# An important warning about dry kibble



## doggyluver5 (Feb 1, 2013)

I received this warning in my email today and I trust the source so thought I'd pass it along to all of you. I am feeding my crew homemade food except for a little bit of kibble for my Tzus and Pap but think I'll now feed all homemade. It is very distressing as it is a lot of work to cook all the food as my Golden goes thru a lot, as much as the other five put together, so right now I'm cooking more for my little pals than for us! You would think that with all the recalls and reports like this that the pet food industry would be better monitored. They are making their money off the ignorance of a lot of pet owners. Why is it so hard for these companies to do the moral thing…..make a product worth what we pay for and that we can trust is as good as their labels read! Right now my pups are not even getting store bought treats. I am becoming paranoid about all that is edible in a pet store!! That coupled with the fact that any food from China (start reading the labels) are potentially hazardous for human consumption. I am totally disgusted

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.co...1406bf1fe99443615d9f18183909049c3e8e3918dafc2


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## Charlie'sMom (May 12, 2012)

Uh-oh, first the treats and now the kibble. I actually expected something like this to happen.
That's why I feed grain, corn, etc free food only and top it with a natural organic tripe food. 

About the treats - Charlie hates treats. The only ones he will eat are the chicken jerky type. Most of the time I buy U.S made jerky, but it's gotten soo expensive, that I bought a dehydrator and I plan to make these yummy treats at home. I haven't tried it yet, but plan on doing so soon.


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## luvsmalts (Oct 21, 2008)

Thanks for the article very scary. It's such a shame you can't trust anything to be safe now days. Good for you going homemade.
,


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## BeautifulMaltese (Dec 4, 2013)

Scary for sure!


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

Thanks for the article. Not surprised though. Already use Fromms grain free & store in refrigerator. By the way it is unhealthy for us to eat processed foods & GMO vegetables either. Always peel your apples and buy organic when possible. 


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

While a lot of kibble out there is suspect, there are a few that are relatively safe to feed...what I look for are small companies with their own processing plant, the ingredients are sourced and made in the U.S., and especially those that are certified USDA organic (which are not many)...a few that I recommend are Fromm, Petguard Organic, and Castor and Pollux Organix...I do not feed any store-bought treats...


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

is there a guild line on how much of home food you feed? I want to do this when lily is a little older like 6months but when is enough food enough? 


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## MarySC (Apr 4, 2014)

Orijen is also another great food! And it's made in Canada.


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## Vanitha (Nov 17, 2013)

Thank you for the article.It is scary and horrible.But I feel anything that processed usually unhealthy. How I wish I could give my little doggy fresh home cooked meals every time!
How about the brand Fish for Dogs, is that a good brand?


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Ok, so the main part of the article is about the afflitoxins (SP?) I can't be bothered to look up the spelling right now. The mold in the corn-why is this news? We knew last year that this was going to be an issue this year. Last year the farmers complained about bad crops and last year is when-who was it, the FDA? That allowed higher levels of mold to be present in corn used for animal feed.

This is not new. This is old news. There have already been recalls on this so I don't understand the shock and awe about it. This is what happens when you feed a corn based diet.

The other things-ok maybe a little more news worthy-but the 'independent research company' that did this-is a Chinese company? Hmm. Ok. Are we trusting China with the truth after the whole jerky treat fiasco? 

Then again-I do believe the findings-and, if after all this time, that people have been preaching and going on about this-and after all the posts and news stories that get out to the general public-if people are still feeding these foods..... it gets really hard to feel sorry for them if their pets get sick. It has been too long now, that pet owners have been reporting issues with these brands and these ingredients. I'm not saying you are bad if you feed these brands, however, this news is everywhere now-you feed at your own risk.

I was going to get a subscription to Dogs Naturally Magazine, I love their point of view and I agree with much of it but I'm also finding that they don't tell the whole story. Most of what they post, to me, is panic feeding for the pet owning masses.

I know that sounds terrible of me, but enough is enough already.


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

any suggestions on how to ensure dental health if I'm not feeding kibble? I try mixing her kibble with homemade meals and her wet but she hates it's and separates it out. 

lily is only 17 weeks so brushing her teeth hasn't been on the menu, I tried once and failed lol. 


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## Brick's Mom (Apr 19, 2014)

What about raw carrots as treats? Brick loves them and they are so good for his teeth. 

Regarding brushing, I read about using a baby facecloth was a good idea.....started doing that a wheel ago and it works great. So much better than doggie toothbrushes.


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

I give mine silvers of carrot. When I gave him those small whole carrots he ate them but I don't think he chewed them up enough. Because next day he would not eat. So now just slivers & he does great.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Kibble doesn't do anything for dental health at all so I wouldn't worry about them not eating it. There are some chews out there that work but the ultimate thing I have found is brushing their teeth. Some people use wash cloths, some people use gauze over a finger, some people use special dental wipes, some people use special tiny brushes. I use a regular two headed dog toothbrush and toothpaste.

