me. Wild animals don't cook their food. And no cereals or artifical ingredients sounds REALLY good right now.

[iconoclastic cat]

3. Cats especially need to be eased into a raw diet.

We did that for a while, and my oldest (13) would not touch raw chicken or fish. It had to be at least steamed.

[renate]

5. oh, that's right... I remember kestrel talking about that on another thread

Not just that they need to be eased into eating raw diets but any kind of diet change at all, I think.

I can't find the comment now, so I apologize if I'm quoting that wrong.

[iconoclastic cat]

7. Yep. They get stressed out by change really easily.

I'm still convinced that a new baby and moving within three weeks of one another triggered one of my cats' latent FIP, of which she died a month later.

[kestrel91316]

40. I've been looking all over for this post of your, lol - I lost track of it when

my internet went down for a couple of days...........

My official opinion of raw foods may be found HERE:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x571690

Be sure to scroll down through the replies as I have added MUCH material documenting my reasons for this position.

[fryguy]

12. we tried going the raw route once

our dog wanted nothing to do with it. not to mention it causes difficulties keeping raw meat around the house. as i said in my other post, we cook up fresh ground organic beef, freeze it in individual bags, and then mix it with holistic blend dried so our 13 year old puppy gets a proper diet. knock wood -- it has been working great and she's in great health.

[Auntie Bush]

19. What's the holistic blend dried that you mix it with?

[fryguy]

21. link

http://www.holisticblend.com

[barb162]

31. Thanks. I am going to look at that link very carefully

what with all these recalls going on.

[yellowcanine]

34. Pets are not wild animals. They have been domesticated and eating "people food" for a long time.

My dog has a sensitive stomach and when he "gets loose" I cook up a pound of ground turkey and mix it with a couple of cups of cooked rice and a can of pumpkin. He loves it and it gets him doing solid poops again right away. People didn't use to cook their food either but that doesn't mean it is not a good idea to cook it.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

60. Turkey and Rice...

After multiple gastric upsets, two of which landed my dog in the animal hospital,I started making homemade food for him. He has been on a home-cooked diet for over 2 years and has had no health problems the entire time. I also boil ground turkey, or chicken, fish and/or or beef for him (some dogs have a beef allergy), and remove as much fat as possible. I add cooked vegetables (carrots, celery, green beans, broccoli, yams, some others), white rice, and cooked egg (about 1 a week). They need calcium, so I add low fat cottage cheese. I also add a bit of olive or fish oil. Some foods are not good for dogs, such as onions and chocolate. Also, some dogs will have diffferent nutritional needs than others. A book that was very helpful to me is Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, by Richard H. Pitcairn.

[hippiechick]

2. .. add me to that list ...

:hi: Better safe than sorry.

[Kolesar]

4. Just leave some pizza on the counter

Goof dog won't go hungry.

[SoCalDem]

43. or a box of donuts.. Our labs routinely snagged them ..ate them ..box and all

they also ate drywall in the dining room, so I guess you could say they did not have discriminating palates :)

[Doremus]

71. LOL One of our rescued greyhounds took the box of donuts off the counter...

Of course she was scolded.

Next time she emptied the box one by one and left the box on the counter. No one was the wiser until we discovered them all gone! Smart poochie.

Being so tall she could easily see what goodies lay on the counter. She used to take full cups of pop into the family room and drink them without spilling a drop. She once even helped herself to a roast just out of the oven.

Such an imp she was, and we wouldn't have traded a day of it. RIP old girl, 1992-2005.

[Bake]

79. Gawd! Our doggies LOOOOOOVE some pizza!!

Or bologna, or pretty much anything they see US eat ....

Bake

[libnnc]

6. we're starting to make our own dog food

bought some cheap meat, some rice and canned veggies. I won't try to make my own cat food. I'm hoping that regular Science Diet dry stays safe. Cats are pretty delicate from what I understand.

[iconoclastic cat]

8. Sorry, but I'd dump the Science Diet. Even though only a few of their

foods are on the list, I wouldn't trust them. Try Wellness--its gluten-free and not that expensive. I switched when the news broke, and my cats love it.

[woodsprite]

20. My Science Diet WD is wheat gluten free, but lists corn gluten.

We started Silver on a WD/homemade 50/50 mix today. Actually, probably 20/80 today. We're substituting the Pedigree we used to mix with it 50/50. She goes for some more testing tomorrow - another urinalysis, water deprivation test and chest x-ray. If those come back OK, I don't know what is wrong with her. Her vet said he was calling in some of his friends who are teaching up at New Bolton ctr. I know they deal with horses, but he said before they went into teaching, their practice was for all animals and he thought they may have some other ideas.

I asked him if it could be psychological, because I know that they can develop something called psychogenic polydipsia (something like that) where they drink water and urinate incessantly. He said that he didn't think that would cause her weight loss - 10 lbs in a month. :(

[kestrel91316]

41. CORN GLUTEN has not been involved in the recall. Only WHEAT GLUTEN

is involved.

It's not about the "gluten" per se. Gluten is a protein found in grains, is all. The trouble is ALL ABOUT a particular batch of contaminated wheat gluten being used as an additive in certain foods.

I think it is wise to avoid pet foods with WHEAT GLUTEN in them until the dust completely settles.

