Raw Food and Supplements

900 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by DobManiac, May 5, 2009

DobManiac

Discussion Starter · May 4, 2009

Ok, I've been talking to my vet about my dogs’ new raw food diet, and she has been surprisingly supportive. But she keeps pushing Nature's Variety raw patties on me because she thinks the dogs will be missing valuable nutrients. After that she suggested pet tabs.

I am not a fan of pet tabs whatsoever, but she started to worry me so I purchased a vitamin/mineral supplement from Solid Gold. And now it’s arrived in the mail and I can't even get the stupid container open. And the stuffs not cheap.

I am wondering if it is really necessary, because I don't want the added expense if it’s not. I do give them fish oil pretty much every day. And they get a B-50 supplement and a little solid gold sea meal on occasion, maybe two or three times a week. The B-50 is just a safety measure, and the sea meal is for trace minerals. They also get Vitamin E twice a week.

That seems to be enough to me, but my vet is worried. If it’s a good idea, then I will just call solid gold and ask to exchange the container. But if it isn't needed then I want to just send it back.

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4lilmunchkins

· #2 · May 5, 2009

I think you'll find a lot of mixed opinions here, some seem to think that if you are feeding your dog raw food you don't need to add anything, so long as they are getting a variety of raw foods in the end it will all "balance out". They compare it to a human eating and how every one of our meals isn't entirely balanced every time we eat. I'm more of the mind where I prefer my dogs meals to be "somewhat" balanced, everything doesn't have to be exact but, I do feel that some supplements need to be added to their meals and that raw food alone doesn't suffice all of their nutritional needs. I had my dogs on NV for a year and I still added the same supplements to their food then as I do now on their raw food that I have ground for them. I use Solid Gold Seameal and an Omega oil supplement called Royal Coat by Ark Naturals everyday.

To me, it sounds like what you are already giving your dog is fine, I would probably start using the solid gold seameal more often but, besides that, to me, it sounds like they would be getting what they need along with their new raw diet...

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rosemaryninja

· #3 · May 5, 2009

I have always read that a properly designed raw diet doesn't need supplements. I tried Seameal for awhile, but didn't notice any significant differences, so I stopped it. It is expensive when you have large dogs.

If you're worried about whether the raw diet is providing for your dogs, ask your vet to do a regular blood panel on them. That's what I do for Spunky and her levels always turn out fine.

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DobManiac

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 5, 2009

I think I'm going to send it back. I already do annual blood panels, so if something goes wrong I should notice it. My breeder is already telling me the dogs are in the best condition she's ever seen them, and that’s after raw for only a little over a month.

I'll probably stop the B complex as well. My gets get a lot of beef and I keep reading that beef is high in B vitamins.

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