Food question (for Cynder) (premade raw?)

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#1
Random question. Does anyone know what the texture is of those dog food rolls you can buy at Petsmart? Trying to brainstorm potential new supplemental food ideas for Cynder...she's been having a bad time lately.

On that note, would it be worth maybe trying premade raw? Is that pretty calorie dense when compared with canned food? What is its texture like? Any brands in particular that stand out above the rest? Would that be something that she would need to ONLY be on, or could it be given in rotation to a canned food?

She's still regurging today. :/ We haven't had this many problems since she was first diagnosed. She has lost some weight, and she didn't really have any to loose. We need to try something else, because what we're doing now isn't working.

She was able to keep a hotdog down this morning without any issues, but that was about it.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#2
Are you talking about the Freshpet stuff?

Its not a roll but little pieces of soft food. Kind of reminds me of cookie dough in texture. I've heard it has ridiculous amounts of sodium, but not sure. My dogs love it for a treat but if she could eat that and keep it down it would be worth looking into I'd think.

I've used premade raw- both Stella and Chewy's and Primal. My dogs are iffy on it as far as willingness to eat. Summer has texture issues. The Primal was mushier than the S&C. S&C is definitely more solid than canned food. I've always fed partial raw so don't see how it'd be a problem unless her specific medical issues needed more consistency...

I'd say it's worth trying anything and everything possible just so she can eat. :( I'm so sorry it's not going well for her right now. I hope you find something she can eat.
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#3
I'm not sure which rolls Petsmart has, but we have FreshPet at work. It comes in logs/tubes that have to be refrigerated. It has a pretty firm consistency, kind of like summer sausage, but a little more moist. When you slice it up it retains it's shape, it doesn't crumble or anything.

Premade raw could be an option. As far as calories go, it can range anywhere from 30-80 kcals/oz. I'm not sure what canned food you're feeding right now, but the raw may definitely be denser. Most canned foods are somewhere between 300-600 kcals/13oz can, so roughly 25-50 kcals/oz.

Texture varies from brand to brand. I would say Primal, Natures Variety, and Stella & Chewys tend to be the most firm - even when thawed, they don't get super mushy or bloody. Bravo, Steve's, Raw Bistro, and Vital Essentials are all pretty bloody and mushy when thawed, Natures Logic is somewhere in the middle. As far as companies go, they're all pretty good, I would feel comfortable feeding any of them. They all have complete and balanced diets, and some offer supplemental formulas as well.

I haven't run into any digestion problems feeding raw, canned, and kibble in rotation or mixed together. Every dog is different, obviously, but I would say rotating is definitely something to try.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#4
Yah, I was thinking about the Fresh Pet type food. I may pick up a roll and see how she takes it. If it isn't quite what I want, Abrams will have a nice treat. Lol

Can any of the raw foods be ordered online, or are they only available at stores? I'm still getting a feel for the area, but unless I want to drive all the way to New Orleans I don't think there are many food options around here.

I think I'm going to experiment a bit and see what we can do. Right now we're just upping her meds, feeding smaller more frequent, and holding up right longer. I've been giving her a calorie supplement, too.

May try softened, blended dry food. I'm going to whip up a batch tomorrow and see how much volume it actually makes. If it's less than her canned, we'll give it a try.

I'll see about trying a premade raw diet, too. I think a more firm consistency, especially in small amounts, may be very beneficial. I've only ever had her regurge dog food, never any of the human food I give her. (Hot dog, slice of bread, summer sausage, bits of hamburger, etc.) Don't know if that's a texture/ease of digestibility deal, or the fact that she only gets "small" amounts periodically. Even if I could give her a raw medallion or something in place of a treat...I think that would make a difference.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#6
Could she do a dehydrated raw made runny?
I'd certainly be open to trying it! Would you rehydrate it like you would kibble? (Add water and blend?)

Basically, it has to be slimey and non irritating enough to slide down her esophagus easily. (But super runny isn't the best either, as she could aspirate.) The smaller the total volume the better, so something that is nutrient and calorie dense is ideal.
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#7
It looks like PetFoodDirect sells frozen Bravo, Natures Variety, Primal, and Stella & Chewys. I've never ordered frozen food online, so I don't know how they handle shipping and whatnot. I checked Chewy and PetFlow, and they only sell freeze-dried, no frozen.

Where are you located? I might be able to help you find a place that sells frozen.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#8
Huh the freshpet must have different kinds of food. Mine are very small little balls of cookie-dough like food. We use it as a treat.

Like this:



Have you tried like the honest kitchen? My dogs hated it but might be worth a shot.

My dogs really like the freeze dried Stella and Chewy patties too but they're expensive.
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#9
I'd certainly be open to trying it! Would you rehydrate it like you would kibble? (Add water and blend?)
Yup! I would think that a rehydrated food (like Honest Kitchen or Sojos) would be more of a canned consistency, but you can always add less water and see how that goes.