Janene uses organic coconut oil to brush her pups teeth with and it works out great for her. She demonstrates in a video on their facebook page, how she brushes their teeth. The video helped me so much, I always had problems getting the toothbrush into the boys mouth but after watching it, I was able to get it done with so much less fight. Once we are done with our toothpaste we are going to start using coconut oil too.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=424345811036214&set=vb.309940122476784&type=2&theater


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

shellbeme said:


> Kibble doesn't do anything for dental health at all so I wouldn't worry about them not eating it. There are some chews out there that work but the ultimate thing I have found is brushing their teeth. Some people use wash cloths, some people use gauze over a finger, some people use special dental wipes, some people use special tiny brushes. I use a regular two headed dog toothbrush and toothpaste.
> 
> Janene uses organic coconut oil to brush her pups teeth with and it works out great for her. She demonstrates in a video on their facebook page, how she brushes their teeth. The video helped me so much, I always had problems getting the toothbrush into the boys mouth but after watching it, I was able to get it done with so much less fight. Once we are done with our toothpaste we are going to start using coconut oil too.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=424345811036214&set=vb.309940122476784&type=2&theater



this is great! thank you for sharing.

So With all this being said what are some alternatives to kibble? I'm really interested in the patties (like Stella's) because it seems nutritious and convenient but I'm not too sure about going raw. also, Stella's is so expensive-feels like I'll have to get a new bag every week.


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## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

So far the Stella & Chewy does seem a bit pricey, but I'm really liking the freeze dried raw. No problem transitioning and she's no longer picky...If I say hungry or dinner, she comes running! I've converted my mom's poodle too and she went from really picky to waiting for mealtime too 



rasgari said:


> this is great! thank you for sharing.
> 
> So With all this being said what are some alternatives to kibble? I'm really interested in the patties (like Stella's) because it seems nutritious and convenient but I'm not too sure about going raw. also, Stella's is so expensive-feels like I'll have to get a new bag every week.
> 
> ...


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

lydiatug said:


> So far the Stella & Chewy does seem a bit pricey, but I'm really liking the freeze dried raw. No problem transitioning and she's no longer picky...If I say hungry or dinner, she comes running! I've converted my mom's poodle too and she went from really picky to waiting for mealtime too



I started lily on Stella's (day 2) and I give her usual snack of wevura pumpkin chicken soup. she's having horrible diarrhea- I tried to do a gradual change to Stella's but she refuses to eat her kibble. (she literally will starve herself than eat kibble)

Will this diarrhea phase pass? I'm so worried for her, she is loving meal time but when she "goes" she looks like she's in pain :/ 



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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

How long has she had the runs? Sometimes people will add a bit of pumpkin to their diet to get their poop to firm up but personally I've never had any really bad reactions from switching foods. The worst that we have had is softer poo for a day or two at the most.


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

shellbeme said:


> How long has she had the runs? Sometimes people will add a bit of pumpkin to their diet to get their poop to firm up but personally I've never had any really bad reactions from switching foods. The worst that we have had is softer poo for a day or two at the most.



it was soft yesterday and today it's just liquid. :/ so far a total of two days. 


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## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

Rasgari, I would recommend going back a few steps and introducing the Stella and Chewys more gradually. All transitions from one food to another can cause a lot of upset, and the difference between kibble and the dehydrated raw is probably a bigger shock to their system.

Last year, a couple months before she turned one, I very very gradually transitioned Lily to Stella and Chewy's from kibble, adding about a fifth of a patty hydrated with water mixed in with her kibble. Then gradually increased the dehydrated raw. I still use a small amount of Fromms grain free kibble as a treat in treat balls, treat puzzle toys, etc. 

For transitioning I went from one type of S and C to another. I started her on the lamb Stella and Chewys, then the next bag was duck, then rabbit. Her system handled them all fine. So, after that and to the present I mix them up, meaning one kind for breakfast the other for dinner. She is about seven pounds and I give her one patty in the morning and one in the evening.

I find she wolfs it down if put it in her bowl (totally unlike her pickiness with kibble). So I break it into little chunks that are hydrated and use them as training rewards. She sits, she gets one piece, gives me a paw, gets another, gets on her bed, another. It paces it out so she is not eating it all in five seconds flat. Better for her system. And more fun.

Of course she gets treats of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, green beans or boiled chicken breast, etc. through the day. Doesn't only have the S and C, but it is her daily base food.

Her poop and overall health seem better on the Stella and Chewys then anything else. Her weight is good and I am happy with it overall.

It probably is a bit more expensive but with a fluff using two patties a day the bag lasts a bit (I don't know, maybe there are 25-30 patties in the larger size bags?)

Good luck with it. Let us know how it works out.

Linda


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## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

By the way, Rasgari, forgot to mention that I love your dog's name. B)


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## rasgari (Feb 25, 2014)

Linda,

thanks for this post. I really appreciate it! lily's stool is firming up, but the other day she had liquidy loose stools, this is happening about once a week. she'll be fine for days and then randomly have tummy issues and then she'll be fine again. I'm starting to think it's not normal. I've been boiling carrots and sweet potatoes and I think it's helping a lot. 

like your little one, my lily is scarfing down her food. it literally takes her 10 seconds (or less). as a result I see that she isn't chewing her food. I rehydrate the S&C patty completely and then mash it up for her. 

Last night I tried not breaking the patty into mushy pieces and served it as bigger kibble size pieces in hopes she would CHEW, instead she almost choked because again she tried swallowing her food instead of chewing the pieces. I will try what you do by giving pieces one by one as rewards.



LovelyLily said:


> Rasgari, I would recommend going back a few steps and introducing the Stella and Chewys more gradually. All transitions from one food to another can cause a lot of upset, and the difference between kibble and the dehydrated raw is probably a bigger shock to their system.
> 
> 
> 
> ...






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