[Lorien]

26. I agree. Hill's makes an inferior product full of feed grade ingredients

I posted this on a another thread about the recalled food, where one DUer claiming to be "DU's resident Vet" had been pushing her favorite product, Hill's Science Diet:

Here's what's in my kitties favorite, Prairie Nature's Variety freeze dried raw diet (made of human "food grade" organic ingredients):

http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1335& -...

Ingredients
Chicken, Turkey, Turkey Liver, Turkey Hearts, Pumpkinseeds, Ground Chicken Bone, Apples, Carrots, Butternut Squash, Ground Flaxseeds, Chicken Eggs, Montmorillonite Clay, Broccoli, Lettuce, Spinach, Kelp, Salmon Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Parsley, Honey, Blueberries, Alfalfa Sprouts, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Persimmons, Olive Oil, Duck Eggs, Pheasant Eggs, Quail Eggs, Inulin, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid, Sage, Clove

My cats also get a Wellness multivitamin to boost their taurine, though both Turkey Liver and hearts contain taurine.

And here's what in Hill's Science Diet, a favorite among heavily lobbied vets (made of feed grade ingredients):

Ingredients
Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

Chicken by product meal is what's left over from the poultry industry (beaks, feet, waste, etc. -cats can eat it, but it shouldn't be the primary ingredient). Cats can't digest corn, and their is no nutritional value in brewer's rice for an obligate carnivore. Those are cheap fillers. What you pay for when you buy products like Hill's are advertising campaigns and their "nutrition training" (sales pitches) for vet students to turn them into Hill's Science Diet representatives.

[barb162]

32. You're right about that lobbying

I read that off another vet's site. She said Hills basically runs the nutrition classes at vet schools

[kestrel91316]

42. Still pushing your gimmicky, untested, UNSAFE raw meat diet?

I'd be very interested to see the results of any controlled studies into whether or not that food you are pushing can sustain health.

But it will never be done by the manufacturer, lol. They KNOW it will fail testing.

[catgirl]

53. The ones who've failed testing are the ones who use crappy ingredients

and kill our pets. Our pets became their guinea pigs. Some of
us are interested in the opinions of people who do use the raw
diet.

[catgirl]

52. Thank you for sharing this info

where do you find this freeze dried food?

[Lorien]

81. Hi Catgirl!

Just do a Froogal search for "Prairie Nature's Variety freeze dried" (it goes on sale off and on on a number of sites. I last bought it from :http://www.sitstay.com/store/edibles/food2.shtml looks expensive, but one medallion= one can of food. There are around 36 medallions per bag). "Steve's real food" is also a freeze dried raw diet, and there are at least two other brands out there, but I can't remember the names off hand. Google would yield some more results, I'm sure.


:hi:

[catgirl]

55. If she really is a vet, that is.

I'd be careful getting advice from this DUer. Unless someone
proves that he or she is a vet, I don't think it's appropriate
giving out advice. It sounds more like industry BS to me.

[Doremus]

73. You're right, half the time s/he does sound like an industry shill.

I still wouldn't eat a raw diet nor would I feed my pets a raw diet.

YMMV.

A caveat from this NON-corporate shill poster:

Raw diets are NOT to be jumped into without ample research
and consultation with your vet!

[Codeine]

74. That's really obnoxious.

Read the content of her posts; it's quite evident that she's an animal health professional.

[Iceburg]

75. Maybe not ...

I have read the content of several of her posts and found enough of them to be laced with hyperbole and lacking in citations to support her claims. On at least 3 occasions in the past few weeks she was asked politely to provide a link, citation or reference to support one of her assertions. Instead of providing one or politely stating she could not provide one, she was verbally abusive to the requesting poster. That I find atypical of a trained professional. Many members of the Pets Group forum now have her on ignore for the reasons mentioned above.

She may well be a vet... If she is a vet one has to ask: Is she a good vet? Is she knowledgeable about pet nutrition? For someone who claims to be a professional or expert in these areas I am curious as to why she has not provided an RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of nutrients for dogs and cats -- when that is the single most important piece of information she could have provided to those making home prepared meals or for those who wish to understand whether or not their commercial purchases are meeting the RDA for their pets.

[DemExpat]

62. Freeze-dried sounds interesting, Lorien.

Frozen raw food patties are sold here in every pet store and supermarket, so a raw pet food diet is not a fad here. I have never heard of re-calls or dog deaths by eating this food either.

Spaced apart during the day I do give my dog some dried dog food in her "activity ball" which she loves to roll around and pick out the kibble, but each evening I give her the fresh thawed raw meat (with other ingredients) meal as her main meal of the day.

I think it is important for animals as well as humans to eat fresh, non-processed food for the best health.

Here in this country we humans regularly eat raw herring and raw steak tartar, so culturally we have much less of an aversion or fear of raw meat. The only warnings that are given are for handling raw chicken.

DemEx

[catgirl]

29. PetGuard is a quality pet food

Science Diet has some questionable ingredients in it.

[Kolesar]

9. Isn't "gluten" what makes flour tortillas elastic and foldable?

Pizza dough, for that matter...?

[caligirl]

13. Its the protein found in wheat, gluten is a slang term for gliadin

The wheat'gluten' is a binding agent used in thousands of human food products and apparently pet food.