Stella & Chewys and Primal both make a freeze-dried food that comes in patties/nuggets...you could add water to that and still have it be a whole piece. If that makes sense.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#10
Hare Today and My Pet Carnivore are the two raw food websites I hear about. Haven't ever ordered from them.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#11
Where are you located? I might be able to help you find a place that sells frozen.
I'm in Gulfport, MS.

So many options! I'll look around and see what looks the most appealing. Thanks for all of the ideas, guys. I think her current diet is around 33kcal/oz , so the thought of switching to a diet that offers more calories for less food is very appealing.

Oooh, new bad thought. If she regurges raw food...is there a salmonella risk? Would the freeze dried alleviate that risk?
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#12
That would be my only concern with megaE...the tendency to regurgitate the food, or having it "sit" in the esophagus. I would say freeze-dried and raw would be the same concern, the freeze-dried isn't treated with heat.

However, Natures Variety, Stella & Chewys, and Primal all use High Pressure Pasteurization on all or some of their products, which does kill a large majority of pathogens.

I did a quick check...and there doesn't look like there's much around there. The closest retailers were like 40-50 miles away. :(
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#14
Have you tried making "meatballs" and feeding them to her while she's sitting up?

Natural Balance makes dog food rolls that are a complete diet, they're about 60-70 kcals/oz depending on the formula. While still moist, they're much drier than a canned food, and you might be able to roll them into balls.

Some pate canned foods have a drier, stickier consistency as well - Natural Balance, California Natural, and Canidae come to mind. Unfortunately they won't be as high in calories though. :(
 

Julee

UNSTOPPABLE
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Messages
3,418
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Kent, CT
#15
I can't remember if she has allergies or not, but these are the two most calorie-dense THK foods, you can mix them to different consistencies if needed:

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/thrive
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/love

65cal/oz
http://www.instinctpetfood.com/prod...raw-frozen-lamb-diet-1-oz-medallions-48-count
http://www.instinctpetfood.com/prod...-frozen-chicken-diet-1-oz-medallions-48-count

Actually I just checked and all of the 1oz medallions for those are 65cal/oz.

For Stella and Chewey's:

Raw patties (looks like "small patty" is 1.5oz):
Dandy Lamb - 85cal/small patty
Super Beef and Surf 'n Turf are both 70cal/small patty
Simply Venison - 65cal/small patty

The freeze dried patties are looking to be about the same, calorie wise.
 
Last edited:

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#16
Have you tried making "meatballs" and feeding them to her while she's sitting up?
Yup.

Our first routine when she was diagnosed was:
5mg metoclopramide 30 minutes before a meal, TID
10mg famotidine BID
1.5 cans Pro Plan split into 2-3 meals, fed elevated
Held vertical for 20-30 minutes

Then I started weaning everything down to see where I could maintain her with the least amount of fuss/medications.

For the past, oh...5 months we've been on this schedule:
5mg metoclopramide 30 minutes before meal time
10mg famotidine with food
1.5 can of Pro Plan fed elevated
Held vertical for 10-15 minutes

That is no longer working.

So right now we've pretty much switched back to where we started, only I'm having issues with her keeping all of her meals down (she may keep one down, but not the other), so I'd like to try decreasing the total amount of food needed...which means I need something with higher kcals.

I think she's also started to have issues with keeping water down. She wore her pro collar last night to keep her head elevated and it did the job. When DH got up at 5 he took it off of her and she ran out and got a drink of water. After he left she came back into the bedroom and laid down and I heard her coughing, so I put the pro collar back on her and she stopped being so urpy. Hopefully DH can get her elevated water stand built soon, as I think will help. During the day when she's constantly getting up and moving around and not laying flat on the floor she doesn't have as much issues with the water, but being stationary in prone-dog-position for long periods of time is starting to not work for her.
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#17
Poor Cynder. :(

I hope you can find something more calorie-dense that she can keep down! It sucks that there aren't many pet food stores down there.

Do you have a Petco anywhere nearby? I know the Petcos up here carry the Natures Variety raw, as well as FreshPet and Natural Balance. Our grocery stores and Target and whatnot carry the FreshPet, too.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#18
Petsmart is super close, but the Petco is 35mi away.

I think I'm going to just try the Authority dog food roll and see how she handles it. I really don't like the fact that it has so much sugar in it, but if it helps...we'll do it. It's 85kcal/oz, so that is nice. Then, if she does well with it, I may see about making a trip to the Petco and trying some Instinct patties.

The Freshpet appears to be about as calorie dense as the canned food I'm feeding, so I'm going to try the Authority food first, even if I like the ingredients less.

I'm going to blend up the dry food today and see how that goes for a feeding. Wish me luck!
 
Joined
May 6, 2008
Messages
1,945
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Minnesota
#20

Members online

No members online now.
Top