[Warpy]

14. Yes, gluten is the protein in wheat

that is activated quickly by kneading. It traps air from yeast metabolism and allows bread to rise. It's also what makes pie crust tough when the crust has been handled too much. Without gluten, wheat would be porridge, and that's about it.

A lot of vegetarians make their own concentrated gluten by kneading a flour and water dough under water, washing the starch away and leaving the gluten. It's a labor intensive process, but the result is worth it. The water can be allowed to sit and let the starch settle out, drained, and the starchy residue spread on a baking pan and dried in a slow oven. If whole wheat has been used, the resulting bran crackers are pretty good. White flour starch requires seasoning.

The labor intensive nature of the process is why it was shipped to China. The problem now is tracing where the Canadian wheat was contaminated by aminopterin. It was either in the grain ship or in storage in China, the most likely culprits.

We all need to wonder if any of this squeaked by the FDA and ended up in our food supply.

[Kolesar]

30. Wow

That was interesting. thanks

[Warpy]

10. My crotchety old kitty

is on Iam's diet food, dry variety. She hasn't had any change of habit, has only vomited once since the recall started and that was a huge hairball (yuck). She's eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, and playing.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

Our pets are like our canaries in the coal mine. Gutting the FDA and replacing management with pro corporate, do nothing yes men is killing them and may eventually kill us if something is not done.

Please point this out to your libertarian friends. This is what deregulation does.

[fryguy]

11. we've been doing this for years

and our puppy (13 years old) is in amazing health - knock wood.

we cook a big batch of ground beef and then divide it into small bags in the freezer. she gets one bag, about two table spoons worth, and a quarter cup of holistic blend kibble - http://www.holisticblend.com - twice a day. she loves it and it is very healthy and safe.

when we do give her canned food, when we've run out of beef and haven't had time to buy/cook more, we only buy california natural.

[caligirl]

15. consider the BARF diet for dogs and cats, at least look at it so

you won't feed the wrong things to your pets. I have fed my giant this diet for 6years and have had very good results. He is healthy and his teeth are in great shape. Chicken wings are chewed up like potato chips, always raw never cooked or the bones could splinter.(chicken bones are dangerous for pets to chew if they have been cooked, raw is fine)

http://www.drianbillinghurst.com/what_is_barf.html

http://www.skansen.com/nutrition/

RAW CHICKEN

necks, wings etc. – it is safe and very inexpensive. Raw chicken bones are harmless; it is when you cook them that they become sharp and dangerous. Salmonella and campylobacter jejuni are of no consequence to a healthy dog. You can feed the whole chicken including ribs if you prefer – any part is goodwhich sells for a good price, always raw.

RAW MEAT

call a local butcher that does ranch slaughtering and you can get a better price. Buy frozen meat, or fresh - cheap grade hamburger is fine. The best raw meat to feed is lamb/sheep meat – which we use. Dogs do not need to get any meat ground up – cut in pieces is better or attached to the bone is best. Ground up internal organs with muscle meat is far better than just muscle meat.

RAW LIVER

give 2-3 pieces 3 times a week, or any other organ meat; heart, kidney or tripe. Dogs must have organ meat weekly – lack of taurine – an amino acid abundant in hearts will cause dogs to seizure.

RAW EGG YOLK

Raw egg yolk – one or more daily. Boiled or scrambled eggs are fine too. Offer raw egg yolk to the dogs you are not feeding raw liver or other raw organ meats. Be sure you use egg yolks from chickens fed free range - it will say so on the box. I highly recommend one egg daily to all dogs. Give 7 soft boiled eggs (boil 4 minutes) and nothing else is necessary on days you are very busy.

SARDINES IN SOY OIL

Give one can once or twice weekly, instead of raw meat/liver. Dogs love it - it’s very, very good for your dog and a nice change now and then.

RAW VEGETABLES
raw grated carrots daily, or broccoli stems, or any vegetables you like or are in season like cauliflower, brussel sprouts, corn (never on the cob), avocados, pumpkin, squash, peas, beans, etc. Crush raw vegetables in your Cuisinart or blender – best is pulp from your juicer – you drink the juice – mix pulp in dog’s food. Fruits are excellent, apples, pears etc, it’s ok to steam vegetables also. Then crunch and feed to dog.

FAST YOUR DOG ONE DAY WEEKLY
It is very healthy to fast your dog one day a week, after he is one year old.

Any of the above foods are excellent for your dog – vary his diet so not the same every day. Fasting your dog one day a week is good for him. Feed raw meaty bones from chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, rabbit, pork, as well as the muscle meat from these animals. Give him your table scraps, except highly spiced or salty food. An adult, active Giant Schnauzer should get approximately one pound of raw meat, either chicken, lamb, sheep, deer, turkey (all are good) and/or organ meats, daily. Remember, the best way to feed is not to mix the food groups or protein sources. Best is to feed only chicken one meal or only hamburger & organ meats one meal or only vegetables for one meal with an egg yolk to make it tastier. Any Giant under 1 year should get all he wants to eat 2x daily while still growing. Adjust amount of food to your dog’s activity level; do not let him get fat. Dogs should eat 75% meat, 25% vegetables and/or fruits – easy to remember. If you like to have some dry dog food available, you can offer your dog one cup in a separate dish daily. Use a first class dog food like Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Potato & Duck (call 1-800-829-4493) or any other potato based dog food, BUT only as a filler. My own dogs never get processed dry food. Only feed if you are gone all day and cannot offer fresh food.Check that the dog food does not contain grains of any kind, soy or dairy products (These are trigger foods for seizures in sensitive dogs, so avoid all dry food if possible).

[Mojorabbit]

24. I would never fast my dog

A healthy body needs nutrients to function. My dog is active and I would not deprive him of food.

[kestrel91316]

44. The BARF diet is VERY aptly named:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x571690

Raw meats pose a well-documented hazard to dog and cat health, and also to the humans they associate with.

[northofdenali]

16. Speaking of kestrel and the incredible amount of info -

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/kestrel91316

Go there!!

[kestrel91316]

45. Thanks! (But you DO know it's all 100% lies, right?? LOL)

[A Brand New World]

17. Since my scare over the weekend of giving my two goldens a can of

the recalled Alpo, I am done with canned food of any brand. Per my vet's recommendation, they will only get people food (eggs, cottage cheese, cooked meats) mixed in with their dry kibble (Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice).

[DrZeeLit]

18. Plug: Noah's Kingdom (no, I have no connection) GREAT FOOD!

Perfect, terrific, my dog thrives.
Full of veggies, fruits, and grains.
You mix with boiling water.
When you feed the dog, you add protein source -- such as meat, fish, eggs, or whatever.

Love this stuff; been using it for five years.
My dog is really healthy!

Google it.

Noah's Kingdom

[LisaL]

22. My cats are incredibly picky and I swear that they can't chew.

[True_Blue]

23. I've been making my own dog food for years

After I read what is really in dog food, I decided to cook for them.

I give them cooked chicken, noodles, rice, potatos, green beans, carrots, oatmeal, along with a multi-vitamin for dogs.

Here's my babies...

[Lorien]

25. For those interested: tried and true dog and cat food recipes:

Feeding Guidelines Based on a 20 Pound Dog


http://www.foundersvet.com/home_cooking.htm


Protein: Select One: 1/4 lb. meat
skinless chicken
lamb
boneless fish
lean ground turkey
lean ground beef
Meat Substitutions
or Eggs
or Low-Fat Cottage Cheese 3 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Carbs: Select One: 1 cup cooked
rice
potatoes
*suggestion: try yams or sweet potatoes
Macaroni
Veggies: Select two and rotate 1/2 to 1 cup

Must be cooked

(avoid corn) carrots
green beans
squash
broccoli
cauliflower
peas
Add: salt substitute(potassium chloride)
vegetable oil (canola or olive)
*omit if dog is overweight
sardines or liver (supplies B-12) 1/4 teaspoon per 20 lbs.
1 tablespoon per 20 lbs.

(supplies B-12) 2 tablespoons per 20 lbs.
(3 times per week)

Cat food recipe:

There's a step by step tutorial here: http://www.catnutrition.org/pictorial.html


recipes

Raw Cat Food Diet Recipe Made WITH Real Bones

* 2 kg <4.4 pounds> raw muscle meat with bones (chicken thighs and drumsticks or, better, a whole carcass of rabbit or chicken amounting to 2 kg; if you don't use a whole carcass, opt for dark meat like thighs and drumsticks from chicken or turkey)
* 400 grams <14 oz> raw heart, ideally from the same animal (if no heart is available, substitute with 4000 mg Taurine)
* 200 grams <7 oz> raw liver, ideally from the same animal (if you can't find appropriate liver, you can substitute 40,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1600 IU of Vitamin D--but try to use real liver instead of substitutes.)
* NOTE: If you cannot find the heart or liver and decide to substitute with the Taurine/Vitamin A and D, then remember to REPLACE the missing amount of organ meat with the equivalent amount of muscle meat. In other words, if you cannot find heart, you add another 400 grams of the meat/bones. If you canít find the liver, add another 200 grams of meat/bones.
* 16 oz <2 cups> water
* 4 raw egg yolks (use eggs from free-range, antibiotic-free chickens if you can)
* 4 capsules raw glandular supplement (such as, for example, "Raw Multiple Glandular" from Premier Labs)
* 4000 mg salmon oil (see note at bottom of recipe*)
* 200 mg Vitamin B complex
* 800 IU Vitamin E ("dry E" works well)
* OPTIONAL: 1/4 teaspoon of kelp and 1/4 teaspoon of dulse (1/2 teaspoon total)
* OPTIONAL: 4 teaspoons psyllium husk powder (8 teaspoons if using whole psyllium husks; see note at bottom of recipe**)

NOTE: If you will not be using the food immediately and freezing for more than a week or two, toss in 4000 mg of additional Taurine to make up for what may get lost during storage. It is also not a bad idea to sprinkle extra Taurine from a capsule on the food as you're serving it two or three times a week, just to be certain your cat is getting plenty of this critical amino acid.

1. Remove the skin from the muscle meat. Chunk up (i.e., cut) as much of the muscle meat (minus most of the skin if using
chicken or turkey, but leave skin on if using rabbit) as you can stand into bite-sized (nickel-sized, approximately) pieces. Save the
chunked meat for later. Do not grind it.

2. Grind up the raw liver, any skin, raw meaty bones, and raw heart. Once ground, stir this meat/bone mixture well and return to
refrigerator.

3. Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water and whisk everything (non-meat) except the psyllium. If you had to replace liver with Vitamin A/D
or replace heart with Taurine, add the substitutes now. Add psyllium at the end--if you're using it-- and mix well. Finally, put the three mixtures together--the "supplement slurry" that you have just mixed, the ground up meat/bone/organs, and the chunks of meat that you cut up by hand. Portion into containers and freeze.

Don't overfill the containers. The food expands when frozen and you don't want lids popping off. Thaw as you go. The food shouldn't be left thawed in the refrigerator more than 48 hours before serving. To serve, portion into a 'zipper baggie' and warm under hot water in the sink. NEVER microwave the food. Cats like their food at something approximating "mouse body temperature."

*Every two or three days, I suggest sprinkling a few drops of fresh salmon oil from a newly-opened capsule on to the cats' food. The Essential Fatty Acids in salmon oil are extremely fragile, and since we donít know exactly how much gets lost during freezing, I think it's wise to use a bit of fresh salmon oil directly on the food a few times a week. Most cats love the flavor.

**Not all cats require additional fiber (psyllium) in their diet. If your cat has been eating low-quality commercial food for several years, especially dry food, she may have lost bowel elasticity and may benefit from the extra fiber. As a general rule, I recommend using psyllium when an adult cat first gets raw food. I rarely add much psyllium to my adult cats' diet. Bear in mind that some cats seem to get constipated without additional fiber, whereas other cats seem to get constipated if they get too much fiber. Each cat is unique, and you'll have to judge what works best for your cat.

Raw Cat Food Diet Recipe Made WITHOUT Real Bones (not recommended, except in a pinch)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The recipe that follows is inferior to the recipe above. Why? Because it does not contain real bone and relies on an isolated calcium supplement. Cats should eat REAL bone. But if you do not yet have a grinder, this recipe will suffice for short-term use. It also has some gelatin in it to make up for missing cartilage and slightly more kelp and dulse for those trace minerals lost by not using real bone. Please do not use this recipe indefinitely.

* 1400 grams <3 pounds> raw muscle meat (i.e., meat from chicken thighs and drumsticks or turkey or rabbit)
* 400 grams <14 oz> raw heart, ideally from the same animal (if no heart is available, substitute with 4000 mg Taurine)
* 200 grams <7 oz> raw liver, ideally from the same animal (if you can't find appropriate liver, you can substitute 40,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1600 IU of Vitamin D--but try to use real liver instead of substitutes)
* NOTE: If you cannot find the heart or liver and decide to substitute with the Taurine/Vitamin A/D, then remember to REPLACE the missing amount of organ meat with the equivalent amount of muscle meat. In other words, if you can’t find heart, you should add another 400 grams of the meat. If you can’t find the liver, add another 200 grams of meat.
* 16 oz <2 cups> water
* 4 tablespoons bonemeal (the kind meant for human consumption--not the kind used for gardening)
* 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
* 4 raw egg yolks (use eggs from free-range, antibiotic-free chickens if you can)
* 4 capsules raw glandular supplement (such as, for example, "Raw Multiple Glandular" from Premier Labs)
* 4000 mg salmon oil (see note at bottom of recipe*)
* 800 IU Vitamin E ("dry E" works well)
* 200 mg Vitamin B complex
* 1/2 teaspoon of kelp and 1/2 teaspoon of dulse (1 teaspoon total)
* OPTIONAL: 4 teaspoons psyllium husk powder (8 teaspoons if using whole psyllium husks; see note at bottom of recipe**)

NOTE: If you will not be using the food immediately and freezing for more than a week or two, toss in 4000 mg of additional Taurine to make up for what may get lost during storage. It is also not a bad idea to sprinkle extra Taurine from a capsule on the food as you're serving it two or three times a week, just to be certain your cat is getting plenty of this critical amino acid.

1. Remove the skin from the muscle meat. Chunk up (i.e., cut) much of the muscle meat (minus most of the skin if using chicken or turkey, but leave skin on if using rabbit) into bite-sized (nickel-sized, approximately) pieces. Save the chunked meat for later – do not grind it.

2. Grind the raw liver, remaining meat and the raw heart. Once ground, stir this mixture well and return to refrigerator. Once ground, stir this mixture very well and refrigerate.

3. Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water and whisk everything (non-meat) except the psyllium and gelatin. If you had to replace liver with Vitamin A and D or heart with Taurine, add those substitutes now. Add psyllium (if you’re using that) and gelatin at the end and stir well. (If you add the psyllium and gelatin too soon it clumps up.) Finally, put the three mixtures together—the “supplement slurry” that you have just mixed, the ground-up meat, and the chunks of meat you cut by hand. Portion into containers and freeze.

Don’t overfill the containers. Thaw only what you can use within 48 hours. Warm the food in a plastic bag under hot water to take off the chill, and serve.

*Every two or three days, I suggest sprinkling a few drops of fresh salmon oil from a newly-opened capsule on to the cats' food. The Essential Fatty Acids in salmon oil are extremely fragile, and since we donít know exactly how much gets lost during freezing, I think it's wise to use a bit of fresh salmon oil directly on the food a few times a week. Most cats love the flavor.

**Not all cats require additional fiber (psyllium) in their diet. If your cat has been eating low-quality commercial food for several years, especially dry food, she may have lost bowel elasticity and may benefit from the extra fiber. As a general rule, I recommend using psyllium when an adult cat first gets raw food. I rarely add much psyllium to my adult cats' diet. Bear in mind that some cats seem to get constipated without additional fiber, whereas other cats seem to get constipated if they get too much fiber. Each cat is unique, and you'll have to judge what works best for your cat.

[kestrel91316]

46. Yum. Raw liver = live culture of Campylobacter.

[Raine]

27. I'll never trust these pet food companies

ever again. My dog and cats are off that garbage forever!

[bluerum]

28. I wouldn't click a fox news link if it was the last website standing. eom

[barb162]

33. Well, you might want to try it if you have pets

I thought giving recipes for pet food was pretty apolitical.

[bluerum]

35. I have a pet. I avoid anything Fox. eom

[truthisfreedom]

36. My Egyptian Mau gets Royal Canin Active Adult and one small bottle of Gerber's Ham or Chicken baby

food per day. He has a cat door so he can run outside freely, so he has quite an appetite.

[Iceburg]

37. I hate to destroy your trust in Royal Canin but they above many have contributed to the crisis

in pet food.
There is now a class action lawsuit in Canada against Royal Canin for the distribution of pet food (in the period 2004 to 2006) that contained deadly toxic doses of vitamin D and yet they arrogantly claim that their food is not part of the Menu Foods recall. Technically true, but it is being recalled for other more gross negligent reasons -- VITAMIN D poisoning!!!



A list of some of the Royal Canin products recalled.

Note to Canadians: , a Canadian company (possibly a RC subsidiary) uses the Royal Canin product line and distributes its products only to vets.

Excessive Doses of Vitamin D Kills..

Royal Canin Dog Food Recall News Alert
http://www.aplus-flint-river-ranch.com/define-royalcanin-recall.php

This A+ FRR Pet Nutrition FAQ discusses the recall of three Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine dog foods due to more than thirty reported cases of hypercalcemia resulting from excessive levels of Vitamin D3.

ROYAL CANIN has recalled three of its Veterinary Diet Canine canned dog foods in the wake of 24 reported cases of hypercalcemia in Canada and eight cases in the United States from November 2005 through February 2006. Left untreated, hypercalcemia (excessive amounts of calcium levels in the blood) can lead to bone defects, cardiac changes (including abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia), kidney hypertension and possible renal failure, and, at especially high levels, death. ...
Independent laboratory results of the nutrient analyses for the formulas have confirmed excessive levels of Vitamin D3 in the canned dog food diets. According to ROYAL CANIN, the abnormally high levels of Vitamin D3 in the affected URINARY SO canned dog foods are due to a vitamin / micro-mineral premix error.
....MORE

Suit claims pet food maker Royal Canin with deadly amount of Vitamin D
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/070321/b032102A.html
Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | 1:05 AM ET

TORONTO (CP) - A Canadian class action lawsuit has been filed against pet food maker Royal Canin Canada Co. on behalf of dog and cat owners claiming that certain products contain excessive amounts of vitamin D and have caused their pets to become sick or die.
...
The suit against Royal Canin, filed Tuesday in the Ontario Superior Court, alleges the pet food maker - a subsidiary of a French company - either knew or should have known the levels of vitamin D were unsafe and could cause the animals to develop high levels of calcium in their blood, renal failure and other conditions.

...The Canadian lawsuit is seeking compensation for people who bought Royal Canin dog or cat food since Aug. 1, 2004.

Joel Rochon, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he wants the company cover the cost of veterinarian services related to the health problems, as well as the replacement cost of pets that have died, and reimburse the price of the food.

The claim outlines at least 59 Royal Canin products that it says should be included in the refund. The lawsuit has been filed by law firms Rochon Genova LLP and Himelfarb Proszanski LLP.

Rochon said the case has been in development for up to six months and is not directly related a pet food recall issued by Menu Foods.

© The Canadian Press, 2007


Know you Vitamin supplements ...
All pet owners need to be vigilante about finding out what they SHOULD be feeding and what they ARE feeding their pets. Especially vulnerable are pets on weight loss, low-cal or precsription type diets, as these foods are laced with vitamin additives and minerals (such as calcium,) many of which are injurious or deadly in the wrong doses. Extreme doses of Vitamin D, or the combo Vitamin A & E can act like antagonists of Vitamin K and result in death. The ingestion of such additives (in high doses) behaves in much the same way as if the pets (or humans) had ingested warafin. Remember this industry is NOT regulated, their controls seem clearly inadequate and as we peel away the layers of the onion, one has to question the alleged science behind their product mixtures... I mean -- why in Budda's name are the pet food manufacturers putting Vitamin D supplements in their products in the first place, since most pets and humans are able to get adequate supplies through sun-light exposure and normal diets?????

From wikipedia: Vitamin D, Hypervitamintosis D
Medline: Hypervitamintosis D
Why

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
If anyone has found a RDA of nutrients for dogs and cats can they please post a link to the data here. Those of us who are now making their own would greatly benefit from the info.

[catgirl]

57. Can you post this separately?

This info is really important since it may be part of the problem in the latest pet deaths.
Vitamin D3 in particular.

[Iceburg]

38. Dog biscuits made by Sunshine Mills added to the recall list

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=afcj8e6cNdE4&refer=canada

April 5 (Bloomberg) -- A recall of North American pet food linked to at least 16 animal deaths was extended today after U.S. investigators traced a suspect ingredient to dog biscuits.

Pet treats made by Sunshine Mills, based in Red Bay, Alabama, will be recalled after officials found it used wheat gluten that may have contained melamine, said Stephen Sundlof, the director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, today in a news conference today.

...
``We still have a lot of work in understanding why melamine is involved,'' Sundlof said. ``We are relatively certain there is a connection here someplace.''

Melamine, a ``relatively non-toxic'' substance, may be linked to another substance that has not yet been identified that could have contributed to pet deaths, he said. The FDA has received more than 12,000 complaints from pet owners.
------
Have the researchers rule out aflatoxin contamination... a mold that is potentially lethal even in small quantities? Aflatoxin Info
In hind sight, I am almost certain this is what killed my springer spaniel 4 years ago. See post at DU.

[mvd]

39. So far Purina's Beneful seems ok

Any chance of the problem spreading to that? I'm about to make my dog's dinner myself. And I hope there are big lawsuits.

[kestrel91316]

47. I'm not keen on Purina as a general rule, but it's FINE for now.

[mvd]

50. OK, thanks

It seems to be nutritious and my dog likes it. But I still worry about all the expansion.

[kestrel91316]

51. Remember this: it's ALL ABOUT THE WHEAT GLUTEN.

The only dry food with wheat gluten was the M/D feline dry that got a precautionary pull.

[mvd]

54. Purina Beneful is wet

I don't use their dry food.

[kestrel91316]

59. Is it "wet" as in the cuts and gravy style, or is it pate-style canned

that you are just calling wet? "Wet" is actually a formal term in the pet food industry, it turns out.

[mvd]

61. Here's a description

Seems to be pretty wholesome. I get the prepared meal kind, which comes in a container:

http://www.beneful.com/

[Iceburg]

63. Ist & 3rd ingredients are corn; and why are they adding Vitamin D3?

and Vitamin A, not to mention every colour dye in the spectrum. See on Medi-Cal/Royal Canin law suit re: lethal levels of Vitamin D in the pet food.

Beneful claims: "A perfect balance of healthful ingredients, quality nutrition and superb taste for pure contentment for dogs"....

List of ingredients for the "Original" diet
Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, sorbic acid (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium carbonate, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, vitamin supplements (E, A, B-12, D-3), added color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, zinc sulfate, glyceryl monostearate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, copper sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.

[mvd]

64. So do you think it's safe?

So far, my dog has had no problems.

[Iceburg]

65. I am not an expert -- just a person who has lost one fur dotter

and feels responsible for possibly having exposed 2 others to contaminated pet food.

Why I chose to start home feeding...

For the past year with increased frequency our beloved fur dotter Murphy (a 7 yr old Aussi) was throwing up throwing up yellow bile. In recent months it was a daily occurence. Our other fur partner BJ (a 3 yr old flat coat retriever cross) started heaving yellow bile in the past month but less frequently. Approximately 3 weeks ago both dogs became VERY ill -- severe vomiting and diarrhea. In addition their 4 month old fur cousin Chester, an Airedale had similar symptoms but more persistent and more severe. The vet alleges that Chester has beaver fever. Our beaver fever tests were negative.All three dogs were on dry food: Nutro, PC Nutrition First (which does NOT contain wheat gluten...they use corn gluten) Murphy & BJ, and Chester was on Kirkland/Diamond.

About two weeks ago I became aware of the recent pet food crisis and said that's it!! Enough!! I am not going to trust anyone but myself to feed my critters.

It is now Day 11 of their new home-cooked meals plan -- no vomit and stools are normal (albeit smaller). Both dogs now sleep through the night -- formerly this was an anomaly.

In the past 2 years the Aussi has had a variety of problems beyond the vomiting, including seizures and after a multitude of tests she was diagnosed as a having thyroid problem and is now on thyroxine. I have her blood work done every 3 months so it will be interesting to see if there is any change in her thyroid levels in a month.

Further, in 2002 we lost a very healthy Springer spaniel (Nell) due to sudden onset "Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia" (IMHA), 3 weeks after passing her annual wellness check! Within 3 days of the first symptoms (vomiting, pale yellow gums) her PCV was down to 11 percent, reticulocyte count 1to 3 percent --insufficiently regenerative. Ultrasound findings: cystic area in the liver, hepatomegaly; edema of the gallbladder; splenomegaly. She was transfused but was not able to increase her PCV. We halted the transfusions after 2 days and brought her home to be put to sleep on her favourite bed in front of the fire surrounded by her family.

I know switching to home-cooked meals was a bold step but given the vast outpouring of information on sick pets with similar symptoms, and the revelations about the lack of regulations in the industry and personal experience with their digestive problems I just could not in all conscience continue to put my babes at risk.

Looking back I cannot help but think that somehow Nell's IMHA was food related. Perhaps a lethal dose of Vitamin D or aflatoxin contaminated commercial pet food -- sadly I will never know with certainty. I do recall the vet asking at the time whether or not she could have consumed something poisonous like rat food or antifreeze. I assured her that we had absolutely NO poisonous substances around the house simply because of the risk. I don't recall what brand we were feeding her but I cannot help but feel that I may have been responsible for her premature death because I chose to feed her unregulated substances.

Aflatoxicosis in dogs and dealing with suspected contaminated commercial foods

http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.228.11.1686

See on Medi-Cal/Royal Canin law suit re: lethal levels of Vitamin D in the pet food.
------
Added on edit:
I won't say that it is easy nor cheap to make your own food. Quite the contrary. I spent days researching and still have a long way to go. My kitchen looks like a pet food factory 1 day a week.

Tools I use for calculating what they need versus what I am providing
I am currently working with a , although I have some suspicions about it's reliabilty and am looking for something more up to date AND peer reviewed.

I am also using a downloaded copy of the USDA National Nutrition database and a few other tools at their site to calculate what levels of nutrition I am providing them with.

[mvd]

68. First of all, I'm sorry about the problems your pets have had

And thanks for the info. :hi:

[Iceburg]

70. Thanks...your thoughts are much appreciated! /nt

[kestrel91316]

67. Looks YUMMY, lol!. If it has "gravy" it may have "wheat gluten"

listed as an ingredient.

I am really skeptical about ANY wheat gluten in pet foods right now, until we are sure that EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED HAS BEEN RECALLED. We just had more recalls today.............

[mvd]

72. Yep, I just checked, and her Beneful has wheat gluten

Not sure I want to take a chance and keep giving it to her.

[kestrel91316]

76. I would be cautious and find an alternative for just a little longer.

There could be a few more recalls. I doubt Purina has a problem, but if it were MY dog I would be cautious.

[Iceburg]

66. Not necessarily:My dogs were heaving up yellow bile on a corn gluten diet

11 days ago I switched to homemade meals and they have yet to throw up once.

[Iceburg]

69. A growing number of complaints about sick and dying animals who ate only dry food

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1607483,00.html
snip
What Caused the Deaths?

Richard Goldstein, associate professor of medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, who is part of a Cornell team investigating the cause of death, says he would not normally expect melamine to kill a pet. Research on melamine's effects on animals is very limited: only a few dated studies have been done on dogs and just one on cats, which showed limited poisonous effects and no kidney damage. And melamine has a very low level of toxicity to rodents. "It looks like it is causing direct cell death in the kidneys and this is not something we would have expected to happen," says Goldstein. "I don't think it's pure melamine. Maybe there is some kind of reaction with the metabolism of melamine that would cause this."

A growing number of complaints about sick and dying animals who ate only dry food, which typically does not contain wheat gluten, is another reason some authorities question whether melamine is the real culprit. Bruce Friedrich, Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged the FDA to test for excessive levels of vitamin D; last year a manufacturing error led to too much of the vitamin in Royal Canin pet food, causing kidney failure and death in several animals. But Goldstein says excessive vitamin D is unlikely, since blood tests would show high calcium levels, which haven't been found. Says an FDA spokesman: "Our analysis of the premix indicates that vitamin levels were appropriate." Other theories floated to explain the bizarre deaths are aminopterin, or rat poison, which would cause the kind of kidney damage seen. An Albany lab found the substance in two pet food samples of canned foods, but the FDA has ruled these out because no other lab has been able to confirm the results

[Iceburg]

49. PC Nutrition 1st dry was not recalled yet one of my dogs were tossing up yellow bile

almost daily for nearly a year. I tried 3 different brands -- all low cal senior varities but the problem persisted. After this recent pet food crisis, I said that's it! I starting making home cooked meals 11 days ago. Neither dog has thrown up since being on home made meals.

There is still no definitive answer on what exactly is causing the poisoning in the Menu Foods diet, so my advice would be to err on the side of caution.

See my early post in this thread on the class action law suit in Canada re:Medi-Cal/Royal Canin pet foods lethal doses of Vitamin D.

[kestrel91316]

48. AVMA's page on homemade diets:

http://avma.org/press/releases/070404_homemade_diets.asp

They mention Strombeck's book (written by a veterinary nutritionist, so it's probably 175% lies) and a website www.petdiets.com.

[magellan]

56. Uh, my veterinary surgery keeps Strombeck's book on hand

And my vet was happy to know I had a copy. He says he refers to it whenever he wants to give an owner a good homemade pet food recipe.

edit: perhaps I read you wrong and you were just being sarcastic about Strombeck's book being 175% lies. If so, that's not clear in your post.

[kestrel91316]

58. LOL, it's "common knowledge" in some circles on DU that we vets

lie ALL THE TIME - that every word that passes our lips is by definition a lie.

Yes, I was being just a tiny bit sarcastic. :silly:

[earth mom]

77. Glad to see this...

We've been feeding our elderly dog a cooked people food diet for about a year now and she is thriving. That said, I'm embarrassed to admit that we are still feeding Friskies dry to our 4 or 5 (one of them shows up sporadically) feral and 3 domestic cats. But after seeing a story on the local news about organic pet food, later today I'm going to the health food store and see what they have to offer that doesn't have wheat in it. If push comes to shove and I can't find a good alternative, I will start feeding the kitties a people food diet...though it will be tough on the ole budget. Why am I such a sucker for all these wild kitties? :shrug:

[Iceburg]

78. As a neophite into the world of home made meals for my fur children

I would be sincerley interested to hear about your experiences, specifically why you decided to change; what you started out with; what you are doing now; lessons learned etc....

[A Brand New World]

80. Some of the Friskie's dry cat foods contain no wheat gluten and

some do have wheat gluten so you may be safe if you just switch flavors. Just trying to help with the "old budget".